Afghan Academy

Historical Afghan diaries

A people's history, recorded by the people who lived it.

An ongoing archive of oral histories, family memories, and community recollections — a record of the Afghan-American experience told in our own voices.

Archive photograph

Photo · upcoming

Why this matters

History leaves the room with every elder.

The diaries project began as a quiet effort to slow that loss — to sit with grandparents and parents, turn on a recorder, and ask them to talk about how they got here, what they carried, and what they hope their grandchildren will know.

Some entries are written. Some are audio. Some are video. All of them, eventually, will live here in a searchable archive so the next generation has a place to begin.

The archive

A small selection of in-progress entries.

Placeholder cards while we build the archive interface — full transcripts, audio, and family-submitted photos will land here.

Late 1970s

Departures

An elder, recorded 2024

Full entry coming soon.

Early 1980s

Refugee camps in Pakistan

A father, recorded 2023

Full entry coming soon.

1985

First Saturday in Northern Virginia

A mother, recorded 2024

Full entry coming soon.

1992

Founding the academy

A board member, recorded 2025

Full entry coming soon.

Late 1990s

Growing up between two languages

A graduate, recorded 2025

Full entry coming soon.

2021

The August evacuation

A new arrival, recorded 2024

Full entry coming soon.

Help us record the next entry.

If you have a story to tell — or know someone who does — reach out. We will come to you, with a recorder and time, and we will treat the conversation as the gift it is.