Mapping Black History: Counter-Archiving Black History

Feb. 11, noon to 1 p.m., Weldon Community Room (Room 128), D.B. Weldon Library

This presentation explores how Black history can be mapped, digitized, preserved, and reimagined through multimedia and digital platforms as a form of counter-archival practice. Aligned with Black History Month 2026’s theme of Black Joy, Glory, and Reclamation, the talk centres on the reclamation of Black histories that have been fragmented, silenced, or erased within traditional historical spaces.

Drawing on history, digital mapping, and community-engaged research, the presentation examines how digital tools can be used to reclaim Black presence, celebrate Black brilliance, and sustain collective memory. This discussion highlights how Black communities have long documented their own histories across borders, movements, and generations.

In an era where Black history and culture remain vulnerable to loss, this presentation underscores the urgency of ethical preservation and community-centred memory work as acts of both resistance and care.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Explore how digital platforms and multimedia tools can be used to counter historical erasure and support Black memory work
• Identify the role of institutions, such as archives and libraries in shaping public memory and how counter-archival practices challenge dominant narratives
• Reflect on preservation as an ethical, political, and community-centred practice
• Consider how Black Joy, Glory, and Reclamation operate as frameworks for historical storytelling