The Black American Tree Project

The Black American Tree Project (BATP) is a collaborative and participatory history lesson and an immersive truth and reconciliation experience. It is developed in collaboration with African-American writers, educators, artists, students, community members, and non-profit innovators. The project was created in response to the Kairos Blanket Exercise by indigenous Canadian leaders, the Starfire String Exercise by dis/ability experts, and the New York Times 1619 project and podcast. The Black American Tree Project is an interactive workshop that educates audiences about the legacies of slavery in modern American society--especially in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area--and its after-effects in housing, the medical-industrial complex, prison system, education, entertainment, and other American societal areas in which Black Americans are affected. This experience is designed to evoke a sense of reckoning during this 401st anniversary since black Africans were brought to America.

Participants elect to read a scripted role(s) that is led by hosted narration depicting pre-colonial Africa to present-day America from the Black American’s societal perspective. The typical duration of the event is a total of 180 minutes including 15 minutes in the beginning to introduce the project and 60 minutes at the end for reflections and 15 minutes to close.