BlackPast.org
BlackPast.org is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the largest free online encyclopedia of African American and Global African history, serving students, educators, researchers, and the general public worldwide through nearly 9,000 peer-reviewed entries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What BlackPast.org does
BlackPast.org is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2007 by historian Dr. Quintard Taylor, Jr., operating the largest free online encyclopedia dedicated to African American and Global African history. Its platform hosts nearly 9,000 entries covering people, events, places, institutions, speeches, documents, movements, and primary sources, crowdsourced from a network of more than 900 volunteer contributors spanning six continents and peer-reviewed for historical accuracy before publication. The technology stack is a WordPress-based content management system layered with open-access scholarly resource infrastructure, supplemented by specialized offerings including classroom guides, a children's page, a music library, interactive timelines, genealogy resources, multimedia, and research guides. BlackPast.org monetizes exclusively through donations (including a $500,000 'In Defense of Black History' campaign), small per-article mini-donations of $1-$50, planned/legacy gifts, and de minimis Amazon Associates affiliate referrals; in 2025 it began diversifying via a fee-based international travel program in partnership with Member Adventures. Leadership: Executive Director LaNesha McCoy (DeBardelaben) succeeded founder Dr. Quintard Taylor, Jr., who passed away on September 21, 2025; the organization is governed by a board of directors and served by a small staff of approximately 8 plus 900+ volunteers.
BlackPast.org firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BlackPast.org
- Legal name
- BlackPast.org
- Website
- https://blackpast.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- BlackPast.org is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the largest free online encyclopedia of African American and Global African history, serving students, educators, researchers, and the general public worldwide through nearly 9,000 peer-reviewed entries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BlackPast.org industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Historical Encyclopedia
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311), Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Racial & Ethnic Justice Organizations (BPAGAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)
Keywords
Where BlackPast.org is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
BlackPast.org business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting the mission. The donate button accommodates donations of any amount. BlackPast.org is running a $500,000 fundraising campaign called 'In Defense of Black History' to strengthen the organization's future.
- Amazon Associates / Bibliography Revenue: Curated book lists available through Amazon.com generate revenue when books are purchased through those links.
- Mini-Donations: Small donations ($1 to $50) available at the end of each encyclopedia entry or article.
- Planned/Legacy Gifts: Bequests and legacy gifts through wills, allowing supporters to include BlackPast.org in their estate planning.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One-time donations | Free access to all content |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
BlackPast.org product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BlackPast.org is a free, open-access online encyclopedia dedicated to African American and Global African history. The platform hosts nearly 9,000 vetted entries covering notable people, events, places, institutions, speeches, documents, and social movements, written by more than 900 volunteer contributors from six continents and accessed by over 60 million visitors worldwide.
Product overview
BlackPast.org is a nonprofit online encyclopedia dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Black people globally, especially in North America. The platform operates as a single unified web-based resource containing the world's largest collection of African American and Global African history entries—nearly 9,000 articles covering people, events, places, institutions, movements, speeches, and primary documents. The core product is supported by educational resources including classroom guides, children's content, mentoring materials, and research tools. The organization also offers specialized content collections (music library, multimedia, genealogy), interactive timelines, and hosts international travel programs exploring the African diaspora. All content is crowdsourced from over 900 volunteer contributors and vetted for historical accuracy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use BlackPast.org
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
BlackPast.org technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature1 record
BlackPast.org partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Member AdventuresminorBlackPast.org partnered with Member Adventures to organize and promote its second international trip to Portugal (October 28 - November 7, 2026), offering participants the opportunity to explore the Black past rooted in Portugal while enjoying the current culture.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
BlackPast.org competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture: A New York Public Library research center dedicated to preserving Black history and culture. Shares BlackPast.org's archival and educational mission and is similarly cited by educators and researchers.
- History.com: A major commercial online history reference that covers Black history among broader U.S. and world history topics; competes for the same educator/student audience but lacks BlackPast's specialized depth.
- Encyclopedia Britannica Online: A general-purpose scholarly encyclopedia competing for the same student/educator reference traffic, though lacking BlackPast's deep specialization in African American and Global African history.
- Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture: The preeminent U.S. institution for preserving and presenting African American history. While physical rather than digital, it shares BlackPast.org's mission of cataloging and disseminating Black history and frequently cites similar subject matter.
Direct peers
- Internet Archive: A nonprofit digital library providing free access to books, media, and historical materials. Shares BlackPast.org's open-access, archive-style mission and similar reliance on donations and volunteer communities.
- African American Registry: A nonprofit online registry dedicated to African American historical figures and events. Operates the same crowdsourced model for Black history content and competes for the same audience of educators and students.
- Wikipedia: The world's largest free online encyclopedia; BlackPast.org operates a similar crowdsourced, free-access reference model but in a narrowly specialized African American and Global African history vertical.
Emerging players
- Khan Academy: A major free educational platform that competes for the K-12 and higher-ed audience BlackPast serves. Khan Academy has expanding humanities/history coverage and stronger product/technical resources.
- The Root: A digital media outlet covering African American culture, history, and politics. Overlaps with BlackPast.org's mission to inform and educate about Black history, though delivered as journalism rather than a reference encyclopedia.
Others
- NAACP: The nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization; while not a content publisher in the same form, NAACP shares BlackPast.org's racial-justice mission and donor base, and represents an adjacent advocacy organization in the same space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
BlackPast.org social profiles
Digital presenceBlackPast.org compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
BlackPast.org financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BlackPast.org leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
BlackPast.org funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BlackPast.org M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BlackPast.org
What does BlackPast.org do?
BlackPast.org is a free, open-access online encyclopedia dedicated to African American and Global African history. The platform hosts nearly 9,000 vetted entries covering notable people, events, places, institutions, speeches, documents, and social movements, written by more than 900 volunteer contributors from six continents and accessed by over 60 million visitors worldwide.
Is BlackPast.org a public or private company?
BlackPast.org is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was BlackPast.org founded?
BlackPast.org was founded in 2007. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is BlackPast.org based?
BlackPast.org is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does BlackPast.org make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are amazon Associates / Bibliography Revenue, mini-Donations and planned/Legacy Gifts.
Who are BlackPast.org's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, History.com, Encyclopedia Britannica Online and Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Direct peers are Internet Archive, African American Registry and Wikipedia. Emerging players are Khan Academy and The Root. NAACP is listed as an others.
Does BlackPast.org have an API?
No public API is recorded for BlackPast.org.
What industry is BlackPast.org in?
BlackPast.org's product category is Online Historical Encyclopedia. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAC, Racial & Ethnic Justice Organizations, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAF, Libraries, Archives & Special Collections. Its NAICS code is 813311.