Maps, Murals, and Memory: Digital Journeys Through America’s Overlooked Stories

What if the heart of American history beats loudest in its overlooked corners? The 2024 Connecting Communities Digital Initiative is spotlighting six trailblazing projects that remix the Library of Congress’s digital treasures to center Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic or Latino experiences. In West Texas, Angelo State University is weaving national stories into local histories, mapping how big-picture events echo in everyday lives. Indiana University is inviting Indigenous artists to reinterpret archival images and recordings, shifting the lens to Indigenous knowledge and creativity. The University of Houston-Downtown is tracing Afro-Latino roots across continents, using digital story maps to connect students with their own heritage. Meanwhile, libraries and museums from Washington, D.C. to New Mexico and New Jersey are using murals, oral histories, and interactive timelines to bring community voices into the digital spotlight. These projects don’t just preserve the past—they invite us to see America’s cultural mosaic in motion, one story at a time. #DigitalHeritage #CommunityHistory #InclusiveArchives #Culture