Black Loyalist Academic Conference of Knowledge - BLACK 2026
"Beyond the Archives" - Part of the Still Here: Emancipation Celebration
July 31 – August 3, 2026
Fredericton, New Brunswick
The Black Loyalist Academic Conference of Knowledge (BLACK) returns for Emancipation Day weekend with a focus on Black history, Black literature, and Black art in the Atlantic Provinces.
This year’s theme, Beyond the Archives, invites scholars, artists, writers, and community historians to explore how Black history lives not only in documents but in place, memory, creativity, and lived experience across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the broader Atlantic world.
Conference Themes Include
• Black history in Atlantic Canada
• Black literature and storytelling
• Black art, visual culture, and creative practice
• Place-based histories and historic landscapes
• Community memory and oral history
• Digital humanities, mapping, and experimental methods
• Re-interpreting and challenging colonial archives
Interdisciplinary, community-engaged, and creative approaches are strongly encouraged.
Call for Abstracts
We welcome individual papers, panels, creative presentations, and practice-based work.
Submit abstracts to:
More details on formats, deadlines, and registration coming soon.