Featured Archival Collections
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Henry Orion Nichols Collection, Chester County Historical Society & Museum
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Thomas H. and Joan W. Gandy collection, LSU Libraries, Special Collections
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The Harmon Foundation Collection: Kenneth Space Photographs of the Activities of Southern Black Americans, 1936-1937’ via the U.S National Archives
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Photographs by Lafayette Tolliver (circa 1968-1971) via the Kent State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives
Take a moment to explore our services.
Our distinct approach to storytelling is cultivated from ideation to editing through the project’s launch and roll-out. Through our services, BA ensures the imagery honors the histories and legacies of those depicted, considering each moment’s place within a larger body of work.
archival production & consulting
archival research
creative & curatorial direction
social amplification
archival installation & exhibitions
activations and experiences
& other forms of original programming
Archival Production for Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television (2025)
52nd Annual Bayou Classic for adidas Originals
For the 52nd Annual Bayou Classic, we went behind the scenes for adidas Originials to explore the pulse of Grambling State University.
From the World Famed Tiger Marching Band led by Dr. Nikole Roebuck, the first woman to hold the role, to conversations with J’aime Anastasia Griffith, director of the Orchesis Dance Company, and President Dr. Martin Lemelle Jr., the youngest serving HBCU president.
This experience at the Bayou Classic offered a look at the people and preparation behind what the world sees on game day. We are grateful to have been there to document and experience it and grateful for the stories held in the archive.
Photographs by Xiana Gutierrez @bycestlazee
Words and Video by Renata Cherlise @renatacherlise
Archival via @grambling1901 featuring moments from the 1989 Bayou Classic
WELCOME HOME
Chucha Studios x Black Archives
Black Hercules
Black Hercules is a soulfully candid pilgrimage into the life and times of street bodybuilder, Craig Monson—and the social dichotomy of Black LA that made him into a legend.
Photo by Russell Hamilton (2024)
NOW OPEN
THE BA SHOP
A curated selection of previous projects
Essays and Press
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MoMA Magazine: Black Archives founder Renata Cherlise presents a selection of photographs from MoMA’s collection that highlight everyday moments of Black life.
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Washington Post: The Radical Power of Ordinary Black Life
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Vogue UK: A Vibe Called Tech Invited 4 Visionaries To Reimagine The Gucci X The North Face Collab – And The Results Are Captivating
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BA Editorial 001: The Impulse to Collect
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The Atlantic: What Ordinary Family Photos Teach Us About Ourselves
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Harpers Bazaar: A Family Photo Album Holds Black History
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Vox: Ordinary Black lives should be remembered, too
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Patch: Bed-Stuy Photographer's Work Chosen For LinkNYC Black History Month
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The Cut: A Collective Family Photo Album
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AnOther: This Online Archive Celebrates the Everyday Beauty of the Black Experience
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Library of Congress: A Conversation with Renata Cherlise
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Essence: 'Black Archives: A Photographic Celebration of Black Life' Is Renata Cherlise's 'Gift To The Ancestors'
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Getty Images: Black History & Culture Collection
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Hyperallergic: Documenting the Black History Not Taught in Classrooms
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Huck: A Photographic Celebration of Black Life in the 20th Century
PARTNERSHIP WITH GETTY IMAGES:
IN 2021, BLACK ARCHIVES ENTERED INTO A PARTNERSHIP WITH GETTY IMAGES TO CURATE MOMENTS FROM THEIR COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTING THE BLACK EXPERIENCE.
Bottom: Phillis Wheatley Poetry Festival 1973 via Jackson State University/Getty Images
Top: Chicago 1989 Raymond Boyd/Getty Images
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