Dr. Cheryl Thompson unveils groundbreaking ‘Mapping Ontario’s Black Archives (MOBA) project
Performance Professor Dr. Cheryl Thompson has unveiled Mapping Ontario’s Black Archives (MOBA), a digital platform for open access to Black archival collections in Ontario. This resource, which will be adding inventory on a rolling basis, aims to offer unlimited access to invaluable Black archival collections, enriching the cultural tapestry of the province and empowering future generations. MOBA will connect to an array of archival materials including photos, books, letters, manuscripts, journals and more – all in digital format. The platform will serve as an educational and informational resource for students, educators, and the general public, focusing on topics such as Black performance, art, stories of migration, and diasporic perspectives.
All archives produce finding aids, which lists what is in an archive’s collections. Finding aids point to information such as access dates, the importance of items and/or objects, how those items and/or objects have been described, and whether access is restricted.
Performance Professor Dr. Cheryl Thompson
“At its core, MOBA is a Black digital infrastructure project that seeks to reimagine, decolonize, and rethink public archives in the province of Ontario,” explained Dr. Thompson.
Dr. Thompson holds years of extensive academic research experience with focuses on Black media studies, performance, archives and collections. In 2021, Dr. Thompson was awarded the Ontario Early Researcher Award, Mapping Ontario’s Black Archives: Building An Inventory Through Storytelling. Her expertise in these areas led her to establish MOBA, which holds immense significance in deepening understanding of Canadian history through archives. By making Canada's archival records more accessible to the public through online collections, MOBA not only enriches the country’s shared history but also honours the historical contributions of Black Canadians.
Dr. Thompson is also the Director of the Lab for Black Creativity (LBC), an incubator for Black artists, dancers, filmmakers, writers, and creative individuals, The LBC aims to create space, encourage dialogue, and develop opportunities for persons who identify as Black.
Unveiling a one-of-a-kind resource
To kickoff the launch of MOBA, Thompson and her team presented Artists and Archivists in Dialogue, a two-day speaker series and creative showcase featuring artists, scholars and performers. Over the course of two days, attendees experienced academic, dance, film, spoken word, and art entanglements with the archive.
Attendees also had the opportunity to delve into thought-provoking panel discussions led by academics and storytellers from various disciplines. Discussion topics during the first day of the speaker series included Black Activism through Dance and Song, African Stories of Migration and Survival, Reimagining Place and Space in the Archive, African Diasporic Perspectives and more.
“My hope is that Artists and Archivists in Dialogue has spurred conversations that will lead to future collaborations between MOBA, academics, artists and performers,” said Dr. Thompson. “The project is now entering Phase 3 which will entail me and my team conducting semi-structured interviews that will form part of the larger goal to curate a public exhibition in 2025-26.”
Dr. Thompson's project also addresses a vital aspect of representation, by illuminating the rich history and presence of the Black community in Canada, combating anti-Black racism by highlighting the community's vast contributions throughout history. This research serves as the foundation for creating more accurate and comprehensive content reflecting the diversity of Black Canadians, ultimately shaping the future of Canadian culture and content creation.
MOBA is now live and accessible to the public at mobaprojects.ca (external link) . It stands as a testament to Dr. Thompson's dedication to promoting inclusivity, understanding, and representation in Canadian history and culture.
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