African American Archive of Columbia County, NY

08/13/2026

08/04/2026

07/27/2026

I'm excited to share my essay "The Evolution of the Afric-American" in the latest issue of Winterthur Portfolio, which I guest edited as a companion to my exhibition Almost Unknown, The Afric-American Picture Gallery. Long before "African American" entered common usage, Black intellectuals, journalists, and activists debated whether "Afric-American" should become the preferred national designation. The essay traces more than 200 years of debates over how people of African descent in the United States have named ourselves—from "Afric-American" and "negro" to "Negro," "African American," "black," and "Black." These names have never been neutral; they have always been contested, political, and historically contingent. journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/741299

07/27/2026

Happy Monday folks.

I hope you have a dope week ahead of you✌🏾

07/27/2026

Join us and the Columbia County Libraries Association Monday, July 27 at 6pm on Zoom for a virtual history webinar with accredited genealogist Sarah Gutmann. Early American records are much different than the ones found in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Come and learn what records are available, what information they hold, and where to find them. This genealogical program focuses on colonial through 1870 ancestral records and will benefit both the novice and experienced genealogist.

To register and receive the Zoom link, visit https://hudsonarealibrary.org/2026/07/earlyamericantalk/

07/27/2026

Our statement on the independence of the Smithsonian Institution and America's museums.
AAM condemns continued efforts to politicize how museums present history, art, science, culture, and the natural world, as well as personal attacks on the museum professionals entrusted with preserving and interpreting our shared heritage.

Museums are among America's most trusted institutions because they are grounded in evidence, scholarship, and public service; not political influence.

As our nation's flagship museum system and an AAM-accredited institution, the Smithsonian represents the highest standards of scholarship, stewardship, and public service. If our nation’s leading museum system can become subject to political influence, no museum is beyond reach. The precedent would jeopardize the independence of 22,000 museums of every size and discipline across the country.

We stand firmly with museum professionals across the country and call on all elected leaders to reject efforts to politicize museums and uphold the public trust and independence that enable them to serve all Americans.

📖 Read the full statement:

https://www.aam-us.org/2026/07/20/aam-statement-on-the-independence-of-the-smithsonian-and-americas-museums/

📝Use our template to contact your representatives: https://www.congressweb.com/aam/103/