Idaho historians want to share the state’s Black history — but they need your help

Idaho historians want to know more about the state’s Black history, but they need help.

The State Historic Preservation Office, a part of the Idaho State Historical Society, is looking for people to share information and educate officials about Idaho’s Black history, the group said in a Wednesday news release.

Black Americans have long been part of Idaho’s history. Many parts, however, have gone untold, according to officials.

“Historic places associated with Black Idahoans can be difficult to identify,” historians said in the news release. “Institutional racism, exclusionary history and a historically small percentage of African Americans in the state means the physical imprint of their contributions is underrepresented in architectural and archaeological site records.”

The Historic Preservation Office wants to change that. The group wants people who may know a part of Idaho’s history to share their knowledge.

Information the group receives will be added to a database of historic sites and places in Idaho.

“With help from the community, we (SHPO) will continue to illuminate Idaho’s African American history through crowd-sourced stories, further diversifying Idaho’s historic record,” Outreach Historian Dan Everhart said in the news release.

People who have things to share with the Preservation Office can follow this link or call 208-488-7461. Contributors can also reach Everhart at dan.everhart@ishs.idaho.gov.

“With your help, SHPO can document these places and begin to tell the story of African Americans in Idaho more widely, and with more context and authority,” the group said.