Black Scranton Project

Black Scranton Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and preserving African American history, culture, and community in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Founded in 2019 by Glynis Johns — researcher, cultural historian, and lifelong Scrantonian — the organization began as a graduate thesis and grew into a grassroots movement to uncover and uplift the rich, yet often overlooked, legacy of Black Scranton.

Through public programming, exhibitions, education, and archival storytelling, Black Scranton has become a vital hub for cultural preservation and community empowerment. From Juneteenth celebrations to short films, health fairs, to art and history exhibitions, we honor the past while shaping the future.

In 2021, Black Scranton acquired a historic 8,000 sq ft former PNC bank building on North Main Avenue to become the Black Scranton Center for Arts & Culture (BSPCAC) — our future headquarters and permanent home. This space will serve as a multidisciplinary venue for exhibitions, creative expression, youth engagement, and civic dialogue.

We’re currently in the process of transforming this long-vacant landmark into a vibrant cultural center. With each renovation — vault infill, HVAC upgrades, code compliance — we get closer to opening our doors full-time to the public.

Black Scranton exists to remind our region — and the world — that Black history is Scranton history. We preserve. We educate. We create. And we belong.