“It is important to appreciate at the outset of any inquiry that an important influence on the work must be an awareness of the exclusion of Africans and others from the scenes of theory.” – Ruth Reviere[1]

Research methods used in the context of Africana Studies should be used for one purpose: giving a voice to the African Diaspora. “Giving a voice” to the diaspora includes identifying infinite underlying themes by means of showing the diversity in the lives of black people and proving that “there is neither one truth, nor one reality, nor one stable social world to observe”[2] and proving Eurocentric-rooted misconceptions about black people and culture that have been interpreted as fact. By using methods like ethnography, oral history, performance studies, and digital and new media, I believe that it is necessary to open up portals provide truthful and unwavering stories as well as connect specific events to the larger context of black history. The goal is that black diasporic history will be told by those who have lived it and who are creating it day by day.

The emphasis shouldn’t be on how this research should be accomplished specifically, but on how many different ways research can be conducted and conveyed to a larger audience. I believe that there is no downside in sharing stories, observations, and theories that not only stem from careful and respectful research, but also serve to inform a worldwide audience that has lacked research of its kind for centuries. Honing in on a particular subject matter involves my recognition that there are so many stories that have been lost over the centuries due to the widespread suppression of black literacy that spawned at the inception of slavery. There are also a multitude of (his)tories that are currently being crafted that are unrecorded or that are not compiled in a manner that is understandable. This loss of such an important history cannot happen again. These are the highlights of my simple, two-point plan to address these issues.

The Importance of Oral History and Digital and New Media Studies

Put most simply, I believe that the next steps in Africana research should be the “hand in hand” use of oral history and digital and new media studies in order to personify the history of the African diaspora as well as to bring truths to light.. If conducted with integrity, this research will ideally preserve and track the various narrated histories of the people that compose the diaspora in order to actively prevent any further misconceptions, skewing, or suppression.

Oral history not only refers to the recording of an oral testimony, but also reserves to preservation.[3] If more Africana-centered researchers spent their energy conducting oral histories to all different types of people, a history, separate from the history constructed by an undoubtedly racist system, will begin to write itself. Compiled narratives should begin to point to larger meaningful themes through the recording of all different kinds of individuals that compose the African Diaspora including but definitely not limited to young, old, male, female, straight, queer, and transgender. Trends can include experiences of oppression, activities during daily life, and attitudes towards their communities. The goal of these oral histories is to craft a narrative that has not been repressed, twisted, or even hidden by people who are not part of and do not empathize with these important lived experiences.

Using oral histories as a foundation, I believe that using digital and new media as a research method would be the perfect compliment to these stories. Social media websites have become critical in the way that newer generations communicate and voice their opinions. Social media has been used to talk about a multitude of events, to tell stories, and even as a medium for online activism. An unforgettable example of the power of social media in a current context is the use of Sandra Bland’s Facebook posts as a way to counter the statement that she committed suicide while in jail.[4] By researching digital media, the opinions of the black community, which may not be highlighted by major new outlets or other types of research, can be captured and compiled. These opinions go hand in hand with oral histories because they can show similarities, differences, and reoccurrences of certain events or ideologies over time.

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[1] Reviere, Ruth. “Toward an Afrocentric Research Methodology” Journal of Black Studies 31.6 (July 2001): CP 48

[2] Pattillo-McCoy, Mary and Reuben A. Buford May. “ Do You See What I See? Examining a Collaborative Ethnography.” Qualitative Inquiry 6.1 (2000), CP 115.

[3] Oral Historian Association, “Best Practices”, 1.

[4] Ziezulewicz, Geoff. “Sandra Bland Discussed Race Relations, Depression on Facebook.” Naperville Sun. Web. 25 Oct. 2015.