The Milpitas Library is proud to host the exhibit We are Not Strangers Here: African American Histories in Rural California from November 14, 2022 - January 4, 2023.
From the 1849 Gold Rush to today, black Californians have been part and parcel of rural areas, and histories of California’s rural communities are incomplete without the role of African Americans. We Are Not Strangers Here: African American Histories in Rural California, a traveling exhibit, highlights unknown and untold stories of black farmers, ranchers, and rural residents. These stories challenge myths about early California and create new narratives about freedom, self-governance, and civic culture.
The exhibit is supported by a series of podcasts available on SoundCloud from Cal Ag Roots.
We Are Not Strangers Here Podcast episodes.
There is also an interactive audio tour accessible by dialing (415) 612-2809.
We Are Not Strangers Here: African American Histories in Rural California is a collaboration between the Cal Ag Roots Project at the California Institute for Rural Studies; Susan Anderson of the California African American Museum; the California Historical Society; Exhibit Envoy; and Dr. Caroline Collins, Post-Doc Researcher from UC San Diego. This project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the 11th Hour Project at the Schmidt Family Foundation.
The Milpitas Library exhibit is funded by the Friends of the Milpitas Library.
