Association For The Study Of African American Life And History

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), a minority-owned nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC, serves as a critical partner to the federal government in advancing research, documentation, and public education related to African American history and culture. As a tax-exempt corporate entity registered with SAM.gov since 1998, ASALH provides specialized historical research, scholarly documentation, and interpretive services that support the National Park Service's mission to preserve and interpret the nation's cultural heritage. The organization leverages its deep expertise in African American history to develop comprehensive historical studies, archival research, and educational materials that enhance public understanding of African American experiences across multiple geographic regions and time periods.

ASALH has received substantial federal grant funding through the National Park Service's Cooperative Research and Training Programs (CFDA 15.945) to support an extensive portfolio of research and preservation projects. These cooperative agreements have funded specialized history studies documenting African American experiences at specific national park sites, including work at Chalmette Battlefield, Monocacy National Battlefield, Arlington House, Statue of Liberty National Monument, Blue Ridge Parkway, and First State National Historical Park. The organization has conducted ethnographic research and oral history documentation projects, such as interviews with African American migrant workers at Worthington Farm and ethnographic overviews assessing descendant family connections to historic sites. ASALH has also produced scholarly biographies, including an updated biography of Maggie L. Walker utilizing newly catalogued archival records, and has contributed to national documentation initiatives such as identifying properties associated with segregated black secondary schools and documenting the history of African American veterans' care. The organization has managed the Network to Freedom competitive grant program, which funds research, interpretation, and preservation projects at Underground Railroad sites across the country, while simultaneously supporting the African American Civil Rights Network through scholar consultant positions providing technical assistance and training to National Park Service units. Additionally, ASALH has created public-facing educational content, including video series featuring conversations between historians and popular culture figures about Underground Railroad history and freedom seeking narratives designed to engage diverse audiences. These cooperative agreements, valued at amounts ranging from approximately $141,000 to $761,400, typically span multi-year periods and reflect ASALH's role as a primary grant recipient working directly with the National Park Service's various regional offices and national headquarters.