Black History

Farm families in Alabama knew well the association between the countryside and lawlessness. Actions during February and March 1965 indicated the raw courage required within and beyond the countryside to effect change.

Melvin Parson enriched our lives through his commitment to helping formerly incarcerated individuals plant new futures. He knew of the value of this work because of his own experiences. Starting with a small garden plot in his aunt’s yard, he built an organization that supported individuals and delivered inspiration.

In this interview, Jeanine Head Miller (Curator of Domestic Life), and Charles Sable (Curator of Decorative Arts) sat down with Kristen Gallerneaux (Curator and Editor-in-Chief of Digital Curation) to share their efforts to restore the interiors and furnishings of The Jackson Home. This article is part of an ongoing series focusing on the history, preservation, and restoration of the landmark Jackson Home experience, slated to open in Greenfield Village in Summer 2026.

Beginning in 1948, the white-majority National Party of South Africa began codifying the harsh systems of racial segregation that had existed in South Africa since its colonization. Known as apartheid, this institutionalized segregation mobilized a n

When Isaac Scott Hathaway created respectful sculptures of Black Americans, he challenged white exceptionalism. Learn more about the artist and related works in our collection.

Protest can be both loud and quiet. Prints by Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., and Corita Kent, as well as items related to Angela Davis, showcase how artist-activists have used graphics to demand change.

The deleted slavery passage from the Declaration of Independence had powerful and far-reaching consequences. Learn more about this decision and its impact.

In 2017, at age 22, Sara Trail launched the Social Justice Sewing Academy to empower youth to advocate for social justice through textile making.

Explore the American ideal of liberty through commemorative coins minted to recognize notable Black Americans Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver.

On Aug. 11, 1973, Jamaican immigrant Clive Campbell and his sister Cindy rented their apartment building’s recreation room at 1520 Sedgwick Ave. in the Bronx, New York.