BLACK ARCHIVES OF MID-AMERICA INC

The Year 2024 was filled with amazing growth and productivity for the Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City. Still recovering from a near shut-down following the COVID 19 epidemic, we instituted new exhibitions, programs, and events that drew many people to our building. We also partnered with many people and organizations to bring valuable information in. We have worked diligently to stabilize our resources, build our staff and enhance our commitment to our community. Financial: Board Chair Marjorie Williams identified and wrote a successful grant proposal for $10,000 to the AIDS Service Foundation for outreach to women. Our first "reach" was to women at the UMKC Women of Color Leadership Summit. We also included AIDS/HIV education at our Red Table Top Women's Empowerment Summit. BAYCON leaders Marcus Bass and John McGee facilitated an informational table and dispersed fliers on HIV/AIDS at the Footprints, Inc at Christian Fellowship Baptist church. BAKC received eight NTDF grants: Black History Month Gala: $46,800, Find Your Folks: Genealogy Seminar: $5,500, National African American Quilt Conference: $19,200, Operation Hero Homecoming: $5000, Stop the Violence Basketball Tournament: $7500, The Wayne Miner Story: $16,800, Women's Empowerment Summit: $5200, and Salvaging the History of Black Churches: $12,500. The University of Kansas' Hall Center for the Humanities provided BAKC with a post-graduate summer fellow, who worked with staff on creating study guides. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation granted BAKC $75,000. The University of Missouri-Kansas City provided us with three summer fellowships. The Full Employment Council provided us with a worker to assist in the Black Coffee Cafe. Dr Carmaletta Williams presented at the Hall Center for the Humanities "Stories for All" conference, the final obligation on our grant from them. The City of Kansas City, MO granted the Black Archives $450,000 for operations. The State of Missouri appropriated $175,000 to BAKC. Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area awarded BAKC $2000 to purchase shelving and other necessities for the Collections area. The City of Kansas City, MO through its Public Improvements Advisory Council (PIAC) appropriated $127,271 to secure pillars in the Kauffman Exhibition Hall. The William T Kemper II Charitable Trust - Commerce Bank, Trustee awarded BAKC $5000 to be used for cataloging our collections. The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation graciously awarded BAKC a grant in the amount of $5000. We reached our goal of securing $100,000 for creation of a biopic based on Alvin Brooks' memoir "Binding Us Together." The University of Missouri-Kansas City was the recipient of a significant Mellon Foundation grant to preserve monuments. The Greater Kansas City Black Women Suffragist Committee, of which Dr Williams is chair, was a recipient of a $200,000 grant to aid with building the memorial. The Collections Department: completed 59 AC Collections; added 32 collections to Past Perfect; Library Section - cataloged 2210 books, 23 newsletters, 10 research papers, 478 journals, and 2448 magazines; Photos scanned into Subject Photo Data - 309; Total Research Requests - 66; New donations: 21 new collections; Genealogy Programs - 13; Other educational programs - 4; Exhibits - 9; Partnerships with other organizations - 3. Community Connections, Events, and Exhibitions: The Black Archives celebrated its 50th Anniversary with 500 people in attendance. The event was held at the KC Convention Center, was beautifully decorated, the food was good and our keynote speaker, Michael Harriott, author of "Black AF History" excited the crowd. The exhibition "Black Art: Eastside Artists," a powerful exhibit installed for one month in the Rotating Gallery, was well attended. Dr Williams addressed visitors to William Jewell University at its Freedom Walk Dedication Ceremony. The Whitney Museum opened "Edges of Alley," an extremely powerful exhibition of the Life and Legacy of Alvin Ailey. Dr Williams was invited to the opening as their guest. Also in attendance were Archives board members Marjorie Williams, Board Chair, and Allan Gray, BAKC board member, who owns the Ailey collection and houses it at the Black Archives. The Whitney Museum sent researchers here to explore the collection and collect documents, pictures, etc., for the exhibition. The Jackson County Legislature issued a joint proclamation to LINC, The KC Public Library, and the Black Archives for our Black History Book (printed and virtual). Dr Williams and Archivist Laura Darnell spoke at the American Association for State & Local History in Mobile, Alabama. The United Way honored BAKC with recognition on The Pitch at the KC Current soccer game. Dr Williams has two written pieces included in the Toys and Miniatures Museum exhibition on black dolls. Dr Williams met with environmentalist writer Vann Newkirk, and Phil Cunningham and Dave Tell of the University of KS for insight into making exhibits public facing for the Archives. Preston Washington continues to do an amazing job in leading our genealogical research classes for the public. The Midwest Geneology Center created an amazing exhibition centered around BAKC. We are pleased and honored. History Co-Lab has partnered with BAKC in creating "Elementary Trunks for Social Studies" which includes "detective kits" for school age children in every school in the KC metro area to guide them in historical research. BAKC continued its Client Connected partnership with Ray-Pec school district by being part of a consortium leading students in creating digital exhibits. The Black Archives began a Client Connected project with Crossroads Academy. Dr Williams spoke at the Stockyard's Legends Dinner that honored former board member, Crosby Kemper, III. BAKC is partnering with the Nelson-Atkins Museum on an exhibition in 2026 about Photography and Abolition in the Age of Pictures. Dr Williams facilitated a workshop at the Joplin, MO Juneteenth festival. The 9th Senatorial District's annual Public Health & Safety Fair was hosted in the BAKC parking lot. The KC Police Department and the MO Highway Patrol participated and assisted with traffic access. Black Archives Youth Coalition Network (BAYCON) hosted a summer youth summit to raise awareness about the history and impact of book censorship; to examine the themes, and encourage open-mindedness towards differing viewpoints, to provide a platform for youth to express themselves creatively through literature and art; and to empower participants to become advocates for intellectual freedom and the right to access diverse literary works. BAYCON conducted Youth Empowerment Month as part of the Summer of the Youth Empowerment program. Their programs included "Unbound Minds: Championing Diversity through Literature;" Empower KC: Uniting Youth Advocates for Change;" "Fashion Show, which was facilitated by Ms. Barbara Jenkins; and "Healthy KC: Fueling Futures." BAKC was pleased to host the 4th annual Women's Empowerment Summit in partnership with the Sisters Lifting Sisters Women's Empowerment Committee. KC Public Schools volunteers worked at the Black Archives. Stop the Violence Basketball tournament drew players and their families to the Archives and the 18th and Vine District from across the Greater KC area, and from St. Joseph, MO; Columbia, MO; Wichita, KS; and Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in Kansas. BAKC assisted with the production, premiering and advertising of the movie based on Alvin Brooks' book, "Binding Us Together," which Dr. Williams helped edit. The biopic was made under the direction of Academy Award winner, Kevin Willmott. The premiere was held at the Screenland Theater and was arranged by board member, Shawn Edwards. The National African American Quilt Museum installed an exhibition based on the life of formerly enslaved Maria Rodgers, who lived in Harrisonville, MO and was stolen and forced to walk to Lawrence, KS during the dead of winter. There she became a successful quilt-maker and seamstress. The exhibition, artist talks, and other events associated with the exhibit drew several hundred people to BAKC. Local activist, the late Alvin Sykes, was honored with an exhibition in the rotating gallery and a program with Ajamu Webster speaking to Mr. Sykes life and legacy. BAKC enhanced our exhibition on racial murder injustices with interviews with Ryan Stokes' mother, attorney, and community activist. The interview is housed on the kiosks in the Kauffman Exhibition Hall adjacent to the Community Remembrance Project, the lynching project done in partnership with the Equal Justice Initiative, and the Cameron Lamb exhibit. First Sgt. Robert Gray spearheaded a month-long exhibition dedicated to African American Military personnel and their actions, and an open community discussion. Dr Williams participated with Americans in the Arts for an in-depth analysis of the impact the 2024 election will have on arts organizations.