Today's post was written by Grace Schultz, archivist at the National Archives at Philadelphia. A companion lesson plan can be viewed in DocsTeach. The fight to desegregate schools started long before the Supreme Court’s decision in Oliver Brown, et al. v. Board of Education of Topeka, et al. (NAID 561058), and it continues today. As … Continue reading Equalization and its Role in Dismantling Racial Segregation in Virginia Public Schools
Since the dissolvement of the Freedman’s Bank, the peculiar history of financial institutions and the African American community has been woven into America’s cultural fabric. This is why the appointment of Azie Taylor Morton to President Jimmy Carter’s administration was, and still is revolutionary. On September 12,1977, President Carter appointed Azie Taylor Morton Treasurer of … Continue reading Azie Taylor Morton: The One and Only
Today's post was written by Netisha Currie, archives specialist at the National Archives at College Park. The latest Black History portal at the National Archives delves into a huge part of the American experience - the freedom of movement. Considering many people of African descent were forcibly brought to and moved throughout the United States, … Continue reading Portal Spotlight: Migrations and the Black Experience
Today's post was written by Holly Rivet, archival technician at the National Archives in St. Louis. The Washington State Park Civilian Conservation Corps Historic District (NAID 63818134) in Washington County, Missouri is protected by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as of March 4, 1985. This site was home to the Civilian Conservation Corps … Continue reading It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Camp Thunderbird of the Civilian Conservation Corps!
Today's blog post was written by Daria Labinsky, Archivist at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. When you work in an archives, you frequently discover amazing events that make you wish for a time machine (and a guest pass). One such event took place at the White House on February 23, 1979, when President Jimmy and … Continue reading “An Inspiration Throughout the World”: President Carter Presents Living Legacy Awards
Today's post was written by Billy R. Glasco, Jr., archivist at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. From the liberating poetry of Phyllis Wheatley to the heroism of Shirley Chisholm. From the fortitude of Ida B. Wells to the tenacity of Fannie Lou Hamer, Stacey Abrams, and other Black women who have fought on the … Continue reading Before Kamala: Black Women in Presidential Administrations
Today’s post comes from Ben Miller, an intern with the Exhibits team at the National Archives Museum. On August 31, 1852, Congress appropriated $100,000 to create the government hospital for the insane in Washington, DC. Soon known as St. Elizabeths, the hospital was meant to be a “model institution,” providing the highest quality mental health … Continue reading Treating Race at St. Elizabeths Hospital
In 1917, when the United States declared war on Germany and entered the Great War, African Americans were supportive. The patriotic spirit of the era encouraged Black men and women to enlist in the military, in order to fight for freedom and democracy. Although their patriotism was just as great as their white American counterparts, … Continue reading Portal Spotlight: World War I
Today's post was written by Gabrielle Hutchins, Ph.D, an archivist at the National Archives in College Park, MD George Edmund Haynes Dr. George Edmund Haynes is one of many remarkable figures in the history of the African American labor movement. During the 1920s, Dr. Haynes truthfully captured Black laborers' stories as he traveled throughout the … Continue reading Dr. George Edmund Haynes: Social Crusader in Black Economics
Today’s post was written by Gabrielle Downer, Ph.D. Archivist in the Textual Processing Division at the National Archives at College Park Historically, the agricultural industry has been generally unable to meet the labor demands since the 1940s. During World War II, the United States suffered drastically from food and labor shortages. Farm workers joined the … Continue reading Historical Background of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
