The Black Memory Collective is a non-profit organization founded in 2023 by Archivist Melissa J. Nelson. The organization supports Black workers engaged in cultural memory. The Collective is a response to issues that are prevalent in the archival field. In Canada, about 1% of working archivists are Black. We often feel isolated as we navigate white spaces. The profession struggles to attract Black students for a few reasons — students do not see themselves represented in Archives and are not exposed to the possibilities of archival work.

While we have passed on this work generationally within spaces like our homes, we don’t always have the language and resources to create conditions of continuity. Alongside this, Black researchers face challenges in locating relevant archival materials. These issues are interconnected. The answer is community — our work should be collective. The Black Memory Collective was created to form a national network and build a community of practice around Black memory work. We are empowering Black voices to construct, share, and evolve the stories of Black life on these lands. We are turning siloed effort into collective power.

The Black Memory Collective is part of a larger movement to reclaim, recognize, and celebrate Black memory and imagine Black futures.