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</v:background></xml><![endif]--><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>As part of our ongoing Preservation of Historical Documents, Curtis and I took three picket signs from our Goodwill demonstration in 2012 to the History Colorado Museum in downtown Denver today, March 22, 2024.<span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Our Preservation of Historical Documents Committee, Julie Hunter and I have been working for five years now to find our old records and put them in an accessible format to save our history as blind people in Colorado. Not only did we find our old organizational minutes, but we found news clippings, newsletters, proposed legislation, correspondence, and more. Most of the files are puzzle pieces, some revealing more than others. But what a wonderful history we found.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Finding and preserving the files and preserving them in a location outside of our offices for the public to access is the goal of the PHD project. Sharing our history with the world is the best way to learn from our past and celebrate our blind ancestors who left significant footprints on our state’s historical landscape. The original files are still in our possession as are the electronic files, accessible to us as blind people, if we remember they are here. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The pandemic changed many things including library services. The virtual library idea grew exponentially during the pandemic, and we soon realized this is where our history files needed to go. We are almost done putting up files on the Colorado Virtual Library’s Planes and Peaks Collection. These are the files that were transcribed into a word document by our group of volunteers that came to our aid during the pandemic and beyond. Now, anyone around the world who uses the free Digital Public Library of America can search for “Blind” and find our Colorado history.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>During my research as The Blind History Lady here in Colorado, I realized we have no footprint in our state and local libraries or state and local museums. Coincidentally, at a function, I met Dr. Rachael Storm, Curator of Business and Industry at History Colorado Museum who is interested in bringing into the Museum’s collection, artifacts, and stories of the contributions of people with disabilities in Colorado. For the last year, I have been working with her to find artifacts and documents that complement their collections. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Last summer I gave the museum our Cornerstones book that highlighted the NFBCO leaders from the early 1900s through today. I assisted in connecting Dr. Storm with the Colorado Talking Book Library to ensure the timeline of reading services to the blind and changes in reading and accessing the printed word was included.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The museum is not interested in our minutes or newsletters as they are meant more for a library. The History Colorado Museum is looking for artifacts and documentation of the significance of the artifact. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I went on a quest to find NFBCO artifacts or items of interest, used by the blind to give to the museum. Going through shelves with President Beecham and learning of a storage locker in the basement of the CCB, I found several items. Some we sent to the tenBroek Library in Baltimore; many things were of no interest to anyone but me. The bunch of picket signs in the corner was another story. The tenBroek library most likely have more signs than they need. We will never use them again. They make a great artifact for the museum, so I picked three from the bunch and began the documenting of the significance of the signs. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Today, the NFBCO has added our picket signs from our demonstrations of 2012 that demanded minimum wage at Goodwill. Along with the signs we contributed electronic folders that include labeled photographs from both demonstrations in Colorado Springs and Denver. Another folder contained documents from the demonstration such as our press release and Goodwill’s response. Also included is a file from 1980, a transcript of the testimony of Ruth Ashbey, a former NFBCO president who worked at Colorado Industries for the Blind in their home sewing program. Ruth describes how she made pennies on each item while the items were sold for several dollars. Over more than twenty years, she saw little in an increase in her pay while the price of the items she sewed increased yearly in price. Where did the money go? Not to the blind sheltered workers like Ruth.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Another set of documents tells when Denver passed an ordinance prohibiting sub-minimum wage by any organization or business in Denver. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There are so many more items we might add to our history either in the virtual library or museums across the state. If you have items you think are historical in value, please contact me, Peggy Chong at 303-745-0473. I would love to discover a new find! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Below is a photograph of Dr. Rachael Storm and Curtis Chong at the History Colorado Museum. Dr. Storm is holding the picket sign between them. The sign reads, CEO Salary $500,000, Workers Pay 20 cents. Behind them are several Colorado Flags.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><img width=586 height=439 style='width:6.1in;height:4.575in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image002.jpg@01DA7C6B.DEC4DF40" alt="A person and person standing in a room with flags
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