By Hazel Scott/ASU
Michael Bean, the Collections Archivist at Alabama State University, has been chosen for a prestigious fellowship with Archiving the Black Web's (ATBW) Web Archiving School (WARC) 2026 cohort. Bean’s journey began with a three-day orientation in March at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, followed by several months of online training starting in May.
Bean is one of only 15 individuals selected nationwide for the program, joining an impressive group of archivists, librarians, scholars, artists, curators, and software engineers. Together, they will learn how to capture and preserve the vast and ever-changing digital landscape that documents Black culture and history online.
Reflecting on the experience, Bean shared, “This work is urgent. Over the years, I’ve seen how media has shifted from physical to fragile digital formats. The internet is always evolving—software updates, obsolete formats, and corporate controls make preservation tricky. Without deliberate efforts, important cultural memories risk disappearing.”
Founded in 2019, ATBW focuses on safeguarding Black digital culture by developing fair and accessible web archiving practices across the United States. The WARC School trains a new generation dedicated to documenting the Black experience on the web. Participants were chosen for their passion for Black culture, willingness to grow professionally, and commitment to community collaboration.
For Bean, this fellowship is not just an opportunity; it’s a responsibility. “It equips me to better understand and face the challenges of digital archiving as collections become mostly digital. I look forward to helping preserve our digital heritage in more intentional and sustainable ways.”
To learn more about Archiving the Black Web, see https://www.archivingtheblackweb.org/.