African and African American Studies Research: Find Background Info

The African American Intellectual History Society (AAIHS) is a scholarly organization that aims to foster dialogue about researching, writing, and teaching black thought and culture.

African Studies Association encourages the production and dissemination of knowledge about Africa, past and present. Based in the United States, the ASA supports understanding of an entire continent in each facet of its political, economic, social, cultural, artistic, scientific, and environmental landscape. Our members include scholars, students, teachers, activists, development professionals, policymakers and donors.

The ASAA resulted from extensive discussions among directors of various centres and institutes of African Studies in Africa as well as other scholars. The consultations led to a colloquium hosted by Professor Lungisile Ntsebeza at the Centre for African Studies (CAS), University of Cape Town, October 1-2, 2012. The colloquium was attended by representatives of many institutions including the University of Ghana (Ghana), Kenyatta University (Kenya), University of Botswana (Botswana), University of Pretoria (South Africa), University of Edwardo Mondlane (Mozambique), University of Cape Town (South Africa), Human Science Research Council (South Africa) and the Alternative Information Development Centre (AIDC), a South African NGO based in Cape Town. At this colloquium an interim working group (IWG) or steering committee was constituted to work on the establishment of an African based structure to promote African Studies on the continent. The ASAA was launched on October 25, 2013 at the International Conference on African Studies organised by the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana (October 24-26, 2013).

ABWH was conceived in 1977 when three black women historians, Rosalyn Terborg-Penn, Eleanor Smith, and Eleanor Parker, recognized the need for a specially focused organization within their profession, and they set about recruiting other black women nationwide to discuss launching such a venture.

Established on September 9, 1915 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, we are the Founders of Black History Month and carry forth the work of our founder, the Father of Black History.
We continue his legacy of speaking a fundamental truth to the world–that Africans and peoples of African descent are makers of history and co-workers in what W. E. B. Du Bois called, “The Kingdom of Culture.” ASALH’s mission is to create and disseminate knowledge about Black History, to be, in short, the nexus between the Ivory Tower and the global public. We labor in the service of Blacks and all humanity.

ASWAD is a not-for-profit organization of international scholars seeking to further their understanding of Africa and the African Diaspora. We do this through conferences and symposia, as well as through publications. We also look for ways to share our work with students and the general community. All who share these interests are welcome to join ASWAD. By joining you will be informed for all the Associations activities and initiatives, and be eligible to participate in ASWAD conferences and governance.

The Association of African American Museums (AAAM) is a non-profit member organization established to support African and African American focused museums nationally and internationally, as well as the professionals who protect, preserve and interpret African and African American art, history and culture.

Established as the single representative and principal voice of the African American museum movement, the Association seeks to strengthen and advocate for the interests of institutions and individuals committed to the preservation of African-derived cultures.

National Council for Black Studies exists to promote academic excellence and social responsibility in the discipline of Africana/Black Studies through the production and dissemination of knowledge, professional development and training, and advocacy for social change and social justice.

The New York Public Library has made this part of the Schomburg Writers Collection available in digital form. (full text).

A Library of Congress Resource Guide for the Study of Black History & Culture.

Information on major Smithsonian programs related to African and African American issues and resources. Provides access to nearly 37,000 historical artifacts, documents, photography, and media.

Umbra Search African American History makes African American history more broadly accessible through an aggregating search tool found on umbrasearch.org. Umbrasearch.org brings together hundreds of thousands digitized materials from over 1,000 libraries and archives across the country.