The 1947 Partition Archive

The 1947 Partition Archive is a non-profit organization focused on preserving oral histories and digital archives related to the 1947 Partition of British India and its aftermath. It provides library and information science education through internships and fellowships aimed at training the next generation of digital archivists, particularly those from underrepresented South Asian American backgrounds.

Through federal grant awards, The 1947 Partition Archive has established programs to provide hands-on training in digital archiving techniques to students. A $298,437 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities funded an existing Digital Oral History Archivist (DOHA) internship program, enabling 12 paid six-month internships over two years where students gain experience in cloud-based cataloging, handling, and preservation of born-digital oral histories. Additionally, a $161,717 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services funded the Digital Oral History Archivist Student Fellowship Program, introducing high school and college students to community-based archives through lectures and practical work with cataloging, handling, and preserving digital archives related to conflict zones. This program covers topics like democratic heritage documentation, geotagging, ethical considerations, and oral history. The organization also received a $30,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to adapt to cloud-based digital archiving techniques during the COVID-19 pandemic.