African-American history

The Ocoee Massacre of 1920: A Tragedy Born of a Black Man’s Quest to Vote

The Ocoee massacre of 1920 was a violent attack on the African American community in Ocoee, Florida, which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 50 to 60 black Americans.

Cathay Williams: The Trailblazing Woman Who Disguised Herself as a Man to Serve in the US Army

Cathay Williams was an African American woman who is notable for being the first known female African American to enlist and serve in the United States Army.

How Enslaved Black Women Resisted Slave Breeding By Using Cotton Roots as Contraceptives

Slave breeding was a slave multiplication agenda. It was implemented by slave owners through a forced sexual relation between the male and female slaves and between masters and their female slaves.

Tignon Laws: the Law That Prohibited Black Women From Wearing Their Natural Hair in Public

The tignon law was a 1786 law in Louisiana that forbade black women from going outdoors without wrapping their natural hair with a Tignon headscarf.

The Virginia Killing Act of 1669: the Law That Made It Legal to Kill a Slave

The Virginia casual killing act of 1669 declared that, should a slave be killed as a result of extreme punishment, the master should not face charges for the murder.

Meet Sarah Boone, the African American Dressmaker Who Invented the Modern-day Ironing Board in 1892

Sarah Boone was an African American dressmaker who made her name by inventing the modern-day ironing board in 1892.

Eugene Williams: How a Black Teen’s Death in a White Only Beach Triggered the Chicago Race Riot of 1919

The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 was a violent racial conflict that started on July 27 after 17-year-old Eugene Williams was stoned and drowned in Lake Michigan for unintentionally swimming in an area reserved for only white people. On Sunday,...

Tulsa Race Massacre: A White Mob Destroyed America’s Wealthiest Black Neighborhood On This Day In 1921

Tulsa race massacre of 1921, also called Tulsa race riot of 1921, is one of the most severe incidents of racial violence in United State's history.

The Kidnap and Brutal Lynching of Mack Charles Parker in 1959

Mack Charles Parker was a 23 year old truck driver who had been accused and arrested for allegedly raping a pregnant white woman.

Charles Sumner, the US Senator Who Was Almost Killed for Speaking Against Slavery

The Beating of Charles Sumner, occurred on May 22, 1856, in the United States Senate chamber, when Preston Brooks, used a walking cane to attack Senator Charles Sumner.
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The Slave Experience of Christmas

The Christmas holiday, a time typically associated with joy and festivity, held a complex and multifaceted significance for enslaved...