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Why Sit Here and Die
By Maria W. Stewart -
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman was an escaped slave who became a famous conductor on the Underground Railroad. She risked her life to help other slaves escape to freedom in the North. Tubman’s courage and determination made her one of the most important figures in the abolitionist movement. -
First Inaugural Speech
By Abraham Lincoln -
The emancipation proclamation
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all slaves in Confederate states were free. This was a major step toward ending slavery in America during the Civil War. It changed the focus of the war to include the fight against slavery. -
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was a former slave who became one of the most powerful voices in the abolitionist movement. He wrote books and gave speeches about his experiences as a slave, helping to expose the horrors of slavery. Douglass was also an advocate for women’s rights and equal treatment for all people, regardless of race. -
The 13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment, passed in 1865, officially abolished slavery in the United States. It made slavery illegal everywhere in the country. This was a major victory for the abolitionists who had been fighting for years to end slavery. -
Southern Horrors: Lynch Laws in All its Phases”
By Ida B. Wells -
W.E.B. Du Bois
W.E.B. Du Bois was a leading African American intellectual and civil rights activist who co-founded the NAACP in 1909. He was one of the first African Americans to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard and used his education to fight for racial equality. Du Bois believed in political activism and worked hard to promote equality for African Americans through education and public policy. -
Sweat
by Zora Neale -
Brown v. Board of Education
In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This decision overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine from earlier cases. It was a major step toward ending segregation and advancing civil rights. -
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks is best known for her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. After refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus, she sparked a major protest against segregation. Her act of defiance helped ignite the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. -
Martin Luther King Jr
Martin Luther King Jr. was a key leader in the civil rights movement who advocated for nonviolent protest and civil disobedience. His “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered during the 1963 March on Washington, is one of the most famous moments in American history. King’s leadership helped lead to major changes like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. -
A letter to my nephew
By James Baldwin -
The Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act, signed into law in 1964, banned discrimination based on race, religion, sex, or national origin. It helped to end segregation in public places and schools. This law was one of the most important victories for civil rights in American history. -
The Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act, passed in 1965, was designed to protect African Americans' right to vote. It banned unfair practices like literacy tests that had been used to prevent Black people from voting. This law was key to ensuring that everyone had equal access to the voting booth. -
Between the world and me
By Ta-Nehisi Coates