Background

Since 1999, The HistoryMakers has been recording African American oral histories to refashion a more inclusive record of American history and to educate and enlighten millions worldwide.

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MISSION STATEMENT

A national 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational institution committed to preserving and making widely accessible the untold personal stories of both well-known and unsung African Americans. Through the media and a series of user-friendly products, services and events, The HistoryMakers enlightens, entertains and educates the public, helping to refashion a more inclusive record of American history.

VISION STATEMENT

To capture America’s history one person at a time, creating a priceless video collection and giving those involved their special place in history to educate the world about the struggles, determination and achievements of African American life, history and culture.

The HistoryMakers is a national 501(c)(3) non profit educational institution founded in 1999, committed to preserving, developing and providing easy access to an internationally recognized, archival collection of thousands of African American video oral histories. The HistoryMakers is the single largest archival collection of its kind in the world designed to promote and celebrate the successes and to document movements, events and organizations that are important to the African American community and to American society.

The HistoryMakers is sharing its collection through The HistoryMakers Digital Archive, The HistoryMakers Education Institute, The HistoryMakers Speakers Bureau, live public programs and its interactive website (www.thehistorymakers.com). The purpose of this archive is to:

Educate the world on the accomplishments of African Americans
Show the breadth and depth of this important American history as told in the first person
Highlight the accomplishments of individual African Americans
Showcase those who have played a role in African American-led movements and/or organizations
Preserve these video oral histories for years and generations to come

The only methodic and wide-scale attempt to capture the testimonies of African Americans occurred in the 1930s with the recording of former slaves as an undertaking of the Works Projects Administration (WPA). From 1936 to 1938, teams of writers and researchers were sent throughout the South resulting in approximately 2,300 hand-recorded interviews and some audio taped interviews. The HistoryMakers is the next methodic and wide-scale collection effort since the WPA Slave Narratives Project. Our goal is to complete 5,000 interviews of both well-known and unsung African American HistoryMakers. While African Americans have made significant contributions to American life, society and culture, the world is still largely unaware of these contributions.

The HistoryMakers' goal is to change that by capturing the personal stories of African American contributors. In doing so, we want to include the stories of individual African Americans along with those of African American organizations, events, movements and periods of time that are significant to the African American community. In recording messages of leadership, achievement and perseverance embodied in these life stories, The HistoryMakers has plans to disseminate its holdings through traditional and interactive media as well as public programs, special events, an interactive website and a unique digital archive.

The HistoryMakers hopes to enrich the lives of all ethnic groups, both young and old. Our collection presently houses 7,000 hours of African American testimony on videotape. Our oldest HistoryMaker is 105 years old and the youngest is 29. We have done interviews in over 80 cities and towns as well as in the Caribbean, Mexico and Norway. The HistoryMakers' stories are stories of success against the odds, of achievement in the face of adversity, and of inspiration. They are America's Missing Stories.

The HistoryMakers staff has created finding aids for promotional footage on the organization:

Finding Aid to The HistoryMakers Promotional Videos (Chicago 2000)
Finding Aid to The HistoryMakers Promotional Videos (Chicago 2001)
Finding Aid to The HistoryMakers Promotional Videos (Chicago 2002)
Finding Aid to The HistoryMakers Promotional Videos (Chicago 2003)
Finding Aid to The HistoryMakers Promotional Videos (Chicago 2004)
Finding Aid to The HistoryMakers Promotional Videos (Chicago 2006)

The HistoryMakers' Story

1999 The HistoryMakers is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Julieanna Richardson supplies money, equipment and office space. Project goal set: complete 5,000 interviews of both well-known and unsung African American HistoryMakers.	2000 70 Interviews are conducted in Chicago. An Evening With Harry Belafonte launches the organization nationally in November 2000. The HistoryMakers radio series runs on WBBM-AM radio, reaching millions in the Chicago area.	2001 The HistoryMakers receives $250,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to conduct interviews around the country. Pioneers in the Struggle: Educational video, CD-ROM and curriculum guide is completed for distribution to schools, grades 8-12. A Chicago Public Schools system focus group was held with 50 teachers at The Art Institute of Chicago in order to guide the creation of educational materials.	2002 The HistoryMakers is named a special collection as part of the Illinois State Library system. Education Institute is launched and the inaugural Day of Education is held. Meet the HistoryMakers – A Day of Education: 60 HistoryMakers came from around the country to participate in this event. Teachers, students and librarians attended.	2003 Funds from the State of Illinois & the MacArthur Foundation sustain the organization, but some last minute saves are needed. Footage from The HistoryMakers archive was used in exhibits at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art and at The Field Museum. The first HistoryMakers National Planning Summit convened on July 25, 2003.
2004 More than one major staff layoff occurs due to lack of funding. IMLS Grant to create Digital Archive with Carnegie Mellon University. The HistoryMakers hosted its third annual Meet the HistoryMakers – A Day of Education at Northeastern University’s Center for Inner City Studies. The HistoryMakers held a training summit that brought together potential interviewers, videographers and industry professionals on January 10, 2004.	2005 AEW Programs bring in revenue to the organization, but high staff turnover causes fallout and reduces the rate of interview collection. The HistoryMakers held its first Open House on January 17 as part of the celebration of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday The HistoryMakers hosted its fourth annual Meet the HistoryMakers – A day of Education in Los Angeles. Della Reese and Earvin “Magic” Johnson served as guest speakers for the event.	2006 Meet the HistoryMakers – A Day of Education was hosted in Chicago, Illinois at the Merit School of Music and Atlanta, Georgia at Morehouse College. The HistoryMakers, in collaboration with Simmons Lathan, hosted a premiere screening for the Talking Truth documentary series in Washington, D.C. Journalist Juan Williams also interviewed Sonia Sanchez during the program.	2007 The University of Illinois & The HistoryMakers: Together Making History – The University of Illinois and The HistoryMakers announce a three year partnership. A reception was held in the Willis Tower to announce the collaboration. A Conversation to Honor African-American Leaders in the Insurance Industry: featured five insurance industry executives James H. Speed, Jr., Ronald D. McNeil, Ronald D. Brown, Gregory Jones and James R. Lewis at the Aon Center in Chicago, Illinois.	2008 The HistoryMakers interviewed all the living National Presidents of the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority, Inc. for the Sponsor-A-HistoryMaker initiative. Also, an interactive DVD was created to commemorate the two organizations’ collaboration and to honor the AKA Sorority’s 100 years of service. Ariel Investments hosted a special “Thank You” reception for The HistoryMakers' past sponsors, supporters and volunteers for their continued support and/or financial contributions over the past eight years.
2009 The HistoryMakers is awarded a $2.3M grant from the National Science Foundation. MediaMakers naming opportunity is secured. The HistoryMakers online Digital Archive goes live. The HistoryMakers received a $500,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.	2010 The HistoryMakers celebrated its 10th Anniversary at the Art institute of Chicago with a program themed COMMIT: Telling America’s Stories… Celebrating Our Future The HistoryMakers held the 2010 National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute on African American political history at the Glessner House in Chicago, Illinois. 1st Annual Back To School With The HistoryMakers The HistoryMakers received an $800,000 three-year grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Service	2011 The HistoryMakers began the first year of an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant titled: Increasing African American Diversity in Archives: The HistoryMakers Fellowship, Mentoring, and Placement Program.” The HistoryMakers recruited and trained, 9 African American library school graduates. The 2nd Annual Back To School With The HistoryMakers. Over 400 HistoryMakers spoke at nearly 300 schools in over 100 cities in 35 states to share with students their stories of perseverance and triumph against the odds.