Items

• 
  2020-12-02

  “Back the Blue” sign

  I decided to include this into the collection because I believe that it would be unethical to exclude the “opposing side”. The “Back the Blue” movement is a sort of counter-movement created against the calls to “defund the police”. ‘Back the Blue’ is also often referred to as ‘Blue Lives Matter’ or ‘Thin Blue Line’. I felt that this was necessary to include opposing viewpoints, as not to completely dismiss them from existing, which would be unethical, and future historians who look back onto 2020 will also find out about this counter movement and the reason why it was formed, which allows them to fully grasp the environment of our times.
• 
  2020-06-02

  “Justice for George Floyd” sign in front of Historical Building

  This is a sign that was put at the door of a historical building in Old Wethersfield, shortly following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The killing of George Flyod, more specifically, the recording, are what caused the widespread Black Lives Matter protests over the summer. To me, this image is important for the archive because it shows the significance of this event in 2020, because it shook the world, not even just the US, and that support for the movement and support for justice is being called for from ~1.3k miles away. The video was spread over social media, which allowed for it to reach that level of audience that it was exposed to.
• 
  2020-08-08

  “Black Lives Matter” sign

  This sign is important because it is the main focus of my entire project and archive. Signs have become a major part of this pandemic, whether they are signs promoting a social message (such as this one), one supporting healthcare workers, or signs that are just motivational, signs have become the way of spreading hope and awareness during the pandemic. This item falls under the criteria of showing future historians a significant moment in the year 2020, as the entirety of the summer consisted of Black Lives Matter protests. The Black Lives Matter movement also was a way for the voices of black people to be amplified and speak up against police brutality and injustice.
• 
  2020-10-31

  Exercise from home

  I submitted this image because I bought these shoes in anticipation for the lockdown, assuming that it was going to shutdown gyms. Running/Jogging/ walking became one my primary sources of exercises during the lockdowns. This image is meaningful to me because to me, exercise is super important, so running has allowed me to both get exercise and get away from the screen for a bit.