Human Rights Advocate to Lecture on Sonoma County Slavery

D'mitra Smith to discuss findings from Sonoma County Slavery Historical Research Project

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Human rights and equity advocate D'mitra Smith will discuss the findings of the Sonoma County Slavery Historical Research Project in a lecture titled "Slavery and Exploitative Labor in Sonoma County" as part of the Sonoma-Petaluma Parks lecture series on Friday, February 19, 2026.

Why it matters

The Sonoma County Slavery Historical Research Project, launched in 2023 by Smith and Sonoma State University Professor Amy Kittelstrom, aims to explore the impact of slavery and exploitative labor on Black, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian communities within Sonoma County, which has not been widely documented before.

The details

The project found that in the 1850s, up to 29% of households in Sonoma County relied on coerced labor. It continues to examine the generational patterns of racism and discrimination that may have contributed to reduced health development index scores for Black residents in the county. Smith, a Black and Indigenous woman, will discuss the project's findings and their implications for the region.

  • The Sonoma County Slavery Historical Research Project was launched in 2023.
  • D'mitra Smith will give her lecture on "Slavery and Exploitative Labor in Sonoma County" on Friday, February 19, 2026.

The players

D'mitra Smith

A human rights and equity advocate who co-founded the Sonoma County Slavery Historical Research Project and will be giving a lecture on the project's findings.

Amy Kittelstrom

A professor at Sonoma State University who specializes in American democracy and religion, as well as African-American literature, and serves as the academic research leader for the Sonoma County Slavery Historical Research Project.

NAACP Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Branch

The organization that decided to launch the Sonoma County Slavery Historical Research Initiative and approached Professor Kittelstrom to lead the project.

Sonoma-Petaluma Parks

The organization hosting the lecture series where D'mitra Smith will be speaking about the Sonoma County Slavery Historical Research Project.

Mission San Francisco Solano

The location in Sonoma where D'mitra Smith will be giving her lecture on "Slavery and Exploitative Labor in Sonoma County".

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What they’re saying

“I was also interested in how generational patterns of racism and discrimination could be contributing factors in the reduced health development index scores that have been shown for Black residents in Sonoma County, (which are) well below state and national averages.”

— D'mitra Smith, Human rights and equity advocate (Sonoma News)

“She jumped at the opportunity to lead this research project and has been an invaluable ally in her commitment to the deep dive in the Sonoma County archives, as well as her mentorship of the assisting research fellows.”

— D'mitra Smith, Human rights and equity advocate (Sonoma News)

What’s next

D'mitra Smith hopes to develop a website where visitors can engage with the Sonoma County Slavery Historical Research Project's database and stories, and she also plans to stir up a discussion about updating the visitor experience at Mission San Francisco Solano to better reflect the history uncovered by the project.

The takeaway

The Sonoma County Slavery Historical Research Project is shedding new light on the significant impact of slavery and exploitative labor on the region's history, particularly for Black, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian communities. This research aims to raise awareness and visibility of this overlooked aspect of Sonoma County's past.