The American Church Was Deeply Divided, Wielding the Same Bible as Both a Weapon of Oppression and a Tool of Liberation The American pulpit was profoundly divided. Ministers across the…
Category: Education
Dyess, Arkansas: A New Deal Colony Echoing a Broken Promises of “40 acres and a mule”
In the depths of the Great Depression, a bold social experiment unfolded in the Arkansas Delta. Known as the Dyess Colony, this federally funded community provided struggling white families with…
“Tariffs, Taxes, and the Twilight of a Union: How Economic Tensions Shadowed the Road to the Civil War”
While slavery was undoubtedly the engine of this discord, there were other gears grinding in the background—less visible, perhaps, but no less significant. Among them: tariffs and taxes. In this…
The 761st Tank Battalion: ‘Come Out Fighting’ – A Legacy of Courage and Resolve
This is a story of valor, of men who dared to fight on two fronts—against tyranny abroad and racism at home. The men of the 761st Tank Battalion, known as…
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…
To Preserve Slavery, Nothing Was Sacred. Not Even The Bible
The Slave Bible exemplifies how religion was weaponized to sustain slavery. Officially titled Parts of the Holy Bible, Selected for the Use of the Negro Slaves, in the British West-India…
In 1865, Congress Created the Freemen’s Bureau. But, Sometimes, Good Intentions Breeds Detractors.
Establishment The Freedmen’s Bureau was established on March 3, 1865. It was officially known as the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands. Congress created it during the closing months…
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…