The William Monroe Trotter Institute for the Study of Black Culture was founded at the University of Massachusetts Boston in 1984 to address the concerns of Black communities in Boston and Massachusetts through research, technical assistance, and public service. The Institute takes its name from early twentieth century African American activist William Monroe Trotter, whose political advocacy, rad
ical journalism, and Black internationalism placed Black Diasporic communities across the United States, the Caribbean, and Africa in critical conversation. In this light, the Trotter Institute aims to serve as an intellectual hub that can support the mission of social justice for Black communities. Through a research nexus of social advocacy, digital humanities, and community engagement, the Trotter seeks to map and archive Black Boston’s complex political, cultural, and socio-economic experiences. This includes research driven explorations of the intersections between race, community development, health, technology, education, gender, sustainability, diasporas, and environmental justice. Via publications such as our policy brief series Resilience, and our longstanding journal, The Trotter Review, the Institute aims to inform the public about the challenges and opportunities facing Black Boston. By disseminating such research it seeks not only to address racial disparities but to also support the socio-economic resilience of Black communities. The Institute aims to build a digital footprint of Black Boston. This includes innovatively mapping the experiences of Black Boston in its wonderfully diverse African American, African, Caribbean, Afro-Latinx, Afro-Asian, and Pacific Islander populations. These Black communities are significant stakeholders in the cultural, economic, and political fabric of Boston and Massachusetts. The Director of the Trotter Institute, Dr. Hettie V.
