Muhammad Speaks for Freedom, Justice, and Equality
The official newspaper of the Nation of Islam—published from 1960-1975—combined investigative journalism and Black Nationalist views on racial uplift.
The “Deviant” African Genders That Colonialism Condemned
European travellers and anthropologists found that their gendered worldview didn’t easily map onto the societies they encountered.
Adolph Reed Jr.: The Perils of Race Reductionism
The political scientist Adolph Reed Jr. on the Black Lives Matter movement, the “rich peoples’ wealth gap,” and his Marxism.
The Haiku of Richard Wright
As he lay bedridden with dysentery, the author wrote an astonishing number of haiku. What inspired him?
Who Was Sesame Street’s First Black Muppet?
Since the beginning, the children's show has tried to represent the diversity of the nation. But Roosevelt Franklin was controversial.
How the Black Labor Movement Envisioned Liberty
To Reconstruction-era Black republicans, the key to preserving the country’s character was stopping the rise of a wage economy.
Black Conquistadors and Black Maroons
Some formerly enslaved Blacks and freedmen accompanied the Spanish invaders; others formed their own communities.
How Kitchen Table Press Changed Publishing
Founded by and for women of color, the press issued such revolutionary works as This Bridge Called My Back.
How Octavia E. Butler Became a Legend
The early inspiration and experiences that shaped the visionary science fiction storyteller.
How Mary Fields Became “Stagecoach Mary”
Born enslaved, she made her way to Montana and eventually became the first Black woman to deliver mail on a "star route."