100 Plaques Project
100 Plaques aIMS TO RESTORE HIDDEN, Lost, and ignored Stories in California and across America, one plaque at a time.
It starts in Napa Valley which has been continuously inhabited for 10,000.
Why don’t we acknowledge this history? Who were the First Peoples in this land, when did they leave and why? Who else has come through this land and what did they leave behind. It is our belief at Teach Truth that reckoning with this history, honoring our predecessors, is the first step in building resilience and strength in our communities.
The first plaques we researched and designed identify the primary Indigenous groups of Napa Valley - Wappo (Mishewal, Mutistul, Mayakamah) and the Patwin.
We are working directly with the tribes and individual descendants to create and identify imagery and write and vet the story.
Our goal is to build a portal to rich, interactive information through 3D illustration and photography that can be accessed through the plaques. We will link to the growing ecosystem of resources on the web honoring local histories.
The images are mock-ups that are not yet finalized. Finalization and placement of these first plaques is slated for early 2024. Some money from fundraising for the plaques will go directly to the tribes for each plaque placed.
100 Plaques began with First Peoples but has progressed to address later groups who have moved through and disappeared from public discourse. Please let us know if you find a missing or buried story that needs to be told. Teaching Truth is an ongoing and highly collaborative effort!
Plaque #1 - Mary Ellen Pleasant
The first plaque to be installed and dedicated was for an icon of Black History, the Mother of Civil Rights in California, Mary Ellen Pleasant. During research for the plaque and planning the ceremony, we found many people did not know this amazing woman’s story. Now her story is visible for all to read and learn from at her graveside in Napa.