At the Vanguard: Making and Saving History at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

The first volume in a major new series offering a compelling glimpse into the transformative and revolutionary world of HBCUs, that reveals the complex stories that their collections tell us.

This book, featuring objects from the museums and archives at five HBCUs--Jackson State, Tuskegee, Florida A&M, Clark Atlanta, and Texas Southern Universities--attests to the aesthetic value of African American cultural production on university campuses, the persistent development and expansion of HBCU academic programs, and the impact of student-led activism on campuses and throughout surrounding communities. Organized into four main sections, focusing on the partner institutions, arts, academics, and activism, this remarkable assembly of images will inspire readers to engage with, reflect on, and examine the unforgettable stories they represent.

The museums and archives at the five HBCUs featured tell unique stories, from detailed community histories and accounts of civil-rights era activism to premiere collections of African American art. Together, these institutions paint a powerful and multifaceted picture of African American academia and beyond.

This multi-volume series of publications stemming from the work of NMAAHC's HBCU History and Culture Access Consortium (HCAC), is a companion publication to the exhibition that will travel to each participating institution from September 2025.

Dorothy Berry is Digital Curator, Office of Digital Strategy and Engagement, NMAAHC.

Kinshasha Holman Conwill is Deputy Director Emerita, NMAAHC.

Jelani M. Favors is Henry E. Frye Distinguished Professor of History and Director, Center of Excellence for Social Justice, North Carolina A&T State University.

Jeanelle K. Hope is Caterpillar Curator of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, NMAAHC.

Marion McGee is Program Partnership Manager, Office of Strategic Partnerships, NMAAHC.

Tulani Salahu-Din is Curator of Language and Literature, NMAAHC.