During the summer of 2025, I had the opportunity to work on a transcription project involving historical records from the War Department about Maryland, Missouri, and the US Bureau of Colored Troops during the Civil War. These included an account book of claimants for remuneration and ledgers recording the forced enlistment of enslaved individuals into military service during the nineteenth century. This work was part of a collaborative digital humanities project that seeks to make these difficult histories more visible and accessible. 

At first, I imagined this internship would mostly involve organizing data, but what I encountered was so much more layered, emotional, and personal than I expected. The names, details, and language used in these ledgers pulled me directly into a past shaped by violence, resilience, and erasure. 

My Work 

Throughout the summer, I worked on digitizing and transcribing official records that documented the lives of enslaved individuals and the financial claims filed by enslavers. These were government documents, but beyond the official tone, they revealed stories of people whose names and lives were marked by loss, survival, and resistance. 

Some of my responsibilities included: 

• Reading and transcribing historical handwriting, including nineteenth-century cursive, with the option to experiment with AI handwriting recognition 
• Organizing archival sources into spreadsheets for coding and data analysis 
• Receiving training in reading cursive and transcribing historical data 
• Receiving training and support for working with records tied to traumatic histories and systemic violence 

Each entry I transcribed carried its own weight. A name paired with a word like “deceased” or “rejected” wasn’t just data; it was someone’s life, reduced to a single line. It was difficult, and at times emotionally exhausting, but I came to see transcription as an act of witnessing and honoring. 

Takeaways 

This experience completely changed how I view historical data. I now understand that it’s never neutral, but is shaped by who recorded it, who was excluded, and how it’s been preserved (or not). Transcription isn’t just a task of accuracy; it’s about responsibility and care. 

I learned to sit with uncertainty. Some records were nearly illegible or lacked full names. I didn’t try to fill in the blanks or “correct” the original records. I documented my uncertainties and allowed space for future researchers to see both the presence and the absence. That transparency felt like an important ethical step in work tied to such painful histories. 

There were definitely moments when I felt overwhelmed by the emotional heaviness or by the repetition of injustice in the records. But I developed tools to manage those moments: taking breaks, talking with mentors, or simply allowing myself to feel and reflect. I wasn’t just learning how to work with data. I was learning how to sit with it, even when it was hard. 

This summer also helped me appreciate the importance of historical recovery and descendant engagement. These records, though originally written to serve oppressive systems, now offer an opportunity for memory and justice. Knowing that this work could help someone find a lost ancestor or spark deeper research gave me a strong sense of purpose. 

Looking Forward 

As I continue my academic journey in history and political science, I’ll carry this experience with me. It taught me that ethical research involves more than skill; it requires empathy, patience, and the willingness to engage with difficult truths. 

I’m proud to have played a part in making these records more accessible, and I hope that through my transcription, someone might feel a little more connected to a past that still deserves to be seen, studied, and honored. 

About the Author 

Mia Arango is a sophomore majoring in history and political science, with a minor in legal studies. She worked as a research assistant for the DataNexus/Center for Engaged Learning in the summer of 2025. 

How to Cite This Post 

Arango, Mia. 2025. “Translating the Past: Reflections from Behind the Ledger.” Center for Engaged Learning (blog), Elon University. October 28, 2025. https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/translating-the-past-reflections-from-behind-the-ledger/.