Curated OER
Kwanzaa
Students create a "mkeka" (place mat). They explain how particular symbols and associated colors are used to focus attention to the meaning of an African-American celebration called Kwanzaa.
Library of Congress
Loc: American Memory: African American Odyssey
The Library of Congress' Digital Library presents an outstanding lesson that links to collections about the quest for full citizenship, Frederick Douglass papers, slave narratives, and more.
Georgetown University
Georgetown University: Sterling A. Brown (1901 1989)
Resource includes theme, perspective, form, style and audience of this famous Harlem Renaissance author's work.
Georgetown University
Georgetown University: Anne Spencer (1882 1975)
Includes theme, perspective, form, style and comparison of Anne Spencer's work. Many contemporaries are named and linked.
Georgetown University
Georgetown University: Langston Hughes (1902 1967)
Excellent research site on Langston Hughes. Includes theme, perspective, form, style, audience, comparison and contrast of the famous Harlem Renaissance author's work.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Teacher Serve: The Trickster in African American Literature
Trudier Harris, Professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, explains the role of tricksters in African American literature.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Teacher Serve: The New Negro and the Black Image: From Booker T. Washington to Alain Locke
This essay explores how Booker T. Washington and others used the term "New Negro" as an attempt to recreate the race by suggesting education, refinement, money, assertiveness, and racial consciousness.
Scott Alexander
The Red Hot Jazz Archives
Lots of information on jazz bands and musicians at this RedHotJazz.com site.
PBS
Pbs: History Detectives: Investigations: Black Star Line [Pdf]
PBS had a series called "History Detectives." The video is no longer available for this episode, but this transcript of the video is. Read about the Black Star Line, envisioned by Marcus Garvey as a shipping company in which African...
University of Pittsburgh
Center for American Music: Minstrelsy
This site explains the origin of the minstrel show and how it evolved over the decades.
Other
Wired for Books: "Their Eyes Were Watching God"`
Professors discuss the book by Zora Neale Hurston. Gives insight into the style and character analysis.
Other
National Education Association: Black History Month Lessons & Resources
Wide selection of lesson plans, activities, quizzes, resources, worksheets, and videos covering a variety of subjects and grade levels help to explain African-American culture and history.
Other
Carnegie Hall: A Celebration of the African American Cultural Legacy
Trace the history of African American music from 1600-2000 and examine the styles, influences, artists and listen to samples presented by Carnegie Hall.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of African Art: Grass Roots: African Origins of an American Art
Explore the crafts that the African American culture exported from native African lands, basketry and cultivation of rice. With the lessons provided in the downloadable document, students will weave together history, geography, social...
Other
Vanderbilt.edu."the the Black Female & Renaissannce Rena
Highly detailed article concerning this famous era. Historical significance is addressed and a well-written analysis of many authors.
Other
The History Makers
Thehistorymakers.com features the stories of African Americans who have succeeded and made achievements in the areas of art, business, education, law, politics, science, religion, and sports. There is a great timeline of African American...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of African American History and Culture
This Smithsonian museum is dedicated to the preservation of African American culture. Includes a portrait gallery, profiles of African American artists, exhibitions devoted to the struggle for civil rights, historical photographs and...
Scholastic
Scholastic: Dream in Color, African American Heritage
Discover the African American Culture and share the information through these lessons with your students. Choose from several different lesson plans and grade levels to help students learn about the African American Culture.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: African Voices: Global Africa
The rich, vibrant African American culture has spread far and wide through our world. Follow the routes taken over the millennia by examining the following maps that include short descriptions. Listen to audio from slaves describing...
University of Virginia
Explorations in Black Leadership: Nikki Giovanni
A video interview with poet and author Nikki Giovanni, civil rights activist. Includes full transcript of video and short biography.
Other
Black History From a to Z
Students will enjoy exploring this colorful site during Black History Month, or any other month! Follow the timeline of famous African American women and inventors, or just click on a letter of the alphabet to find brief pieces of...
Howard University
Howard University: Sterling A. Brown, a Literary Tribute
This tribute article discusses the author as a professor, critic and Poet Laureate.
African American Literature Book Club
African American Literature Book Club: Wallace Thurman
This site includes the author's credits as an editor and playwright, a biography, and links to three of his books.
University of Illinois
University of Illinois: Modern American Poetry: Gwendolyn Brooks, Biography
Detailed account of the writer's life. Contains references to contemporaries, influences and motivations in her career.