As some of the oldest institutions in our communities, Black churches have served as vital archives of African American history. For families researching family genealogy, churches often have birth and death certificates, bulletins, photos and photographs that can help them in their research. .
However, beyond genealogical research, the Black church’s role as an archivist is crucial for understanding the full history of African Americans and our contributions to American society.
Helping churches preserve this vital Black history is the goal of “Safeguarding Church History,” a half-day workshop sponsored by the Black Archives of Mid America on Sat., April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The workshop is free and lunch will be provided.
The workshop brings together a panel of experts to help empower Black churches to preserve, document, and share their histories. They hope all churches will send a representative to take advantage of this important information session.
Panelists include nationally recognized preservations expert Dr. Dorthea Williams. She is director of the Center for the Digitization and Curation of African American History (Smith Center) of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Williams’ presentation is “Our Families, Our Communities and Our Histories: Community Curation in Theory and Practice.”
Dr. Carmeletta Williams, CEO of the Black Archives of Mid America will present on “The Power of Oral Histories.”
The final presenter will be Christine Peoples, Outreach Minster and Educator at Timmons Hall, a historic Black church that was saved from demolitions in Springfield, MO. Her presentation will be “How to leverage your history and utilize it beyond the church”
The workshop will be held at the Black Archives, 1722 E. 17th St. KCMO. Pre registration is requested. Register here. Or at https://bit.ly/4lE6aUw.
