The Bronx African American History Project

Keeping Hope Alive During the Pandemic

If you would like to affirm Fordham's commitment to anti-racism and promote University ties to the people and communities of the Bronx, there is no better way of doing this than by making a contribution to the Bronx African American History Project (BAAHP)!

In the midst of a deadly pandemic, the BAAHP found new ways of making sure the voices of Bronx residents were heard, not only at Fordham, but around the city and the nation.

First, after being forced to cancel its public events, the BAAHP launched an online initiative to highlight the resilience and courage of Bronx residents in the face of a terrible tragedy. Initiated by two BAAHP student workers who were Bronx residents, the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project conducted in-depth interviews with Bronx health workers, educators, students, business owners, and essential workers. The more than 30 interviews conducted, posted on a beautiful website, are now the subject of an exhibition at the Museum of the City New York and are being shared by the Gotham Center for NY History and the New York Public Library.

Second, the BAAHP launched Oral History Project with three new community partners:

• Members of the Bronx Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the oldest
  Black sorority in the nation
• Artists, Musicians and Educators representing the Bronx Garifuna community in the Bronx, people of African and Indigenous ancestry who migrated from coastal Honduras and Belize
• Leaders of the Bronx Community Relief Effort, a new campaign to raise funds for people in the Bronx hit hardest by the pandemic

Third, the BAAHP continued its collaborations with Bronx County Historical Society, the Bronx Music Heritage Centers, as well as with leaders of the Bronx African Community.

You can learn more about the importance of the BAAHP in this video with Mark Naison, Ph.D., Founder and Director.

If you want to keep these initiatives going, please make a donation to the Bronx African American History Project, Fordham's Bronx Conscience!