THE CONCEPT OF LIVING HISTORY begins with the recognition that history itself is a central site of collective experience for the articulation of power relations and social hierarchies within any society.  Historical narratives, the stories we teach about past events, become frameworks for understanding the past, and for interpreting its meaning for our own time and in our individual lives.  In this way, history’s lessons, enduring symbols, iconic personalities, and distinctive language all have practical and powerful consequences in shaping civic behavior and social consciousness.  These elements of our “shared history” thus help to influence public policy, and the future direction of subsequent events and decisions that have not yet occurred. At the Center for Contemporary Black History (CCBH), we study "living history" by utilizing ethnographic, technological and visual tools to capture the activities of African Americans. 

THE CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY BLACK HISTORY (CCBH) actively studies "living history" through its diverse projects. The Malcolm X Project uses oral histories, audio and visual media to reconstruct the life of Malcolm X. The Africana Criminal Justice Project is devoted to issues related to the African-American experience of the penal system, and explores these issues through ethnographic and oral history research. CCBH chronicles its pursuit of weaving history into the fabric of our daily lives in our journal, Souls. Please use the links above to explore the Center and its projects.

Manning Marable Director, The Center for Contemporary Black History