At the
Vanguard
Making and Saving History at HBCUs
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) stand as pillars of academic excellence, artistic expression, and collective activism. These institutions were pioneers in collecting and preserving the art, historical objects, and cultural ephemera produced through the lived experiences of African Americans.
This exhibition features works preserved primarily in HBCU museums and historical archives. Without an enduring commitment to their care and display, these works and the stories they tell might otherwise have been forgotten.
Black memory workers at HBCUs across the nation have preserved and provided access to collections to diverse communities.
Holly A. Smith, archivist, Spelman College, 2024
HBCU Museums Have Been at the Vanguard of Collecting
Students working in Tuskegee University Archives
Museums, libraries, and archives help preserve cultural heritage. At Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), museums, libraries, and archives preserve African American heritage
HBCUs house collections that nurture, document, and celebrate Black history. As sources of memory for future generations, they also document their own institutional histories and the experiences of other Black communities. These rare collections speak loudly from quiet spaces—in archival boxes and storage cabinets, from hallway walls and movable art racks—telling inspiring stories of creativity, genius, and resistance and reminding the nation of truths that may have gone untold.
The HBCU History and Culture Access Consortium
Nearly two-thirds of HBCUs have a museum, archive, or art gallery. The HBCU History and Culture Access Consortium (HCAC) supports efforts to conserve and share the objects, archives, and cultural treasures at HBCUs.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture launched HCAC in 2021 with five inaugural partners, this exhibition features material from the collections and archives at these universities. which are: Clark Atlanta University (CAU), Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), Jackson State University, Texas Southern University(TSU), Tuskegee University (Tuskegee).