February is dedicated as Black History Month. Let’s learn about some African Americans who have solidified themselves into the history of archaeology.
John Wesley Gilbert, 1888
Many have heard of John Wesley Gilbert, considered to be the first African American archaeologist. Born free in 1863, this man went on to become a graduate from Paine College and was the first African American to receive their master’s degree from Brown University; his master’s was in Archaeology. Along with being a professor, Dr. Gilbert was also a minister and missionary. He did fieldwork at the Greek city of Eretria, helping to discover it and create the first map of the area, established a church and school in the village of Wembo-Nyama in the Belgian Congo, and taught subjects such as Greek, Latin, English, French, German, Hebrew, and New Testament literature as an educator. He passed away in 1923, but his achievements continue to inspire all archaeologists.
Dr. Theresa Singleton, Syracuse University
Another notable figure in African American archaeology is Dr. Theresa Singleton, the first African American women to receive a Ph.D. in historical archaeology and African American history from the University of Florida in 1980. She is also the first and only African American to be awarded the Society of Historical Archaeology’s J.C. Harrington Award to this date. Dr. Singleton’s areas of interest are historical archaeology, African Diasporas, Museums, North America, and the Caribbean. She focuses on comparative studies of slave societies in the Americas and the Caribbean, concentrating on culture and plantation life under slavery. She is currently an author and Professor at Syracuse University teaching anthropology and historical archaeology.
Dr. Whitney Battle-Baptiste
Dr. Whitney Battle-Baptiste’s name should be familiar to IUP graduate students, who read her book Black Feminist Archaeology in their first semester. She is currently a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at UMass Amherst, where she is also Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Center. Dr. Battle Baptiste is also the current President of the American Anthropological Association. Her research is focused on the intersection of race, gender, class, and sexuality, with specific interests in African Diaspora archaeology and Black Feminist theory. As an activist-scholar, Dr. Battle-Baptiste views academia as a space to engage with contemporary issues. She is an excellent example for African American professionals in the present-day field of archaeology.
A great resource centered on supporting archaeologists of African descent is The Society of Black Archaeologists (SBA).
https://www.societyofblackarchaeologists.com/
Based in Washington D.C., but consisting of members from throughout the world, this group was founded in 2011. They seek to “increase the number of professionally trained archaeologists of African descent through the promotion of social responsibility, academic excellence, and the creation of spaces that foster the SBA’s goals and activities.” Their website includes resources such as online maps and databases, interviews from their Oral History Project, and links to other related websites. This non-profit organization has hosted online presentations as well, that can still be watched through the link below:
https://www.societyofblackarchaeologists.com/events
On their website (https://www.societyofblackarchaeologists.com/about/) you can check out the achievements of the current leadership: President Alexandra Jones, PhD., President-Elect Alicia Odewale, PhD., Treasurer Craig Stevens, Secretary Jordan Davis, Student Representative Rebecca Davis, Chairman of the Board Ayana Omilade Flewellen, PhD, Board Member Justin Dunnavant, PhD, and Board Member Jay Haigler.
As Black History Month is underway, consider checking out this organization, their talks, or the other related websites they have listed!