The public presentation of a small series of research projects conducted in several archives located in the Florentine territory. This research offers us insights into the history that links Florence to the African continent and to Afro-Descendant people and cultures. The presentation of the second volume of the Black Archive Alliance will be an opportunity for the public to learn about the project in a phase of development, anticipating the catalog that will be presented in February 2020 within the Black History Month Florence program.
History
Started in 2018 Black Archive Alliance is a research and training project that aims to highlight a selection of documents that reflect the realities and histories of African populations, their diaspora and their representation across in a series of archives and public and private collections. The first edition created a virtual map of this archival presence in the city with a catalog that aims to support future research by providing perspectives that foster reflection.
Second edition
The second edition of the project was carried out with a tutoring format with teachers and scholars in tandem with students guiding their research within the network of Florentine archives established with the first edition as well as a few new sites to the project. The “mentors” followed a small group of students in the development of short research projects and writing with the final outcome consisting in the realization of a text which will be published in the second edition of the catalog in 2020. This edition, elaborated over several phases consists of a research period, a public presentation event and finally an exhibition dedicated to a selection of the newly commissioned research and the presentation of the final catalog.
Mentors and affiliations
Maria Stella Rognoni; Prof. African History and Institutions; Università degli Studi Firenze
Maria Antonia Rinaldi; Director of Masters in Art History and Museum Studies; Studio Arts College International
Angelica Pesarini; Prof. Black Italia; NYU Florence
Ingrid Greenfield; Scholar and Assistant to the director; Villa I Tatti
Debora Spini; Prof. Political Science, Philosophy and Women’s Studies; Syracuse University Florence
Sasha Perugini; Director Syracuse University Florence
Lorenzo Publici; Prof. Italian Modern History; Santa Reparata International School of Art and Università degli Studi Firenze
Agnes Stillger; PHD Candidate LMU Munich, Co-Curator; Villa Romana
Students:
Ladan Savar, MICA/SACI
Nina Vitale, MICA/SACI
Anthony Quesen, MICA/SACI
Brian Rush, SRISA
Kemiya Searles, Syracuse University Florence Mila Pingin, SACI
Polina Nazarova, SACI
Anna Cuciurean-Zapan, New York University Florence
Clara Hillis, New York University Florence
