The University Libraries has one of the largest collections of African Diaspora thanks to the Charles Blockson Collection, however, there remains a lack of diversity in the overall collections. The African Diaspora: 1860-Present collection is an extensive digital database that will further diversify the Libraries’ collections, amplify authentic voices, and advance scholarly research for current and future students. This full-text database is a global collection essential for an international understanding of Black history and culture. It includes never-before digitized primary source documents (full text), including books, government documents, personal papers, organizational papers, journals, newsletters, court documents, letters, and ephemera from the Caribbean, Brazil, India, United Kingdom, and France. Themes include activism, racism, colonialism and emigration, identities and citizenship, etc. This fundraising priority has a lot of potential for collaboration and partnership with multiple units, departments, and faculty. If we raise more money on Giving Tuesday than needed to purchase the database, additional funds can go to digitizing the Charles Blockson Collection to make it more accessible and available to a broader population.

Click here to give online NOW through Tues, Dec. 1 @ 11:59pm EST.