February is Black History Month, and we felt it was important to highlight a local institution dedicated to preserving Black history in America. The Black Image Center is located in Los Angeles, California, and is a non-profit collective created by six young Black photographers and producers. The center describes itself “as a hub of resources and as a network of economic empowerment for the Black creative community. We are all perpetually changing. Water us and watch us bloom” (BIC, 2022). This group is dedicated to stimulating the imaginations of Black artists while providing support to individuals through further education, community, workshops, and resource access. While they don’t currently house onsite archives, they build them through community projects and events.
What is incredibly inspiring was the Center’s work on The Black Family Archive. Last October, the Center held a 3-day event hosted by Community Build “to celebrate the Black legacy of LA’s Leimert Park neighborhood and the power of holding space for memory, legacy, and family” (BIC, 2022). Participants were encouraged to bring family photos to be digitized. The center also provided consultations on preservation, printouts for born-digital images, and rehousing for damaged or deteriorating photographs. “This [was] a direct attempt to put the stories of the Black experience back into the hands of Black people because too many Black stories have been narrated by other people” (BIC, 2022). You can donate to The Black Image Center here.
Our Blog Banner image includes artwork by Adee Roberson, captured from The Black Family Archive website. Check out her work!
We would also like to encourage you to take a look at the website Black Past. It includes a wealth of resources on archival collections dedicated to Black History both in the United States and Internationally.
Post your favorite Black artist or Black archival collection via SAASC’s Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or Twitter!
As always, If you are interested in becoming a member of SAASC, you can find out more here. Please let us know what you think, and if you have any suggestions for future Archives blogs or activities you would like to see SAASC offer. We would love to hear from you via the SAASC Group Discussion on Canvas or you can email us directly at SJSUSAASC@gmail.com. Thank you for reading!