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Shining a Light on Black Appalachian Church History

April 30, 2026 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EST.

Click here to register or copy and paste this link in your browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/zixTla74RU-93bUSIl7eAA

n 2019, community archivist Josh Outsey began working on a project with the Appalshop Archive: “Black Appalachian Churches and Faith Experiences.” What began as a mission to document and preserve the histories of Black churches in Central Appalachia has culminated in an online database and interactive map of over fifty Black Appalachian churches in the region that traces the history of these faith communities and their impact on the culture of Appalachia, and connects community members across denominational boundaries. This process required interaction with community members during special events to scan photos and record oral histories, and to document historical designations such as sign marker ceremonies, school reunions, church anniversaries, pastors appreciations and similar events.

In this event, Outsey will speak about his ongoing efforts to connect with church communities and to preserve and share their history, as well as the digital mediums he has used to collect, store and share still images, audio, and moving picture media to create a decentralized community archive. Attendees will also learn about strategies to help engage their own communities and their history.

Speaker:

Josh Outsey, Appalshop Archive

About the Community History Dialog Series:

The Pennsylvania State Archives started this series in 2020 to gather community groups, archivists, and others to share their own experiences collecting and preserving their community’s stories and offer guidance. These discussions are helpful to groups just beginning to preserve their history or those who have significant collections already and are seeking next steps.   

Recordings of previous Community History Dialog events and additional resources for community history projects can be found here: https://www.phmc.pa.gov/Archives/News-Programs/CHD/Pages/default.aspx

Hours: 

New on Ancestry.com

  New Ancestry.com additions of Pennsylvania State Archives holdings are the 1916 &1917 birth certificates and the 1972 death certificates.  Go to the Archives page on Ancestry.com for more information.