How the Society of Black Archaeologists is transforming the field
March 4, 2024 •
Justin Dunnavant on a dive off the coast of Maui, exploring WWII wrecks. (Photo credit: Dr. Jennifer Adler)
Along with former UC Riverside professor Ayana Omilade Flewellen, UCLA professor Justin Dunnavant founded the Society of Black Archaeologists in 2011 to advance the study of the African diaspora. The group has now grown into an international force, providing mentorship and support for roughly 300 Black scholars around the world, while centering communities and perspectives historically marginalized in the field. Under the leadership of new president Alexandra Jones, a UC Berkeley Ph.D., the organization is poised to continue growing in influence and scope.
“Part of what I’m trying to do now is rethink archaeology into this idea of reclaiming ancestral memory,” Dunnavant says. “As humans, we have done so many things we have no collective recollection of, like building the pyramids. What we’re trying to do in archaeology is actively remember what it is that we have forgot.”
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Tags: Justin Dunnavant, Society of Black Archaeologists, UC Riverside, UCLA
