*This story is brought to you by Most Incredible Studio founder Syreeta Gates as a part of our Because Of You: Legacy in Focus campaign honoring contemporary Black photographers*
She’s preserving our stories!
Black stories deserve to be told with care, depth, and the visibility they have long been denied. Every frame, commission, and archive built with intention becomes part of a more considerable legacy that ensures Black life is seen in its fullness. Danielle A. Scruggs has dedicated her career to making that legacy undeniable.
“I’ve always tried to make sure to amplify voices and perspectives that haven’t historically been amplified,” Scruggs says. “Not just for stories about Black subjects or Black things, but because hiring Black photographers should be the norm.”
Scruggs resists the extremes that often define how Black people are portrayed—either hyper-visible in moments of struggle or celebrated only in exceptional triumphs. She is drawn to the in-between, the every day, the quiet dignity of Black people simply existing.
Her work challenges the idea that Blackness must always be in motion, fighting or achieving. Instead, she captures moments of stillness, intimacy, and familiarity—rituals, neighborhoods, and lives unfolding in real time. There is no performance in her images, only presence.
Scruggs’ dedication to preserving Black stories extends beyond photography. With Black Women Directors, she created a digital archive celebrating the work of Black women and nonbinary filmmakers worldwide. In an industry where their contributions are often overlooked, this archive serves as both a record and a resource—an affirmation that their work is seen, valued, and necessary.
“Film in general is something that I’ve been finding a lot of inspiration from,” she says. “Not just for my photography, but for my writing as well.”
Legacy is central to everything Scruggs builds. She wants future generations to look at her work and see evidence of care, intention, and love for Black people. She hopes they will understand the depth of Black creativity and resilience across generations when they revisit her images, her archive, and her writing.
“I see our value even when no one else sees it,” she says. “I see the work we’ve done collectively to make this world a better place.”
For Scruggs, storytelling doesn’t only exist in galleries, books, or film—it is woven into the fabric of everyday life. She recognizes play as a powerful form of cultural preservation, a way to pass down knowledge, memories, and history. She recalls childhood hand-clapping games, traditions that have lasted for generations, proof that joy and creativity can be just as enduring as any archive.
That’s why she sees something special in the Because of You: Legacy in Focus LEGO set collection. Like an archive, it creates something tangible, something lasting—a history that can be built, held, and passed on.
Through every commission, photograph, and archival project, Danielle A. Scruggs is ensuring that Black stories are seen and remembered. Not just for today but for every generation that follows.
Cover photo: Meet Danielle A. Scruggs, the Photographer Amplifying Everyday Black Life Through Digital Archives/Photo credit: Black Women Directors/Instagram