Dick Gregory, Civil Rights Activist and Comedic Legend

Richard Claxton “Dick” Gregory was born in St. Louis, Missouri on October 12, 1932. He attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale, until he was drafted into the United States Army. Gregory is notably recognized for his work during the 1960s where he became a forerunner in stand-up comedy and a political activist. He was the first … Continue reading Dick Gregory, Civil Rights Activist and Comedic Legend

Amelia Boynton Robinson, Leader in the Voting Rights Movement

Today’s Tribute was written by Dr. Tina L. Ligon, Archivist at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland “It’s important that young people know about the struggles we faced to get to the point we are today. Only then will they appreciate the hard-won freedom of blacks in this country.” ~ Amelia Boynton Robinson On … Continue reading Amelia Boynton Robinson, Leader in the Voting Rights Movement

Julian Bond, A Soldier for Civil Rights

Today’s Tribute was written by Dr. Tina Ligon, Archivist at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland   “I do think that some of us began to realize that this was going to be a long struggle that was going to go on for decades, and you'd have to knuckle down. A lot of people … Continue reading Julian Bond, A Soldier for Civil Rights

50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965

This blog post was written by Dr. Tina L. Ligon, Supervisory Archivist at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland     On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Voting Rights Act. This act helped disenfranchised African Americans to register to vote and gave the federal government power to oversee … Continue reading 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Record of the Week: Selma, Edmund Pettus Bridge FBI Case File

Today's post was written by Netisha Currie, Archives Specialist at the National Archives in College Park. This weekend the 87th annual Academy Awards will air, and many of the Best Picture nominees' subjects are culled from historical events or people. Selma (directed by Ava DuVernay) is a dramatization of the events that happened around the Selma to Montgomery … Continue reading Record of the Week: Selma, Edmund Pettus Bridge FBI Case File