The Black Massacre Project

An independent public research center and social justice initiative that explores historical race massacres perpetrated against black communities in the United States.

About us

The Black Massacre Project is an interdisciplinary nerve center that brings scholars, activists, and community members together to engage in collaborative research and cultural exchange related to historical race riots and massacres.

Our Team

The Black Massacre Project is made possible by the dedication and support of our staff and volunteers.

Ashlie Claxton

Associate Director of Operations

Ashlie Claxton, MPA, is the Associate Director of Operations for the Black Massacre Project. She is a passionate servant leader and nonprofit professional dedicated to public service and social justice. Ashlie is a successful orator who uses her public speaking skills to teach young minds in her preschool classroom. She also has experience working in administration and the nonprofit sector.

Kenya Tyson

Founder/ Executive Director

Kenya Tyson, JD is an internationally recognized criminal justice expert and higher education executive, with expertise in the field of race, crime, and inequality.

Mashayla Billups

Project Coordinator

Mashayla Billups is a senior at Howard University majoring in Community Development and minoring in History. As a College of Arts and Sciences (COAS) honors student, she is completing a thesis on Black press and community development in Wilmington, NC, before the 1898 massacre. Mashayla is an inaugural fellow of the Gilder Lehrman College Fellowship in American History and a 2023 Diversity Scholar of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Ashlie Claxton

Associate Director of Operations

Ashlie Claxton, MPA, is the Associate Director of Operations for the Black Massacre Project. She is a passionate servant leader and nonprofit professional dedicated to public service and social justice. Ashlie is a successful orator who uses her public speaking skills to teach young minds in her preschool classroom.  She also has experience working in administration and the nonprofit sector. 

Kenya Tyson

Founder/ Executive Director

Kenya Tyson, JD is an internationally recognized criminal justice expert and higher education executive, with expertise in the field of race, crime, and inequality.

Mashayla Billups

Project Coordinator

Mashayla Billups is a senior at Howard University majoring in Community Development and minoring in History. As a College of Arts and Sciences (COAS) honors student, she is completing a thesis on Black press and community development in Wilmington, NC, before the 1898 massacre. Mashayla is an inaugural fellow of the Gilder Lehrman College Fellowship in American History and a 2023 Diversity Scholar of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Events

We’re always planning exciting events!

Are you a survivor or descendant of someone who survived an historical black massacre? Was your town or city the scene of historical racial violence? We want to hear your story.