‘Care, rigor and humility’

A student presents in front of a screen showing historical research

‘Care, rigor and humility’

Archival research and community outreach engage African American Studies students in the rich history of ��’s Black communities.

May 22, 2025

Demonstrating how research can benefit the local community, students in Dr. Jocelyn Brown’s “Black Men and Masculinities” class spent spring semester researching Underground Railroad sites across the state of ��. In small groups, students investigated the history of the sites along with their current use. They presented their findings to representatives of the Athens landmark Mount Zion Baptist Church along with recommendations for that organization’s future.

The church, located a few blocks from OHIO’s Athens campus, is being transformed into a community center that will offer programming to “support the Black community and other marginalized peoples of Southeast ��,” according to .

Exploring ��'s Underground Railroad

Board members who attended the students’ presentations said they found the recommendations well-informed and helpful.

“Dr. Brown’s students presented fascinating research, and I learned a great deal from them,” said Tee Ford-Ahmed, communication and media director for Mount Zion. “As a West Virginian, I am not as deeply versed in ��’s Underground Railroad history... Many of the sites they uncovered were entirely new to me, and their findings also highlighted the challenges we may face as we work toward reopening Mount Zion as a Black cultural center.”

For Brown, an assistant professor in the Department of African American Studies, the presentations were inspiring on multiple levels.

“I was deeply moved by the students’ commitment to this work,” she said. “Many had never engaged with public history or regional Black institutions before, yet they approached the task with care, rigor and humility. Their presentations reflected a genuine desire to honor the past while contributing to a more connected and sustainable future for Black Appalachia.”

We are asking how Black-led organizations in Appalachia can work together to preserve their legacies while also advocating for systemic resources and recognition

Assistant Professor Jocelyn Brown

Campus-community intersection

The presentations were the culmination of a semester-long project. Students selected the sites they wanted to study from any that had a connection to the Underground Railroad and were adjacent to Appalachian ��. The groups ultimately presented on the in Gallipolis, the in Zanesville and the in Springfield.

During the research period, the students worked with Ford-Ahmed and other members of the Mount Zion community, including Dr. Vibert Cambridge and Ada-Woodson Adams, to learn about Athens area history.

“[Dr. Brown] had a clear vision and incorporated several initiatives into her syllabus for the year,” Ford-Ahmed said.

Students sit in a classroom attentively gazing in the same direction

Small groups in Jocelyn Brown's “Black Men and Masculinities” class spent the semester researching Underground Railroad sites in ��.

A man sits in a classroom, gesturing while responding to a presenter

The presentations were attended by community members and representatives from Mount Zion Baptist Church, a local landmark that is being transformed into a Black cultural center.

Two students are pictured from behind as they participate in a classroom discussion

Students gave recommendations for Mount Zion's future based on the approaches taken by the sites they studied.

Preserving legacies through research

Across multiple courses over the 2024-25 academic year, Brown incorporated initiatives including a screening of Mount Zion’s film, “” and a guided tour of Heritage Square in Uptown Athens.

Students in Brown’s “Black Woman” class utilized the African American Research and Service Institute (AARSI) for their research projects. The AARSI collection includes interviews with Black Appalachians in and around the �� River Valley.

“AARSI is integral to understanding the Affrilachian experience,” Brown said. “Especially since many Affrilachians migrated to the region during the Great Migration.”

The research projects are closely related to Brown’s ongoing research, which focuses on both the historical experience of Black Appalachians and their contemporary experience.

“I’m currently conducting focus groups with leaders and community members across the region, including those affiliated with Mount Zion, the (BLAC ), the , and the John Gee House,” Brown explained.

Brown said the research conversations focus on “cultural strengths and community identity” as well as socioeconomic and health challenges faced by Black Appalachians.

“We are asking how Black-led organizations in Appalachia can work together to preserve their legacies while also advocating for systemic resources and recognition,” she explained.

The students will also be submitting their research projects to the