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Senator Smitherman holds floor to oppose planned revision of Archives & History board, cites risk to minority representation
Summary
Senator Smitherman used extended remarks on the Senate floor to oppose changes to the Alabama Department of Archives and History board included in Senate Bill 5, saying the proposal would remove long-serving trustees—including African American scholars—and risk erasing parts of the state's recorded history.
Senator Delores Smitherman strongly objected on the Senate floor to provisions in a bill reported to affect the Alabama Department of Archives and History board, saying the language would remove current trustees and open the way to rewriting or erasing parts of state history.
Smitherman framed her remarks as a defense of the archives' mission and of trustees who, she said, ensure the department represents the full range of Alabama history. She told colleagues that the proposal would be effectively retroactive for members whose terms run through 2030 and that the immediate change would replace trustees "the moment the ink dries," removing people with long records of service.
The senator emphasized the archival mission to collect and present materials documenting Alabama’s diverse past — including Indigenous history, Reconstruction, Black Alabamians and other groups — and said the proposed board changes risked narrowing which stories are preserved and shown to the public. Smitherman identified trustees by name in her remarks and said two trustees she singled out were African American and hold advanced professional credentials related to archives and historical education.
Other senators interjected during Smitherman’s remarks and asked questions; some expressed sympathy for the archives’ work and for the need to preserve access to collections and public programs. The sponsor and full committee action on the bill were not completed on the floor during Smitherman’s remarks; debate continued and the item remained on the calendar.
Why it matters: The Alabama Department of Archives and History is the state repository for government and private records and runs the Museum of Alabama; trustees are appointed by congressional district and confirmed by the Senate. Changes to board composition could affect which collections are prioritized, the department’s programming and its public exhibits, and how the history of Alabama communities is curated and shared.
What’s next: The transcript records an extended floor protest and a pledge by Senator Smitherman and supporters to keep the issue before the chamber; there was not a final vote on that specific change in the segments provided. The bill and any amendments would still need to clear committee or the full Senate in subsequent days for a final outcome.
