Center for the Digitization and Curation of African American History
The Center for the Digitization and Curation of African American History, funded by Robert F. Smith, uses innovative technology to preserve and share African American history and culture.
This Center is made up of four key components: The Robert F. Smith Explore Your Family History Center, the Community Curation Program, the Great Migration Home Movie Project, and the Fellowship Program.
Through each component, the Museum seeks to expand access to African American history and cultivate broad interest in America’s Black past, genealogy, and culture.
The Trouble of Color: An American Family Memoir with Martha S. Jones
Saturday, May 3, 2025 - Oprah Winfrey Theater, NMAAHC
Dr. Martha S. Jones gave a presentation of her latest book, The Trouble of Color: An American Family Memoir, which chronicles the history of her paternal ancestors living on the “color line” while enslaved in Kentucky and as free people in North Carolina during the early 19th century. Dr. Jones shared her search for the intricate details of relationships created within the social and legal barriers of race in the South, and which become a theme for her own life decades later in New York.
Community Curation Programs
We'll be in Buffalo in the spring of 2026 for our next Community Curation Program! Stay aware of the planning and progress here:
Community Curation 2026: Buffalo
Our Community Curation Program in St. Louis, Missouri is complete! Take a look at what we did by visiting the link below.
The Smith Center spent October 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee digitizing materials for Fisk University, hosting public programs, and collaborating with community partners. Visit the link below to learn about all we did.
Steven Lewis and DeLisa Minor Harris at Fisk University
Vigilance: The Life of William Still, Father of the Underground Railroad Lecture and Book Signing
On February 8, historian Andrew K. Diemer, Ph.D. of Towson University gave a lecture from his latest book, Vigilance: The Life of William Still, Father of the Underground Railroad. Diemer’s compelling narrative provides an in-depth look into the life of William Still, a New Jersey born abolitionist who worked for the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society, assisted nearly 1,000 people to freedom and wrote one of the most important works on the Eastern network of the Underground Railroad. This lecture was held in conjunction with the Center’s exhibit The Still Family: Forging Pathways to Freedom.
Dana Williams on Toni Morrison's Editorial Legacy
On November 18, 2024, Dana Williams, Ph.D. (Howard University) gave a keynote on Toni Morrison’s pivotal role as an editor at Random House, highlighting her influence in shaping the careers of Black writers. Williams used data visualizations, which will later be published in the Literary Data Gallery, to showcase Morrison’s lasting impact. A talk-back with Howard Rambsy II followed, covering how Morrison shaped Black literary culture through her editorial work.
Collaboration in San Antonio
SAAACAM Community Engagement Coordinator Debra Sewerd and community members write what they would like to see in an archive of their community at a conversation event with the Smithsonian Center for Digitization and Curation of African American History. Credit: Brenda Bazán / San Antonio Report
We've been meeting with community members in San Antonio, Texas to make plans for Community Curation services and programs. The city offers important histories, an informed public eager to lead the way in preservation, and trusted institutions like the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum (SAAACAM).
As documented by San Antonio Report: "San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg... praised the project for the depth and reach of its research and preservation, “because the history of our country is locked within the families that share it, and we’ve got to get those families to share their history and preserve it for generations to come.” "
Center Initiatives
Robert Frederick Smith Explore Your Family History Center
The Robert Frederick Smith Explore Your Family History Center helps people begin their family history journey and learn the basics of researching African American genealogy.
Community Curation Program
The Community Curation Program is an innovative digital-first initiative bridging the generational divide in African American communities.
The Great Migration Home Movie Project
The Great Migration is a unique digitization service program that partners the National Museum of African American History and Culture with individuals and organizations across the United States to preserve their important analog audiovisual media.
Robert Frederick Smith Fellowship Program
The Robert Frederick Smith Fellowship Program seeks to build pathways for historically underrepresented individuals to grow successful careers in the cultural sector.
Smith Center Gallery
During COVID-19 and in the midst of our collective trauma, we found community. And, like you, we at the Smith Fund expanded our efforts to connect digitally with guests, collaborators, and visitors.
Capturing the Enduring Spirit of Life: Our Families, Our Communities, Our Histories
In this online program, staff members from the The Robert F. Smith Center for the Digitization and Curation of African American History highlight stories from supporters and Community Curation participants, including:
An interview with Deborah Mason, widow of Baltimore muralist Pontella Mason, recorded by Smith Center Photographer Leah Jones; a panel of Great Migration Home Movie Project participants moderated by Time-Based Media Conservation Team Members AJ Lawrence, CK Ming and Ina Archer; and a genealogy discussion between NMAAHC Ambassador Adrienne Fikes and Family History Center Team Members Hannah Scruggs, Lisa Crawley and Kamilah Stinnett.
The program begins with an introduction from Smith Center Director, Dr. Doretha Williams, and ends with the Smith Center team answering viewer questions.
Share Your Story
The Community Curation Platform provides a unique opportunity for individuals, families, and community groups to share their stories as part of the Museum's online community collection. Begin sharing your stories today by creating an online account with the Museum and uploading your digitized photos and videos. Visit our Submission Guidelines to learn tips on digitizing and what makes for a great community story.
Philanthropic support provided by the New York Life Foundation