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Introducing the HCAC

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Welcome to the HBCU Digital Archive

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At the Vanguard Making and Saving History at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

A place to explore history and culture through an African American lens

Lift Every Voice

HBCU Featured Collections

Despite historical obstacles, these collections speak to the power of generations of Black intellectual and creative excellence. HBCUs and their repositories reflect an unwavering belief in the value of education and the power of telling one’s own story.

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What is the HCAC?

The History & Culture Access Consortium (HCAC) is a first-of its-kind initiative for Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) archives and museums led by the Office of Strategic Partnerships at the National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC) a Smithsonian Institution.
collections stories
Art of the Negro: Native Forms, 1950-52, Hale Woodruff. Clark Atlanta University Art Museum Permanent Collection

Collection Stories

The HCAC Digital Archive features over 2000 objects from the collections of five distinguished HBCU museums and archives, showcasing their academic, activism, and artistic traditions. Each Collection Story highlights a significant item while offering readers a compelling glimpse into the transformative and revolutionary world of HBCUs—into their vibrant and varied campus culture and rigorous, life-altering academic programs—and uncovers the complex stories these collections hold.

Learn with Us

Discover, learn, and celebrate African American culture and history through our diverse online learning resources. Suitable for a variety of audiences, these materials provide invaluable insights into the powerful stories and artifacts showcased in our digital archive.
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HCAC Exhibition Opening January 2026!

The At the Vanguard: Making and Saving History at HBCUs exhibition is currently on view at the National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC) through Sunday, July 19, 2026.
At the Vanguard weaves together stories of ingenuity, artistry and resistance — through the historic collections from Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, Texas Southern University and Tuskegee University Archives and Museums.
ATV_Hero2

HCAC Exhibition Opening January 2026!

The At the Vanguard: Making and Saving History at HBCUs exhibition is currently on view at the National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC) through Sunday, July 19, 2026.
At the Vanguard weaves together stories of ingenuity, artistry and resistance — through the historic collections from Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, Texas Southern University and Tuskegee University Archives and Museums. 
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SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING!

The following web page may include graphic imagery and/or content.

Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.

This website contains links to or from third-party sites that are not under the control of the Smithsonian. Click here for the Smithsonian Terms of Use regarding Third Party Websites. The appearance of external links on the Smithsonian’s websites or social media accounts does not constitute an official endorsement on behalf of the Smithsonian.

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SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING!

The following web page may include graphic imagery and/or content.

Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.

This website contains links to or from third-party sites that are not under the control of the Smithsonian. Click here for the Smithsonian Terms of Use regarding Third Party Websites. The appearance of external links on the Smithsonian’s websites or social media accounts does not constitute an official endorsement on behalf of the Smithsonian.

Do you want to proceed?