Securing Washoe’s Legacy

Securing Washoe’s Legacy:

Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute (CHCI) Archives

The Chimpanzee & Human Communication Institute (CHCI) Archives contain valuable data on chimpanzee behavior, including recordings of American Sign Language use by chimpanzees who lived on the CWU campus from 1980–2013. These archives are truly unique, as these are the only chimpanzees in the world known for extensively using sign language.

This project supports the careful preservation, relocation, and curation of these important materials as they move to a new location on campus, ensuring they remain accessible for future research and student learning. Our goal is to secure and protect the CHCI archives for continued use by CWU students, researchers, and the broader community.

This groundbreaking work was recently featured in National Geographic, highlighting its global scientific and historical significance.