Draft:Black German Heritage and Research Association

BGHRA

What is the BGHRA?

The Black German Heritage and Research Association or (BGHRA) is an organization that seeks to educate about the history, culture, and experience of Black Germans. The organization typically holds conferences where various ideas pertaining to Black Germans and their overall presence are exchanged.

History

The BGHRA was founded as the Black German Cultural Society of NJ in 2003, but it changed its name in 2013.The BGHRA was Founded by its current President, Dr. Rosemarie Peña. Dr. Peña, attended Rutgers University in Camden, NJ where she received her bachelors degrees in psychology and German, as well as her MA and PhD in Childhood Studies. She researches transnational adoption and child migration.

BGHRA Conferences

Name	Year	Location
Strengthening Transatlantic Connections	August 19-21, 2011	German Historical Institute- DC
What is the Black German Experience?	August 10-11, 2012	Barnard College
Black Germans in Diaspora	August 8-11, 2013	Amherst College
BGHRA-UT Transnational Perspectives on Black Germany All Black Lives Matter: Black Germany and beyond	May 23-25, 2018	University of Toronto
Virtual Conference hosted by Africana Studies	February 12-20, 20222	Rutgers University-Camden
Virtual conference	February 23-25, 2023	Rutgers University-Camden

BGHRA at Davidson College

The BGHRA is affiliated with Davidson College. It has a program that hosts courses at Davidson College. There are two different classes taught (Black German Art, Black Germans: Race Gender Migration) with the goal to highlight the amazing works Black Germans have done and put a spotlight on the discriminations and hardships they have went through. These classes are taught by Professor Emily Frazier-Rath who is the Executive Director of Education Initiatives for the BGHRA, and Dr. Peña.

About Dr. Peña

Dr Peña. grew up in Willingboro, NJ. She was the only child of An African American mother and Father. She went by the name Wanda Lynn Haymon. However, in 1994, she would find out that she was actually born in 1956 in Viernheim, Germany and her birthname is Rosemarie Larey. At the time of her birth, Nazi Germany saw blacks as inferior, and sent them to concentration as well as attempting to sterilize them. It was looked down upon to have a biracial child at the time. Thus, Rosemarie and many other Black German infants were sent to orphanages where they would be adopted by African-American families. Rosemarie's mother left her on the steps of a black military family in Germany. They brought her to the orphanage where she would be adopted by the Haymons. Rosemarie would eventually meet her birth mother in 1995, but they felt like strangers to each other. Later, she would start going by her birthname, Rosemarie Larey, and embark on a journey to connect to her roots. Her last name would change once more to Peña after she got married. Dr. Peña has earned her bachelors degrees in psychology and German, and as her MA and PhD in Childhood Studies from Rutgers University in Camden, NJ. She now specializes in researching transnational adoption and child migration. She also founded and is the current president of the BGHRA.

BGHRA Staff

Board of Trustees

Role	Name
President	Rosemarie Peña
Vice-President	Kevina King
Trustee	Carmen Geschke
Trustee	Leroy Hopkins

Executive Staff

Role	Name
Executive Director of Education Initiatives	Emily Frazier-Rath
Executive Director Media & Archives	Sonya Donaldson
Executive Director Arts & Cultures	Elisabeth Clarke-Hasters
Executive Director of Events & Publications	Keith Green
Principal consultant	Sara Lennox
Consultant	Angelica Fenner

Sources

http://rosemariepena.com/

http://bghra.org/

https://patch.com/new-jersey/haddon/sj-woman-was-a-brown-baby-from-germany