A troubling development is unfolding in federal policy, which may have profound consequences for the civil rights protections enshrined in the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. At issue is…
Category: Civil Rights Movement
A Story of Resilience: The Rise of Black-Owned Banks and Fraternal Organizations
This is a story of a community pushed to the margins but determined to forge its path to prosperity and dignity. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, African…
The Red Cross and Segregation of Life-Saving Blood Donations From African Americans
The American Red Cross’s segregation of African American blood donations during World War II actively upheld systemic racism in a critical realm: life-saving medical care. Influenced by pseudoscientific beliefs about…
Red Summer and The Massacre Of Elaine, Arkansas
In 1919, several interrelated factors intensified racial tensions in the United States. During Reconstruction, African Americans gained significant political and legal rights, such as voting and holding public office. However,…
The race riots of East St. Louis and Springfield. A stark reminder of the violence and racial division that persisted then and now in America.
The East St. Louis race riot of 1917 stands as one of the darkest moments of racial violence in American history. What began as economic and racial tension soon spiraled…
Home Ownership, The American Dream – A Racial Nightmare
Levittown, one of post-World War II America’s most iconic suburban developments, symbolizes opportunity and exclusion. Created by William Levitt and his company, Levitt & Sons, Levittown represented the promise of…
Before Other civil rights organization there was the Black Cabinet
The Black Cabinet, sometimes referred to as the “Federal Council of Negro Affairs,” was composed of influential Black professionals within the federal government and symbolized the potential for real change…
Mary Ellen Pleasant: Pioneer, Entrepreneur, Benefactor
Mary Ellen Pleasant, an African American entrepreneur and abolitionist, is renowned for her efforts in the Underground Railroad and her support of the abolitionist movement. She used her considerable resources…
Civil Rights Act of 1871: Combating the Ku Klux Klan
The Civil Rights Act of 1871, enacted by the United States Congress during the turbulent Reconstruction Era, is a landmark in American legislative history. Its passage was prompted by a…
The Niagara Movement, A Precursor to the NAACP
The Niagara Movement, founded in 1905, pioneered the early 20th-century fight for African American civil rights. It set forth a bold and uncompromising vision for equality, advocating for African Americans’…