Curious to see it for yourself? 📖✨ Email us to schedule a visit and explore our collection!

#WorldBookDay #BlinkedMyselfAwake #BiekeDepoorter #Astrophotography #GlassPlates #LowellObservatory #Stargazing #PhotographyBook #HistoricalAstronomy

Alongside these striking images, the book includes historical texts—featuring a glimpse into our own history—plus Depoorter’s personal reflections on childhood memories lost to trauma.

We are honored to share the names of those known:
Basatos, John Sillo, and family

Ishmael Malepa and Sefora Malepa

July Yabo and Cousin

And we continue to research to name those once known.
#BlackHistoryMonth #Astronomy #AfricanExcellence #BoydenObservatory #STEM #BlackHistory #blackexcellence

Though their contributions have often been overlooked, their efforts remain vital to the legacy of both the Boyden Observatory and the field of astronomy. This month, we remember their legacy and acknowledge their vital place in scientific history.

Their labor and expertise helped lay the foundation for groundbreaking astronomical discoveries. At the time of construction and Harvard’s involvement, South Africa was under the colonialist British Empire that later would be governed by the horrific settler-colonial apartheid South African state.

When the Boyden Observatory was established in the 1920s, Black South Africans played a critical role in its construction and operations. These unsung heroes were integral in building the infrastructure that would support decades of scientific research, advancing our understanding of the night sky.