Event Overview
Back for 2025, this two-day Black Family History Lab invites local residents to connect with family history experts, sit for professional family portraits, attend the jubilee celebration, and find out what community groups are doing to tell local stories—all free of charge.
An event by the Getting Word African American Oral History Project in collaboration with The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center and over twenty local history organizations and preservation specialists.
The Getting Word African-American Oral History Project and the Black Family History Lab is supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Schedule
Black Family History Lab Symposium
Join us for a day of exploring and celebrating Black family history at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. This in-person event, themed Weaving the Tapestry: Ubuntu and Black Family Histories, highlights the interconnectedness of Black legacies through the spirit of Ubuntu—“I am because we are.”
Engage in enriching discussions, interactive workshops, and collaborative opportunities that emphasize the collective strength, resilience, and shared heritage binding generations together. Together, we’ll honor individual and community stories, preserve traditions, and foster a deeper sense of connection and care. For the full schedule and free registration, please visit this link.
Black Family History Lab Community Expo
Join us for the Black Family History Lab Community Expo at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, where the richness of history meets the power of community! This dynamic event brings together a diverse mix of preservation and community-based organizations, working in collaboration to build a comprehensive network of support, inspiration, and resources tailored for you.
Connect with specialists who are passionate about helping families uncover and preserve their unique stories. Gain valuable insights, tools, and guidance to celebrate and safeguard your heritage for generations to come. Don’t miss the chance to create lasting memories with professional family portraits, offered on-site to capture the essence of your family.
Black Family History Lab: Jubilee Celebration
The culminating event of the two-day Black Family History Lab, the Jubilee is a celebration of the theme “Weaving the Tapestry: Ubuntu and Black Family Histories,” which highlights the interconnectedness of Black family histories, shared heritage, community care, and resilience.
This event, hosted at the Carver Recreation Center, will feature music, dance, and poetry performances by local organizations and artists that honor our heritage through their chosen medium.