This exploratory discussion invites participants to examine how power is constructed and maintained through the language of archives and libraries. By reflecting on the roles of democracy and autonomy in these institutions, we’ll draw from archival science to deconstruct dominant frameworks and create alternative taxonomies. Together, we’ll surface models of collective authority that position communities as the authors and stewards of their own histories.

Ujima Cafe is a space where community members can connect, relax, and engage with Ujima’s work in a casual setting. Held twice a month through the spring, summer, and fall, we combine office hours with a laid-back hangout vibe, offering free coffee, snacks, and curated menus.

Join Kalimah Redd Knight, president of the League of Women for CommunityService (LWCS) for an exploration into one of the oldest continuing Black Women’s service clubs in the nation. Based in the South End, LWCS was co-founded in early in the 20th century by Maria L. Baldwin, educator, suffragist and civil rights activist, and became a nexus of art and culture in the city, and a hub for Boston’s Black community, where it also provided a variety of social services, including housing. Among the boarders who lived at the League’s headquarters at 558 Massachusetts Ave. was a young Coretta Scott King while she was a college student in Boston in the early 1950’s. This presentation will highlight the League’s rich legacy; its efforts to restore and preserve its iconic building and a significant archival collection; and its vision for the future.

Ujima is coming to Worcester! Join us for our summer field day Assembly,