Black Heritage Society
of Washington State
Preserving our past informs our future.
Welcome
The Black Heritage Society of Washington State, Inc. was first proposed in 1977 and became incorporated in 1982. Preserving, collecting and sharing the history of African Americans in Washington State are the priorities that shape the BHS mission.
BHS collections are a protected resource and public asset that archives the past and present to inform the future. The Society is committed to the importance for documenting the culture and heritage of Black people statewide and welcomes your outreach to discuss preserving the full story of the lives, places, and events that shape this rich history.
Outside the archive BHS is an advocate for recognizing and saving Black heritage sites across Washington. We actively support and uphold the notion that Washington State history is an essential link in the broader narrative that defines the real story of our nation.
Current and Upcoming Events
Western History Association Conference
October 21-24, 2026
Portland, OR
BHS at the Roundtable Session
In Defense of the Black Past:
Preserving Black History Across
Digital Landscapes
Chair:
Dr. Quin’Nita Cobbins-Modica
Presenters:
-LaNesha DeBardelaben, BlackPast.org
-Stephanie Johnson-Toliver, BHS
-Jennifer Ott,
Historylink.org
-Bobby Smith,
Albina Music Trust
~
“We are the ones we’ve
been waiting for.
We are the change
that we seek.”
~Barack Obama
History Cafe:
Black Baseball
in Washington
Historylink at the
Museum of
History & Industry
Wednesday,
October 21, 2026
6:30pm - 8pm
Black Baseball
in Washington
Historylink at the
Museum of
History & Industry
Wednesday,
October 21, 2026
6:30pm - 8pm
Black baseball in Washington state and the Pacific Northwest has a rich and resilient history, spanning from the late 19th century’s amateur teams to later professional Negro League teams to modern Major League Baseball. Join sports historian Dave Eskenazi and Lyle Kenai Wilson, author of Sunday Afternoons at Garfield Park: Seattle’s Black Baseball Teams, 1911-1951, with Bookie Gates of Baseball Beyond Borders moderated by Founder/Producer at Converge Media, Omari Salisbury in conversation about Black baseball, past and present, as a catalyst for change and a platform for community.
REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT HERE
Collections
Collections Gallery
Showcases artifacts, photos, and stories held at the archive that celebrate African American history, culture, and contributions, preserving the past to inspire a more inclusive future.
*The Collections Gallery is in
development to share a
variety of digital assets.
Examples of Trailblazing Women with collections at the archive.
Manima Wilson Davis
1st Black woman graduate of the University of Washington.
BHS holds historical photographs, letters, diploma, and Davis’
1916 wedding gown.
Jessa Thomas
2024 Miss Teen Rodeo Washington
1st Black teen to earn the title in the history of the pageant.
BHS holds memorabilia and artifacts associated with Thomas’ trailblazing accomplishment.
BHS was co-producer with Converge Media for the short documentary Facing the Reign.
Family Legacy Collections
This page will share links to Legacies From the Archive that honors the lives and contributions of Black families, preserving personal artifacts, photographs, and stories that reflect resilience and pride.
Watch for this page to expand the collections highlights. Below is an example of what’s to come.
Edwin T. Pratt Legacy Collection
The Edwin T. Pratt Legacy Collection was acquired in 2018 as a donation from Mr. Pratt’s daughter, Miriam Pratt and includes items donated by family friend Jean Soliz. It contains examples of Pratt’s personal and professional documents, family and professional photographs/albums, ephemera, and artifacts that total more than 500 pieces.
You can request a copy of the digitized assets via this website or email. Visitors are welcome in-person by appointment.
Pratt was a civil rights leader and Executive Director at the Seattle Urban League 1960-1969. He was assassinated on the steps of his home in Shoreline, WA on January 26, 1969. The case remains unsolved.
Miriam Pratt recorded her recollection of the evening her father was assassinated in an interview with Jean Soliz at StoryCorps. Listen.
You can read more about Pratt’s life in this bio on Blackpast.org.
A wonderful tribute to Pratt that was written by author Nancy Rawles titled Excellence and Opportunity on the 50th Anniversary of his death.
Oral History
Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of sharing and passing history. The oral histories in the BHS collection capture the voices and lived experiences of Black community members in order to preserve their memories that shares history from their lens.
A project is underway to evaluate, prioritize, and convert all oral history interviews currently on cassettes to digital files. The cassettes are late 1970s – early 2000s. We are protecting the stories for generations to come and enabling access more broadly.
Excerpts and/or full oral histories can be found in the Collections drop down.
Our website team is working to make recently converted interviews available online. Currently, you can listen to a short narrative recorded by pioneering Seattle jazz saxophonist, Barney Hilliard.
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The digitization project is made possible in part with support by King County 4Culture and the Black Future Co-op Fund.
BHS partners with Seattle-based Jack Straw Cultural Center for the audio file conversions.
BHS is partners with Wa Na Wari
Black Spatial History Institute.
BHS has been a community partner with Wa Na Wari for its oral history projects and more. We are embarking on a new initiative coming soon. Watch for it. In the meantime visit the Shelf Life Community History Project online to listen to stories that bring the community alive.
Volunteer
Join us as a volunteer to help preserve and celebrate Black history in Washington State. Sign up to learn more about current opportunities
Donate
Support our mission with a contribution. Your donation helps us preserve historic collections, host educational programs, and expand community outreach.
Partner with BHS
Join us in preserving and sharing Black history in Washington. We welcome collaborations that support storytelling, education, and cultural preservation.
Our Affiliated Organizations
BHS is proud to collaborate with organizations that share our commitment to preserving and uplifting Black heritage across Washington State.
