Keyes v. School District Number One, Denver, Colorado; Eliminating the “Root and Branch” of School Segregation

Today's post was written by Cody White, Archivist at the National Archives at Denver The stark, black and white Denver Post photograph one finds online is startling; in it two firemen are sweeping broken glass from a window shattered by a pipe bomb while Wilfred Keyes and his wife, just shadows in the dark of … Continue reading Keyes v. School District Number One, Denver, Colorado; Eliminating the “Root and Branch” of School Segregation

Lynching of Women in United States Blog Series: The Lynching of Mrs. Mary Turner and Her Family

This blog was written by Dr. Trichita M. Chestnut, Management and Program Analyst in the Office of the Chief Operating Officer at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. Lynching remains one of the most disturbing and least understood atrocities in American history. Defining the act of lynching is also controversial and for the purpose … Continue reading Lynching of Women in United States Blog Series: The Lynching of Mrs. Mary Turner and Her Family

The Week of April 4, 1968: A Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today’s post was written by Steven Booth, Archivist at the Barack Obama Presidential Library in Hoffman Estates, IL This week cities across the United States commemorated the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was killed on April 4, 1968. The day prior to his death, Dr. King traveled to … Continue reading The Week of April 4, 1968: A Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A School Girl Makes History: Tribute to Linda Brown

On March 25, 2018, Linda Brown passed at age 76 (some reports claim 75) in Topeka, Kansas. She was the schoolgirl who was at the center of the 1954 US Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education. At age 9, Brown's father Oliver Brown attempted to enroll her in the all-white Sumner Elementary School … Continue reading A School Girl Makes History: Tribute to Linda Brown

A Man of Many “Firsts”

   Today’s post was written by Daniella Furman, Archivist in the Textual Processing Branch at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland      With both Black History month and the 50th anniversary of the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fast approaching, I began looking back to the year of 1968 to … Continue reading A Man of Many “Firsts”

Marshall film takes a look at Thurgood Marshall’s early career

Marshall tells the story of Thurgood Marshall's early days as a young lawyer fighting alongside fellow lawyer, Sam Friedman, in the case of a black chauffeur Joseph Spell, accused by his white employer, Eleanor Stubing, of sexual assault and attempted murder. The film stars Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, and Kate Hudson. Previous blog posts relating to … Continue reading Marshall film takes a look at Thurgood Marshall’s early career

The Freedom Train and the Contagion of Liberty, 1947-1949

Today’s post is written by Dr. Greg Bradsher, Senior Archivist at the National Archives at College Park Late in 1946, Attorney General Tom Clark, concerned about the direction American life was taking in the wake of World War II, decided something dramatic was needed to increase public awareness of their heritage of freedom and the … Continue reading The Freedom Train and the Contagion of Liberty, 1947-1949

Let Freedom Ring!!! Honoring the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

This Week’s Special Blog Post is written by Tina L. Ligon, Textual Processing Archivist, and Christina Violeta Jones, Textual Reference Archivist. Known as one of the largest political rallies for human rights in the United States’ history, the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (MOW) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week. This … Continue reading Let Freedom Ring!!! Honoring the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

Institutional Racism in Woodrow Wilson’s America

This blog was written by Kierra Verdun, a rising senior at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan and is a summer intern in the Textual Processing Division at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. Civic engagement is vital to the success of a representative democracy. By voicing concerns to elected officials, constituents ensure that their voices … Continue reading Institutional Racism in Woodrow Wilson’s America

Black History Month 2017: Blogs Related to the Civil Rights Movement

Happy Black History Month! This year the Rediscovering Black History blog at the National Archives would like to highlight select posts from the past. This public blog was created to inform researchers, scholars, students, and anyone interested in records related to African-American history at the National Archives and Presidential Libraries on the vast amount of … Continue reading Black History Month 2017: Blogs Related to the Civil Rights Movement