The Black Presence Project was a cross-campus collaborative effort led by Dr. John Bracey of the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies. The oral histories were primarily recorded by Dr. Bracey and UMass graduate student, Erika Slocumb, as well as students in AfroAm 397N-597P over the course of 2020–2021. The interviews feature prominent alumni, faculty, and athletes as well as current students sharing their life experiences. Students in AfroAm 397N-597P who helped conduct the interviews are Vladimir Ducasse, Maya Dennis, Janice Obudai, Stacie Klinowski, Emily Whitted, Nicholas Stearns, Zahria Thomas, Caitlin Barinas, and Luca DeCola.
