AACAT-1870 Founding Archives Crest Button

This button features the official emblem of AACAT-1870: African American Community Archives Theory, representing the program’s founding graduate cohort. The crest reflects the principles of archival stewardship, scholarship, and access. The open book symbolizes knowledge and learning, the doorway represents entry into the archive, and the key signifies unlocking history and collective memory. The emblem bears the Akan motto “Nkae na Nkyerɛ” — Preserve and Teach, affirming the responsibility of archivists and scholars to safeguard and transmit knowledge across generations. Designed for members and supporters of the Founding Graduate Class of AACAT-1870, this button celebrates the work of building a new intellectual space for African American community archives. Wear it as a symbol of scholarship, preservation, and the living archive.