The goal of this project is to work toward educational equity by challenging inequitable racial narratives in schools and museums, primarily by centering narratives of Black youth in Philadelphia as they draw links between past, present, and future. We will build a “living archive” (Rhodes, 2014) with young people and their teachers in Philadelphia.

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Building a living archive synergizes with the semiquincentennial celebration of America’s 250th anniversary planned for Philadelphia that culminates in 2026, which invites “every American to share your unique stories, hopes, and dreams...to take stock of where we have been and look ahead to our future” (America 250).

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We see this project as vital for centering African American stories in these celebrations. By harnessing histories of civic participation, documenting present lived narratives, and imagining alternative futures, this project works to address educational equity by rooting collective, justice-oriented work in local action to transform institutional narratives in official accounts, curriculum, and historical record.