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…
Tag: Discrimination
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…
Invisible Shackles: The Impact of Black Codes on African Americans In The Years Immediately Following the Civil War.
After the Civil War, as the nation grappled with the aftermath of slavery, the question of freed Black people’s status in the South remained unresolved. The Black Codes were created,…
The 6888th Central Postal Battalion, Six Triple Eight. “No mail, no morale.”
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion comprised entirely of African American women, faced discrimination and adversity head-on while delivering an essential service to WWII troops overseas. In the early 1940s,…
Booker T. Spicely, A Victim of Jim Crow Violence
In 1944, Booker T. Spicely, a Black Army private stationed at Camp Butner, clashed with a white bus driver, Herman Council, over seating segregation. The confrontation ended when Council shot…
Blind Tom Wigging, Musical Prodigy Who Suffered Exploitation At The Hands Of Those Who Enslaved Him
Thomas Greene Wiggins, known as “Blind Tom,” was a musical prodigy born into slavery. Despite his blindness and autism, his musical talent was revealed early, as he echoed sounds and…
Remembering Ida B. Wells
Ida B. Wells, a remarkable figure in American history, was born during slavery in 1862 in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Wells’ parents and one brother succumbed to yellow fever. After these…
The Great Migration and Efforts to Suppress It.
The early 20th century was a time when African Americans faced widespread racism, discrimination, and segregation in the Southern United States. During this era, a significant movement known as the…
Newspapers Role In The Buying And Selling Of Slaves
Newspapers played a significant role in disseminating information and facilitating various transactions. Sadly, one of those transactions was the sale of human beings. These newspapers not only advertised slaves for…
The 761st Tank Battalion, AKA the “Black Panthers” of WWII
The 761st Tank Battalion was a segregated unit of the United States Army during World War II composed primarily of African American soldiers. The battalion was activated in April 1942…