The Black Grassroots Heritage Preservation Network: Digital Storytelling and Black Roots Across America

by Marcus P. Smith

Join us for an overview of a new initiative launching in 2025: The Black Grassroots Heritage Preservation Network (BGHPN).

BGHPN aims to make an impact by using digital platforms to amplify Black heritage. Through high-quality audiovisual and written content, BGHPN highlights grassroots preservation efforts while sharing strategies for resource acquisition, mobilization, and sustainability. By connecting communities to wider audiences and professional networks, BGHPN seeks to ensure these legacies endure and inspire future generations.

The presentation will raise awareness about specific topics in historic preservation / heritage conservation:

• Grassroots preservation that centers Black people in the US

• Community Engagement

This event is a must-attend for anyone interested in the preservation of Black heritage. Don't miss out on this enlightening discussion!

About the Speaker

Marcus P. Smith is a Black Studies scholar, public historian, historical consultant, preservation advocate, and Ph.D. candidate in the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies and Public History Program at UMass Amherst. His work and research focus on the history of social movements and the preservation of Black cultural landscapes, communities, and historic sites.