Our Mission & Vision
Our Mission
The Black Judaic Heritage Center (BJHC) is dedicated to educating the general public about the rich and often overlooked heritage and practices of Afro-Jews within the American African context. We aim to stimulate meaningful discussions about identities, culture, and religious ideologies through research, education, and community engagement.
We are committed to bringing greater visibility to histories and communities that have often been overlooked, while encouraging thoughtful and historically grounded conversations about Judaism, African and African-descended peoples, and their interconnected histories.
Our Vision
Through initiatives such as Collaborative research, Education & Outreach, Digital Resources and Community engagement, the Black Judaic Heritage Center illuminates the often overlooked, yet vital, aspect of Afro-Jewish history in the United States. We aim to promote inclusiveness, foster understanding, and celebrate the diversity of little known American cultural and religious identities.
The BJHC seeks to become a leading educational and cultural resource for the study and preservation of Afro-Jewish history and heritage. Through partnerships, scholarship, exhibitions, educational programs, digital resources, and community initiatives, we work toward creating greater access to reliable historical information and creating spaces where these histories can be studied, preserved, and shared for generations to come.
Why We Exist
History is more than a collection of dates and names. It is the record of people, communities, traditions, movements, and experiences that shape how we understand the world.
The history of Afro-Jewish communities is diverse and complex, encompassing different geographic regions, historical periods, religious experiences, cultural traditions, and individual journeys. Yet many of these stories remain unfamiliar to the broader public.
The BJHC exists to help bring these histories into greater public awareness while approaching them with historical care, scholarly inquiry, and respect for the communities whose stories we seek to understand and preserve.
What We Do
Our programs and initiatives:
- Research historical records, traditions, communities, and experiences connected to Afro-Jewish history and heritage.
- Preserve historical and cultural materials for future generations, including documents, photographs, oral histories, and other resources.
- Educate students, educators, researchers, and the public through courses, lectures, workshops, and educational resources.
- Exhibit historical materials and stories through museums, public humanities programs, and community exhibitions.
- Connect communities, scholars, educators, cultural institutions, and organizations interested in exploring Afro-Jewish history and heritage.
- Create access to resources that encourage responsible research, historical thinking, and informed discussion.
Looking Forward
The BJHC is building an expanding educational and digital center for the study and preservation of Afro-Jewish history and heritage.
Our long-term vision includes developing accessible online courses and educational resources, expanding museum and public-history partnerships, supporting researchers and educators, documenting community histories, and connecting Afro-Jewish historical experiences across the United States and the wider Americas.
We believe that preserving these histories is not simply about looking backward. It is about ensuring that future generations have the knowledge, resources, and opportunity to understand the people and communities who helped shape the past—and continue to shape the present.