The Cooper-Ackwood Family Archive is guided by the following permanent values. These values shall inform every decision regarding the collection, preservation, management, and sharing of family history.
1. Truthfulness
We are committed to documenting our family history honestly.
Verified facts shall be distinguished from memories, traditions, opinions, and family stories. We will not knowingly alter or omit historical information in a way that misrepresents the truth.
2. Accuracy
Information should be as complete and accurate as reasonably possible.
When errors are discovered, they should be corrected while preserving an appropriate record of significant revisions when necessary.
3. Respect
Every individual deserves to be represented with dignity.
Even when documenting difficult experiences or disagreements, we will avoid language that unnecessarily harms, embarrasses, or diminishes another person.
4. Privacy
The privacy and safety of living family members shall always receive careful consideration.
Personal information will only be shared according to the privacy policies established by this Constitution.
5. Preservation
Family history is a shared inheritance.
We value the long-term preservation of photographs, stories, documents, recordings, and memories so they remain available to future generations.
6. Stewardship
Each generation serves as a caretaker rather than an owner of the archive.
Those entrusted with maintaining the archive have a responsibility to protect it, improve it, and pass it forward in better condition than they received it.
7. Transparency
When information is uncertain, incomplete, or disputed, the archive shall say so openly.
Uncertainty should never be presented as established fact.
8. Family Unity
The archive exists to strengthen connections between generations, not to create division.
Historical accuracy remains important, but information should be presented with fairness, compassion, and maturity.
9. Accountability
Administrators are accountable to the principles established in this Constitution.
Administrative authority exists to serve the archive and the family, not personal preferences or individual interests.
10. Inclusion
The archive recognizes that every family member contributes to the family's story.
Whenever appropriate, multiple voices, experiences, and perspectives should be preserved so that future generations gain a fuller understanding of their shared history.
11. Responsibility
Contributors should make every reasonable effort to provide truthful information, identify sources when available, and respect the privacy of others.
Participation in the archive carries both the privilege of contributing and the responsibility of preserving the family's history with care.
12. Legacy
Every contribution should be made with future generations in mind.
The decisions made today should help descendants understand not only who their relatives were, but also the values, experiences, traditions, and relationships that shaped the Cooper-Ackwood family across generations.
Statement of Commitment
These values are intended to endure beyond any individual administrator or generation.
Together, they establish the ethical foundation of the Cooper-Ackwood Family Archive and guide every policy, decision, and future revision made under this Constitution.