Center for History Education
Should the Colonists Have Revolted Against Great Britain?
Should the Americans have taken the plunge and revolted against Great Britain? Using documents, including the famed Common Sense and a Loyalist response, pupils conduct a lengthy investigation of the question. The interesting resource...
PBS
Africans in America: Venture Smith's Narrative on Buying His Freedom
Here is the original text from Venture Smith's narrative on how he purchased his own freedom and his families, and his life afterwards.
PBS
Africans in America: Revolution: Significance of Dunmore's Proclamation
A brief interview with Betty Wood, professor of history, on the significance of Dunmore's Proclamation to Loyalist plantation owners, Patriot plantation owners, and, in particular, the slaves themselves. From PBS.
PBS
Pbs: Cet: Africans in America: Lincoln's "House Divided" Speech
Short history and text of Abraham Lincoln's "House Divided" speech given in 1858. Click on the link to see the text of the speech. Click on Teacher's Guide for teaching resources.
PBS
Pbs Africans in America: Forten Letter to Cuffe
Read about James Forten's opposition to Paul Cuffe's American Colonization Society, which sought to recruit African-Americans to emigrate to Africa in the early 19th century. In addition, this site provides a link to the text of Forten's...
PBS
Pbs: Cet: Africans in America: David Walker's Appeal
A description of the impact of David Walker's "Appeal" calling for slaves to revolt. Click on the link to read the original text. Click on Teachers Guide for teaching resources
PBS
Pbs: African American World History
Featuring an excerpt from a memoir written by Ruby Bridges telling of her experience as the first African American child to attend an all white elementary school in New Orleans in the year 1960.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: African American Soldiers in World War I
A collection that uses primary sources to explore the experiences of African American Soldiers in World War I.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: Blackface Minstrelsy in Modern America
This collection uses primary sources to explore blackface minstrelsy in modern America.
Columbia University
Columbia University: The Price of Freedom [Pdf]
A lengthy interview with Mr. Ferguson who was a very early follower of Malcolm X and who was present at the assassination of the famous African American leader.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Associations (I), Making of African American Identity: V. 2
Newspaper articles that illustrate how benevolent and charitable societies fostered racial solidarity among African Americans in late-nineteenth-century America are provided. Links to these articles can be found on the second page.
University of Nebraska
U. Of Nebraska: Railroads and Making of Modern America: Origins of Segregation
Primary source materials that focus on the segregation of African Americans that took place on the railroads in the 1800s. Content includes newspaper articles, anecdotal accounts, letters, legal cases, etc.
Digital Public Library of America
Dpla: African American Soldiers in World War I
This primary source set emphasizes the experiences of African American doughboys during the war while also highlighting how they were perceived by white Americans. Use the sources to determine how racism and patriotism shaped the...
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Making of African American Identity: World War I
Excerpts from "The Official History of the American Negro in World War I" by Emmett J. Scott, depicting the impact of the Great War on African Americans at home. The doubts that whites voiced about African Americans' loyalty and military...
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Family, Making of African American Identity: V. 2
A short story and photographs that illustrate the role family played in shaping African American identity in nineteenth-century America. A link to "The Stones of the Village" by Alice Dunbar-Nelson supports this concept.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Racial Politics, Making of African American Identity: V. 2
Chapter from a novel and images that illustrate black political action in late-nineteenth-century America. Frances Harper's 1892 novel Iola Leroy, is examined, covering topics of white supremacy and racial justice.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Two Views, Making of African American Identity: V. 2
Two poems that explore the struggles of African Americans in the early-twentieth century. Links to both poems by Fenton Johnson are provided, and illustrate the struggles experienced as black man in white America in the 1910s
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Race Problem, Making of African American Identity: V. 2
A poem, an address, and a painting that illustrate black political struggle in late-nineteenth-century America. This series of resources characterize "the Negro Problem" as "a concrete test of the underlying principles of the great...
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Business, Making of African American Identity: V. 2
A painting and an appeal that explore the role business played in black uplift in nineteenth-century America. This resource focuses on the work of Edward Bannister (1828-1901), one of the leading black painters of the nineteenth century.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Making of African American Identity: Segregation
A Supreme Court decision, a chapter from a novel, and an editorial that explore segregation in late-nineteenth-century America. This resource focuses primarily on Plessy v. Ferguson, and the complexities that followed from this ruling.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: America in Class: Becoming Modern: America in the 1920s: The Age
A collection of primary source material from the modern age, explores the 1920s and how it relates to today. Section includes introductory notes, classroom discussion questions, and supplemental links to related resources.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Living the Revolution: 1789 1820: Equality
Primary source documents on equality provides a look into various perspectives surrounding the discussion on rights for slaves, African Americans, women and equality in general between 1789-1920. Includes questions for discussion,...
University at Buffalo
Univ. At Buffalo: Circle Association's Rita Dove Page
Site from the University at Buffalo is still under construction for a mini biography and bibliography. However, site does have an interview of Rita Dove from 1997 and thirteen writings or poems by Dove. Links to other African American...
Teaching American History
Teaching American History: Document Library: Civil Rights Act of 1866
Read the complete text of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which set out guarantees for citizenship in post-Civil War America as well as the punishments for those who tried to obstruct these guarantees.