Call for Digitized Family Photos

Okay cousins, I'm putting out the call for your family photos. Here are some examples of why digital archiving is so important. Below are two copies of the 1983 Blouza reunion family photo.  The first example is a photo I took in 2001 of the 1983 picture on display.  It's blurry and not a great copy. The second example is a photo I took in 2012 of the same 1983 picture. Despite the best efforts of the owner it was severely damaged in a flood and is almost completely ruined. There are other copies out there (most of them much smaller versions) so hopefully we can track one down and get it properly photographed or scanned.

(Click on the photos to view full screen)

Another example, if you need more inspiration, is a recent article and photo display in the New York Times that highlights the importance of digital archiving. The NYT piece (click here to check it out) collects photos that were washed out of peoples homes during Superstorm Sandy a few weeks ago. Shortly before that we had a tsunami warning here in Hawaii which also made me think about saving the box of photos I carried across the Pacific with me when I moved here. In short, anything can happen and it doesn't need to be a flood, a hurricane, or a tsunami, it could just be the dog, cat, or the occasional tipped-over beverage. So, find a scanner and pick out the most important old photos you have and get scanning. Do it for yourself, do it for your kids, do it for history, and lastly do if for me and the archive I'm building (note slight sarcasm and drama for effect).

Cedars in the Pines - The Lebanese in North Carolina

The Lebanese-American Studies program at North Carolina State University has just released a new documentary, Cedars in the Pines, exploring the two waves of Lebanese migration to that state (1900's and 1970's).  The 6 minute trailer provides a nice overview of the film. While this documentary focuses specifically on North Carolina, those in the film mention a lot of the same issues Lebanese immigrants throughout the U.S. dealt with (including those to the Northeast) when they arrived and throughout their lives.  I just received a copy of the DVD in the mail today and can't wait to review it and share it with everyone. Here are links to the research project and the short preview of the film that you can watch on YouTube:

Khayrallah Program for Lebanese-American Studies