“If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile traditions, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world and it stands in danger of being exterminated.

Mission

The Center of Excellence for the Study of African Americans [CESKAA] is devoted to the collection, preservation, interpretation and dissemination of materials about African Americans in Kentucky and those with Kentucky connections residing throughout the nation and around the globe.  

We focus on uncovering documents and rare books, public and private records, photographs and audio visuals, and other historic items that enable us to restore to public memory the myriad contributions that African Americans make to help develop the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and improve the quality of life for African Americans. This information has largely remained unrecorded and therefore absent in textbooks and historical narratives.

We believe that rigorous and sustained scholarly research will help move these unacknowledged people, stories, and contributions to a central position within interpretations and narratives that cover the broad historical and educational, political and socio-cultural themes pertaining to the heritage of the Commonwealth and the nation.

Materials that are collected, both print and three-dimensional artifacts, are maintained in archival and museum collections.  These items are used for research and scholarly study, documentaries, exhibits and public education programs. Our scope of coverage includes documents and artifacts, people and historic places that provide context and that are dispersed across the entire Commonwealth. The collections include materials from KSU alumni and former faculty members.