Preserving Alabama's Stories: Veronica Henderson, Black Archives, and Hidden Histories

In this episode of Coffee & History, hosts Rebecca Todd Minder and Caroline Gazzara-McKenzie travel to Huntsville to speak with Veronica Henderson, director of the State Black Archives Research Center and Museum at Alabama A&M University. As an archivist, educator, and public historian, Henderson is dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of African Americans who helped shape Alabama and the nation.    From the civil rights movement and local Huntsville history to Buffalo Soldiers, Alabama A&M University, and the power of family storytelling, Henderson discusses how archives connect communities to their past and ensure that important stories are not forgotten. The conversation explores the role of HBCU archives, the importance of oral histories, and how local stories often reveal a deeper connection to major events in American history.