In a recently published special issue of Digital Humanities Quarterly on Black Digital Humanities, editors Alanna Prince and Cara Marta Messi state that working in the intersection of Black Studies and Digital Humanities allow us to “forge new paths [and] examine, construct, and reimagine innovative communities and people.” Situated in the intersection of Black Studies and Digital Humanities, Black Digital Humanities can, as Kim Gallon states, “help unmask racialized systems of power at work,” be “site[s]” of resistance and liberation,” and “places where joy and pleasure of Black life can be found.” But what exactly is Black Digital Humanities? And how does a prospective Black Digital Humanist begin engaging with this work?
Our Mission
This project, developed in collaboration between the Jackson State University Department of Art & Theatre and the Diversity Working Group at the University of Toronto, attempts to provide an answer to these questions. Through a workshop and interview-based study led by two undergraduate student at JSU, we aim to identify what students' current knowledge of Black Digital Humanities is, what interests them about the field, and what resources they need to create their own projects.
Keep up to date with project updates with our blog or by following our social media accounts!
Jackson State University
Diversity Working Group
Our Team
Capryka Hunt Research Assistant Jackson State University
Kaylin Ewing Research Assistant Jackson State University
Dr. Brittany Myburgh Assistant Professor, Art History Jackson State University
Keith Cheng Research Manager University of Toronto
Speaker Series
As part of this project, we organized a corresponding speaker series in April 2023. This speaker series highlighted folks who were already working in the space of Black Digital Humanities and presented students with diverse perspectives from archivists, UX designers, and academics. A summary of the events in this series are available below.
We are working on getting event recordings up online! Stay tuned for updates.
The Negro Motorist Green Book, Black Twitter, & Futures of Black Gathering
Shamika Klassen, PhD Student at CU Boulder, opened up our speaker series with a discussion of Black digital resistance and how we can design for Black futures through a discussion of her dissertation research on Black Twitter as a "modern day green book."
College to Corporate: Entering the World of UX
Bri-Anna Lewis, UX Designer, Instructor, and Entrepreneur, introduced participants to the world of UX and the many different pathways one can take within it - including starting your own Black Digital Humanities project!
Black Digital Archives Panel Discussion
This event brought together Angela Stewart, Alissa Rae Funderburk, and R. Garrad Lee from the Jackson State University’s Margaret Walker Centre in conversation with Charmaine Gooden of the Black Fashion Canada Database to discuss their work archiving Black histories.
Building A Black Archive
Jonsaba Jabbi and Alannah Johnson, founders of Building A Black Archive, discussed their work archiving forgotten Black Canadian histories and how we can move toward more liberatory archival practices that truly reflect Black life.
How Do UX Professionals Identify Harmful Technology Before It Launches?
UX Professional Lisa D. Dance ran a workshop teaching participants how to proactively identify and mitigate potential harms when designing a product.
Convergence, UX Designers, and the Power of Personal Branding
Our speaker series closed with a talk from Ramond Walker who introduced participants to the signifcance of personal branding and how one can effectively market themselves to open more opportunities to do the work they want to do.
