Following the shooting on FSU’s campus on April 17, which took the lives of two people, Tiru Chabba and Robert Morales, as well as injuring five others, the campus community created several memorials in honor of the victims. These memorials consist of various items, left behind by students, staff, faculty, and loved ones, such as letters, flowers, candles, and other such memorabilia. The memorials, even considering how tragic the impetus of their creation was, serve as a testament to the compassion and kindness that we, as communities, as people, are capable of; they remind us that, in the wake of acts of evil and senseless violence, there is still strength, and there is still love.
To that end, FSU Libraries Special Collections and Archives have partnered with FSU’s Division of Student Affairs and FSU Facilities to archive the memorials, preserving what was left behind to honor and remember the victims. Katie McCormick, the Associate Dean for Special Collections & Archives estimates that the materials collected number in the hundreds.
The process of archiving and documentation is long and arduous; however, every item is being handled with the care and respect that they deserve, and they will continue to exist as a part of FSU’s history for generations to come. Although a majority of the bouquets are going to be composted, the compost itself will be reserved for future memorial plantings on FSU’s campus. Living plants at the time of archiving will either be distributed or planted. Some flowers though will be dried and preserved.
In what McCormick calls an “early first step,” the archivists document the items with videos and photographs. Then, the commemorative objects are wrapped and labeled based on the location they were collected from. All the objects will then be sent to the university’s archive storage on campus for inventory in the coming weeks.
FSU Libraries extends its most sincere gratitude towards Katie, her team, and the numerous volunteers who have overcome challenging feelings of grief and sadness to provide this meaningful service to the Tallahassee community.
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