John Gartrell

John B. Gartrell has been a professional archivist with a specialization in print and manuscript collections documenting the history and culture of the African Diaspora for over two decades. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in History from Morgan State University.

Mr. Gartrell began his career in archives as lead research archivist in the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland Department at the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis, MD (2004–2008), and head archivist at the Afro-American Newspapers in Baltimore, MD (2008–2012). He currently serves as director of the John Hope Franklin Research Center for African and African American History & Culture of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Duke University. Mr. Gartrell has served in this position since 2012, where his primary responsibilities include the acquisition of rare book and manuscript collections, the promotion of use of the collections, development of public programming and outreach events, curating exhibitions, and management of research requests.

He has also served as a core member and manager of projects and grants in digital humanities to increase access to archival collections on African American history, including Beneath the Underground: The Flight to Freedom and Communities in Antebellum Maryland (National Parks Service), SNCC Digital Gateway (Mellon Foundation), and Documenting African American Life in the Jim Crow South: Digital Access to the Behind the Veil Project Archive Behind the Veil (National Endowment for the Humanities). He is a resident of Durham, NC.