For an archival scholar, the dive into the unknown must be both daunting and exhilarating. What strategies does one employ when visiting a massive body of work, studying pieces of a puzzle without a completed picture to guide?

From Jan. 27-Feb. 9, Salvador Vidal-Ortiz, the Inaugural Stephen O. Murray Scholar in Residence in James Madison College, was on MSU’s campus for the first time to begin exploring the Stephen O. Murray and Keelung Hong Special Collections, housed in MSU Libraries.

Stephen Murray (’72) was a James Madison alumnus who passed away in 2019. He became a sociologist and anthropologist. He is remembered by many as an independent scholar, activist, partner and friend. But these are merely labels — words that identify Murray’s various roles but hardly scratch the surface of who he was and the meaning of his scholarship.

Unpacking the archives with the overarching question, “Who was Stephen O. Murray?,” was central to Vidal-Ortiz’s public lecture on Feb. 8. Titled “Multiple layers of curating an archive,” Vidal-Ortiz presented on his initial dive into the archives. He organized his presentation by identifying a three-part approach: The Scholar, Traces and the Meaning of Evidence.

“The time in residence will be spent tracing what can be learned from Murray’s legacy,” said Vidal-Ortiz, who is also an associate professor at American University.

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