I’m delighted to announce that the 221st grant has been awarded to Olivia Dorsey of Digital Black History.

Olivia shared that while doing her own genealogy research, she was disappointed in the lack of an online, centralized location for Black Genealogy and Black History resources. And so, as a family historian and web developer, she decided to do something about it.

The result is Digital Black History, a free online searchable listing of digital Black History projects that have been created by individuals and institutions alike. As Olivia said, “There are numerous projects about Black History out there, but it can be very difficult to find them. This website curates those resources and allows you to search for them so that you can supplement your research.”

Olivia shared that her ultimate goal is “to leverage technology to disseminate and elevate the histories and genealogies of members of the African diaspora.” Her plan is to transform Digital Black History into a hub for free, digital tools that help researchers and genealogists conduct research on African American ancestors.

Grant funds will support hosting, domain name, and maintenance costs associated with Digital Black History for the next two years.