Welcome to the SIG! We are a vibrant community of scholars, teachers and advocates who are interested in the exploration of life writing, biography, archival, and documentary research in all its forms. We welcome diverse methodologies and creative forms of life writing, as well as classic biographical studies of educational figures across a range of learning landscapes--whether PK-12, higher education, teachers' colleges, bookstores, family reunions, prisons, after-school programs, or online/social media spaces. Every space can be educative. I recently assumed the Chairship position and follow in the footsteps of Lucy Bailey, who served this SIG well for years. 

Our first SIG organizational meeting was held at the 1990 AERA Conference in Chicago, where educational biographer and curriculum theorist Craig Kridel worked to obtain the required number of necessary signatures to become a SIG. It was approved by AERA Central, and we held our first meeting at the 1991 conference. During the past three decades, we have hosted many wonderful sessions with presentations by Janet Miller, Jackie Blount, Studs Terkel, Louise DeSalvo, Maxine Greene, Philip Jackson, Harry Wolcott, Yvonna Lincoln, as well as by many of our own SIG members. We appreciate the efforts of so many who through the years have served as chairs, reviewers, discussants, and in other administrative roles, including long time members, Pamela Konkol, KaaVonia Hinton, Thalia Mulvilhill, Deron Boyles, and Niki Christodoulou. 

We welcome new members who engage in life writing and archival and documentary research to support the SIG and participate in developing our future trajectory. Never in our history as an organization has there been a more timely need to remember our histories/herstories. We hold events, speakers, and dialogues throughout the year. If you are interested in learning more, don’t hesitate to reach out!

I look forward to the upcoming years as SIG members continue to define and redefine the area of biographical and documentary research. Thank you for your support and allowing me to be a part of a wonderful research community.

Margaret-Mary Sulentic Dowell, PhD
Cecil "Pete" Taylor Endowed Professor, Literacy Leadership & Urban Education
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
sdowell@lsu.edu