The Quiet, Radical Work of Saving Black Family Histories

by Joseph Williams, Word in Black

Since arriving in bondage, Black families have carried their history in recipes, songs, and stories passed down through generations. Too often, those histories go unrecorded, left vulnerable to time, circumstance — or erasure.

From slavery to Jim Crow to redlining, the nation has long tried to silence Black people and the truths they carry in their bones. Present-day America is no different: President Donald Trump and his conservative allies are pushing to remove Black history from schools, libraries, and even the Smithsonian. Preserving and protecting their stories has never been more critical.

That’s where Black Storytelling Week comes in. 

Ensuring Our Stories Endure

Founded by journalist and cultural advocate Martina Abrahams Ilunga, the event uses workshops and a free online toolkit to help Black families begin recording oral histories. But the project is also about agency: giving Black families control of their own narratives and ensuring those voices will not be erased.

Read more on, Radical Work of Saving Black Family Histories.

You can always learn about Black history by visiting our virtual galleries.

More Breaking News like this