Inside the Worcester Historical Museum, Black history is being collected and preserved.

“It's a really rich history. It’s a varied history. We have business owners, we have people who invented bluing dyes, we have people who were really involved in church, founded churches. So there's a wide range of people," said Debbie Hall, Founder of the Worcester Black History Project. 

The Worcester Black History Project was founded in 2018 and recognizes the achievements and experiences of Black people in the area. The museum is looking for photos, artifacts, and oral history to add to its collection, as it continues to educate.

“The last year and a half, we've kind of hit the ground running. The idea of a project like this is that it lives way beyond you," said David Conner, Community Engagement Director at the Worcester Historical Museum. 

Founder of the project, Debbie Hall, says Black history didn’t just happen hundreds of years ago, it’s happening right now.

“We look at it, history was yesterday, history is five minutes ago. So even the protests for instance, or demonstrations that happened over the summer. COVID-19, how is that impacting certain communities, that's history in the making," said Hall. 

“I think that people have to realize that they are important to the story. This is Worcester's history, we are the keepers of that story, and that repository will live forever," said Conner. 

To share your story or volunteer you can visit the Worcester Historical Museum's website.