01
Our core principles
- Evidence before opinion.
- Context over sensationalism.
- Respect for affected people and communities.
- Transparency regarding uncertainty and disputed history.
- Every event explains why it mattered and connects to a real location.
- Graphic material never exists simply for engagement.
02
Evidence is labeled, not implied.
Verified records rest on extensive converging documentation. Well supported records have strong evidence with some incomplete detail. Mixed records separate a supported core from meaningful open questions. Disputed records clearly present competing interpretations. Developing records are useful drafts still undergoing source review.
03
Maps and dates carry uncertainty.
A marker can indicate an exact site, an approximate site, a general area, or an uncertain location. Dates can identify a day, month, year, range, approximation, or dispute. The interface exposes those distinctions so a precise-looking pin never promises more than the evidence allows.
04
People come before engagement.
Loss, violence, displacement, illness, and trauma are described when historically necessary, in language proportionate to understanding. We avoid graphic imagery, dehumanizing totals, lurid detail, and speculation about victims.
05
Publication is a traceable decision.
Published text is not edited in place. Contributors submit a proposal, moderators review it, and approval creates a new immutable snapshot. The revision record preserves what changed, when, and who contributed.