Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture is a public history organization (historical society) that researches, preserves, interprets, and shares the history, heritage, and culture of African Americans in Utah and the Mountain West. As it grows toward becoming a fully developed Black history museum, the organization connects scholarly research, community memory, exhibitions, public programs, and historic interpretation so that Black history is not overlooked, marginalized, or ... Read More
Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture is a public history organization (historical society) that researches, preserves, interprets, and shares the history, heritage, and culture of African Americans in Utah and the Mountain West. As it grows toward becoming a fully developed Black history museum, the organization connects scholarly research, community memory, exhibitions, public programs, and historic interpretation so that Black history is not overlooked, marginalized, or lost. Through this work, Sema Hadithi helps individuals, families, schools, institutions, and communities access reliable historical information and engage more fully with Utah's diverse story.
Its work is carried forward through dedicated working groups, project teams, board leadership, advisors, and volunteers who help shape research and public presentation. These teams investigate historical records, collect oral histories, preserve images and documents, develop educational content, support exhibitions, and help create forums, lectures, tours, publications, and digital resources. This structure allows Sema Hadithi to remain community-centered while also producing serious, useful work that supports preservation, interpretation, and public understanding.
Today, Sema Hadithi is known not only for research but for making history visible and accessible. The organization develops traveling and community-based exhibits, collaborates on heritage trails, such as Utah’s Buffalo Soldier Heritage Trail, and preservation projects, presents lectures and history forums, supports historical publications, and creates opportunities for the public to encounter Black history in meaningful ways. Its work brings forward stories of Black families, veterans, civic leaders, artists, workers, faith communities, neighborhoods, and institutions whose contributions have helped shape Utah. In doing so, Sema Hadithi strengthens cultural memory and helps ensure that these stories are preserved with care, dignity, and historical truth.
Partnership is central to the organization’s mission. Sema Hadithi works with community members, scholars, museums, libraries, schools, government offices, businesses, and cultural organizations to create spaces where history can be studied, discussed, and shared. These partnerships help expand research capacity, deepen interpretation, and broaden public reach. Guided by the principle of unity through historical truth, Sema Hadithi seeks to foster respect for heritage, honesty in interpretation, and stronger relationships across communities.
Sema Hadithi also strives to be a trusted neighbor and a positive public force. By sharing well-researched history, encouraging dialogue, and creating opportunities for learning, communities can reconnect with stories that are too often forgotten or distorted. Its goal is not only to preserve the past, but to build understanding in the present and lay a stronger foundation for the future.
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