Just before the pandemic shut us into lockdown, we had the opportunity to work with Will Alexander on organizing his archives. A writer’s archive can provide a partial profile of their practice. Sometimes, the papers are more limited, consisting mainly of sequential iterations of a work, tracking it from germination to publication. Often, an archive is broadly populated with related materials—notes, journals, correspondence, and, in some cases, raw materials of research. This latter is what distinguishes Will Alexander’s papers and, even more, his practice. Alexander’s commitment to research is conspicuous and charges his work with a rich inventory of materials. His curiosity ranges widely, but the through-lines of thematic focus are apparent. He builds and sustains connections between historical and contemporary African-ness, weaving animism, alchemy, and other persistent themes through his extensive oeuvre.