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Image of a document outlining primary sources related to slavery and the Declaration of Independence.
Text discussing the advocacy for African American women's education and principles of the Declaration of Independence.
Portrait of Anika Prather discussing Anna Julia Cooper in a video presentation for the Bill of Rights Institute.
Historical image of Sojourner Truth and Abraham Lincoln with text overlay about truth’s famous speech.

Black Women in American History

17 items

Image of a document outlining primary sources related to slavery and the Declaration of Independence.
Elizabeth (Mumbet) Freeman portrait, 1811 and Legal notes by Chief Justice William Cushing about the Quock Walker case, 1783
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Text discussing the advocacy for African American women's education and principles of the Declaration of Independence.
Maria Stewart Advocates Education for African American Women, 1832
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Activity

Portrait of Anika Prather discussing Anna Julia Cooper in a video presentation for the Bill of Rights Institute.
Anna Julia Cooper with Anika Prather | Black Intellectuals Series #5
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Video

26 Min

What contribution did Anna Julia Cooper, prominent African-American author and educator, make to understanding the Black experience in America? In this episode of our Scholar Talk series "Black Intellectuals and the African American Experience," BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Anika Prather, Professor of English at Howard University, to discuss the unique ways Cooper advocated for equal educational and economic opportunities of Black Americans. As a high school teacher and college professor at Black institutions, how did Cooper use Founding principles of equality and dignity to empower others?
26 Min
Historical image of Sojourner Truth and Abraham Lincoln with text overlay about truth’s famous speech.
“Ar’nt I a Woman?” Sojourner Truth and the Abolitionist Movement | BRIdge from the Past
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Video

10 Min

How can images help us understand the role of African American women in the abolitionist movement? In this episode, Mary explores an image of Sojourner Truth. Born into slavery in New York, she dedicated her life to abolition and equal rights for women and men. How did her famous "Ar'nt I a Woman?" speech convey her life-long commitment to the ideals of liberty and equality? *The source we reviewed used the phrase "Ar'nt I a Woman?" but Sojourner Truth's speech is often also titled "Ain't I a Woman?"
10 Min
Portrait of a woman with an elaborate hairstyle, wearing a blouse with ruffled details, set against a light background.
Taking Responsibility: Ida B. Wells and the Anti-Lynching Campaign
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45 Min

How did Ida B. Wells’ anti-lynching campaign and her teaching of others about lynching show responsibility?
45 Min
A woman with glasses smiles while discussing Zora Neale Hurston's impact on African American intellectuals.
Zora Neale Hurston with Patricia Brown | Black Intellectuals Series #4
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Video

22 Min

How did Zora Neale Hurston, noted African-American writer during the Harlem Renaissance, contribute to understanding the Black experience in America? In this episode of our Scholar Talk series "Black Intellectuals and the African American Experience," BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Patricia Brown, professor of English at Azusa Pacific University, to discuss Hurston's unique examination and celebration of Black expression, creativity, and resiliency. How did Hurston's book "Their Eyes Were Watching God" convey a message of Black women's freedom and self-discovery?
22 Min
A woman stands in front of the Lincoln Memorial, under a sign for an art exhibit on U.S. history.
Marian Anderson at the Lincoln Memorial: Eleanor Roosevelt, Harold Ickes, & Racial Discrimination
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Video

8 Min

What does the Lincoln Memorial mean to us today? In this episode of BRIdge from the Past, Mary examines pictures of Marian Anderson’s 1939 concert at the Lincoln Memorial. After being denied a performance in Constitution Hall due to racial discrimination, Anderson was invited with the help of several individuals to deliver the biggest concert of her career in front of 75,000 people on Easter Sunday, 1939. How did Harold Ickes and Eleanor Roosevelt’s actions showcase a call for racial equality throughout the United States in 1939? What legacy did Anderson’s legendary performance have on the Lincoln Memorial?
8 Min
Text on a page titled "Primary Source" discusses liberty, equality, and justice for African Americans after the Civil War.
Anna Julia Cooper, A Voice from the South, 1892
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Text on a slide about Fannie Lou Hamer's testimony and questions regarding civil rights principles.
Fannie Lou Hamer Testimony before the Credentials Committee, Democratic National Convention, August 22, 1964
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Black and white portrait of a woman with curly hair, smiling, wearing a collared garment.
Barbara Jordan, Watergate, and Justice
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45 Min

In this lesson, students will learn how Barbara Jordan sought justice during the Watergate scandal. They will also learn how they can protect justice in their lives.
45 Min
Textual image with questions about interpreting primary sources related to civil rights and justice for African Americans.
Black Lives Matter, “Herstory” 2014
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Text from a presentation titled "Primary Source" discussing justice and equality for African Americans.
Nikole Hannah-Jones, The 1619 Project, 2019
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Portrait of a woman with dark hair styled in waves, wearing a light-colored dress and earrings.
On My Own Ground: Madam C.J. Walker and Identity
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45 Min

How did Madam C. J. Walker contribution to American identity?
45 Min
Black and white photo of a woman with glasses, smiling, standing outdoors with a man in the background.
Rosa Parks, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and Purpose
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45 Min

What about Rosa Parks’ purpose lead her to participate in the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
45 Min
The interior of a vintage bus featuring a statue of a seated man and empty green upholstered seats.
Rosa Parks’s Account of the Montgomery Bus Boycott (Radio Interview), April 1956
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40 Min

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.
Black and white photo of a woman in a dark, buttoned dress with a white collar, standing with her hands clasped.
Harriet Tubman: Follow the North Star to Freedom
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45 Min

How did Harriet Tubman act responsibly by helping many people escape slavery?
45 Min
A scenic view of wetlands and a river with a blue sky, featuring text about Harriet Tubman and the landscape's impact.
How Did Landscape Affect Harriet Tubman? The Outdoors, Slavery, & the Underground Railroad
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Video

14 Min

Harriet Tubman, the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad, grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland before escaping to freedom in 1849. She returned to the Eastern Shore 13 times to free family and friends from bondage. How can looking at the landscape of the Eastern Shore help us understand Tubman's amazing story and the Underground Railroad itself? Mary is joined by Timothy VanCleave, Park Ranger at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Park in Maryland, to explore.
14 Min