Her job description involves curating and preserving African American history in the Austin area, but kYmberly Keeton goes well beyond that. She leads genealogy workshops to help African Americans trace their roots and organizes public forums that bring African American history to life for area residents and connect them with a sense of identity.
African American Community Archivist and Librarian, Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, TX
MLS, University of North Texas, 2014
Civic Futures Award, Central Texas, 2019; AT&T Aspire to Tech Scholarship Recipient, 2017
kymizsofly (Instagram); library.austintexas.gov/ahc/growingy
ourroots; artlibrarydeco.space; kreativeyoungmillionaire.net
Photo by Gene Smirnov
Her job description involves curating and preserving African American history in the Austin area, but kYmberly Keeton goes well beyond that. She leads genealogy workshops to help African Americans trace their roots and organizes public forums that bring African American history to life for area residents and connect them with a sense of identity.
"Archivists were traditionally behind the scenes, but a 21st century librarian is in front of the scenes," she says. "We’re more embedded within our community."
When she arrived in Austin in 2018, Keeton learned about the impact gentrification has had on the city’s demographics, forcing many African American families out to surrounding communities. She has made it her mission to preserve the legacy of these families and their contributions to Austin’s history.
As founder and curator of ART | library deco, an online African American digital art library, Keeton brings an entrepreneurial spirit to her work. With small grants from area organizations, she organized an inaugural statewide genealogy conference at Austin Central Library. This free event, Growing Your Roots, was held in early 2020, and had more than 500 participants.
Keeton draws inspiration from Martin Luther King’s "Drum Major Instinct" speech and its call to service: "I want you to be first in love. I want you to be first in moral excellence. I want you to be first in generosity."
"I hope to be thought of as a person who is unselfish and always thinks about others," says Keeton.
You are gifted and talented and I admire your passion for what you do. Your work is a credit to the Austin community and recognized for its value. Be blessed.
This article creates an abundance of joy in my heart, it's unexplainable. I can truly say the very first time I met MS Keeton @ a TLA conference hosting a meeting for Dr Cleveland, of TLA our spirits connected. She was so enthusiastic about life/her career it was tangible, and I knew I needed her young vibrant personality in my life and I would attempt to share nuggets of wisdom. The view I've observerd her from, success would be obvious and I'm looking forward to continue to watch her soar and take others with her, if you can keep up with her fierce energy. I'm hoping to introduce her to the Southeast TX area in the near future.
Thanks to all who made this article a reality.
CT
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