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2026 marks 100 years of national Black History observances from Negro History Week to Black History Month, a legacy first envisioned by Dr. Carter G. Woodson and the founders of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). The 9th Annual Black Experience Summit, grounded in both the Akan principle of Sankofa (we must reach back to move forward) and in the Catholic Social Teaching theme of Life and Dignity of the Human Person, affirms that the preservation of Black history is not only an academic pursuit, but a sacred one, and an affirmation of humanity itself.
Keynote speaker Dr. Stefan M. Bradley, historian, professor, and author of, If We Don’t Get It: A People’s History of Ferguson, embodies the spirit of Sankofa by honoring the lived experiences of young visionaries and community members while exploring the vivid grassroots history of the Ferguson movement, one of the most pivotal protests for racial justice in the 21st century.
In keeping with their mission, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield is co-sponsoring the 9th Annual Black Experience Summit with Elms College. To date, additional sponsors include: Greenfield Cooperative Bank, Key Program, Inc., Multicultural Community Services of Pioneer Valley, Inc., Springfield Department of Health and Human Services, and the YWCA of Western Massachusetts with an Honorable Mention from the Hampden County Honorary Deputy Sheriffs Association.
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