In September, Museum of Durham History Director of Operations, Jeanette Shaffer, attended the American Alliance for State and Local History national conference in Little Rock, Arkansas. Shaffer was selected to take part in a panel called “Action for Just Collections, Creativity, and Collaboration NOW” and presented on the Museum’s oral history program and its use of stories to present unique and diverse exhibits about the Durham community. Alongside curators from institutions such as the Kentucky Historical Society, the Virginia Historical Society, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Shaffer helped led a brainstorming session for museum professionals to work together and generate creative uses for their current collections in order to create equitable exhibits and programs.

Although the conference was scaled down due to the ongoing pandemic, Shaffer enjoyed engaging with and learning from other museum professionals on their own projects. She also enjoyed exploring the local historic and cultural sights of Little Rock and visited the Old State House Museum, the Historic Arkansas Museum, and the Esse Purse Museum.