The Society of Black Archaeologists (SBA) has released their February Newsletter! Featured information includes upcoming publications, conferences, and call for papers.

Publications

  • Dossiê Arqueologias Negras: nossas lutas, nossas histórias – Primeira parte – NegrArqueo has recently published a special issue on Black Archaeology in the journal Revista de Arqueologia v. 37 n. 1 (2024).

Upcoming Events

  • The Northwest Anthropological Conference: Portland, Oregon | March 6-9, 2024 – The 2024 theme is “Building Bridges”: Consultation and Community Engagement, Registration is now open. This conference will also host a Tribal Caucus, the Portland Indigenous Marketplace with other vendors/organizations, a silent auction to support local nonprofits (The Chúush Fund: Water for Warm Springs, and All Tribes Mental Health Services, Inc.), and much more! Tribal member admission is free and there is a stipend application for tribal members to cover costs of attendance through the Association of Oregon Archaeologists (AOA). See the nwaconference.com website for more details
  • Anthropology and the Black Experience Conference | May 15-18, 2024 – The Association of Black Anthropologists (ABA), Society of Black Archaeologists (SBA), and the Black in BioAnth (BiBA) Collective are pleased to host The Anthropology and the Black Experience Conference, May 15-18, 2023 at University of Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal. The 21st century has witnessed significant shifts in the anthropological landscape, with diverse voices and perspectives emerging to challenge traditional narratives. This conference seeks to explore the unique contributions and experiences of Black scholars in anthropology, emphasizing the rich tapestry of knowledge, methodologies, and insights they bring to the discipline. They invite scholars, researchers, and students from all sub-disciplines and related fields to reflect on the historiography of anthropology in Africa and the African diaspora, the role and contributions of people of African descent in the field, and the latest research being done by and in communities of African descent.

Opportunities 

  • Herskovits Library of African Studies Research Grant | Northwestern University – The Northwestern University Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies is one of the largest separate African studies libraries in existence. Applications are open for the 2024-2025 Northwestern Libraries Travel Grants. This travel grant was established in 2021 to facilitate and support research projects that significantly benefit from substantial onsite use of the unique, special and archival collections of the Herskovits Library. The grant is available to researchers whose projects explore new lines of inquiry, interdisciplinary and multi-layered research and contribute to the deeper understanding of the diverse peoples and countries of the African continent. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2024.
  • Call for Papers – Archaeologies of Crisis and Constraint: African Tales from the Field | Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites – Contributors are asked to discuss the ways in which catastrophic or unexpected events influence the practice of heritage research, fieldwork, and management in Africa. In the issue, authors will detail how these occurrences (that we sometimes might not disclose) force us to adopt new innovative strategies that drive our work in new and exciting ways that would otherwise have not taken place. Email an abstract of no more than 300 words by April 1 2024 to Rachel Ama Asaa Engmann [raaengmann@theafricainstitute.org]
  • SBA Conference Travel Award – The award offers support for non-US SBA members traveling to present research at scholarly conferences. SBA will provide a total award of up to $1000 USD. Award funding is intended for conference and travel-related expenses, including conference registration, travel (e.g., airfare, vehicle rentals), and room/board. Questions about the award can be sent to treasurer@societyofblackarchaeologists.com

For more information on the SBA, as well as how to support their staff and scholars, please visit their website here.