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Painting of the arrival of the first Africans arriving in Virginia, by Sydney King. From National Park Service.
Nikole Hannah-Jones opens her podcast at the shore, wondering what it was like for the Africans who were brought to Virginia in August, 1619. If you're curious to learn more about the African people who arrived in Virginia in 1619 on the White Lion, an English privateer, and what became of them, here are a few good sources:
Explore in more depth. The following two articles require you to login with your Duck ID or be signed into the campus VPN.
According to a letter by the tobacco planter John Rolfe, the widower of Pocahontas, a ship landed in England’s 12-year-old Jamestown settlement and “brought not anything but 20, and odd, Negroes, which the Governor and the Cape Merchant bought for victuals’’ – provisions. (From USA Today).
We learn in the podcast that in Thomas Jefferson's rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, he included slavery as an evil, blaming it on the "king of Great Britain." Read his original text.
There were free, Black abolitionists even at the time of the early Republic. One of them was Benjamin Banneker, a completely self-taught mathematical genius who achieved professional status in astronomy, navigation, and engineering. His acknowledged expertise and superior surveying skills let to his role as coworker with the Founding Fathers in planning Washington, DC. His annual Banneker's Almanac was the first written by an African American and outsold the major competition. Banneker enclosed a letter to Jefferson with a copy of his almanac, using Jefferson's own words against him to argue (in polite 18th century terms) against slavery. Jefferson sent this reply.
Benjamin Banneker: Surveyor, Astronomer, Publisher, Patriot by
The first biography of a major figure in early US and African American history.Yet, despite his accomplishments, there has been no biography of this important man--until now. Written by an author with strong ties across the Washington-Maryland-Virginia area where abolitionist societies revered Banneker, this long overdue biography at last gives the hard-earned attention this prominent hero and his accomplishments deserve.
David Walker was an African American abolitionist and writer born in 1796. His "Appeal" was loosely modeled on the U.S. Constitution and has been called "a radical anti-slavery and anti-racism manifesto." "Nothing like it had been published before. It remained a rallying point for African Americans for many years after Walker's death. And it informed the thinking of generations of Black leaders, including Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X."
Death or Liberty: African Americans and Revolutionary America by
Nikole Hannah-Jones talks about the 1862 meeting Lincoln had with 5 prominent members of the D.C. Black community, in which Lincoln stated that "you and we are separate races" and that it would be better for both if they were separated. Below you can see an account of that meeting from the Black perspective at that time.
There was a whole organization in the U.S. at that time devoted to resettling free African Americans to some other part of the world: the American Colonization Society. The U.S. House put forward a resolution with this report: Report of the Select Committee on Emancipation and Colonization with an Appendix. Many free Black Americans were opposed to this idea, Frederick Douglass (quite vehemently) among them. But there were also those who saw it as their best alternative. Here is a "Memorial" or petition from a group of them to Congress:
You can find more information on these remarkable men from the US House History website.
The period after Reconstruction to the early 20th century is called the Great Nadir. A nadir is a low point, and this period was defined by very bad race relations in the US.
Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow by
The abolition of slavery after the Civil War is a familiar story, as is the civil rights revolution that transformed the nation after World War II. But the century in between remains a mystery: if emancipation sparked 'a new birth of freedom' in Lincoln's America, why was it necessary to march in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s America? Gates uncovers the roots of structural racism in our own time, while showing how African-Americans after slavery combatted it by articulating a vision of a 'New Negro' to force the nation to recognise their humanity and unique contributions to the United States.
Reconstruction effectively ended in 1877 and the Jim Crow era began. Despite the hideousness and violence of the White terrorism imposed on Blacks in the South, there were Black voices that mounted a resistance. Below are a few of the important figures of this era and their works.
"W. E. B. Du Bois was a public intellectual, sociologist, and activist on behalf of the African American community. He profoundly shaped black political culture in the United States through his founding role in the NAACP, as well as internationally through the Pan-African movement."
The Souls of Black Folk by
"W. E. B. Du Bois was a public intellectual, sociologist, and activist on behalf of the African American community. He profoundly shaped black political culture in the United States through his founding role in the NAACP, as well as internationally through the Pan-African movement. More than one hundred years after its first publication in 1903, The Souls of Black Folk remains possibly the most important book ever penned by a black American."
Booker T. Washington rose from slavery to a position of power and influence, becoming one of the most important African-American leaders of his time. He built the Tuskegee institute into a major African-American presence and place of learning. Although Booker T. Washington encountered some criticism from other Black leaders for accommodating segregation, his accomplishments were remarkable and he devoted his life to improving the lives of African Americans.
Ida B. Wells was a journalist, editor, and a courageous and tireless anti-lynching activist. She also worked for woman suffrage and social reforms.
To Keep the Waters Troubled: The Life of Ida B. Wells by
In the generation that followed Frederick Douglass, no African American was more prominent, or more outspoken, than Ida B. Wells. Her crusade against lynching in the 1890s made her famous, or notorious, across America, and she was seriously considered as a rival to W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T.Washington for race leadership. Using diary entries, letters, and published writings, McMurry illuminates Wells's fiery personality, and the uncompromising approach that sometimes lost her friendships even as it won great victories.To Keep the Waters Troubled is an unforgettable account of a remarkable woman and the and the times she helped to change.
Still from The March by James Blue (1964).
Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Links to the Public Laws:
According to The Washington Post, "Historian Carol Anderson traces the evolution of voter suppression tactics, from poll taxes and literacy tests instituted after the passage of the 15th Amendment to the rise of strict voter ID laws and poll closures after the election of America’s first Black president. Anderson is a professor of African American Studies at Emory University and author of White Rage and One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression is Destroying Our Democracy."
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Although the 1960s saw the passage of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts,systemically racist conditions, including police harassment/ brutality and economic disparity, persisted. The mid- to late-1960s was a time of extreme unrest and urban riots. The Black Panther Party emerged during this time |
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LibrarySearch offers a streamlined interface for finding books and other media that combines the collections of UO Libraries and Summit libraries.
Middle Passage: White Ships/Black Cargo by
A powerful visual record & concise narrative of the slave trade that describes life in Africa & horrifying details of slave ships. Bowker Authored Title code. This is an important book about the slave trade. Sixty-four narrative paintings chronicle the journey of a slave ship & a historical introduction traces four centuries of slave trade. Map of the slave routes.
The Meaning of Freedom by
What is the meaning of freedom? Angela Y. Davis' life and work have been dedicated to examining this fundamental question and to ending all forms of oppression that deny people their political, cultural, and sexual freedom. In this collection of twelve searing, previously unpublished speeches, Davis confronts the interconnected issues of power, race, gender, class, incarceration, conservatism, and the ongoing need for social change in the United States. With her characteristic brilliance, historical insight, and penetrating analysis, Davis addresses examples of institutional injustice and explores the radical notion of freedom as a collective striving for real democracy - not something granted or guaranteed through laws, proclamations, or policies, but something that grows from a participatory social process that demands new ways of thinking and being. "The speeches gathered together here are timely and timeless," writes Robin D.G. Kelley in the foreword, "they embody Angela Davis' uniquely radical vision of the society we need to build, and the path to get there." The Meaning of Freedom articulates a bold vision of the society we need to build and the path to get there. This is her only book of speeches. "Davis' arguments for justice are formidable. . . . The power of her historical insights and the sweetness of her dream cannot be denied."--The New York Times "One of America's last truly fearless public intellectuals." --Cynthia McKinney, former US Congresswoman "Angela Davis offers a cartography of engagement in oppositional social movements and unwavering commitment to justice." --Chandra Talpade Mohanty, Women's Studies, Hamilton College "Angela Davis deserves credit, not just for the dignity and courage with which she has lived her life, but also for raising important critiques of a for-profit penitentiary system decades before those arguments gained purchase in the mainstream." --Thomas Chatterton Williams, SFGate "Angela Davis's revolutionary spirit is still strong. Still with us, thank goodness!" --Virginian-Pilot "Long before 'race/gender' became the obligatory injunction it is now, Angela Davis was developing an analytical framework that brought all of these factors into play. For readers who only see Angela Davis as a public icon . . . meet the real Angela Davis: perhaps the leading public intellectual of our era." --Robin D. G. Kelley author of Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original "There was a time in America when to call a person an 'abolitionist' was the ultimate epithet. It evoked scorn in the North and outrage in the South. Yet they were the harbingers of things to come. They were on the right side of history. Prof. Angela Y. Davis stands in that proud, radical tradition." --Mumia Abu-Jamal, author of Jailhouse Lawyers: Prisoners Defending Prisoners v. the U.S.A. "Behold the heart and mind of Angela Davis, open, relentless, and on time!" --June Jordan "Political activist, scholar, and author Angela Davis confronts the interconnected issues of power, race, gender, class, incarceration, conservatism, and the ongoing need for social change in the U.S. in her book, The Meaning of Freedom: And Other Difficult Dialogues." --Travis Smiley Radio Angela Y. Davis is professor emerita at the University of California and author of numerous books. She is a much sought after public speaker and an internationally known advocate for social justice. Robin D.G. Kelley is the author of many books and a professor at the University of Southern California.
One Person, No Vote by
As featured in the documentaryAll In: The Fight for Democracy Finalist for the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction Longlisted for the National Book Award in Nonfiction Named one of the Best Books of the Year by: Washington Post * Boston Globe * NPR* Bustle * BookRiot * New York Public Library From the award-winning,New York Timesbestselling author ofWhite Rage, the startling--and timely--history of voter suppression in America, with a foreword by Senator Dick Durbin. In herNew York Times bestsellerWhite Rage, Carol Anderson laid bare an insidious history of policies that have systematically impeded black progress in America, from 1865 to our combustible present. WithOne Person, No Vote, she chronicles a related history: the rollbacks to African American participation in the vote since the 2013 Supreme Court decision that eviscerated the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Known as theShelby ruling, this decision effectively allowed districts with a demonstrated history of racial discrimination to change voting requirements without approval from the Department of Justice. Focusing on the aftermath ofShelby, Anderson follows the astonishing story of government-dictated racial discrimination unfolding before our very eyes as more and more states adopt voter suppression laws. In gripping, enlightening detail she explains how voter suppression works, from photo ID requirements to gerrymandering to poll closures. And with vivid characters, she explores the resistance: the organizing, activism, and court battles to restore the basic right to vote to all Americans.
Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America by
Jezebel's sexual lasciviousness, Mammy's devotion, and Sapphire's outspoken anger—these are among the most persistent stereotypes that black women encounter in contemporary American life. Hurtful and dishonest, such representations force African American women to navigate a virtual crooked room that shames them and shapes their experiences as citizens. Many respond by assuming a mantle of strength that may convince others, and even themselves, that they do not need help. But as a result, the unique political issues of black women are often ignored and marginalized. In this groundbreaking book, Melissa V. Harris-Perry uses multiple methods of inquiry, including literary analysis, political theory, focus groups, surveys, and experimental research, to understand more deeply black women's political and emotional responses to pervasive negative race and gender images. Not a traditional political science work concerned with office-seeking, voting, or ideology, Sister Citizen instead explores how African American women understand themselves as citizens and what they expect from political organizing. Harris-Perry shows that the shared struggle to preserve an authentic self and secure recognition as a citizen links together black women in America, from the anonymous survivors of Hurricane Katrina to the current First Lady of the United States.
Recasting the Vote: How Women of Color Transformed the Suffrage Movement by
We think we know the story of women's suffrage in the United States: women met at Seneca Falls, marched in Washington, D.C., and demanded the vote until they won it with the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. But the fight for women's voting rights extended far beyond these familiar scenes. From social clubs in New York's Chinatown to conferences for Native American rights, and in African American newspapers and pamphlets demanding equality for Spanish-speaking New Mexicans, a diverse cadre of extraordinary women struggled to build a movement that would truly include all women, regardless of race or national origin. In Recasting the Vote, Cathleen D. Cahill tells the powerful stories of a multiracial group of activists who propelled the national suffrage movement toward a more inclusive vision of equal rights. Cahill reveals a new cast of heroines largely ignored in earlier suffrage histories: Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin, Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Zitkala-Sa), Laura Cornelius Kellogg, Carrie Williams Clifford, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, and Adelina "Nina" Luna Otero-Warren. With these feminists of color in the foreground, Cahill recasts the suffrage movement as an unfinished struggle that extended beyond the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. As we celebrate the centennial of a great triumph for the women's movement, Cahill's powerful history reminds us of the work that remains.
Coming Full Circle: From Jim Crow to Journalism by
Wanda Smalls Lloyd's Coming Full Circle: From Jim Crow to Journalism--with a foreword by best-selling author Tina McElroy Ansa--is the memoir of an African American woman who grew up privileged and educated in the restricted culture of the American South in the 1950s-1960s. Her path was shaped by segregated social, community, and educational systems, religious and home training, a strong cultural foundation, and early leadership opportunities. Despite Jim Crow laws that affected where she lived, how she was educated, and what civil rights she would be denied, Lloyd grew up to realize her childhood dream of working as a professional journalist. In fact, she would eventually hold some of the nation's highest-ranking newspaper editorial positions and become one of the first African American women to be the top editor of a mainstream daily newspaper. Along the way she helped her newspapers and other media organizations understand how the lack of newsroom and staff diversity interfered with perceptions of accuracy and balance for their audiences. Her memoir is thus a window on the intersection of race, gender, culture and the media's role in our uniquely American experiment in democracy. How Lloyd excelled in a profession where high-ranking African American women were rare is a memorable story that will educate, entertain, and inspire. Coming Full Circle is a self-reflective exploration of the author's life journey from growing up in coastal Savannah, Georgia, to editing roles at seven daily newspapers around the country, and circling back to her retirement in Savannah, where she now teaches journalism to a new generation.
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by
In this epic, beautifully written masterwork, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson chronicles one of the great untold stories of American history: the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life. From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America.
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