The Black Archives The Black Archives
The Black Archives is a historical archive with a unique collection of books, documents, and artefacts documenting the histories and culture of Black Dutch emancipation movements, thinkers, and activists in the Netherlands and beyond. The stories rediscovered in the archive challenge normative historical narratives which tend to whitewash histories of colonialism, racism, imperialism and its legacies in present-day societies. The stories uncovered in the archive also show histories of a Black radical tradition and stories of transnational solidarity. Histories which seemed isolated and disconnected are more interwoven than we may think.
The Black Archives consists of unique book collections, archives and artefacts that are the legacy of Black Dutch writers and scientists. The more than 10.000 books in the collections focus on racism and race issues, slavery and (the) colonization, gender and feminism, social sciences and development, Suriname, the Netherlands Antilles, South America, Africa and more. As a result, The Black Archives provides book collections and literature which are not or little discussed in schools and within universities. Based on the collections The Black Archives develops exhibitions, public programmes and other educational and inspirational activities.