Transcribe Historical Housing Records
Racially restrictive covenants shaped where people could and could not buy homes for decades, but that history is often buried in millions of old handwritten property records. Volunteers transcribe scanned deed records online in short, guided sessions, and the resulting data is used by researchers, journalists, and city planners to understand and address housing inequity. No background in history or law is needed, just patience and attention to detail.
When
Ongoing — start anytime
Duration
Flexible
Where
🌐 Online — join from anywhere
Min age
14+
Hosted by
Mapping Prejudice
Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first to share how it went. Here's what a helpful one looks like:
A VolunteerVault volunteer
ExampleJul 25, 2026
“Loved this one — the organizer had everything set up before we arrived and explained exactly what we'd be doing. It ran about 30 minutes long, which caught a few of us off guard, so plan for that. Would definitely come back.”
💡 Bring closed-toe shoes and a water bottle — it gets warm.