Through a dynamic international partnership, York University is supporting the preservation of archives and increasing accessibility to historical documents in West Africa's Sierra Leone.
Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus Paul Lovejoy led the project with partners including Walk With Web, the British Library and the Sierra Leone Public Archives (SLPA) of Freetown. Together they worked to digitize the country's public archives, bringing fragile documents, photographs and maps into the digital age and expanding global access to the nation's rich history.
Paul Lovejoy
The website connected to the digital archive launched on Aug. 25, and was supported by British Library Endangered Archives Programme funding secured by Lovejoy and Professor Suzanne Schwarz (University of Worcester), as well as funds from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada through the Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diasporas at York University.
"This launch marks a groundbreaking step in building Sierra Leone's digital capacity and strengthening access to the nation's archival resources," says Lovejoy. "York University has played a key role in advancing global archival research and digital preservation - dating back to the 18th century - through this project."
In addition to securing funds for the project, York offered research and technical development by facilitating students' participation through work-study and Research at York programs.
Lovejoy also serves on the board of directors for Walk With Web, which developed the SLPA's digital platform under the leadership of CEO Kartikay Chadha, who worked as a researcher at York under Lovejoy's supervision and is now based at McGill University. The interdisciplinary collaboration supporting this project ensures the website meets international standards for archival research and sustainability.
"This partnership exemplifies York's commitment to global engagement and knowledge mobilization," says Lovejoy. "It's about building capacity and creating long-term access to historical materials that are vital to Sierra Leone's cultural memory and are global in significance, including the strong conections between Sierra Leone and Nova Scotia, from where many early settlers in Freetown came."
The SLPA website is designed to serve as a hub for research, education and cultural engagement. York and its partners are supporting workshops and training sessions to equip students and professionals in Sierra Leone with practical skills in archival management and digital stewardship.
The launch of the website reflects a milestone in Sierra Leone's digital transformation, safeguarding government documents, private papers, maps and photographs that chronicle the nation's evolution.
The project also highlights the important role that Sierra Leone has played historically in the centuries-long fight against slavery, says Lovejoy, and promotes global engagement on the issue of reparations for the descendants of those who suffered enslavement.
This story was originally featured in YFile, York University's community newsletter.
