Changes in African-American Expression from the Harlem Renaissance to the Present

Class members research African American inventors, the challenges they faced in their attempts to patent their works, and the importance of their inventions to the development of technology. After a brief introduction to inventors Elijah...

How did black Americans contribute to colonial society in the United States and make active choices to exert some control over their lives as slaves? Explore the often overlooked yet incredibly important roles of Africans and African...

Kick start Black History Month with a fantastic resource that blends a study of prominent African American leaders in history with information on different religions. Beginning with a brainstorm and then leading into a collaborative...

This is a fantastic resource designed for learners to envision what it was like for the three million African-Americans who migrated to urban industrial centers of the northern United States between 1910 and 1940. After reading a...

How did the geography of Harlem help create the Harlem Renaissance? Class members learn about the origins of the movement as they study this 1920s-1930s movement. Groups rotate through four stations examining art, music, a satirical...

Music enthusiasts discover the birth of jazz and explore a variety of images showcasing African-Americans' expression of the music. Taking part in a grand conversation, pupils discuss the myriad of emotions that come to be from reviewing...

Young historians examine a memorial sculpture of the first African American regiment in the Civil War, and then compare how the experiences of the regiment are portrayed in letters and poetry, as well as in the motion picture, Glory. 

To better understand the cultural achievements of the Harlem Renaissance and become familiar with its major figures, class members examine a painting by Aaron Douglas and a poem by Langston Hughes and compare how the artists develop...

To gain an understanding of the treatment of African American soldiers during World War I, class members watch an excerpt from the History Detectives film, Our Colored Heroes, and then examine three recruitment posters from that time...

Lynchings, race riots, and Jim Crow laws were just a few examples of antagonism that African Americans faced after Emancipation. Class groups investigate these and other events, and prepare a presentation to inform the class about the...