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Keynote Speaker Abstract:
Narratives about “frontier” spaces reflect peoples’ entrepreneurship, opportunism, and grit. However, Black Peoples in the same spaces appear feckless side notes to the historical trajectory of history. For example, Blackdom on Wikipedia and in New Mexico’s K-12 Social Studies books project the violent perpetual racialization of Native and Indigenous Peoples; with, purported insignificance of “Black” people in the popular tri-cultural narrative.
The current narratives about Black people migrating from the South to America’s western frontier at the turn of the Twentieth Century fundamentally fails to capture the dynamism. Exoduster is a pervasive term that characterizes the motivations of Black migration narratives in the post-bellum and post-Reconstruction eras as a fear of White people and their violence. The “exodus” captured the idea that Black people migrated to escape the horrors of racist subjugation and violence indicative of Southern politics and culture.
By extension, stories of All-Black (incorporated) Towns describe a promised land—one ordained by God and predetermined for the “refugees.” Scholarly narratives imply Black inferiority or lack control over their fate. As part of this keynote address, The Afro-Frontier Thesis authorizes alternative narratives that quarantine notions, and the effects of White Supremacy to undergird the historical agency of people under the conditions of American Blackness within Mexico’s Northern Frontier.
Descendants will be in attendance.
[Contact us if you would like to know about future meetings.]
Wednesday | February 16th, 2022 | 4:30 p.m. MST
“Our highest attended adult program with 197 participants.” ~Santa Fe Public Library February 2022 Report
Passionate about the significance of the Afro-Frontier in American history, Dr. Timothy E. Nelson uncovers the forgotten history of New Mexico’s Blackdom. PBS - Dr. Timothy E. Nelson Aired: 02/15/20
Rating: NR
Yesterday's "Borderlands Pluriversity" dialogue with Dr. Timothy Nelson was so refreshing and space-opening. I invite you to watch the recording below when you have time. What Dr. Nelson shares is a crucial piece of the "new" New Mexico curriculum we are already shaping-- in both content and concept. ~Dr. Dulcinea Lara
Link to view March 10, 2021 Event
LIVE! Starting Conversations: Blackdom, NM
Tue, Feb 23, 2021, 6:00pm
On February 23rd at 6 pm MST, the New Mexico Humanities Council invites you to join us for a live Zoom discussion on the topic of Blackdom, NM.
MISSED IT? YOUTUBE LINK to view the recording: ➡️ Starting Conversations: Blackdom, NM
Blackdom, New Mexico, founded in 1903 by Francis Boyer and twelve other enterprising African Americans, is one of the state’s most important, yet often most overlooked town. Despite its importance and relevance, the history of this township has been obscured from mainstream history for several decades. We will hear from an interdisciplinary panel of speakers who each have unique insights on the cultural and historical significance of the Blackdom township with a live Q&A from the audience to follow.
Recently, the #ComptonCowboys captivated America when they joined Black Lives Matter protests by horseback. Like an echo across the United States, more stories surfaced of Black Cowboys joining protests. The New York Times headline read, “Evoking History, Black Cowboys take the Streets.” We will identify the history evoked by exploring the significance of Afro-Frontier®️ of Blackdom, New Mexico. Post
