The African American Intellectual History Society (AAIHS)’11th Annual Conference
Pittsburgh, PA
March 27-28, 2026
and
Legacies in the 21st Century
Preserving Histories
theme
Early Conference Registration ~ Ends January 31st, 2026
In a 1992 article entitled “What Has Happened Here,” historian Elsa Barkley Brown defines history, in part, as “everybody talking at once, multiple rhythms being played simultaneously.” Developments during the early twenty-first century prove her words apply to how we preserve knowledge of our past. Debates on school curricula and the function and impact of difference in societies over time, have unfolded in the academy and beyond. Technological advancements like ChatGPT and social media have shaped these conversations in unanticipated ways and give the impression of an increasing number of individuals “talking at once” and, often, in discordant tones.
Where in this altered terrain of historical discourse does the scholar of Black histories belong? The theme for the 2026 AAIHS conference opens an opportunity to consider this question collectively. Together, we hope to address a range of questions such as: How might contemporary difficulties facing us today parallel or diverge from earlier efforts to keep account of Black histories? How does geographic location and the positionalities of both scholar and subject further affect this work?
Preserving Histories and
Legacies in the 21st Century
meet our
speakers
KeyNote
Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, teaches history at Carnegie Mellon University and serves as Director of the Dietrich College Humanities Center. She has written extensively about the transnational history of West African rice farmers, including in such works as Deep Roots: Rice Farmers in West Africa and the African Diaspora. She was a co-editor of Rice: Global Networks and New Histories, which was selected as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title. Fields-Black consulted for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture's permanent exhibit, "Rice Fields in the Low Country of South Carolina." She is the executive producer and librettist of "Unburied, Unmourned, Unmarked: Requiem for Rice," a widely performed original contemporary classical work by celebrated composer John Wineglass.
Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian & Professor
Fred Kudjo Kuwornu is an Afro-Italian and U.S. multi-hyphenate socially engaged artist, filmmaker, curator and scholar based in New York. His work bridges past and present, the seen and unseen, exploring identity and race through historical remixing of archival materials. Kuwornu's films have been exhibited at the 60ᵗʰ Venice Art Biennale in the Central Pavillion curated by Adriano Pedrosa (2024), museums and international film festivals and in 2025 his most recent feature documentary qualified for Academy Awards For Your Consideration in the Best Documentary Feature category.
In 2025, Kuwornu was awarded the Folger Shakespeare Library Fellowship for his innovative approach to early modern European history through the lens of the African diaspora. He also received the Dan David Prize, the world’s largest history award, in recognition of his career-long contributions to public history and cultural memory through audiovisual.
More info: https://www.fredkuwornu.com
artist, filmmaker, curator and scholar
Fred Kudjo Kuwornu
Speaker
Luncheon: Film Screening of "We Were Here – The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance" Europe
More Info: https://www.wewereherethefilm.com
We Were Here – The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe sheds light on the overlooked presence of African and Black individuals in Renaissance Europe, highlighting their depiction in masterpieces by some of the era's most celebrated artists. How did they come to Europe? Why were they portrayed? Were they truly all servants or enslaved? If the Black faces depicted in these Renaissance masterpieces could speak, what would they tell us?
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Fred Kudjo Kuwornu and produced by Do The Right Films, this multilingual documentary takes viewers on an expansive journey through the UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and France, offering a compelling reexamination of European art history and its cultural legacy. Featuring insights from leading scholars in Art History, Black Studies and History, alongside Black activists and curators, the film provides a rich, layered perspective on a neglected chapter of European history.
We Were Here has attracted international attention, having been exhibited in the Central Pavilion curated by Adriano Pedrosa at the 60ᵗʰ International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, which drew more than 700,000 visitors. The film was also presented as an Official Submission to the 98th Academy Awards® 2026 for Best Documentary Feature and was submitted to the 56th NAACP Image Awards® 2026, further positioning the project within a global conversation on cinema, history and representation. The documentary has received critical acclaim for its fresh and thought- provoking exploration of race, art and identity in the Renaissance.
About the Film
Watch the Trailer
Early Registration (Ends January 31st)
$100 (Members) / $130 (Non-Members)
Regular Registration
$115 (Members) / $155 (Non-Members)
Student Registration (Any Institution):
Early $30 / Regular $80
Special Events
Luncheon Conversation and Film Screening of "We Were Here – The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe" - $25;
Conference Registration required, Lunch included.
** ALL PURCHASES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE; AND NON-TRANSFERABLE
** If you wish to register as a member of AAIHS, you may follow this link.
**Current University students at any institution may register for the conference at a reduced fee (using a campus email address); A university id must be presented at check-in.
**Conference Registration closes on March 7th.
Conference Registration
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Conference Sponsor
We invite you to become a sponsor of our upcoming Annual Conference. Contributions will go towards offering travel grants, food, and other costs for the conference. Institutional Sponsors who contribute $2,500 or more will be eligible to be listed on our website, as well as in our Conference Program.
Advertising packages
Package #1: Program Ad
We invite you to secure advertising space in our conference program. We will distribute the program to all registered conference attendees and upload it to the conference landing page at the AAIHS website. More information on specifications will be shared after sign-up.
Package #2: Exhibit Hall
We invite you to secure a table in our in-person Exhibit Hall. All exhibitors will receive complimentary registration to the conference for up to two representatives. If there will be more than two exhibitor representatives, they may register for the conference during the online registration period.
We are also offering an Exhibit Hall Combo, which includes an Exhibit Booth and Program Ad.
Package #3: All-Inclusive Package
For maximum exposure, we are offering an All-Inclusive Package. This package includes an Exhibit Booth and Program Ad. It also includes a Digital Exhibit Booth where you may reserve a spot in our Digital Exhibit Hall. Each exhibitor will have a place on the virtual exhibit hall page on the AAIHS Conference website. Exhibitors will be expected to provide a discount code that conference attendees may use during the month of March 2026. We will also advertise these exhibitors on our social media accounts during the week of the conference.
Exhibitors & Sponsors
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Frequently Asked Questions
This conference is meant for all, but in particular we aim to cultivate an environment for scholars, academics, and folks in higher education.
A select number of travel grants will be available by application only: for graduate students, contingent faculty, and independent scholars who have registered for the conference. Applications are due by January 31st. If you have questions about how travel grants, reach out to our team at conference@aaihs.org.
Apply for travel grant
You will find the information for your online reservation link below.
Courtyard by Marriott Pittsburgh University Center
Special group rate:
Start Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026
End Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026
Starting at 189.00 USD per night -
Last Day to Book : Thursday, February 26, 2026
Book your group rate for AAIHS 2026
Proposals for the 2026 Conference have already been selected. We do invite you to submit a proposal for our next upcoming conference in 2027. You may sign up for our mailing list to receive updates on our next conference and other events.
You may stay informed about our upcoming conference and other events by joining our mailing list. Please see our signup form below.
Strategically located near major universities, world-renowned hospitals, and fascinating museums, it is the ideal choice for both business and leisure travelers. After a productive day, take a refreshing dip in the pool, or get a workout in, providing a perfect way to relax and rejuvenate.
Pittsburgh University Center
Courtyard by Marriott
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