Throughout the 1800s to the 2000s, Barbadian life was captured and documented by a plethora of written publications and ephemera housed by the Barbados Department of Archives. HeritEDGE Connection will digitize this expansive archive as a collection that documents the evolution of Barbadian national consciousness over time.
From 1837 to the 2010s, various publications and ephemeral objects have documented the intricacies of life in Barbados, including politics, business and industry, women's movements, religion, health, and more. The collection housed at the Barbados Department of Archives consists of ephemera, magazines, and newspapers that date across almost two centuries. The collection covers a sweeping overview of the history of Barbados, primarily the country's transition from a colonial territory to an independent state.
This material was selected for digitization, because they present a comprehensive and colorful view of both everyday life and people in the Caribbean. As an example, The Liberal newspaper’s editor, Samuel Jackman Prescod, is one of Barbados’ national heroes, being instrumental in educating the newly emancipated masses and advocating for their rights. Overall ,the collection is of great importance for social, historical and genealogical research.
HeritEDGE Connection will digitize a collection of 11 volumes of approximately 4,000 pages in total of The Liberal newspaper from 1837 to 1859 as well as approximately 8,000 pages of ephemera from the 1930s to the 2000s. In total, there is an estimate of 12,000 pages of content.
The timeline for this project has been delayed due to limitations caused by COVID-19.
