For the enslaved Africans, music – rhythm in particular – became a tool of communication about their conditions. Later, it laid the foundation for spirituals and gospel songs.
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Articles on Black History Month
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The US has yet to fully undergo a process of truth and reconciliation.
Many cultures still experience silence and shame around mental health issues. But that doesn't mean they don't need help.
Fifty years after MLK's death, a minority politics scholar assesses black progress in the US based on poverty, jobs and wealth. "In some ways," she concludes, "we've barely budged as a people."
Before the civil rights era, a group of powerful and resourceful black women laid the groundwork for a generation of black activists.
Black jockeys won more than half of the first 25 runnings of the Kentucky Derby. Then they started losing their jobs.
Since the 19th century, a long line of black women preachers set in motion a tradition that spoke against injustices and questioned patriarchal attitudes. Here's their story.
American slaves couldn't hold property – including patents on their own inventions. But that didn't stop black Americans from innovating since the beginning of the country's history.
When war broke out, black Americans fought in segregated units to serve their country. The breath of freedom they experienced in Europe flamed the fight for equality when they returned home.
His landmark contributions to anthropology have faded from memory, despite real-world policy impact during the mid-20th century.
Black politicians throughout US history have struggled to overcome deep, negative stereotypes held against them by white Americans. Obama succeeded at the highest level. Here's how.
In the 19th century, slaveholders advertised widely for runaway slaves and often hired men to track and capture fugitives. African-American communities offered sanctuary space to the runaways.
In the 19th century, critics and audiences thought blacks were incapable of singing as well as their white, European counterparts. Greenfield forced them to reconcile their ears with their racism.
In the 12 years following the abolition of slavery, former slaves made meaningful political, social and economic gains. This moment was short-lived.
Despite an entrepreneurial heritage, black self-employment rates are about half that of whites. Could a rising economy lift their boats too?
Ignorant and hateful people are not behind the production of racist ideas, as Americans are taught so often during Black History Month.
When biographer Gretchen Gerzina came across an old British newspaper article calling Sarah E. Farro "the first negro novelist," she wondered: who was Farro, and why had she been lost to history?
In the 1920s, many black musicians were exploited by record companies, and faded into anonymity. Here are some of their stories.
Top contributors
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Associate Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
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Associate Vice President for Academic Partnerships and Innovation, Clemson University
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Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies, University of Connecticut
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Instructor in Music, Pennsylvania State University
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Professor of English, Paul Murray Kendall Chair in Biography, University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Professor of History, American University School of International Service
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Assistant Professor of History, University of Pittsburgh
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Associate Professor of Homiletics, Howard University
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Professor and Chair of History, Vassar College
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Visiting Assistant Professor of History, University of Mississippi
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Professor of History, University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Chair, Associate Professor, Journalism Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Undergraduate journalism major, University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Professor of Sociology, Michigan State University
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Professor, Brigham Young University-Idaho
