2026 Collecting, Researching, & Writing: The Black Diaspora Conference

Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s powerful quote, "The fierce urgency of now."
About this Event

AARL's mission is simple:

The conference is dedicated to the exploration and preservation of African American culture and history. The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History seeks to unite expert and enthusiast scholars, archivists, and community leaders to celebrate, document, and advance the rich tapestry of the Black experience.
Our theme this year is inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s powerful quote, "The fierce urgency of now." The programming will call for and highlight the critical importance of maintaining archival collections and the vital impact of donating them.

FRI, Nov 6 (Virtual)

🕑: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Voices That Matter: The Evolution of Black Representation in Children's Books

Info: Join Coretta Scott King Book Awards pioneers Dr. Pauletta Bracy and Carolyn Garnes for a vital conversation on the evolution of Black representation in children’s literature. Moderated by Aisha Johnson, this panel will explore decades of literary advocacy and the ongoing work to ensure young readers see themselves authentically reflected on the page.

PANELISTS: Dr. Pauletta Bracy - (Retired - North Carolina Central University) Carolyn Garnes (Retired – Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System) in conversation with Aisha Johnson (Georgia Tech)

🕑: 12:30 PM - 02:00 PM
Leading the Charge: The Future of Black Librarianship

Info: Join ALA President Tamika Barnes and former BCALA Presidents Shauntee Burns Simpson and Dr. Jerome Offord, Jr. for a vital conversation on the trajectory of Black librarianship. Moderated by documentarian Rodney Freeman (Are You A Librarian?), this panel will explore the historic legacy of Black library professionals and the strategic leadership needed to champion intellectual freedom and community access in the future.

PANELISTS: Tamika Barnes (Current ALA President), Shauntee Burns Simpson (Former BCALA President, and Dr. Jerome Offord, Jr. (Former BCALA President) in conversation with Rodney Freeman (Documentarian behind "Are You A Librarian? The Untold Story of Black Librarians")

🕑: 02:30 PM - 04:00 PM
Unlocking the Vault Inside the Transformative AARL Mellon Digitization Project

Info: Join AARL Archives Division Manager Derek Mosley and Mellon Project Archivists Sean Payne, Jami Murphy, Sheron Sylvestre, and Belle Kozubowski for a behind-the-scenes look at the library’s transformative $2 million Mellon Foundation digitization project. The panel will explore the rare collections currently being processed while reflecting on the profound personal and professional impact of safeguarding Black historical records for future generations.

PANELISTS: Sean Payne (Mellon Project Archivist), Jami Murphy (Mellon Project Archivist), Sheron Sylvestre (Mellon Project Archivist), and Belle Kozubowski (Mellon Project Archivist) in conversation with Derek Mosley (Auburn Avenue Research Library's Archives Division Manager)

🕑: 06:30 PM - 08:00 PM
The Casper Jordan/Janice Sikes Lecture Series

Info: The Casper Jordan/Janice Sikes Lecture Series: The Intertwined Lives of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. Join distinguished scholars Dr. Keturah Nix, Dr. Karcheik Sims-Alvarado, and Dr. Akinyele Umoja for the Casper Jordan/Janice Sikes Opening Keynote Lecture, exploring the complex friendship, ideological rivalry, and enduring legacy of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. This dynamic discussion will move beyond traditional historical narratives to examine how their intertwined lives shaped the blueprint for Black advancement in America.

PANELISTS: Dr. Keturah Nix (Xavier University of Ohio), Dr. Karcheik Sims-Alvarado in conversation with Dr. Akinyele Umoja

SAT, Nov 7 (In-Person)

🕑: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Southern Historical Association - Pedagogy and Publics

Info: Representing Atlanta-area archives, colleges, museums, and community-based organizations, panelists will highlight the resources their facilities house and the projects they oversee that speak directly to the Black experience. This panel will be of interest to persons invested in bringing African American sources, voices, and stories into their classroom spaces, their scholarship, and their public-facing endeavors. PANELISTS: Tamika Strong (Reference and Research Division Manager, AARL ), Ras Michael Brown (Georgia State University (GSU) “Gullah/ Geechee Sacred Land Project”), Tiffany Player (GSU “Gullah/ Geechee Sacred Land Project”), Tiffany Atwater Lee (Woodruff Library), Mike Santrock (Fulton County Schools Archives), Ursel Brown (Former Fulton County Schools Educator and College Park City Council Member), Sally Stanhope (GSU), and Evelyn Herans (Shermantown: Digital Tour and Archive), in conversation with Amrita Chakrabarti Myers (Indiana University).

🕑: 12:30 PM - 02:00 PM
The Mecca in Motion: Black Atlanta’s Past, Present, & Future

Info: Join leading historians, cultural curators, and urban planners for a dynamic exploration of Black Atlanta's historical legacy, ongoing cultural influence, and future development. Moderated by Anthony Knight, panelists Dr. La'Neice Littleton, and Victoria Lemos will discuss how the city's rich history is documented and how intentional placemaking can shape an equitable future for the Mecca of the South. PANELISTS: Dr. La'Neice Littleton (Atlanta History Center), and Victoria Lemos (Archive Atlanta Podcast), in conversation with Anthony Knight (City of Atlanta – Department of City Planning)

🕑: 02:30 PM - 04:00 PM
The Importance of Afrofuturism & Black Speculative Film

Info: Join leading Afrofuturist creators, scholars, and technologists Dedren Snead, Clinton Fluker, Dr. Grace Gipson, Milton Davis, and William Jones for a dynamic discussion on the power and cultural impact of Black speculative arts. Moderated by Dr. Johnathan Gayles, this panel will explore how worldbuilding across literature, film, and digital media serves as a vital tool for reclaiming history and imagining limitless Black futures.

PANELISTS: Dedren Snead (SUBSUME), William Jones (Afrofuturism Network), Clinton Fluker (Emory University), Dr. Grace Gipson (Virgina Commonwealth University), and Milton Davis (Black Speculative fiction writer) in conversation with Dr. Jonathan Gayles

🕑: 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
From Paper to Publish: Archives, Journalism, and Public Knowledge

Info: Join leading media voices, Ernie Suggs, Gavin Godfrey, Rose Scott, and Ann Hill Bond for a vital discussion on how journalists use historical archives to inform contemporary reporting and combat misinformation. "From Paper to Publish" explores the evolving media landscape and the critical role of the press in preserving the past to shape a more informed public future.

PANELISTS:

Ernie Suggs (Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Senior Editor of UATL), Gavin Godfrey (Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Senior Reporter), Rose Scott (Host of WABE's Closer Look), and Ann Hill Bond (Capital B Atlanta’s community engagement editor)

🕑: 06:30 PM - 08:00 PM
Annie L. McPheeters Lecture Series: Closing Keynote Lecture

Info:
SPEAKER: Dr. Daniel Black