Black Joy & Resilience developed a vocabulary to counter contemporary narratives of violence and trauma.
PHILADELPHIA, PA (May 6, 2026) The National Archives’ National Historical Publications and Records Commission awarded the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL) a planning grant of $103,823 to develop a collaborative digital edition that documents Black joy and resilience through an expansive and inclusive vocabulary.
“As the public presentation of historical narratives continues to be threatened, the need to offer a counter to contemporary media and historical projects that focus more on Black trauma is obvious. This project will examine stories of Black joy as expressed not just in the midst of anti-Blackness and state-sanctioned violence against Black bodies but in defiance of it,” said Dr. Synatra Smith, Manager of the NJ Black History Trail and co-principal investigator for the project.
Black joy and resilience are framed through an exploration of play, relationship, and growth. The project focused on the development of a vocabulary of joy and resilience, facilitated by the selection of objects which were edited and annotated within three broad categories:
1) play
2) relationships and community building
3) growth through achievement and overcoming challenges
Selected materials included letters, manuscripts, a church, business records, photographs, tools, instruments, and personal belongings from the mid-19th century and through the 20th century, content that folks who attended community events during the project’s development called “mundane.” As Beth Lander, PACSCL Managing Director and co-Principal Investigator for Black Joy & Resilience stated, “Items that document personal or family experiences, along with the ability to share the stories behind those items, make us all realize that each one of us can be a historian. Things that may not be considered to be of traditional historical relevance can often provide the best narrative. In other words, mundane objects that are used through generations can act in a cycle of remaking.”
Lander also noted that the project lays the groundwork for libraries and archives to reconsider their understanding of Black history and life. Traditional cataloging methods – like Library of Congress subject headings, or descriptions used in archival collections – often mute or limit the ability to explore the lives and work of Black people. This project offers an option to expand access by centering Black voices through a contemporary vocabulary.
Welcome to Black Joy & Resilience
The BJ&R team thanks the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum and the Drexel University Writer’s Room Tripod program for hosting community events.
The team also thanks the following institutions for contributing material to Black Joy & Resilience: The Barnes Foundation, Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, Historical Society of Princeton, William Way LGBT Community Center, Mother Bethel AME, Mercer Museum, Barbara Bates School of Nursing, Library Company of Philadelphia, Historic Germantown, College of Physicians of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, and the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection of Temple University.
The heart of Black Joy & Resilience is its Advisory Committee: Jasmine Lelis Clark/Temple University, Dr. Jennifer Garcon/Princeton University, Dr. Cassandra Stancil Gunkel/Independent Scholar, Dr. Portia Hopkins/Rice University, Andrea Walls/Museum of Black Joy, and Dr. Chris Willoughby/University of Las Vegas-Nevada.
Project Annotator/Editors include P.J. Grier, Haley Kowal, and Miya Upshur-Williams.
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) of the National Archives supports projects that promote access to America’s historical records to encourage understanding of our democracy, history, and culture. PACSCL thanks NHPRC for its support of this project.
The thirty-nine member libraries and archives of the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL) collect, care for, and share with a world-wide audience collections that, in their depth and variety, comprise an internationally important body of unique materials for students, scholars and lifelong learners at any level. The collections of PACSCL member libraries include a total of more than 4,000,000 rare books, 260,000 linear feet of manuscripts and archival materials, and 9,000,000 photographs, maps, architectural drawings, and works of art on paper.
