African-American History

Southern Illinois University Carbondale Launches African American Heritage Center

”Together, we are creating a place where history is not only preserved but shared. By connecting scholarship with community knowledge, we will ensure that the rich contributions of African Americans across Southern Illinois remain an enduring part of our region's story," said Austin Lane, chancellor of Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

More Funding to Investigate Black Communities’ Displacement by Virginia Colleges and Universities

Virginia lawmakers have voted to extend the work of a commission currently investigating how four historically Black communities were affected by the expansion of Virginia Commonwealth University, Christopher Newport University, the University of Virginia, and Longwood University.

California State University Project to Document the Lives of Black Leaders in Monterey Bay

Jeremias Zunguze and students from the African Heritage Research Collaborative at California State University, Monterey Bay, are working on a new oral history project to document the lives and contributions of Black leaders in Monterey County.

Harvard Graduate School of Education Expands Its Black Teacher Archive

The Black Teachers Archive was unveiled publicly in 2023. The newly revamped online archive created in partnership with Harvard's Digital Arts + Humanities Team, contains new exhibits, curated features, and a more robust search function.

Research Examines the Itineraries of Underground Railroad Passengers Arriving in Philadelphia

Using historical records from Black abolitionist William Still, researchers from Temple University have traced the journeys of nearly 1,000 freedom seekers arriving in Philadelphia in the mid-nineteenth century, revealing insights into their places of origin and how they traveled on the Underground Railroad.

Ohio University Southern Project Aims to Document the African American Experience in Appalachia

A new documentary from students and faculty at Ohio University Southern features oral histories tracing the Ohio River corridor's African American story from its roots to present day.

Southern Methodist University Libraries Acquires Earliest Known Broadsides Promoting Juneteenth

Southern Methodist University has acquired three posters — dated 1884, 1892, and 1898 — promoting Juneteenth celebrations in Corpus Christi, Texas. Prior to the discovery of these materials, the earliest known broadside commemorating the holiday was dated 1903.

University of California, Berkeley Acquires Archive of Artist Mildred Howard

Across her career, Howard created multiple public-art installations and worked in a range of artistic mediums. An archive of materials chronicling her five-decades-long career has now been acquired by the University of California, Berkeley.

University of South Carolina Debuts Richard Samuel Roberts Online Photographic Archive

The Richard Samuel Roberts Collection at the University of South Carolina includes digital scans of more than 5,000 glass plate negatives showcasing African American life in Columbia, South Carolina, during the early twentieth century.

Caleb Gayle Wins Distinguished Book Prize in Great Plains Studies

The Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has honored Northeastern University's Caleb Gayle for his new book on Edward McCabe, a Black man who tried to establish a U.S. state governed by and for Black people.

Harvard Publishes Database of 1,613 People Enslaved by University Leaders

The Harvard Slavery Remembrance Program has released an updated database featuring the names, locations, and documented dates of 1,613 individuals enslaved by members of the university community, as well as the names of the university leaders who enslaved them.

University of Houston Students to Create Online Historical Archive Focused on Black Cowboys

The University of Houston's Black Cowboy/girl Preservation Project will contribute to broader scholarship on Texas agriculture, ranching, and rodeo culture by documenting the experiences of Black cowboys and cowgirls, a group historically left out of traditional Western films, art, and textbooks.

HBCUs Have Played a Major Role in Our Reaching for the Stars

To date, it is thought that some 18 African-American astronauts have made the journey to space (more if private space flights like Space X and Blue Origin are included). Many have connections with HBCUs.

Barbara Ransby Receives National Award for Contributions to American History Research

The Organization of American Historians has honored the University of Illinois Chicago's Barbara Ransby for her decades of scholarship, mentorship, and public engagement. Her work has helped shape the study of African American history, social movements, and Black feminist thought.

University to Construct Memorial for Human Remains That Were Found in an Abandoned Well

During the 1994 construction of a medical building at Virginia Commonwealth University, nineteenth-century human remains were discovered in an abandoned well. The remains of the individuals, primarily of African descent, were likely discarded after medical students and faculty dissected and practiced procedures on unlawfully obtained cadavers.

Harvard Law School Launches Online Archive Featuring the Papers of Charles Olgetree

Professor Olgetree taught at Harvard Law School for nearly four decades. In addition to his work in education, he was a defense attorney for several high-profile clients and a dedicated advocate for racial equality.

College of William & Mary to Launch Online Historical Archive Featuring Black Women’s Diaries

A team of students and faculty at the College of William & Mary in Virginia are working on the Black Women's Diaries Project, a research initiative to transcribe and digitize the diaries of African American women from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

An Unpublished Novel by Nineteenth-Century Black Author George Newman Is Released

A team of scholars from James Madison University have recently released a never-before-published book by George Newman, an African American educator and author who served three decades as principal of one of the earliest Black schools in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services Announces $1.7 Million in Grant Funding for HBCUs

The Institute of Museum and Library Services recently announced a series of grants to support institutional resilience and research activity at libraries and museums at historically Black colleges and universities. In total, eight HBCUs and one HBCU alliance received a combined $1,725,261 in funding.

Columbia University Launches the Obama Presidency Oral History Archive

Produced by Columbia University's Incite Institute, the newly publicized Obama Presidency Oral History archive features hundreds of interviews with officials, activists, artists, organizers, and everyday people, providing insights into their experiences during President Obama's time in office.
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