The Irresistible Rise of BLACK CENTRAL EUROPE WEBSITES

By Thomas L Blair 30 November 2021 ©

One extraordinary aspect of Afro-Europe, which so far seems to have attracted very little attention, is the rise of Black Central European websites, especially in Germany and Austria.  They tackle the problems of today, but also bring you over 1000 years of Black history in European lands and show you why it matters right now. Here are some examples.

AFRO-GERMAN AND AFRO-AUSTRIAN ORGANIZATIONS AND PROJECTS

ISD – Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland
Founded in 1985, this organization works for the advancement of people of African descent in Germany.

Hereandblack
Based in Freiburg, this is a site dedicated to making more visible the experiences of Black people in the past and present of Europe, Germany, and Southwest Germany. It offers a wide range of posts and commentary, events, and testimonies.

Black German Heritage and Research Association
The Black German Heritage and Research Association documents and supports the activities of Black Germans worldwide.

Each One Teach One
A community-based empowerment project that began in 2014, Each One Teach One comprises an after school Black Diaspora School for youth and the Vera Heyer archiv, which is a private archive of documents related to Black German history.

ADEFRA – Schwarze Frauen in Deutschland
Founded in the 1980s, this organization played a pivotal role in the Afro-German movement of the 1980s and 90s. They continue to host events and support Black women in Germany today.

Fresh Magazine – Black Austrian Lifestyle
Founded by Simon Inou, Fresh Magazine is the first media presence dedicated to covering Black life in Austria.

M-Media: Diversity Media Watch Austria
Offering extensive coverage and critical analysis of how the Austrian media portrays and discusses racial and ethnic minorities in the news.

Der Braune Mob
Founded in 2001, Der Braune Mob calls itself Germany’s first Black media watchdog.

Black German Cultural Society
An American organization of mixed-race children born in Germany under occupation, it serves as a network and a forum to facilitate awareness  of issues that affect Black Germans and their descendants.

AFRO-EUROPEAN ORGANIZATIONS AND WEBSITES ACROSS EUROPE

Afropean – Adventures in Afro Europe
Run by the photographer Jimmy Pitts, this is an extended mediation on the experiences and meanings of blackness in Europe and of black Europeanness overseas. The site offers reviews, sources, and commentaries on culture, identity, travel and much, much more.

ENPAD – European Network for People of African Descent
Comprised of 15 different advocacy groups from across Europe, ENPAD aims to build a network connecting Europeans of African descent all across the continent.

H-Black-Europe
Founded in 2016 by Tiffany Florvil and Kira Thurman, this H-Net group for scholars and intellectuals is dedicated to discussing Europe’s historical and contemporary relationship with the Black Diaspora.


DIGITAL HUMANITIES PROJECTS

German Colonial History Sources Online
The University of Frankfurt’s library has digitized and organized thousands of sources on the history of German colonialism. The Internet Library Sub-Saharan Africa has helpfully organized them for the general reader.

Mapping Ira Aldridge
A project of University of Michigan Professor Anita Gonzalez and her students, this site maps the European performances of the mid-19th-century African-American actor Ira Aldridge. It provides details of his roles and the venues, as well as reproductions of some historical documents.