Black History

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

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

Learn how Leonard W. Miller, racing team owner and co-founder of the Black American Racers Association, strove to make auto racing a better and more inclusive sport.

Staff from The Henry Ford recommend books, podcasts, and TV shows that speak to the idea of “connecting with community” through the lenses of social activism, social justice and injustice, and diversity.

Did you know that the Super Soaker® water gun was an accidental invention by African American rocket scientist Lonnie Johnson?

December 6, 2020, marks the 155th anniversary of the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, which legally abolished slavery. Find out the history behind the document on our blog.

How do we want to form a community online, navigating, creating, and adapting online spaces for our collective survival? Diana J. Nucera explains how the COVID-19 pandemic might provide an opportunity to rethink the Internet.