The Morning Star Research Center for the Afterlife of Slavery will be a new space in Los Angeles devoted to the study and preservation of materials that engage with the ongoing afterlife of Atlantic slavery and the global structures of antiblackness it left behind.

Part reading room, part media library, part experimental archive, the Center will be designed as a place of critical care—for gathering, programming, study, and reflection across Black studies and contemporary art. In a political moment where the study of (anti)Blackness is being suppressed and policed, this project emerges from a deep need: to create a space that honors radical Black intellectual life on its own terms, outside of the academy or market.

Our objective is to generate a rigorous collection of rare books, exhibition catalogs, artist ephemera, and moving image works that supports researchers, artists, teachers, organizers, curators, and community members alike.

We hope to reach our Funding Goal by August! After this, we will begin the process of building out the infrastructure of the space, acquiring materials for the collections/general catalog and open officially by January of 2026!

Our funding goal is $60,000.00 Here is a breakdown of its use!

Shelving & Storage Fabrication — 33%

Library Catalog — 28 %

Technology & Media — 21%

Seating and Furniture — 8%

Amenities & Safety — 5%

Archival Materials — 4 %

Lighting & Electrical — 1%

This budget reflects the cost of building a thoughtful, accessible, and sustainable space for Black study and cultural preservation.

With $60,000, we are able to:

– Construct custom shelving and secure storage for

archival materials

– Acquire over 350 foundational books and commission our first Research Collections

– Equip the space with technology for research, screenings, and multimedia production

– Provide accessible, comfortable seating and furniture for visitors

– Ensure environmental safety and long-term care of the collection

– Purchase archival-grade materials for preservation and cataloging

– Offer rentable equipment for artists and researchers working

in the field

– Cover essential safety needs and other core amenities

This is not just an investment in infrastructure—it’s an investment in communal study, and the preservation of knowledge that institutions too often overlook.

Your support brings this vision to life.

Thank you for helping us build it!

A more in-depth breakdown of what each category means is available on the Research Center's Instagram: @morningstarresearchcenter