I define Black personhood as the space between our humanity and full citizenship.

In 1865, we Black people in America fought for and earned our freedom and citizenship through our struggle in the Civil War. Despite the United States Congress passing the 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th Amendments, full citizenship remained elusive. While America, through its ups and downs, provided for and protected its white citizens, Black folk had to self-determine in the shadow of the American Experiment. Tragedies happen, as all bad things tend to happen in the dark. Despite that, we have built deep cultural, intellectual, and emotional traditions.

Established in 1865 seeks to provide commentary on said folkways. We have reached the age where social science has caught up to our folklore. To explore the lives we have built between humanity and full citizenship—both in this nation and, sometimes, on a global scale—I strive to curate a space that:

• Examines current events and special topics to explicate the presence of Black personhood;
• Uses incisive writing, research and theory, and community to give name and shape to the elements of Black personhood;
• Cultivates and nurtures a thriving online community of Black folk—intellectuals, creatives, the curious, the warriors, the writers, the workers—to develop further commentary on Black personhood.

 

Welcome. The best way to participate in this community is to make sure you have a Disqus account (very easy to set up if you have Facebook!) so you can comment quickly on articles. Please also share my work using the variety of share links at the bottom of each post!

I also have other presence on social media. You can also follow me on Twitter @Established1865. I also am on Facebook. It’s best, however, to consider this site as the “hub” where you can best reach me.

If you want to reach out to me personally, you can either do so through the Contacts page, which leads you to a form you can fill out, or by e-mailing me at hal.harris@est1865.com.