Mapping Blackness

Currently in Production: Mapping Blackness is a digital archive dedicated to historically Black communities, available as a mobile app and web app. This innovative tool aims to preserve and honor the rich histories of these communities, countering their omission from mainstream narratives and geographical records. By utilizing augmented reality, geotagging, and 360 VR technologies, Mapping Blackness showcases these neighborhoods, bridging the gaps in traditional historical accounts and fighting against their disappearance from collective memory and maps.

The project involves a collaborative effort across generations, where young individuals are trained to interview elders within Black communities to document, safeguard, and celebrate their stories. This blend of youthful perspectives with advanced technology offers a unique approach to storytelling, making history easily accessible through mobile devices.

With a focus on comprehensive app development and user experience design, Mapping Blackness offers a robust mobile app and a web app for broader accessibility. The Augmented Reality feature allows users to engage with the past and present of historically Black communities at their physical locations, providing digital overlays of historical elements like 3D building models, documentaries, photos, maps, and articles. Additionally, the Web App version offers a map-based interface for those unable to visit these communities, ensuring an interactive digital experience for all users.

Funding and support for Mapping Blackness have been provided by the MIT Open Documentary Lab, Black Public Media, Sundance Interdisciplinary Grant, and Arizona State University.