Our Approach
Ancestral Bridges celebrates Black and Afro-Indigenous arts, history, and culture in western Massachusetts, and partners with communities to create opportunities for youth and intergenerational engagement. By honoring achievements that link our past and present, we pave the way for future progress.
Hats: The Exhibit
Beginning September 2025, a special townwide exhibit showcasing historic and modern hat designs representing the fashion, style, traditions, and unseen labor that fueled the hat making industry in the Connecticut River Valley and beyond.
View the hats on display at participating businesses and local institutions throughout Amherst, Massachusetts.
Come Visit Us!
Ancestral Bridges serves as a living archive, celebrating the Black and Afro Indigenous roots of Amherst, Massachusetts and the broader Connecticut River Valley through arts, culture, and education. We also serve as a cultural center and community anchor, bridging curiosity and connections to our shared history.
Ancestral Bridges Heritage Walking Tours
The Ancestral Bridges Heritage Walking Tours explore the unique history and contributions of generations of Black and Afro-Indigenous families in Amherst. Follow along their footsteps here!
Make a donation
Donations to Ancestral Bridges assist the funding of specific sites and provide high-quality educational programs and activities for people of all ages. Please help support our efforts to preserve and educate.
Photo: Amherst College Center for Community Engagement