Newcomb Archives
Tarot Collection The Newcomb Archives’ tarot collection consists of decks with a focus on feminist, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA artists and authors. Tarot and other esoteric traditions have been historically intertwined with second wave feminism, from the feminist Motherpeace Tarot Deck (created in 1978 and endorsed by Alice Walker) to Clarissa Pinkola Estés’s exploration of archetypes and feminist mythologies. In recent years, there has been a revived interest in “divinatory” tools among young feminists as resources that support identity exploration, self-discovery, healing, empowerment, liberation, and affirmation.
Collection Development Newcomb Archives collects materials that document the history of gender and women, with a regional focus on the Gulf South. The Archives began acquiring tarot decks in 2019, which we consider similar to zines in that they capture the unique perspective of their creators through art and text and are often self-published with limited circulation and print runs. (The Archives also collects zines that covers third-wave feminist culture and other topics, such as women’s imprisonment and culinary traditions.) We acquire decks that explore feminist, LGBTQ+, and social and gender justice themes, created by artists and authors who identify as feminist, LGBTQ+, BIPOC+, and/or as disabled persons. Funding is made possible through a small endowment for the purchase of materials documenting women in the arts. Our acquisition approach is inspired by best practices described in the Zine Librarian’s Code of Ethics.
Preferred Methods of Acquisition 1. Purchase directly from the author/artist or their publisher 2. Purchase from an independent brick & mortar or online distributor Purchasing from a small business helps to streamline acquisitions, although creators get a smaller cut of the profits. We often purchase decks from Little Red Tarot, an independent online shop whose mission is to “celebrate and proliferate radical magic, with a strong, proud focus on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC+ creators and others holding marginalized identities.”
Preservation & Access Decks are cataloged as part of the Newcomb Archives Tarot Collection, searchable via our online database (ArchivesSpace). Decks are removed from their original boxes (depending on quality), secured with cotton twill tape, and placed in a polyethylene zip-top bag. Decks, along with original boxes and accompanying materials such as guidebooks and pamphlets, are stored in drawers behind the reference desk in our reading room. Decks do not circulate, but may be used onsite by campus affiliates and the general public by appointment or anytime during our quiet study hours: Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
Outreach Newcomb Archives hosted an inaugural Halloween Tarot Salon in October 2019. We served Halloween-themed cookies (outside of the reading room) and listened to spooky, femme-centric music. Decks were displayed with descriptions and creator bios alongside guidebooks, including Michelle Tea’s Modern Tarot and Cassandra Snow’s Queering the Tarot. Visitors were encouraged to do personal readings and provided with a two-card spread for self- and collective care: Position 1: What do I need to do to create a more sustainable and nourishing self-care practice? Position 2: How can I more meaningfully step into interdependent relationships and contribute to my communities? Dr. Krystal Cleary, Professor of Communication and Gender and Sexuality Studies, gave a brownbag lecture titled “Minority Arcana: Exploring Intersectional Feminist Tarot.” The Tarot Collection also features routinely on our social media and in our e-newsletters.
Full Moon Tarot Spread by Beth Maiden littleredtarot.com
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WANING MOON: 1) Things to let go of 2) Things to keep 3) Things yet to come WAXING MOON: 4) How the world affects you 5) What to give 6) What to receive LESSON: 7) What to learn
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Waning Moon Position 1: Things to let go of 5 of Pentacles This is a hard card and one where it’s easy to get down on yourself and lost in your emotions. In the heyday of the Internet and all our wonderful apps, it’s easy to look at what other people seem to have and feel low about where we are and how we’re doing. Stop comparing yourself to other people, because where you are now is where you are. If you can change it, this card is a necessary message to do so. If you can’t, you’re only going to hurt yourself more by staring in vain at what other people have. – adapted from Queering the Tarot by Cassandra Snow The Weird Cat Tarot by Gabrielle Kash gabriellekash.com A colorful, cat-inspired deck! Cats are magical, mysterious creatures with strong intuitions. This makes them the perfect subject for tarot.
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Position 2: Things to keep The Queen of Wands The Queen of Wands is a survivor, her healing has informed her wisdom and her wisdom induces courage. She shines, like the fire of the sun and the chaos of nature. The Queen of Wands encourages patience. She is known to get lost in passion, but she is human, deserving every step it takes to achieve greatness. – adapted from Cristy C. Road Next World Tarot by Cristy C. Road www.croadcore.org Featuring body outlaws, endangered cultures, and anti-colonial belief systems, Cristy C. Road’s Next World Tarot envisions a world where justice relies on respect and revolutionary love. – description adapted from Beth Maiden littleredtarot.com
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Position 3: Things yet to come 6 of Swords / Marsha P. Johnson The 6 of Swords offers hope and promise in the middle of those rougher waters. It is a rite of passage, something we must do to move on and move forward in our lives. Though the travel itself is difficult, what lies ahead are clear waters, healing, and happier times. – adapted from Queering the Tarot by Cassandra Snow Marsha P. Johnson brought her lively, firecracker energy to the LGBTQ activist movement of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The riots and protests at the Stonewall Inn that she is best remembered for galvanized the LGBTQ movement in the United States. In collaboration with Sylvia Rivera, she started the activist organization STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries), which provided essential resources to homeless LGBTQ youth. Marsha served her community as best she could in her lifetime, remaining true to herself during every step of her journey. – adapted from Sarah Shipman Our Tarot by Sarah Shipman our-tarot.com A groundbreaking blend of history, feminism, and the mystical arts, Our Tarot is a unique, specially designed tarot deck with cards that feature an intricate collage portrait of dozens of powerful women who have helped shape history.
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Waxing Moon Position 4: How the world affects you 9 of Cups If the 9 of Cups shows up as a situation, it’s a nice one. Something glamorous is on the horizon, something you must say yes to. This could be a social situation or a job or a promotion. It could also represent a period of intense artistic inspiration. If so, do what you can to devote as much time as possible to producing your work. – adapted from Modern Tarot by Michelle Tea The Roller World Tarot by Tatiana Hill twitter.com/TatiAnimation The Roller World tarot deck is a stylized 78 card deck that celebrates roller skating and the wonderfully diverse community within.
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Position 5: What to give 6 of Cups The overarching message of the 6 of Cups is one of sweetness. If this card is up for you, it is encouraging you to embrace wholesome pleasures and things of innocence. It is time to be forgiving and generous, to offer aid to people who need it, always coming from a place of care. If you’ve been thinking of reaching out to someone who may need your help, do it. If you’ve been asked a favor, grant it. – adapted from Modern Tarot by Michelle Tea Shrine of the Black Medusa Tarot by Casey Rocheteau caseyrocheteau.org This deck is a celebration of blackness. The name ‘Shrine of the Black Medusa’ is a play on the idea that some ancient Greek sources identified the Cape Verdean Islands as the home of the Gorgons. Hair like snakes? Eyes that can turn enemies to stone? This deck is a call to complicate the trope of the “magical negro” and embrace our own fearsome and powerful magic. – description adapted from Asali www.asaliearthwork.com
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Position 6: What to receive Community / Leslie Marmon Silko A card for taking care of each other and safety nets. Of Pueblo, European, and Cherokee ancestry, Leslie Marmon Silko (b. 1948) mostly identifies with the Laguna Pueblo culture, which holds a vital belief in the universe’s interconnectedness. Silko’s work explores the tensions between the Southwest’s diverse communities and methods of healing. – adapted from Taisia Kitaiskaia The Literary Witches Oracle written by Taisia Kitaiskaia, illustrated by Katy Horan taisiakitaiskaia.com katyart.com If you seek wisdom from strong, creative women, this oracle deck will add spiritual insight and feminist guidance to your personal divination practice.
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Lesson 7. What to learn The Wheel of Fortune When this card pops up, you can be sure that you are really living and that whatever gnarly, sad, or embarrassing pickle you may have recently gotten yourself into is on the outs. The Wheel promises that change is the only thing you can rely on. Stability is change, and this knowledge can keep you rooted no matter what storms life throws your way. You hunker down in the cellar of your heart, and when the debris stops falling from the sky, you crawl back out and behold the new day and the rest of your golden life. – adapted from Modern Tarot by Michelle Tea Modern Witch Tarot Deck by Lisa Sterle lisasterle.com Modern Witch Tarot is a magical take on traditional tarot symbolism, inspired by fashion and modern witches from every walk of life.
Please vist the following link for the Newcomb Archives Tarot Collection finding aid: archives.tulane.edu/repositories/9/resources/3574
newcomb.tulane.edu
@NCITU