Award recognizes project to digitize and make accessible online Bureau of Catholic Indian Mission archives

MILWAUKEE — Raynor Library at Marquette University received the Governor’s Award for Archival Achievement from the Wisconsin Historical Society in a ceremony hosted at the library on Friday, Aug. 28.

The Governor’s Award for Archival Achievement recognizes significant projects, facility renovations, or multi-year efforts to preserve or increase access to original or digitized historical documents. Raynor Library was honored for its project digitizing and making accessible online historical correspondence from the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions.

“This is a great honor and recognition for our archives and institutional repository team, and their efforts to digitize the Bureau of Catholic Indian Mission,” said Dr. Tara Baillargeon, dean of Raynor Library, “This tremendous work allows Indigenous families to more easily discover important information about their ancestors, and enables historians, tribal communities, and religious orders to bring our nation’s hard truths to light and to work toward reconciliation.”

The Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions archives contain extensive and diverse historical information about Native Americans and their communities, and especially Native American Catholics and their Catholic parishes and events. Also detailed are the Catholic missionaries and their evangelization through parishes and schools. The BCIM was created in 1874 to protect, promote and administer the Native American mission interests of the Catholic Church in the United States.

Each year, the Wisconsin Historical Society’s governing board of curators recognizes individuals and organizations for meritorious work in areas relating to the society’s mission. The Wisconsin Historical Society bestows three awards for archival efforts, recognizing outstanding achievement, advocacy and innovation.

The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. The Wisconsin Historical Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, receives grants and private contributions benefitting the Wisconsin Historical Society and administers the membership program. For more information, visit wisconsinhistory.org.

About Marquette University

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university located near the heart of downtown Milwaukee that offers a comprehensive range of majors in 11 nationally and internationally recognized colleges and schools. Through the formation of hearts and minds, Marquette prepares our 11,100 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional students to lead, excel and serve as agents of positive change. And, we deliver results. Ranked in the top 20% of national universities, Marquette is recognized for its undergraduate teaching, innovation and career preparation as the sixth-best university in the country for job placement. Our focus on student success and immersive, personalized learning experiences encourages students to think critically and engage with the world around them. When students graduate with a Marquette degree, they are truly prepared and called to Be The Difference.