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Contribution short abstract:

The presentation explores how the underrepresentation of Roma in Lithuanian archives and museums reflects broader societal marginalization, advocating for inclusive, multivocal historical narratives to promote historical and social justice for the community.

Contribution long abstract:

State archives are often regarded as containers of national memory, preserving material evidence of the past. Yet, the selective inclusion or exclusion of materials raises critical questions: does archival preservation validate existence, while absence signifies erasure of the people and events of the past? This presentation examines these questions through insights gained from a two-year interdisciplinary research project on archival photographs of historic Roma communities in the Baltic states. The research sought to document and analyze visual records of Roma in Lithuania prior to World War II. Despite Roma co-existing in Lithuania for over 500 years and contributing to its multicultural landscape, the archival representation of Roma in Lithuanian state institutions proved to be disproportionately limited.

This limited representation reflects broader marginalization of Roma in social and political life. Although archival practices claim neutrality, I tend to see these processes of cataloging, curating, and publicizing materials as political acts. Many Roma-related photographs have been catalogued under racialized terms like "Gypsy/Gypsies," perpetuating stereotypes and neglect. Is this simplification a naive routine or institutional negligence that reinforces exclusion of Roma histories in the public discourse?

The presentation advocates for reimagining the role of the researcher in uncovering unwritten pasts and empowering Roma communities to reinstate their position within the Lithuanian memory institutions. By fostering multivocal and inclusive narratives through collaboration among researchers, communities, and memory institutions, it can be a key to strengthen democratic values and advance historical justice.