About African-American History

Charles Drew: An Extraordinary Doctor

2009-07-02T03:00:25Z

With such notable athletic talent, it would seem that Charles Drew was headed for a successful career as an athlete. However, Drew wanted to become a doctor. Although it would take patience and perseverance, luckily for the world he did. It was Charles Drew who made a remarkable discovery that improved the method of preserving plasma for blood transfusions. This discovery saved thousands of lives during World War II.

Photo courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration

Booker T. Washington: Civil Rights Opponent or Supporter?

2009-06-30T03:00:46Z

Booker T. Washington became one of the most controversial leaders of his time. At odds with W.E.B. Du Bois and other civil rights advocates, Washington was often called an accommodationist because he advocated self-help through economic means over civil and political rights. This, however, was the public Washington. Evidence now shows that he secretly supported civil rights causes.

Booker T. Washington Quotes

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress

The Disenfranchisement of Blacks with Literacy Tests

2009-06-27T03:00:48Z

Literacy tests disenfranchised southern blacks for nearly one hundred years after being given the right to vote through the Fifteenth Amendment. Although patently unfair, these tests passed constitutional scrutiny because blacks were excluded on the basis of literacy and not race.

Michael Jackson Dies at Age 50

2009-06-25T19:59:11Z

Michael Jackson was found not breathing in his rented Los Angeles home at about 12:30 p.m. Jackson, the "King of Pop," was taken to the UCLA Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The reason for his death is unknown, but it is believed that he died from a cardiac arrest.

Remembering Ethel Waters

2009-06-24T03:00:24Z

Ethel Waters is rarely mentioned when talented singers and actors are discussed. Despite her influence on other singers and performances that received award nominations, she is not a household name. Take a look at the life of Ethel Waters.

Photos of Ethel Waters

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

Freedom Summer

2009-06-22T03:00:55Z

Literacy test, poll taxes, and intimidation were just some of the methods used in the South to prevent African Americans from voting or registering to vote. In response, the project Freedom Summer set out to register voters and to bring national attention to black disenfranchisement. After three volunteers were killed, the nation quickly learned about the discriminatory practices taking place in the South.

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Juneteenth: A Holiday in Celebration of Freedom

2009-06-19T03:00:02Z

For the slaves of Galveston, Texas, June 19, 1865 became an important day. On this day they learned of their freedom. The holiday Juneteenth celebrates this historical emancipation day.

Breaking Barriers in Judaism

2009-06-17T11:18:51Z

Alysa Stanton has become the first black woman in America to become a mainstream Jewish rabbi. She was ordained at the Plum Street temple in Cincinnati, Ohio last week. In August, she will begin serving as the rabbi of the Bayt Shalom temple in Greenville, North Carolina.

John Baxter Taylor

2009-06-15T02:00:35Z

At the age of 26, John Baxter Taylor was considered one of the best quarter-mile racers in the world. Not surprisingly, he went on to win a gold medal in the 1908 Olympics and became the first African American gold medalist. Just months after winning, Taylor suddenly died.

Medgar Evers

2009-06-12T08:00:51Z

Medgar Evers� work for the Mississippi NAACP did not go unnoticed. He became a well-known civil rights advocate throughout Mississippi, and it was not until he was murdered that his name became familiar to the rest of America.