The Iberia African American Historical Society Archive of History, Heritage, and Culture

The Iberia African American Historical Society (IAAHS) was founded in 2017 in response to the longstanding absence and misrepresentation of African American history in public narratives of Iberia Parish, Louisiana. The organization is dedicated to researching, documenting, and interpreting the deep and enduring presence of African Americans in the parish, from the nineteenth century to the present.

IAAHS fulfills its mission through education, commemoration, and preservation. The organization engages the public through community talks, workshops, exhibitions, publications, and collaborative programming, while also working to commemorate African American history through the installation of historical markers and the protection of historically significant sites. These efforts ensure that African American contributions, labor, leadership, and cultural life are recognized as foundational to the history of Iberia Parish.

Central to this work is the IAAHS Center for Research and Learning, which serves as both a physical and digital space for preservation, access, and community connection. The Center fosters a sense of collective ownership over local history by creating a trusted place where community members can contribute records, photographs, oral histories, and artifacts that reflect both historical and contemporary life in Iberia Parish. Through the acquisition and digitization of these materials, the Center works to preserve family histories while expanding the public record in ways that are inclusive, accurate, and descendant-informed.

The Center for Research and Learning prioritizes community engagement as an essential archival practice. Materials are collected and stewarded through relationships with descendants, churches, families, and local organizations, with care given to cultural context, access preferences, and ethical use. By maintaining an archive that is accessible both on-site and online, IAAHS ensures that community members, researchers, educators, and future generations can engage with the history of Iberia Parish on their own terms.

Through its work, the Iberia African American Historical Society affirms that African American history is not peripheral but central to understanding Iberia Parish. The Community represented in this Mukurtu space reflects shared stewardship, lived experience, and an ongoing commitment to preserving memory, honoring ancestors, and sustaining historical knowledge for generations to come.