Some archival records in the collections held by the Simcoe County Archives include historical content that is offensive. For example, they may include racist or sexist language. Such content reflects the period when the records were created and the viewpoints and attitudes of their creators.
It is the goal of the Simcoe County Archives to maximize the accessibility of our collections to researchers, while minimizing the presence of harmful language in our archival descriptions. Archives staff are working to add contextual information to descriptions of records that include offensive historical language and contents. We are also reviewing and updating the language used in our descriptions database and finding aids to reflect current best practices. This is an ongoing process.
If you encounter records or descriptions in our collections that include language or contents that you think Simcoe County Archives should review, please contact us at archives@simcoe.ca.
Published: 2021-06-15
