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African-American History: Most Popular Articles

These articles are the most popular over the last month.
When Did Slavery Begin in North America?
Slavery in the British colonies in North America dates to 1619, when the first Africans arrived as slaves at Jamestown.
What Really Happened at the Stono Rebellion
The Stono Rebellion was the largest slave revolt in colonial America.
Who are five members of the Jazz Age?
Duke Ellington's career as a composer, writer, pianist and bandleader spanned more than 50 years.
3 Major Ways Some Slaves Resisted Slavery
This article explores the avenues of resistance available to slaves in America.
Important Dates of the Civil Rights Movement...
A timeline of major events in the Civil Rights Movement between 1960 and 1964.
Guide to the Civil Rights Movement of the '50s...
An overview of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s.
What Was the Impact of the Civil Rights Act of...
A description of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Look into the Life and Legacy of Martin Luther...
A biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
How African-Americans Championed for Change in...
For African-American reformers. African-American History.
Why Nat Turner's Rebellion Made White...
A description of Nat Turner's Rebellion in 1831.
4 Top Texts of the Civil Rights Movement
A list and description of the major speeches and writings of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s.
What You Should Know About the Emancipation...
The Emancipation Proclamation's purpose was to free slaves in the Confederacy by presidential decree. Its effect was to transform the Civil War into a moral war against the system of slavery.
What Were the Causes of the Great Migration of...
The Great Migration was movement from rural southern areas to northern, Midwestern and western cities.
How Crispus Attucks Became a Hero During the...
A profile of Crispus Attucks, an African-American sailor who was the first killed in the 1770 Boston Massacre.
When Did the Desegregation of the Military Take...
President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981 on July 26, 1948, ending segregation in the military.
Six Astounding African-American Artists of the...
Joshua Johnson was the first professional African-American portrait artist in the United States.
Timeline of the NAACP: 1909 to 1965
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the oldest and most recognized civil rights organization in the United States.
Why Emmett Till's Death Played a Pivotal Role...
A biography of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy who was killed for whistling at a white woman in Mississippi in 1955.
Timeline: 1930 to 1939
This timeline highlights African-American history from 1930 to 1939.
Enslavement Timeline 1619 to 1696
Enslavement in colonial America was established with one law at a time. Throughout the late 16th and 17th Centuries, laws were passed in several colonies to differentiate between African and white indentured servants.
What is African-American History?
The definition of African-American history has changed over time.
Learn About the Life of Marcus Garvey
Marcus Garvey came to the United States in the midst of the Harlem Renaissance, a flowering of African-American culture. He founded the UNIA, urging African Americans to be proud of their African heritage.
What are the key events for the abolition...
The Abolition Movement of the 1830s was filled with action. From the publication of Garrison's
The Unforgettable Jim Crow Era
The Jim Crow Era in American society lasted from the late 1870s to 1965 with the passage of the Voting Rights Act.
African-American History Timeline: 1940 to 1949
This timeline looks at African-American achievements between 1940 to 1949.
Anti-Lynching Movement
The Anti Lynching movement was a movement aimed at abolishing the practice of lynching.
3 Causes of the Red Summer of 1919
The Red Summer of 1919 began in May and lasted until the end of October. During this time, race riots erupted in many northern cities.
Thirteenth Amendment
Text of the Thirteenth Amendment (1865), which ended slavery in the United States.
How Martin Luther King Day Became a Federal...
The history and origins of Martin Luther King Day.
What is Abolitionism?
Abolitionists worked to end slavery. Their philosophies on how to end slavery were very different. Historian Herbert Aptheker outlines the three types of abolitionism.
Who are the Scottsboro Boys?
The Scottsboro Boys were nine African-American teens ranging in age from thirteen to nineteen. Each was tried and convicted of raping two white women on a Southern railroad freight train.
Who is the Father of the Underground Railroad?
William Still was an abolitionist, civil rights activist and businessman who coined the term Underground Railroad and was one of its chief conductors.
A Biography of Harriet Tubman
A biography of Harriet Tubman, a former slave who helped over 200 others escape from slavery to the North.
Literary Timeline of the Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance is the considered the first literary movement in the United States in which many black writers are able to explore various themes existing in African American society. This is a timeline of the major publications and events of this period.
Rosa Parks: Mother of the Civil Rights Movement
With one single refusal, Rosa Parks became the mother of Civil Rights Movement.
Who is James Forten?
James Forten was more than a wealthy African-American. He was an abolitionist and sociopolitical activist.
African-American History Timeline: 1950 to 1959
This timeline highlights important events and people in the 1950s.
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom is credited with pushing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law.
Maggie Lena Walker
Maggie Lena Walker was the first women in the United States to direct a bank. Throughout her career as a businesswoman, Walker worked to help African-Americans.
NACW: Fighting for Social Justice During the...
The National Association of Colored Women was established to grant African-American women a voice in society. For the past 110 years, the NACW has worked to provide social services and end racism in the United States.
Four Initiatives Developed by W.E.B. Du Bois
Historian, sociologist, writer, educator and sociopolitical activist, W.E.B. Du Bois fought throughout his career to uplift African-Americans through a variety of methods.
Paul Laurence Dunbar: Poet Laureate of the...
Paul Laurence Dunbar was the most prominent African-American literary figure prior to the Harlem Renaissance.
African-American History Timeline: 1840 to 1849
This is an African-American history timeline highlighting significant events between 1840 and 1849.
African-American History Timeline: 1700 - 1799
African-American History Timeline: 1700 to 1799 focuses on key events and people living during this time period.
Legends of the Jazz Age
Louis Satchmo Armstrong once said, My whole life, my soul, my whole spirit is to blow that horn. Like Armstrong, other jazz musicians such as Duke
A Biography of Carter G. Woodson
A biography of historian Carter G. Woodson, who founded the field of African-American history.
Ida B. Wells-Barnett
Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a journalist, suffragist and overall crusader for justice.
Gabriel Prosser's Plot
Gabriel Prosser prepared for the farthest reaching rebellion by enslaved men in United States' history.
Top Five Cities of the Abolition Movement
This article is a list of the five cities that played an important role in the abolition movement.
Seven Contributions Lugenia Burns Hope Made to...
Lugenia Burns Hope worked tirelessly to improve the lives of African-Americans in Georgia through various initiatives.
4 Stops on the Niagara Freedom Trail
Niagara Bound Tours is a tourism company dedicated to teaching travelers about the experiences of freedom seekers who crossed the Niagara River during enslavement.
25 Interesting Events of the Early 19th Century
African-American History Timeline of 1800 to 1819 documents specific acts of legislation, events and people who were prominent societal figures.
Timeline: 1865 to 1869
This timeline takes a look at key events taking place between 1865 and 1869.
Three Powerful Black Newspapers During the Jim...
The African-American press was instrumental in campaigning against Jim Crow in the South and de facto segregation in the North.
Members of the Black Panther Party
This is a list of three prominent leaders of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense
Primary Documents for the Study of American...
If you are interested in learning more about slavery from the perspective of the enslaved, here are some great sources to get started.
Five Blues Singin Women
In 1920, Mamie Smith sang âCrazy Blues,â and musical history--the song is considered the first blues
Why is James Weldon Johnson considered a...
This page offers biographical information on the African-American writer, James Weldon Johnson. The profile features a biography, family information and various texts published by the author.
Booker T. Washington: Biography
Booker T. Washington was the most influential African-American leader from 1895 until his death in 1915.
Zora Neale Hurston: Folklorist and Novelist
Zora Neale Hurston's work as a novelist was heavily influenced by the folklore she heard as a child and her research as an anthropologist.
How did Arturo Schomburg preserve African-Ameri...
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg's collected artifacts of the African Diaspora. Today, the Schomburg Center for Research and Black Study is world renowned.
How did the abolition movement grow in the...
The 1820s planted the seeds for the burgeoning Abolition Movement of the 1830s.
American Negro Academy: Promoting the Talented...
The American Negro Academy promoted the work of African-American scholars in the late 19th, early 20th century.
The Origins of Black History Month
How did Black History Month get its start?
African-American History Timeline: 1965 to 1969
Key events and people in African-American History between 1965 to 1969.
24 Astounding Events of the 1850s
The 1850s were a turbulent time in American history for African-Americans.
African-American History Timeline: 1960 to 1964
Important events in African-American history from 1960 to 1964.
National Negro Convention Movement
The National Negro Convention Movement began in 1830 and ended in 1864. For thirty-four years, freed African-Americans met on the local, state and national level to fight racial discrimination and enslavement. Their efforts solidified the first black nationalist movement.
What are the accomplishments of Ella Baker?
Ella Baker was a strategic organizer and mentor to several Civil Rights Movement organizations.
3 African-American Abolitionists (Frederick...
Abolitionists used various tactics to help enslaved African-Americans gain freedom. Three notable African-American abolitionists are listed.
Daniel Hale Williams: Groundbreaking Surgeon
Daniel Hale Williams was a groundbreaking physician who performed the first successful open heart surgery in the world. He also co-founded Provident Hospital and the NMA
African-American Children's Literature: Past,...
Autobiographies, Memoirs, and Biographies written on African-American figures for children
What happened to Dred Scott?
The Dred Scott case was a seminal case in United States history.
Jessie Redmon Fauset: Harlem Renaissance Editor...
Jessie Redmon Fauset was one of the key players of the Harlem Renaissance. As literary editor of The Crisis, Fauset promoted the work of African-American writers.
Robert Morris Sr.
Robert S. Morris Sr. was one of the first African-American lawyers in the United States.
Eight Achievements of Malcolm X
Once a convicted criminal, Malcolm X rose to prominence as a religious/political leader of the Nation of Islam. By his death in 1965, X had broken away from the NOI and formed the Muslim Mosque Inc.
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is a holiday, begun in Texas, that celebrates the emancipation of American slaves.
The Niagara Movement: Organizing for Social...
The Niagara Movement was an instrumental organization that was established in 1905 by journalist William Monroe Trotter and W.E.B. Du Bois in opposition to Booker T. Washington's philosophy as an accommodation.
Who was John Baxter Taylor?
John Baxter Taylor was the first African-American to represent the United States in an international athletic competition and the first to win an Olympic gold medal
Prominent Men of the Civil Rights Movement
A. Philip Randolph was important to organizing several moments in the Civil Rights Movement.
Claude McKay: Proletariat Poet
Claude McKay was one of the most prolific poets of the Harlem Renaissance--writing sonnets that exposed the harsh realities of African-American life in the United States.
Timeline: 1910 to 1919
Key events and issues occurring between 1910 and 1919.
Fast Facts About the First Four Years of the...
This timeline features events related to African-American history that occurred between 1860 and 1864.
5 Contributions SNCC Made to the Civil Rights...
SNCC was established in 1960 on the campus of Shaw University as a civil rights organization.
Fourteenth Amendment
The text of the Fourteenth Amendment, which repudiated the Supreme Court decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857).
Timeline: 1870 to 1879
Key events in the decade of 1870.
African-American History Timeline: 1970 to 1979
Key African-American History events occurring between 1970 and 1979.
Five Achievements of Martin Delany: Father of...
Seven Black Women Who Contributed to the...
Seven African-American women and their contributions to the anti-slavery movement.
Asa Philip Randolph: Civil Rights Movement...
Asa Philip Randolph's career as a civil rights activist began well before the Harlem Renaissance and lasted through the modern Civil Rights Movement.
African-American History Timeline: 1980 to 1989
This month's historical timeline features events taking place between 1980 and 1989. As a result of various civil rights struggles in previous decades, it
Macon Bolling Allen: The First African-American...
Macon Bolling Allen was the first African-American to be granted a license to practice law in the United States. He was also the first to hold a judicial
African-American History Timeline: 1920 - 1929
Important events in African-American history occurring between 1920 and 1929.
47 Incredible Events in African-American...
Important events and people from 1820 to 1839.
William Monroe Trotter: An Uncompromising...
William Monroe Trotter opposed everyone--from government officials to Booker T.Washington--for not believing that African-Americans deserved immediate equality in American society.
Alain Leroy Locke: Advocate for African-America...
Like Jessie Redmon Fauset, Alain Leroy Locke worked diligently to promote the literary and artistic work of African-Americans during the Harlem Renaissance.
AME Church
The AME Church was established in 1816 by Reverend Richard Allen
Benjamin Tucker Tanner
Benjamin Tucker Tanner was a prominent 19th Century AME minister and bishop. He is also the father of artist Henry Ossawa Tanner and Halle Tanner Dillon Johnson, one of the first African-American women physicians in the United States.
Remembering Maya: The Caged Bird Has Sung
Maya Angelou is remembered for her courage as an African-American women writer.
Museum Spotlight: North American Black...
Blog post about the North American Black Historical Museum
Where did writers of the Harlem Renaissance...
Daily and monthly publications were important to promoting the work of Harlem Renaissance artists.
The Literary Contributions of James Baldwin
James Baldwin's work as an essayist, novelist and playwright explored issues such as personal identity, racism, and sexuality.
African-American History Timeline: 1880 to 1889
This article highlights important events occurring between 1880 and 1889.
The Artistic Genius of Edmonia Lewis
Edmonia Lewis was the first African-American woman to be recognized as a sculptor.
Five Playwrights of the Harlem Renaissance
A list of five Harlem Renaissance playwrights
Jackie Robinson Integrates Baseball
Today in History: Jackie Robinson Integrates Baseball
What is the Black Panther Party?
This timeline features key events of the Black Panther Party.
What happened to the Negro Baseball Leagues?
The Negro Baseball League was established after African-American players were banned from playing in white baseball clubs.
Henry Ossawa Tanner: A Naturalist at Heart
Henry Ossawa Tanner was the first African-American artist to achieve international acclaim.
Arna Bontemps
Arna Bontemps was a poet and novelist of the Harlem Renaissance. Yet, it was his work as a curator who archived African-American literature and culture that makes him most notable.
Remembering Malcolm X
Malcolm X. African-American History.
African-American History Timeline: 1700 to 1799
African-American History Timeline: 1700 to 1799
Timeline of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society
The Pennsylvania Abolition Society used moral suasion followed by political action as a method to abolish enslavement.
On the Bookshelf: Six Autobiographies by...
This article highlights six autobiographies of prominent African-American thinkers throughout American History.
Acclaimed Self-Taught William Edmondson
William Edmondson was a self-taught sculptor whose artistry was inspired by God. Edmondson was the first African-American to have his art exhibited at the MoMA
The Achievements of Mary McLeod Bethune
Mary McCleod Bethune was a lifelong educator and civic leader.
Who is Mr. Bojangles?
Bill Bojangles Robinson's career spanned vaudeville, the Broadway stage and film.
Five Playwrights of the Harlem Renaissance
Playwrights of the Harlem Renaissance explored themes such as racism, lynching and heritage in their theatrical productions.
African-American History Month 2013: Celebratin...
African-American History Month 2013: Celebrating Freedom and Activism
Angela Davis: Political Activist
Angela Davis is an African American political activist, philosopher, and retired professor. Davis was a leader of the Communist Party USA and, though never an
A Freedom Seeker's Remarkable Second Chance at...
Anthony Burns was a fugitive slave who was caught in Boston two months after he reclaimed his freedom.
Five Blues Singing Women of the 1920s
African-American blues singers in the 1920s
William Wells Brown
William Wells Brown was an abolitionist, writer and historian.
Timleine: 1900 to 1909
This timeline traces important moments in African-American history between 1900 and 1909
Fannie Lou Hamer
Fannie Lou Hamer was a grassroots worker in Mississippi whose fight to register local voters led to national publicity.
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson broke racial barriers and made history when he became the first African-American baseball player to play Major League Baseball.
Today in African-American History: The 15th...
the 15th Amendment is ratified on feb 3, 1870
Fighting Jim Crow
The Jim Crow Era in United States history began towards the end of the Reconstruction Period and lasted until 1965 with the passage of the Voting Rights Act.
David Walker
David Walker wrote David Walker's Appeal in 1829
Who is Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller?
Sculptor Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller was the first African-American woman to be commissioned by the U.S. government to create visual art.
Abyssinian Baptist Church
Abyssinian Baptist Church. African-American History.
Alice Walker
Alice Walker is an African-American writer and activist. As a writer, Walker is best known for The Color Purple, which won both the Pulitzer Prize and The
Three Achievements of Macon Bolling Allen
Macon Bolling Allen was the first African-American licensed attorney and judge in the United States.
6 Memorable Photos of MLK and the Civil Rights...
Image of MLK as the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church
Richard Wright
On the Bookshelf: Four African-American...
Leon's Story by Leon Tillage provides readers with the struggles a young man endures while living in the segregated South.
Countee Cullen
Countee Cullen was a prominent literary figure of the Harlem Renaissance.
Biography of Halle Tanner Dillon Johnson
Halle Tanner Dillon Johnson was the first woman of any race to pass the Alabama State Medical Examination. She later became the founder of Tuskegee University's Nurses' School and Hospital. She is the eldest daughter of AME bishop Benjamin Tucker Tanner and sister to famed artist, Henry Ossawa Tanner.
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass' work as an abolitionist--speaking throughout the United States and Europe--as well as publishing a newspaper and slave narratives, make him an important member of the abolitionist movement.
Frances Watkins Harper
Writer, educator, and abolitionist, Frances Watkins Harper spoke out against sexism and racism.
Who are five early African-American Poets?
Jupiter Hammon was the first African-American to publish his work in the United States.
Meta V.W.Fuller
Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller traveled to Paris in 1899 to study with Raphaël Collin. While studying with Collin, Fuller was mentored by painter Henry Ossawa Tanner.
Jacob Lawrence: Visual Chronicler of the...
Jacob Lawrence depict African-American historical figures and events in visual narrative series.
Alex Haley's Prominent Writing
John Mercer Langston
John Mercer Langston was not only the first African-American to serve in Congress, he was also an abolitionist, educator and fighter for racial unity as well as equality.
Carl Murphy: A Publisher with a Purpose
Carl Murphy's work as editor and publisher of the Baltimore Afro-American
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
Bill ¨Bojangles¨ Robinson was born in Richmond, Virginia May 25, 1878. Though he began dancing in beer gardens at the age of five, his stage career began at the
Three White Abolitionists at Work
Writer Lydia Maria Child's work as an abolitionist included campaigning for women to have membership in non gender specific antislavery societies.
On the Bookshelf: Top 5 Slave Narratives
Slave narratives allowed the world the opportunity to experience the treatment former slaves endured.
Nikki Giovanni
Poet, activist and educator Nikki Giovanni describes herself as a Black American, daughter, mother and a professor of English. Throughout her career as a

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