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The Thibodaux Massacre: Racial Violence and the 1887 Sugar Cane Labor Strike
The Thibodaux Massacre: Racial Violence and the 1887 Sugar Cane Labor Strike
$21.99
Peekskill's African American History
Peekskill's African American History
$21.99
Uncle Tom's Journey from Maryland to Canada
Uncle Tom's Journey from Maryland to Canada
$21.99
That's the Way it Was
That's the Way it Was
$24.99
True Stories of Black South Carolina
True Stories of Black South Carolina
$21.99
African Americans on Martha's Vineyard
African Americans on Martha's Vineyard
$23.99
Slave Labor in the Capital
Slave Labor in the Capital
$21.99
Before and After Freedom
Before and After Freedom
$14.99
A Gullah Guide to Charleston
A Gullah Guide to Charleston
$15.99
Picturing Greensboro
Picturing Greensboro
$21.99
Historically African American Leisure Destinations Around Washington, D.C.
Historically African American Leisure Destinations Around Washington, D.C.
$21.99
African Americans of Durham & Orange Counties
African Americans of Durham & Orange Counties
$21.99
African Americans of Canton, Ohio
African Americans of Canton, Ohio
$24.99
Better Homes of South Bend
Better Homes of South Bend
$21.99
Heroes of the Underground Railroad Around Washington, D.C.
Heroes of the Underground Railroad Around Washington, D.C.
$21.99
Cover image for Church Street, isbn: 9781626191112
Church Street
$21.99
Civil Rights Activism in Milwaukee
Civil Rights Activism in Milwaukee
$21.99
St. Petersburg's Historic African American Neighborhoods
St. Petersburg's Historic African American Neighborhoods
$21.99
Voices of Black South Carolina
Voices of Black South Carolina
$21.99
African Americans of Alexandria, Virginia
African Americans of Alexandria, Virginia
$21.99
African Americans in Glencoe
African Americans in Glencoe
$21.99
African Americans of Chattanooga
African Americans of Chattanooga
$21.99
African Americans in Mid-Missouri
African Americans in Mid-Missouri
$21.99
African American Bryan, Texas
African American Bryan, Texas
$21.99
The Path to Freedom: Black Families in New Jersey
The Path to Freedom: Black Families in New Jersey
$21.99
Birmingham Foot Soldiers
Birmingham Foot Soldiers
$21.99

The Thibodaux Massacre: Racial Violence and the 1887 Sugar Cane Labor Strike

9781467136891

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Fear, rumor and white supremacist ideals clashed with an unprecedented labor action spawned an epic tragedy.


On November 23, 1887, white vigilantes gunned down unarmed black laborers and their families due to strikes on Louisiana sugar cane plantations. A future member of the U.S. House of Representatives was among the leaders of a mob that routed black men from houses and forced them to a stretch of railroad track, ordering them to run for their lives before gunning them down. According to a witness, the guns firing in the black neighborhoods sounded like a battle. Author and award-winning reporter John DeSantis uses correspondence, interviews and federal records to detail this harrowing true story.

The Thibodaux Massacre: Racial Violence and the 1887 Sugar Cane Labor Strike

Peekskill's African American History

9781596294844

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The first African Americans of Peekskill had no choice in making the Hudson Valley their home. What they did choose was what kind of home to make of it--choices that were to shape both their community and the course of American history. Meet the African American sharpshooter who helped swing the balance of the American Revolution, revisit a stop on the underground railroad and catch a glimpse of Paul Robeson through the tumult of the 1949 concert riots. Then follow John J. Curran beyond the headlines and behind the scenes as he seeks out the people whose quiet, consistent contributions were no less dynamic in bringing about social change.
Peekskill's African American History

Uncle Tom's Journey from Maryland to Canada

9781625859419

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Josiah Henson was born into slavery in La Plata, Maryland, and auctioned off as a child to pay his owner's debt. After numerous trials and abuse, he earned the trust of his slaveholder by exhibiting intelligence and skill.


Daringly, he escaped to Canada with his wife and children. There he established a settlement and school for fugitives and repeatedly returned to the United States to help lead others to freedom along the Underground Railroad. He published a bestselling autobiography and became a popular preacher, lecturer, and international celebrity. He is immortalized as the inspiration for the title character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. Author Edna M. Troiano recounts the amazing life of Maryland's Josiah Henson and explores the sites devoted to his memory.

Uncle Tom's Journey from Maryland to Canada

That's the Way it Was

9781609499709

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Segregation was a way of life in St. Louis, aptly called the most southern city in the North." These thirteen oral histories describe the daily struggle that pervasive racism demanded but also share the tradition of self-respect that the African American community of St. Louis sought to build on its own terms."
That's the Way it Was

True Stories of Black South Carolina

9781596294059

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From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, African Americans have had a gigantic impact on the Palmetto State. Unfortunately, their stories are often overshadowed. Collected here for the first time, this selection of essays by historian Damon L. Fordham brings these stories to light. Rediscover the tales of Samuel Smalls, the James Island beggar who inspired DuBose Heyward's Porgy, and Denmark Vesey, the architect of the great would-be slave rebellion of 1822. Learn about the blacks who lived and worked at what is now Mepkin Abbey, the Spartanburg woman who took part in a sit-in at the age of eleven and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s visit to Charleston in 1967. These articles are well-researched and provide an enlightening glimpse at the overlooked contributors to South Carolina's past.
True Stories of Black South Carolina

African Americans on Martha's Vineyard

9781596290693

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African Americans of Martha's Vineyard have an epic history. From the days when slaves toiled away in the fresh New England air, through abolition and Reconstruction and continuing into recent years, African Americans have fought arduously to preserve a vibrant culture here. Discover how the Vineyard became a sanctuary for slaves during the Civil War and how many blacks first came to the island as indentured servants. Read tales of the Shearer Cottage, a popular vacation destination for prominent blacks from Harry T. Burleigh to Scott Joplin, and how Martin Luther King Jr. vacationed here as well. Venture through the Vineyard with local tour guide Thomas Dresser and learn about people such as Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and President Barack Obama, who return to the Vineyard for respite from a demanding world.
African Americans on Martha's Vineyard

Slave Labor in the Capital

9781626197213

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In 1791, President George Washington appointed a commission to build the future capital of the nation. The commission found paying masters of faraway Maryland plantations sixty dollars a year for their slaves made it easier to keep wages low for free workers who flocked to the city. In 1798, half of the two hundred workers building the two most iconic Washington landmarks, the Capitol and the White House, were slaves. They moved stones for Scottish masons and sawed lumber for Irish carpenters. They cut trees and baked bricks. These unschooled young black men left no memoirs. Based on his research in the commissioners' records, author Bob Arnebeck describes their world of dawn to dusk work, salt pork and corn bread, white scorn and a kind nurse and the moments when everything depended on their skills.
Slave Labor in the Capital

Before and After Freedom

9781596290860

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In the late 1930s the Writer's Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) began an undertaking to document the history and folklore of South Carolina as told by surviving slaves and their descendents. What was produced over the five-and-half-year project was an extensive collection--thousands of written pages--of African American folklore that had been passed down through generations and, until then, had never before been put to paper.

Before and After Freedom is a collection of authentic Lowcountry folklore as directly told to the WPA field workers and captured through their written reports. Southern author Nancy Rhyne has assembled a cross section of writing that gives the reader an understanding of the stories and superstitions embraced by generations of former slaves and their families. Along with WPA reports, Rhyne also has added stories from personal interviews and detailed research. From former slaves to Charleston's social elite and the state's first governors, this is a diverse collection of tales, but all of them reveal a character and nature that is true to the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Before and After Freedom

A Gullah Guide to Charleston

9781596293922

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Enjoy three accessible walking tours and a bonus driving tour through places relevant to the rich and varied contributions of black Charlestonians.


Author Alphonso Brown, owner and operator of Gullah Tours, Inc., guides you through the history and lore. Visit Denmark Vesey's home, Catfish Row, the Old Slave Mart and the Market; learn about the sweetgrass basket makers, the Aiken-Rhett House slave quarters, black slave owners and blacksmith Philip Simmons. Brown's distinctive narration, combined with detailed maps and vibrant descriptions in native Gullah, make this a unique and enjoyable way to experience the Holy City.

A Gullah Guide to Charleston

Picturing Greensboro

9781596292840

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Photographer Otis Hairston's camera snapped nearly forty years of fond memories and historic Greensboro events--from community gatherings and North Carolina A&T Aggie homecomings to celebrations of the historic 1960 sit-in. This stunning photo collection depicts ordinary people, local heroes and national celebrities as it captures the strength of Greensboro's African American community. Picturing Greensboro is a landmark volume of spectacular images that will be cherished for years to come.
Picturing Greensboro

Historically African American Leisure Destinations Around Washington, D.C.

9781467118675

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Historically African American Leisure Destinations Around Washington, D.C.

African Americans of Durham & Orange Counties

9781467119597

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Durham and Orange Counties have vibrant and active African American communities. Throughout the region's unjust past, generations have shown extraordinary strength and resolve. Floyd McKissick became the first African American student at the University of North Carolina School of Law after Thurgood Marshall argued for his admittance in court. The struggle for civil rights in Durham shaped the poetry of Jaki Shelton Green, one of the state's most esteemed wordsmiths. More recently, local leaders such as Michelle Johnson find the work of equality is far from over. Journalist and writer Jean Bolduc reveals the voices of Durham and Orange County African Americans in a series of inspirational oral histories.
African Americans of Durham & Orange Counties

African Americans of Canton, Ohio

9781467141369

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Nadine McIlwain and Geraldine Radcliffe reveal the celebrated legends, unsung heroes and historic firsts of African Americans residing in the Canton community.


From Canton's earliest days, the black population has contributed to the city's, and even the nation's, prominence and prosperity. During World War II, nineteen-year-old Harold White joined the famed Tuskegee Airmen of the Ninety-Ninth Fighter Squadron. Only a few years later, Dorothy White persevered through prejudice to become Canton's first black teacher, paving the way for a long line of dedicated teachers stretching to the present day. Renowned R&B group the O'Jays formed in Canton, and professional golfer Renee Powell is just one of many local athletes to reach the heights of her profession.

African Americans of Canton, Ohio

Better Homes of South Bend

9781467118651

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Better Homes of South Bend

Heroes of the Underground Railroad Around Washington, D.C.

9781625859754

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Many of the unsung heroes of the Underground Railroad lived and worked in Washington, D.C.


Men and women, black and white, operatives and freedom seekers - all demonstrated courage, resourcefulness and initiative. Leonard Grimes, a free African American, was arrested for transporting enslaved people to freedom. John Dean, a white lawyer, used the District courts to test the legality of the Fugitive Slave Act. Anna Maria Weems dressed as a boy in order to escape to Canada. Enslaved people engineered escapes, individually and in groups, with and without the assistance of an organized network. Some ended up back in slavery or in jail, but some escaped to freedom. Anthropologist and author Jenny Masur tells their stories.

Heroes of the Underground Railroad Around Washington, D.C.

Church Street

9781626191112

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The 1930s and 1940s saw unprecedented prosperity for the African Americans of Jackson's Church Street. From the first black millionaire in the United States to defenders of civil rights, nearly all of Jackson's black professionals lived on Church Street. It was one of the most popular places to see and be seen, whether that meant spotting Louis Armstrong strolling out of the Crystal Palace Club or Martin Luther King Jr. organizing an NAACP meeting at his field office on nearby Farish Street. Join authors and veterans of Church Street Grace Sweet and Benjamin Bradley as they explore the astounding history and legacy of Church Street.
Cover image for Church Street, isbn: 9781626191112

Civil Rights Activism in Milwaukee

9781626193789

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In the early 1960s, as members of Milwaukee's growing African American population looked beyond their segregated community for better jobs and housing, they faced bitter opposition from the real estate industry and union leadership. In an era marked by the friction of racial tension, the south side of Milwaukee earned a reputation as a flashpoint for prejudice, but it also served as a staging ground for cooperative activism between members of Father Groppi's parish, representatives from the NAACP Youth Council, students at Alverno College and a group of Latino families. Paul Geenen chronicles the challenges faced by this coalition in the fight for open housing and better working conditions for Milwaukee's minority community.
Civil Rights Activism in Milwaukee

St. Petersburg's Historic African American Neighborhoods

9781596292796

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Pepper Town, Methodist Town, the Gas Plant district and the 22nd Street South community--these once segregated neighborhoods were built by African Americans in the face of injustice. The resilient people who lived in these neighbourhoods established strong businesses, raised churches, created vibrant entertainment spots and forged bonds among family and friends for mutual well-being. After integration, the neighbourhoods eventually gave way to decay and urban renewal, and tales of unquenchable spirit in the face of adversity began to fade. In this companion volume to St. Petersburg's Historic 22nd Street South, Rosalie Peck and Jon Wilson share stories of people who built these thriving communities, and offer a rich narrative of hardships overcome, leaders who emerged and the perseverance of pioneers who kept the faith that a better day would arrive.
St. Petersburg's Historic African American Neighborhoods

Voices of Black South Carolina

9781596296114

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Discover the contributions notable Black South Carolinians gave to bring encouragement and inspiration to their communities.

Did you know that eighty-eight years before Rosa Parks's historic protest, a courageous black woman in Charleston kept her seat on a segregated streetcar? What about Robert Smalls, who steered a Confederate warship into Union waters, freeing himself and some of his family, and later served in the South Carolina state legislature? In this inspiring collection, historian Damon L. Fordham relates story after story of notable black South Carolinians, many of whose contributions to the state's history have not been brought to light until now. From the letters of black soldiers during the Civil War to the impassioned pleas by students of ""Munro's School"" for their right to an education, these are the voices of protest and dissent, the voices of hope and encouragement and the voices of progress.

Voices of Black South Carolina

African Americans of Alexandria, Virginia

9781626190139

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Sitting just south of the nation's capital, Alexandria has a long and storied history." "Still, little is known of Alexandria's twentieth-century African American community. Experience the harrowing narratives of trials and triumph as Alexandria's African Americans helped to shape not only their hometown but also the world around them. Rutherford Adkins became one of the first black fighter pilots as a Tuskegee Airman. Samuel Tucker, a twenty-six-year-old lawyer, organized and fought for Alexandria to share its wealth of knowledge with the African American community by opening its libraries to all colors and creeds. Discover a vibrant past that, through this record, will be remembered forever as Alexandria's beacon of hope and light."
African Americans of Alexandria, Virginia

African Americans in Glencoe

9781596298149

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The village of Glencoe has a proud history of early African American settlement. In recent years, however, this once thriving African American community has begun to disperse. Robert Sideman, a thirty-year Glencoe resident, relates this North Shore suburb's African American history through fond remembrances of Glencoe communities such as the St. Paul AME Church, as well as recounting the lives of prominent African Americans. At the same time, Sideman poses a difficult question: how can the village maintain its diverse heritage throughout changing times? African Americans in Glencoe reveals an uplifting history while challenging residents to embrace a past in danger of being lost.
African Americans in Glencoe

African Americans of Chattanooga

9781596293151

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Learn and discover how African-Americans have held a prominent place in the history of Chattanooga dating back to the 16th century.


Did you know that Chattanooga is the hometown of the first African-American appointed to lead counsel on a Supreme Court case? The home of the nation's oldest student, who learned to read at age 116? The home of the African-American blacksmith who put shackles on the "Andrew's Raiders" after the Great Locomotive Chase? The site of one of the first integrated police departments in the South? Author Rita Lorraine Hubbard chronicles the ways African-Americans have shaped Chattanooga, and presents inspirational achievements that have gone largely unheralded over the years - and so much more!

African Americans of Chattanooga

African Americans in Mid-Missouri

9781596296091

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Brought to Mid-Missouri to serve as slaves but rising up to proudly serve the community as leaders, African Americans have made an indelible contribution to the region. Join historian Rose M. Nolen for the story of some of the most remarkable characters and institutions to come out of Columbia and Sedalia. Allow yourself to be drawn in by authors like Chester Himes and ragtime legends like Scott Joplin and to be inspired by educators like C.C. Hubbard and innovators like Tom Bass. Or link arms with some George R. Smith alumni and let loose a rousing rendition of the college yell from one of the best schools on the prairie.
African Americans in Mid-Missouri

African American Bryan, Texas

9781609496982

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Bryan was incorporated in 1872, but it would take more than ten years before its African American population was offered schooling. Nothing would come easy for them, but they persevered through hard work, ingenuity and family support. The success of today's generation is a direct result of determined, hardworking pioneers like Dr. Samuel J. Sealey Sr., Bryan's baby doctor" in the 1930s and '40s, and Dr. William A. Hammond Sr., who opened Bryan's first black hospital and employed many blacks through his business ventures. Learn about the inspiration and guidance provided by the likes of Oliver Wayne Sadberry, an outstanding community leader and principal of Fairview and Washington Elementary. Dr. Oswell Person shares the story of this community's achievements, successes and contributions in the face of incredible odds."
African American Bryan, Texas

The Path to Freedom: Black Families in New Jersey

9781596299924

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T?he struggle for black freedom and equality is a legacy that belongs to all Americans. In the twentieth century, this story of triumph over injustice inspired the spread of democracy around the world. From the villages of Eastern Europe to the cities of Asia and Africa, people have found new strength, hope and courage in the ways African Americans defeated Jim Crow segregation in the United States. Liberty and equality required the sacrifices of many African Americans who lived and made a difference in New Jersey, including the Russell, Ham and Brown families whom Walter Greason documents in this book. This contemporary narrative of community uplift offers a fresh appreciation of just how long the path to justice is.
The Path to Freedom: Black Families in New Jersey

Birmingham Foot Soldiers

9781626192201

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Reverends Martin Luther King Jr., Andrew Young and Fred Shuttlesworth are iconic names associated with the Birmingham campaign of the civil rights movement. Credit also is due to many local residents who risked their lives for the cause. Myrna Carter Jackson holds no shame in the police record she garnered in protest of the harsh treatment of African Americans in the city. Carolyn Walker Williams, who knew the injustice blacks faced in East Birmingham even as a child, was arrested in protest for the first time while still in school. Gerald Wren grew up in the Smithfield neighborhood, part of which was nicknamed Dynamite Hill" as a result of the bombings of blacks' houses, churches and schools. Join author Nick Patterson as he interviews some of Birmingham's foot soldiers and recounts the struggle and adversity overcome."
Birmingham Foot Soldiers