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Why Sit Here and Die?
The speech is about urging Black Americans, especially women, to pursue education, self-reliance, and resistance against oppression. She challenges both racial and gender inequalities, encouraging her audience to rise above their circumstances through knowledge and action. Stewart’s speech is a powerful call for empowerment, making her one of the first Black American women to publicly speak on political and social issues. -
Harriet Tubman
After escaping slavery, Tubman joined the Underground Railroad as a "conductor.” She assisted hundreds of enslaved people in achieving freedom. She became a symbol of abolition and resistance because of her courage and commitment. -
What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?
The speech delivered by Frederick Douglass in 1852, highlighting the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom while millions remained enslaved. Douglass powerfully condemns the nation's injustice, arguing that Independence Day is a painful reminder of oppression for enslaved people. His speech calls for the U.S. to live up to its ideals of liberty and equality for all. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that enslaved people in Confederate states were free. While it didn’t free all enslaved people right away, it inspired thousands of Black men to join the Union Army and shifted the war’s focus to ending slavery. -
Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address
Lincoln inaugural address reflects on the causes and consequences of the Civil War as it neared its end. He emphasizes reconciliation and healing, urging Americans to move forward “with malice toward none, with charity for all.” Lincoln acknowledges slavery as the war’s central cause and calls for unity to rebuild the nation with justice and compassion. -
Southern Horrors
This book is a powerful investigative report on the widespread lynching of Black Americans in the South. Wells exposes the false justifications for these brutal acts and challenges the myth that lynchings were a response to crimes committed by Black men. Her work calls for resistance, self-defense, and national accountability to end racial violence and injustice. -
W.E.B. Du Bois
Du Bois became director of publicity and research for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, founded in 1909. The legal arm of the NAACP led the campaign to end segregation altogether, but it first targeted inequality in education. He influenced the movement's trajectory by highlighting the issues faced by Black Americans and demanding systemic change. -
Sweat
This short story is about a hardworking washerwoman who endures years of abuse from her cruel husband, Sykes. When Sykes brings a rattlesnake into their home to torment her, his plan backfires, leading to his own demise. The story explores themes of resilience, karma, and the empowerment of a woman who finally gains freedom from oppression. -
Brown V Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark 1954 Supreme Court case in which the Court declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson doctrine of "separate but equal," acknowledging that segregated schools were inherently unequal. This ruling played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement, leading to the desegregation of schools and setting the stage for further legal and social advancements in racial equality. -
ROSA
Rosa Parks encourage the struggle for racial equality when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. This boycott was a major event in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. When she didn't give up her seat she earned the name "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement". -
The Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a civil rights protest that began in December 1955 after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger. Lasting over a year, the boycott successfully ended racial segregation on Montgomery’s public buses through sustained activism and economic pressure. It also helped launch Martin Luther King Jr. as a key leader in the civil rights movement, demonstrating the power of nonviolent resistance. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a landmark U.S. legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination, becoming a major victory for the civil rights movement. The law empowered the federal government to enforce desegregation and promote equal rights, reshaping American society. -
A Letter to my Nephew
A letter to my nephew is addressing his young nephew about the realities of racism in America. Baldwin offers both a warning about the struggles he will face as a Black man and an encouragement to resist hatred and embrace love. The letter is both deeply personal and broadly relevant, emphasizing the need for courage, dignity, and the fight for justice. -
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR
Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement because he organized protests and inspired people to take action without using violence. Martin Luther King Jr. speech was the spark for a movement of equality, which helped create the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Martin Luther King Jr. helped create the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
MALCOM X
Malcolm X was a key figure in the civil rights movement because he advocated for Black power, self-defense, and economic autonomy. His ideas influenced the Black Power movement and inspired many people to fight for social justice. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader who helped shape popularize Black nationalism. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a pivotal law that aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in voting, particularly in the South, where literacy tests and poll taxes were used to disenfranchise Black voters. It provided federal oversight in areas with a history of voter suppression, ensuring that all citizens, regardless of race, had the right to vote. This act became a cornerstone of the civil rights movement, greatly expanding political participation for African Americans. -
Between the World and Me
This book is about a deeply personal letter to his son, reflecting on the realities of being Black in America. Coates explores themes of systemic racism and identity. Through personal experiences and historical analysis, he urges his son to seek knowledge and resilience while acknowledging the harsh truths of the world.