The United States turns 250 this year. But the story America celebrates rarely tells the full truth about Black people. Together, we have an opportunity to preserve the stories that history too often overlooks.
PushBlack and Capital B, two Black-led nonprofit media organizations, have partnered to launch For the Record, a national Black oral history project dedicated to preserving the stories, memories, and voices of Black America. Our mission is to ensure the people, experiences, and histories too often left out of textbooks and official records are documented in our own words. That work has never been more urgent, especially as efforts to erase Black history continue to grow.
Much of Black history has been preserved through storytelling. We learn it from our parents, grandparents and elders and then pass it on to the next generation. As America recognizes its 250-year anniversary, it's more important than ever that we keep telling these stories and preserving them for generations to come. That's where you come in.
Together, we're building an archive that will outlast this anniversary and many more. Every story shared will become part of a permanent public repository that Black communities, educators, and historians can access for a long time to come. Tell us your story here and add it to the record.
America's 250th anniversary is about more than looking back. It's about deciding what story the country will carry into its next 250 years. We must help ensure Black voices and Black stories remain an important part of that story.