Dearborn museums join forces to host personal photo digitization events

The Arab American National Museum and the Dearborn Historical Museum are bringing historical preservation techniques to the people. The joint effort is to serve the Many Stories, One City: Dearborn Community History Series, a partnered project between the two museums.

City residents, both past and present, are encouraged to bring photographs depicting life in Dearborn to two different digitization events at the Dearborn Public Library – Henry Ford Centennial Branch. There, staff of both the Arab American National Museum and the Dearborn Historical Museum will scan the photos for potential use in the Many Stories, One City project. Residents will then be returned their original photos as well as receive digital copies on a USB flash drive.

"This particular project warms my heart when I see two of Dearborn’s great preservers of the area’s history come together in order to add to each other’s knowledge and preserve the stories associated with our great past," says Jack Tate, DHM director. "It has long been one of the goals of the DHM to collaborate with other area institutions on projects that will help in preserving the history of Dearborn. I hope that this is only the beginning."

Residents will be allowed to scan up to ten photographs. They will be presented with a coupon for one free admission to the Arab American National Museum as thanks for participation in the project.

The Many Stories, One City project is made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Common Heritage program, which is funding similar projects all across the United States. Its goal is to preserve items found in American homes, and not just those found in museums.

The digitization events for Many Stories, One City take place in Room 30 of the Dearborn Public Library – Henry Ford Centennial Branch at 16301 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn. They occur from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4.

The events are free and open to the public.

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