For Immediate Release
July 31, 2025
RAI TERRY NAMED JOSEPHINE FORMAN SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
Simmons University grad student receives $10,000 award
Madison, N.J. – Rai Terry is the 2025 recipient of the Josephine Forman Scholarship, an award sponsored by the General Commission on Archives and History (GCAH) in cooperation with the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The $10,000 scholarship provides financial support to students of color pursuing graduate education in archival science, encourages students to pursue careers as archivists and promotes the diversification of the American archives profession.
Terry is pursuing a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree at Simmons University with a concentration in Cultural Heritage and Archives Management. Their work in archives began as a student assistant at Bradeis University Archives where they assisted in the course, “Black Brandeis, Black History.” They described the experience as “pivotal, as I witnessed the impact of archival work on students, empowering them to take history into their own hands. It was clear to me then that making archives more inclusive, accessible and responsive was the path I wanted to pursue.”
Terry received their M.A. in Public Humanities in 2022 while serving as the inaugural Pathways Fellow with the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA).
Terry is committed to “the preservation of magnetic media, especially for communities of color for whom videotape was often the first accessible form of self-reflective media,” they said. While pursuing their MLIS, Terry also currently works at the Chicago South Side Home Movie Project, which supports community archiving efforts, founded by Aunt Penny’s Tapes, which digitizes video for individuals free of charge.
“One of the hallmarks of The United Methodist Church and its antecedents is how the church has intersected with critical worldwide movements, where diverse members of the denomination led the fight for change and justice with conviction and faithfulness,” said Dr. Ashley Boggan, GCAH general secretary. “The General Commission on Archives and History remains committed to preserving this history and we are excited to recognize Rai and their energy, enthusiasm and dedication to the work they are doing in this vital area.”
In the SAA announcement, the selection commented that it was impressed by Terry’s commitment and range of experience broadening accessibility to archival materials.
“In looking forward, I am to push the archival field toward more expansive, inclusive and innovative practices,” Terry said. “My goal is to develop archival methodologies that acknowledge history as something living and evolving, incorporating the improvisational and embodied ways communities pass down information.”
One of Terry’s instructors described them as “one of the most insightful, visionary students who I have encountered,” while another noted that Terry elevates “the level of dialogue in every space they inhabit.”
“I am deeply honored to be a recipient of the Josephine Forman Scholarship,” Terry says. “It is a meaningful affirmation of my commitment to shifting the ways we think about archives and their connection to community memory and care. I’m grateful to the Society of American Archivists and the United Methodist General Commission on Archives & History for this support. I hope that in my pursuit of preserving videotape, a medium facing imminent obsolescence, I can live up to the legacy of Josephine Forman and build more inclusive archival spaces.”
The Josephine Forman Scholarship, made possible through a donation to GCAH to support more ethically and racially diverse candidates entering the archives and history field, is named in honor of Forman, archivist for 18 years of the Southwest Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church and author of "We Finish to Begin: A History of Travis Park United Methodist Church, 1846–1991." A As Conference Archivist, Forman collected records from closed churches along with administrative records for the Conference. For many years she was the church historian at Travis Park UMC in San Antonio, Texas. She was also committed to training and education for archivists and church historians.
About General Commission on Archives & History
The General Commission on Archives & History (GCAH), organized in 1968, is one of the general agencies of The United Methodist Church, with offices located in the Archives & History Center. on the campus of Drew University in Madison, N.J. GCAH offers assistance to local churches and Annual Conferences through publications, workshops, research services, and other programs. The Commission maintains relationships with the five Jurisdictional Commissions on Archives and History, the Central Conferences, the World Methodist Historical Society, the World Methodist Council, and the Charles Wesley Society.
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