This year marks 100 years of Black History Month—a century of honoring Black brilliance,

resistance, creativity, and collective memory. DiasporaDNA honors this milestone by centering Black cultural memory as living infrastructure: something we build, tend, and move through together. This year, we recommit to storytelling that is collective, diasporic, and future-facing—spotlighting stories, spaces, and cultural expressions that reflect the living, breathing legacy of the Black diaspora and the global majority.

What does it look like when an ancestor’s wildest dreams are not only imagined, but lived, protected, and passed forward?

 

Elvin Montgomery, Jr. devoted his life to preserving and celebrating African American history—through scholarship, teaching, and a vast collection of books, photographs, letters, and memorabilia that illuminate the richness of Black life and culture. From breaking barriers at Harvard to mentoring students and lecturing across New York, his work left a lasting mark on history, archives, and community.

 

Today, his daughter, Monica Octavia Montgomery, continues his legacy through the DiasporaDNA Story Center, sharing his vision and collections with the world. In 2025, she received the W.E.B. DuBois Medal on his behalf, honoring contributions he never learned of during his lifetime of helping found the African American Studies Department at Harvard University.

 

Discover the full story of a life dedicated to ancestry, memory, and the dreams of our ancestors. Read the blog: https://www.diasporadna.org/blog/november-2025

Join us for an unforgettable intergenerational celebration of story and local history during the 100th anniversary of Black History Month. February 2026 marks the centennial celebration’s theme: “A Century of Black History Commemorations.” Meeting of the Griots Exhibition is a free, family-friendly gathering bringing together elders, youth, artists, scholars, and community members to share stories, preserve heritage, and experience culture and connection.

 

On February 25, 2026, join DiasporaDNA Scholar-in-Residence Damarius Johnson for a powerful virtual talk exploring Black history as a living, breathing presence shaped through images, archives, and ancestral memory. Centered on the award-winning book Picturing Black History: Photographs and Stories that Changed the World (2024), this conversation examines how photography and storytelling reclaim overlooked histories and deepen our understanding of lineage, identity, and cultural memory.

 

Drawing from the Montgomery Collection, Damarius—one of the book’s editors—will share how rare photographs and archival ephemera illuminate Black women’s activism, youth participation in freedom struggles, global histories, economic empowerment, and personal archiving practices. Held during the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, this program affirms Black history as an ongoing act of remembrance, resistance, and connection, and reflects DiasporaDNA’s commitments to Ancestry, Archives, and Activation within our Public Memory Virtual Series.
🗓 February 25, 2026 

🕖 7:00–8:00 PM ET

📍 Virtual - click here to register on Eventbrite

Free & open to the public (donations welcome) 

We are proud to announce the release of our newest Patterns of Our Diasporas podcast episode, “Curation: Black Art & Access."

 

This February, during Black History Month and throughout the year, we honor the

vital role of Black curators who champion brilliant art practice, amplify voices,

challenge institutional narratives, and shape the future of contemporary art. Their

work ensures that our Diasporas stories, experiences, and innovations are not

marginalized but centered in cultural conversations.

 

Join us for a powerful and timely panel discussion on our podcast, featuring two

leading voices in the field: Angela N. Carroll, the guest curator of the acclaimed

exhibition Jerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade, at the Brandywine Museum of Art,

and Ginger Rudolph, who leads the Mural Arts Philadelphia Fellowship for Black

Artists. Moderated by Monica O. Montgomery, curator of the forthcoming

‘Printmaking By The People’ exhibition in partnership with Mural Arts Philadelphia

and the Free Library of Philadelphia, this critical conversation explores the enduring

importance of representation in the arts, the pathways and inroads into curation for

emerging professionals, and the profound influence of the African diaspora on

creative practice and curatorial vision across American and International audiences.

 

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

DiasporaDNA Story Center invites educators, artists, historians, genealogists, cultural practitioners, and community culture-keepers to propose 2-hour interactive workshops as part of our ongoing public memory programming. Rooted in culturally conscious exploration, DiasporaDNA honors Black history, world cultures, and the living continuum of diaspora experiences—centering ancestry, archives, and community activation as pathways for learning, reflection, and collective care.

 

We are seeking workshop proposals aligned with one or more of our core strands—Art, Archives, Ancestry, and Activations—including creative and mindfulness-based art practices; archival research and engagement with historical records; genealogy, oral history, and lineage tracing; and community-centered public programs. Workshops may be hands-on, discussion-based, or hybrid, and are open to participants of all ages. Sessions may take place in person (Philadelphia area preferred), virtually, or in a hybrid format. Facilitators are compensated, and proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis.

 

Interested facilitators should submit a 200–400 word proposal outlining the workshop title, strand(s), description and objectives, target audience and format, a brief bio, and availability.

 

Send proposals to info@diasporadna.org with the subject line “DDSC Workshop Proposal – [Your Last Name].”

Join us in building spaces where memory is activated, creativity is nurtured, and the past, present, and future are woven together through participatory learning.

Philadelphia’s festival scene is more than entertainment—it’s infrastructure for culture, memory, and economic opportunity. From block parties to large-scale cultural celebrations, Philly festivals serve as gathering points for storytelling, healing, and diasporic connection. DiasporaDNA works at the intersection of culture and strategy to ensure these spaces remain community-rooted, sustainable, and accessible.

Mark your calendar! On May 2nd, 2026— DiasporaDNA launches the Philly Festivals Maiden Voyage Tour—an immersive, curated experience exploring Philadelphia's cultural geography through its festivals, neighborhoods, and histories. This tour is about movement, memory, and meaning—connecting participants directly to the roots and routes of Philly’s cultural landscape.

 

Join the waitlist: https://www.waitlistr.com/lists/64f22e55/philly-festivals-tour