The Ghosts of Slavery in Charles Chesnutt’s Fiction
What begins as a magical escape from the horrors of plantation life soon turns into a spine-chilling testament to slavery’s dehumanizing effects.
Teaching Black Women’s Self-Care during Jim Crow
Maryrose Reeves Allen founded a wellness program at Howard University in 1925 that emphasized the physical, mental, and spiritual health of Black women.
The Work of Pioneering Musicologist Eileen Southern
The scholarship of Black music was transformed by Southern's work, and is now being honored by a new initiative.
Making Eyes on the Prize
One of the most influential historical documentaries of all time almost didn't get made.
How Black Americans Fought for Literacy
From the moment US Army troops arrived in the South, newly freed people sought ways to gain education—particularly to learn to read and write.
How Walter Rubusana Paved the Way for Nelson Mandela
Rubusana was the first Black politician elected to office in colonial South Africa.
For James McCune Smith, Racism Was All Over Anthropology
What if the creation story of anthropology isn't exclusively about white men classifying people as primitive?
Marcus Garvey’s Journey Began in Central America
Marcus Garvey left Jamaica unemployed, an anti-colonial trade unionist who British authorities considered dangerous.
The History of Black-Owned Record Labels
Decades before Motown ruled the radio, labels like Black Swan and Black Patti put out records that didn't stereotype African American music.
Stokely Carmichael, Radical Teacher
The civil rights leader who changed his name to Kwame Ture encouraged students in the Mississippi Freedom Schools to think critically.