{
  "id": 19780169,
  "title": "What We Lose When We Don’t Archive Black Motherhood",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/what-we-lose-when-we-dont-archive-black-motherhood",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-13T08:35:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Literary Hub",
    "slug": "literary-hub",
    "url": "https://lithub.com/what-we-lose-when-we-dont-archive-black-motherhood/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In recent years, a growing sense of urgency has emerged regarding the preservation of Black maternal narratives. As a reporter, I embarked on a journey to uncover the profound impact of losing these stories from our collective memory. Last year, while pregnant, I found myself in search of a book to guide me through the transformative journey of motherhood. However, to my dismay, I discovered an unsettling void in the literary landscape – no books existed that authentically captured the experiences of pregnant and postpartum Black women. This literary gap felt intentional, as centuries of Black women birthing, rearing, and mothering were conspicuously absent from mainstream literature. The absence of these stories left me and countless others feeling unseen, unheard, and unacknowledged. Sasha Bonét's book, \"The Waterbearers,\" became a source of solace during this challenging time. Bonét masterfully weaves together the matriarchal stories of her own family with those of America's matriarchs, focusing on the lived experiences of Black women like Iberia Hampton, Camille Billups, and Betty Davis. Through her vivid storytelling, Bonét created a world that was both dreamlike and intimately familiar, offering a sense of belonging to readers like myself who had been desperately searching for their place in literature. In an interview, Bonét expressed her frustration at the lack of books on Black womanhood, emphasizing that such an absence felt akin to the experience of being Black in the world – a constant struggle to find oneself in a fragmented narrative. The void she sought to fill was not only personal but also a reflection of the broader societal issue of erasing Black maternal stories. As Bonét stated, \"concealing history is another kind of violence that goes unnamed.\" This line resonated deeply with me, highlighting the violence inflicted upon Black mothers by denying their stories a place in the historical record. The importance of literary preservation became evident to me as I read Bonét's book. Her words offered a powerful witness and wisdom that resonated with my own experiences. Through her storytelling, Bonét provided a sense of community and validation, reminding us that our stories matter and deserve to be told. My journey through \"The Waterbearers\" not only offered me a type of witness and wisdom but also instilled a profound sense of obligation to fill these literary voids myself. Inspired by Bonét and her mentor Camille Billups, I launched the Black Motherhood Archive, a digital collection of my own experiences and those of other Black mothers across generations. Through interviews and conversations with mothers whose mothering I admired, I aimed to create a comprehensive record that reflected the essence of Black motherhood, capturing both the ordinary and extraordinary moments. This archive serves as a testament to the fact that we are here, we matter, and our stories are worthy of being preserved and shared. In the months since establishing the archive, I have come to understand that one of the most profound things we can do is simply ask the question and create space for these stories to be told. By building the Black Motherhood Archive, I hope to provide others with a resource that reflects the richness and diversity of Black maternal experiences, ensuring that our stories are no longer lost to time.",
  "summary": "For as long as I can remember, words have been how I shaped my world. But last year I went looking and for the first time could find no words to hold or comfort me. I was pregnant and needed",
  "key_points": [
    "Literary void for Black maternal narratives left many feeling unseen and unheard",
    "Sasha Bonét's \"The Waterbearers\" filled the gap with matriarchal stories of Black women",
    "Black Motherhood Archive preserves Black maternal experiences for future generations"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The systematic erasure of Black maternal narratives from mainstream literature functions as a form of historical violence that denies Black women the essential validation of seeing their lived experiences reflected.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}