University of Houston professor, archaeologist and researcher Dr. Alice Odewale, leads a groundbreaking project to document and preserve Black heritage through an unlikely medium—trees.
Silent Witnesses: The Black Heritage Tree Project seeks to identify, map and protect trees that have stood as silent witnesses to pivotal moments in Black history, particularly in Black towns and historically significant sites. The initiative, supported by National Geographic’s Meridian Project, aims to reconnect communities with their past by using these natural landmarks as living archives of Black resilience and freedom.
Odewale’s inspiration for the Black Heritage Tree Project came from her previous archaeological research in Greenwood, Tulsa, Oklahoma, the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre site. During excavations, she and her team discovered trees growing in a square formation around structures that were no longer visible above ground. These trees, which have outlived the buildings they once surrounded, sparked a larger inquiry into other trees that might serve as markers of Black history.
“We had all these questions about these trees,” Odewale said. “And those questions led to a whole other research project around Black heritage trees—trees that have stood witness to Black towns that are no longer part of our landscape.”
For many Black communities, especially those that have been abandoned, burned down or erased through development, there are few remaining physical traces of their existence.
“Many of our Black towns don’t have archives, archaeological evidence or even standing structures left,” Odewale explained. “But often, they have trees that have been there for generations. These trees have witnessed history and can help us tell our stories.”
By identifying and researching these trees, the project aims to preserve and document Black history in a way that traditional archives often cannot.
“These trees have outlived human life spans and continue to stand as testaments to Black freedom and resilience,” she added.
Mapping Black Heritage trees
The Black Heritage Tree Project is currently focused on four key regions—Galveston, Texas; Houston, Texas; Tulsa, Oklahoma and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each location was chosen for its connection to significant Black historical events.
- Galveston, Texas: Trees from Juneteenth, the official end of slavery in the U.S., are being studied.
- Houston, Texas: A site with a deep Black migration and settlement history.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma: Trees that stood during the founding of Greenwood, known as Black Wall Street and the subsequent 1921 massacre.
- St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands: One of the only places, alongside Haiti, where enslaved people secured their freedom through rebellion.
Each region presents unique challenges in identifying and verifying heritage trees.
“It depends on where we are and what time period we’re looking at,” Odewale said. “There are a lot of trees that are hundreds of years old that predate even these freedom stories.”
The project has assembled a diverse team of nearly 20 individuals from six different academic fields, including geography, forestry, architecture and historical preservation. In collaboration with local historians and community leaders, this initiative will document generational stories of Black freedom using both scientific and oral history methodologies.
A team is involved and each leader is a descendant of these historic Black towns. One such leader is Samuel Collins III, who leads the Galveston initiative and previously spearheaded the Juneteenth Legacy Project. Naomi Carrier, a renowned historian and former educator, leads the Houston region team.
As the founder and CEO of the Texas Center for African American Living History, Carrier played a major role in the creation of H.R. 434, a legislation aimed at studying the Emancipation National Historic Trail. Despite the bill’s stalled progress, Carrier is excited to tell the story of Texas and its economic development.
“Black history is not going to be taught in Texas any more than it always has been—which is to a very limited extent. One of the reasons for that is because it was very violent and very racist. It is exceedingly challenging for the powers that be to reveal the truth about Texas history,” said Carrier. “Education has evolved into becoming more technological now. In my work as an urban planner, I focus on signage and the built environment. We can add QR codes to our signs and people can access this information with their cell phones.”
Challenges in preservation and funding
Though the project is still in its early stages, having officially launched on March 1, securing the right funding partners has been a significant challenge.
“A lot of traditional funding sources, like the National Science Foundation, are tied up in government regulations,” Odewale said. “That’s why National Geographic, a private nonprofit, was the perfect partner—they allow us to do research that is unapologetically Black and in full support of Black communities.”
National Geographic has awarded Odewale a $150,000 grant, marking the fourth time the organization has received such funding for travel, compensation and equipment.
“A lot of our trees are being cut down, and their stories are being lost,” Odewale said. “The project aims to increase awareness and advocacy for tree preservation as a way to safeguard Black history.”
One of the project’s most ambitious goals is to create a Living Global Heritage Tree Map on which people can locate, visit and learn about Black heritage trees worldwide.
“We hope to have historical markers placed at key sites so that no matter what happens to a tree, its significance is never forgotten,” Odewale said. “This digital and physical archive would serve as an educational tool for classrooms and public spaces, ensuring that Black history is more accessible and widely taught.”
