What is BlackPast.org? BlackPast.org (www.blackpast.org) is the largest free and unrestricted website on African American history and Global African history currently on the Internet. Founded on February 1, 2007 in Seattle, Washington, the site now has the equivalent of over 10,000 pages of information. Click here to see the BlackPast.org Mission Statement.
What are the major features of BlackPast.org? The website is the largest online encyclopedia on African American and Global African history on the Internet. African American history featured on this site concentrates on the history of people of African Ancestry in the United States. Global African history focuses on people of African ancestry outside the United States. Currently there are 7,200 entries on BlackPast.org with an average length of 550 words. These entries, written by volunteer content contributors, introduce the individuals, events, places, and episodes that describe African American and Global African history. The sources at the end of each entry list other works that should be consulted for more detailed information. The website also has a series of Perspectives articles that explore various aspects of African American history or Global African history. These articles are written by content contributors with expertise in the subject of their entries or by content contributors who personally witnessed significant events or who knew individuals associated with a significant event. The other major features of the website are outlined here.
How is the data on BlackPast.org organized and presented? The website is divided into two major sections: African American History (AAH) and Global African History (GAH). Click here for an organizational guide to the website.
The online encyclopedia is the heart of the website. How are encyclopedia entry subjects determined? The website director in consultation with the BlackPast.org Advisory Board, a group of fifteen noted scholars in U.S., African, and African American history, determine whether the proposed entry meets the BlackPast.org standard for historical significance.
How does a potential contributor know if a possible entry is historically significant? Each subject profiled must have a demonstrated historical influence. The person, event, place, or episode must have had a clearly evident impact on African America, the United States, or the world.
Who can write for BlackPast.org? Anyone who is at least 18 years of age, is enrolled in or has graduated from an institution of higher education, and who has a demonstrated expertise surrounding his or her proposed entry, is eligible to contribute entries to BlackPast.org. The criteria for submitting Perspective articles is more restricted. The contributor must possess a specialized academic knowledge or an extensive personal familiarity with the subject of the article.
May one volunteer to write for BlackPast.org? Yes. We encourage individuals to write entries for BlackPast.org provided they have expertise on the subject of their entries. We ask, however, that they be willing to write on other potential entries related to that subject. You should possess strong research and writing skills that make you eligible to present your subject in a balanced and engaging manner to a worldwide audience. Click here if you feel you fit the criteria to write for BlackPast.org.
How many people have volunteered to write for BlackPast.org? As of June 1, 2024, nearly 1,000 people have contributed entries or Perspectives articles to BlackPast.org. These volunteers are from six continents. Please click here for a list of the volunteers.
Is there any financial compensation for writing for BlackPast.org? No. All content contributors are volunteers.
How are BlackPast.org entries and articles evaluated? All submissions by content contributors are reviewed by the website director and selectively by members of the BlackPast.org Academic Advisory Board. Each entry or article is also reviewed by copy editors to ensure they are grammatically and stylistically acceptable.
What are the guidelines for writing an entry for BlackPast.org? Please click on this link.
What are the guidelines for writing a Perspectives article for BlackPast.org? Please click on this link
Is it possible for individual contributors or other users to edit or modify entries or articles that are already posted? No. Posted entries or articles can only be modified by the BlackPast.org staff.
Where can I find a list of all the Features of BlackPast.org? Please click on this link.
What is the easiest way to find specific information included on the website? Type a name or word in the Search Bar located on each page of the website.
Is BlackPast.org a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation?
Yes. BlackPast.org was recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit corporation on March 28, 2008. The EIN is 26-1625373. Please contact the website director if you wish to see the IRS letter. BlackPast.org is also profiled on GuideStar, a major non-profit screening house. All donations to BlackPast.org are tax deductible. Please click here if you wish to make a donation.
Who are the members of the Board of Directors of BlackPast.org? Click here for a list of board members.
Who administers BlackPast.org? BlackPast.org is managed by the Executive Director and the BlackPast.org Support Team. Please click here to see the members of the Support Team.
What is the size of the BlackPast.org audience? The total number of visits to BlackPast.org in 2023 was 6,517,722. Since its official founding on February 1, 2007, nearly 60 million people have accessed the pages of BlackPast.org.
What is the history of the website? Please click here for the BlackPast.org story.
Revised June 1, 2024