AP African American Studies Resource Archive | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Prince Demah’s signature and a blotted-out seal on heavy cloth paper.

Last Will and Testament of Prince Demah

1778

Read this final record from Demah’s life and career.

Primary Source

James Baillie's 1845 color lithograph depicting the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, with American and French officers lined up on the left and right to receive the arms of the British army in 1781.

Preamble to “A Sermon on the Capture of Lord Cornwallis”

1782

Read the dedication that introduces this sermon, the first recorded use of the term “African American.”

Primary Source

A Black soldier in a blue Union Army uniform (jacket, coat, pants, and hat), holding a rifle on his right shoulder with a slight smile on his face.

Historical Context: Black Soldiers and Sailors in the Civil War

by Steven Mintz

Get some key facts on Black service during the Civil War.

Teacher Resources

A printed page from the newspaper The Freeman's Journal, September 21, 1781.

“Negroes Who Obtained Freedom”

1781

Read a plea from free Black people in Philadelphia to protect their freedom.

Primary Source

Detail from a multicolored map depicting enslaved population by county in the South, along with government farms and camps set up by the Union Army during the Civil War.

Emancipation: Separating Myth from Fact

with Jeffrey Kerr-Ritchie

Break down common misconceptions about the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment in this video.

Video

A black-and-white photograph of a Black man wearing a dark top hat and suit riding a horse leading a procession including a band of musicians down a dirt road

Freedom Days in American History

with Jeffrey Kerr-Ritchie

Learn more about the long history of celebrating emancipation, from January 1, to August 1, to Juneteenth.

Video