Preserving Black Memory: A Conversation with Oakland Culture Keepers

    The exhibition Angela Davis: Seize the Time centers around a rich archive collected by the Oakland-based activist and archivist Lisbet Tellefsen. This material speaks to Angela Davis’ story and the practice of preserving Black legacies more broadly. This program will delve into some of the challenges posed by social and institutional erasure and will consider ways to gather, sustain, and give life to Black material culture both tangible and intangible. The program will explore the multifaceted methods of memory work, including documenting social movements, objects as memory, and strategies for keeping Black history alive. 


    The panel will include activist and archivist Lisbet Tellefsen, Odette Pollar of Rainbow Sign a Black centered Bay Area cultural icon, performance venue, political organizing nexus and a legendary cafe, and Damien McDuffie, founder and creative director of Black Terminus, a creative studio and augmented reality platform for Black art and the Black cultural archive. The conversation will be moderated by Leigh Raiford, Professor of African American Studies at the University of California at Berkeley.


    Preserving Black Memory: A Conversation with Oakland Culture Keepers is a part of our exhibition programming for Angela Davis: Seize the Time.


    Accessibility 

    The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is committed to providing programs that are accessible, welcoming, and inclusive of our community. Assistive listening devices and wheelchairs are available for checkout on a first come, first served basis at the Ticketing Desk. To request other accommodations, like American Sign Language (ASL), Cantonese, Spanish or another language interpreter, please email visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event.