Louis E. Martin, Assistant to President Jimmy Carter (NAID 181236) On his 108th birthday, The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum highlights the life of African American journalist and political activist, Louis E. Martin. Although inconspicuous, Martin’s contributions to the political empowerment of African Americans is undeniable. Martin’s political prominence influenced some of the most historical Presidential … Continue reading Louis E. Martin: The Godfather of Black Politics
How has a Commander-in-Chief used his executive power to help shape a diverse nation? With the stroke of a pen, he has used this power to command, appoint, veto, remove, and pardon. This year, the National Archives Exhibits Division’s Outgoing Loan program teamed up with the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, and lent several original … Continue reading Commander-in-Chief: U.S. Presidents and their Executive Power
Part II: Literacy Tests, Poll Taxes, and other 1971(a) Barriers to the Black Vote In 1962, Deputy Attorney General Burke Marshall reported that “racial denials of the right to vote” existed in eight states, with only fourteen percent of eligible black citizens registered to vote in Alabama, and just five percent in Mississippi. There were … Continue reading Voting Rights in the Early 1960s: “Registering Who They Wanted To”
Today’s blog was written by Kevin L. Bradley, Archives Technician in the Motion Picture, Sound, and Video Division at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland In 1961, Ernie Davis became the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. He was an intelligent and talented athlete from Syracuse University. Born on December 19, 1939 … Continue reading Ernie “The Express” Davis
In 1967, Thurgood Marshall became the first African American to serve as United States Supreme Court Justice. It was a milestone etched in the American memory in part because of the infamous fight to push Marshall’s nomination through a bitterly divided U.S. Senate. But, few people know that the Supreme Court battle was not Marshall’s … Continue reading “The Long Siege”: Thurgood Marshall’s Other Court Nomination Battle
Today’s blog is written by Dr. Tina L. Ligon, Archivist and Damon Turner, doctoral student at Morgan State University and summer intern at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. At the conclusion of World War II, African Americans began an aggressive campaign to achieve equal rights in America. Organizations such as the National Association … Continue reading The Road to the Civil Rights Act of 1964
