Crash Course
Slave Codes Crash Course Black American History
Slave codes were a method of protecting the investment of white enslavers in the Colonies by restricting the lives of enslaved people in almost every imaginable way. The codes restricted enslaved people’s ability to move around, or...
Crash Course
Elizabeth Key Crash Course Black American History
The legal system can seem like a complicated tangle of arcane rules and loopholes, and it can sometimes seem like it is designed to confuse. But it is possible, with the right application, for the legal system to rectify injustices....
Crash Course
Plessy v Ferguson and Segregation Crash Course Black American History
The United States' Constitution is not a very detailed document. It lays out the basic structure of government, and the details are filled in with legislation, and clarified and reinforced by court decisions. One of the most...
Crash Course
The Transatlantic Slave Trade Crash Course Black American History
Today we're learning about the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which brought millions of captive Africans to the Americas between the 16th and 19th centuries, with the largest number of people trafficked between 1700 and 1808. We'll look at...
Crash Course
The American Revolution Crash Course Black American History
When we talk about the American Revolution and Revolutionary War, the discussion often involves lofty ideals like liberty, and freedom, and justice. The Declaration of Independence even opens with the idea that "all men are created...
Crash Course
The Rise of Cotton Crash Course Black American History
Cotton is everywhere in our modern world, and it became a hugely important crop in the 19th century United States. Cotton was a huge economic boon to the US, and much of that wealth was built on the backs of enslaved laborers. And cotton...
Crash Course
The Stono Rebellion Crash Course Black American History
Enslaved people resisted their condition in a range of different ways. Oftentimes those ways were small and personal. There were also times when that resistance took on larger, more dramatic forms, like with slave uprisings and...
Wonderscape
The Freedmen's Bureau: Support for Freed Black Communities
This video delves into the efforts of the Freedmen's Bureau, established in 1865, to assist formerly enslaved individuals in the South. Discover how the Bureau provided food, housing, legal aid, and education, helped reunite families,...
Wonderscape
Hiram Revels: The First Black U.S. Senator
This video explores the life and achievements of Hiram Revels, the first Black person to serve in the U.S. Congress. Learn about his journey from a free-born pastor to a Civil War chaplain and political leader in Mississippi, and his...
Wonderscape
The Story of Negro History Week: A Legacy of Recognition
Learn about the origins of Negro History Week, founded by Carter G. Woodson in 1926 to honor the rich history of Black people. Discover how this week grew into the celebration we know today as Black History Month, inspiring pride and...
Curated Video
Learning Alone: One Man's Fight for a Fair Education
George W. McLaurin provided the Oklahoma civil rights case that damaged the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson “separate but equal” legal position beyond repair. He held a master’s degree from the University of Kansas and taught at the all-black...