This is virtual experience has been curated with the backdrop of the 2021 Black history theme, “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.” The black family has been a topic of study in many disciplines; history, literature, the visual arts, social policy and the culture of the culinary arts. The Black family knows no single location, since family reunions and genetic-ancestry searches testify to the spread of family members across states, nations, and continents.

While the role of the Black family has been described by some as a microcosm of the entire race, its complexity as the “foundation” of African American life and history can be seen in numerous debates over how to represent its meaning from a historical perspective. The family offers a rich tapestry of images for exploring the African American realities of the past and present.

This program is presented in partnership with the African American Program of the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, PA. The discussion will include Christin Haynes, founder of Black Family Scholar; Dr. Jessica Harris, award winning journalist and African Diaspora foodways expert; and Dr. Eric Jackson, Professor of History and Director of Black World Studies at Northern Kentucky University.