Why have Black ancestors been largely excluded from anthropology’s intellectual history and canon? In this series of pieces, Tracie Canada engages the authors of the 2018 volume ‘The Second Generation of African American Pioneers in Anthropology.’ Based on a series of interviews she conducted with eleven of the fifteen contributors, Canada’s dialogue with the authors addresses these many erasures and advances ways to center, celebrate, and engage with these essential figures. Drawing on a vibrant set of current conversations in the broader field of anthropology, this series offers a richly textured vision for new histories of anthropology and new anthropological futures.