The Radford University Community History Research Collective is an interdisciplinary initiative developing a more complete account of the university’s institutional and regional history. Its current work examines Radford University’s pre-founding ties to enslavement and the legacies of exclusion associated with the institution.
Students, faculty, staff and community experts will conduct archival and genealogical research, create a centralized documentary record and build relationships with the Radford Heritage Foundation and Calfee Community and Cultural Center. This work will provide a foundation for future teaching, public interpretation and community-engaged research as Radford approaches its 125th anniversary.
The Affrilachian Coalition is a developing research and relationship-building project focused on Black organizations and communities throughout Appalachia. This includes organizations in the Ohio River Valley and the New River Valley. The project examines the strengths, needs and challenges of regional organizations, including issues involving funding, capacity, visibility and long-term sustainability.
The project will begin with organizations and communities connected to Mount Zion, BLAC, the Christiansburg Institute and other parts of the region. The research will help identify opportunities for collaboration, shared programming and future community-engaged work through the Black Studies Center.
Mapping Black Appalachia is a computational research project developed by Dr. Jocelyn Brown.
The project brings together demographic, economic, health and geographic data for all 423 counties in the Appalachian Regional Commission’s service area. The dataset currently includes more than 40 measures related to Black population presence, education, income, poverty, employment, homeownership, broadband access, disability, healthcare access and social vulnerability.
Future phases will use mapping and county-level analysis to identify different Black Appalachian community contexts. A smaller pilot will also begin documenting Black-serving organizations, museums, cultural centers and other community resources in selected counties.
Students may contribute to Center projects through research positions, independent studies and internships. Opportunities may include archival research, data collection, mapping, organizational research and public scholarship.