Inclusive History and Images Project

In the aftermath of the global uprising sparked by the murder of George Floyd in 2020, there was an increased effort by students to push universities to address systemic racism embedded within their institutions. At Loyola Marymount University (LMU), a concerned group of students, led by members of the African-American community, created a list of demands to address the failure of the university in serving communities of color. Among the long list of demands was to reverse the systematic suppression and erasure of these communities in the history of LMU, particularly through its images and narratives. Historical images and narratives of American universities, including LMU, are, by and large, focused on their founders (largely white, male, and propertied). In response to this particular demand, the university created the Inclusive History and Images Project (IHIP) and established the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Center Alliance. This essay details the work of IHIP in conjunction with TRHT to create a campus-wide initiative to recapture and archive images and histories of people of color at LMU in the hope of changing the campus narrative that centers and highlights their vital role in pushing and shaping a more diversity, inclusive, and equitable institution.