Black History

National

Slave Labor And The 'Longer History' Of The White House

5:52pm July 27, 2016

by NPR Staff

When Michelle Obama referred recently to slaves building the White House, she gave a nod a backstory that needs to be appreciated, says Clarence Lusane, author of The Black History of the White House.

Walter Thompson-Hernandez, son of an African-American father and Mexican mother, created the Instagram account Blaxicans of LA.

Now Counted By Their Country, Afro-Mexicans Grab Unprecedented Spotlight

5:44pm February 06, 2016

by NPR Staff

For the first time its history, Mexico announced it would recognize people of African descent on its official census. What does it mean for Afro-Mexicans themselves — and why has it taken so long?

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Viewers have criticized the lack of characters of color in Marvel's Agent Carter -- K. Tempest Bradford says it's just one of a long line of properties that overlook the presence of African-Americans outside of slavery, Reconstruction and the civil rights

Books
Arts

Uncovering Hidden Black History, On Screen And On The Page

2:02pm March 02, 2015

On TV and in the movies, it can sometimes seem like black people only existed during slavery or the civil rights era. K. Tempest Bradford recommends some books that bring hidden history to light.

Bass Reeves, depicted here in an illustration from Joel Christian Gill's Tales of the Talented Tenth, was one of the first African-American U.S. marshals. Click here for a closer look.

Books
Arts

'Strange Fruit' Shares Uncelebrated, Quintessentially American Stories

10:12am March 02, 2015

by NPR Staff

Have you heard of Bass Reeves? Richard Potter? Spottswood Rice? "Box" Brown? If not, illustrator-historian Joel Christian Gill says, you're missing out on some of the best stories in American history.

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Whitney Plantation owner John Cummings has commissioned stark artwork for the site, including realistic statues of slave children found throughout the museum.

National

New Museum Depicts 'The Life Of A Slave From Cradle To The Tomb'

8:31pm February 27, 2015

by Debbie Elliott

A New Orleans attorney has turned an antebellum plantation into a new museum. You won't find hoop skirts and mint juleps but stark relics at a site devoted entirely to a realistic look at slavery.

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Books
Arts

This Month (And Every Month), Black Sci-Fi Writers Look To The Future

8:12pm February 27, 2015

by Alaya Dawn Johnson

For years, black authors stood out in science fiction and fantasy because there were so few. Now, says Alaya Dawn Johnson, though there are still obstacles, black authors are making themselves heard.

Stokely Carmichael, shown here in 1967. Historian Peniel Joseph argues Carmichael's writings on slavery and capitalism deserve more attention.

Books
Arts

How Black Lives Have Always Mattered: A Reading List

7:03am February 15, 2015

by Peniel E. Joseph

For Black History Month, historian Peniel E. Joseph recommends books that take an unsparing look at slavery and American capitalism, with a focus on the often overlooked work of Stokely Carmichael.

Letters preserve a history that often doesn't show up in official accounts, says writer K. Tempest Bradford.

Books
Arts

For Black History Month, Letters To Reveal And Inspire

10:03am February 07, 2015

February is Black History Month — but it's also a month to celebrate the lost art of letter writing. K. Tempest Bradford examines the overlap, and recommends some good historical letter collections.

Books
Arts

Low-Key, Real-Life Heroism In 'March: Book Two'

11:29am January 29, 2015

by Etelka Lehoczky

Rep. John Lewis continues his graphic memoir series about the civil rights movement in March: Book Two. He isn't afraid to humble the famous and focus on those whom history often overlooks.

Neonta Williams (left) shares family letters dating back to 1901 with preservationist Kimberly Peach during the Smithsonian's Save our African American Treasures program at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Peach advises her to use archive-quality po

Preserving Black History, Americans Care For National Treasures At Home

12:28am September 17, 2014

by Debbie Elliott

The relics of African-American families help tell the story of America, the Smithsonian says. Museum experts are traveling the country to help identify and care for items of cultural significance.

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