African Americas draws attention to the JCB's significant archive of materials related to the history of Africans in the Americas and sponsors new ways of engaging with the collection at all levels.
Some examples of programs associated with this initiative are:
- A lecture by noted historian Herman Bennett (CUNY Graduate Center) on his most recent book, African Kings and Black Slaves (Philadelphia, 2019) titled Kings and Slaves: Diplomacy, Sovereignty, and Black Subjectivity in the Early Modern World inaugurated this initiative on October 4, 2019.
- History, Journalism, Haiti: Reflections on the New York Times "The Ransom" Series (April 15, 2022) brought together the NYT team and several historians of Haiti based in Haiti and elsewhere to talk about the opportunities and the processes for making complex history into news. "The Ransom" series investigated the deep history of Haiti, its liberatory Revolution, and the extortion of its resources over centuries. The series, which consulted scholars and included a lengthy bibliography of source material, prompted international action and commentary. It also offered a wonderful case study of the role of investigative journalists, historians, and other scholars in making history news.
- The JCB hosted the September 2024 launch of the Race and Regency Lab, a project directed by Professor Patricia Matthew of Montclair State University. More details here.
Plan of a Section of Belvidere Estate, St. Thomas in the East, Jamaica (1772).