I Was Here Nationwide combines emblematic Spirit Portraits into historic images, reflecting how the labor of Africans is layered into the foundation of our country. This civic art framework centers the ancestral contributions of Black Americans as foundational Nation Builders.
The project is designed to create a paradigm shift in the consciousness of the country. At this critical junction, the I Was Here Project launches a national reckoning in acknowledgment of the power of ancestry.
Why Now
Our world is an active civic laboratory where questions of ancestry, authorship, space, and power are being renegotiated in real time. This moment, marks a convergence of forces:
A reckoning with historical truth and narrative ownership
A generational shift toward technology as a primary civic language
A growing movement to redefine Black identity beyond trauma toward authorship, legacy, and nation-building
Impact & Public Benefit
The impact of this work is both immediate and long-term:
Civic Narrative Repair: By addressing “narrative debt” in the public realm, the project reframes history from inherited trauma to inherited agency, shifting how current and future generations understand Black identity.
Youth Literacy & Voice: The workshops advance measurable gains in literacy engagement, public speaking confidence, and critical thinking, particularly among youth historically disengaged from traditional instruction.
Public Space as Classroom: Streets, buildings, and landmarks become sites of learning, remembrance, and dialogue, free and accessible to the community.
Scalable National Model: I Was Here creates a nationwide framework that can be adapted to any community.
This work integrates the humanities, public memory, place-based storytelling, and equity-centered cultural infrastructure.
Support
You can support the project by making a donation. Your donation allows us to bring the project to new locations across the nation.
Contact our team about an installation or exhibition.
Reshaping the Commemorative Landscape
Historic Courthouse
Lexington, KY
Octagon Museum
Washington D.C.
One World Trade
New York, NY