Archives and Society: David B. Gracy II and the Value of Archives

As president of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) for 1983–84, David B. Gracy II initiated the Archives and Society program, which focused on the value of archives to all members of society. This program included an effort to redefine the term "archivist" in order to emphasize the relevance and significance of the archival profession, a social marketing investigation of "the image of archives and archivists" as held by organizational resource allocators, and other efforts to promote broader understanding of the archival profession. This essay examines the Archives and Society initiative, the leadership of David Gracy, and the ongoing legacy of his term as president of SAA.