JUNEAU – On Sept. 21, 2016 the Alaska State Historical Records Advisory Board’s (ASHRAB) awarded journalists Michael Carey and Dermot Cole and film-maker Damon Stuebner Certificates of Excellence for their work in using historical records to educate.
Carey worked as an editorial writer, columnist, and then page editor for the Anchorage Daily News for 26 years. He has continued writing after his retirement, including for Alaska Dispatch. He regularly writes about family and interesting individuals around Fairbanks, showcasing historical biographies of Alaskans. His Alaska Dispatch article “Past comes back to life, box by box by box” (June 14, 2016) showcases the meaningfulness of historical records to individuals and families.
Cole, a reporter, columnist, and editor for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and now regular writer for Alaska Dispatch News has been a prolific writer over his career. The author of four books that used historical records, Cole has often been encountered at the UAF Rasmuson Library Alaska & Polar Regions Collections department studying historical records where he’s known as a regular. Cole’s writings demonstrate how historical records provide new details and perspectives, which help Alaskans better understand Alaska. His recent Alaska Dispatch article “When the dogs beat the plane—and saved Nome” (March 1, 2016) recontextualizes the history of the Iditarod.
Stuebner, who works as a Library Assistant at the Alaska State Library, spent eight years of his private time working to develop a 100-minute documentary film that chronicles the history of the Coast Guard ice breaker Storis. His film Storis: The Galloping Ghost of the Alaskan Coast makes use of historical records to document the ship’s history, including its service in Alaska during World War II, the Good Friday Earthquake of 1964, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, and labors to rescue countless Alaskans at sea. Stuebner’s work details the Storis’ decades of service to Alaskans.
The ASHRAB, coordinated by the State Archivist, is a nine-member Governor-appointed board. The ASHRAB believes that the collection and preservation of historical records—Alaska’s priceless legacy—are fundamental to understanding our past and guiding our future. This was the ASHRAB’s sixth year recognizing excellence from among multiple worthy nominations.
0 Comments.