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

Marcus Nevius wearing a checked-stripe sport coat with a lapel pin over a gray turtleneck.

City of Refuge

with Marcus P. Nevius

Explore the history of freed peoples in the Great Dismal Swamp and their relationship to maroon communities.

Video

A bald white man wearing rectangular glasses and a suit smiles at the camera. He is standing in front of a bust of Lincoln and a bookshelf.

Abraham Lincoln and the Antislavery Constitution

with James Oakes

Understand the evolution of the antislavery interpretation of the Constitution.

Video

A Black woman with braided hair smiling while wearing a white shirt with a floral print.

Black Women and Educational Activism in Antebellum America

with Kabria Baumgartner

Explore how antebellum Black women became educators and activists, and the story of the first integrated classroom in the US.

Video

A military cemetery headstone with the name of a member of the United States Colored Troops.

The African American History of Arlington

by Ric Murphy

Explore the history of Freedman’s Village at Arlington National Cemetery.

Essay

A color photograph of a young Black woman with arms outstretched, a surgical mask under her chin, wearing a white shirt bearing the emblem of black fist and the word Juneteenth with trees, tall buildings, and groups of people behind her

An Introduction to Juneteenth

by Graham Hodges

Explore the history and commemoration of Juneteenth.

Essay

A man with a beard, blue and white checkered shirt, and dark blue suit jacket smiles at the camera.

The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley

with David Waldstreicher

Explore the life of this Black, female poet who published a book of poems while enslaved, and learn about the reactions to her work at the time.

Video

A Black woman with black curly hair and red lipstick smiles at the camera. She wears a collared blue patterned shirt, and a suit jacket.

A History of the Enslaved Black Family

with Brenda Stevenson

Learn about the history of the Black family from the Middle Passage through Reconstruction.

Video

Black and white print of Black men, women, and children reading the news of their emancipation.

The Union Army and Juneteenth

1865

Learn more about the origins of Juneteenth through this print.

Primary Source

The front page of a newspaper titled "The Independent Gazetteer; Or, The Chronicle of Freedom" and dated April 12, 1788.

Fighting for the Rights of Black Lives in the Founding Era

with Mandel Holland, Elijah Malcomb, and Sandra Trenholm

Explore the writings of Prince Hall and James Forten.

Video

Union troops, primarily African American, in blue uniforms, charging White Confederate troops in gray uniforms. An American flag waves in the center midground; a Confederate battle flag hangs in the left background.

The Massachusetts 54th

with Jermain Corbin and Sandra Trenholm

Explore the history of the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry.

Video

Group of African Americans, marching near the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

History of Race Relations in America

with David Blight, Kellie Carter Jackson, and Manisha Sinha

Explore the importance of Black history and the history of race relations in America in this panel discussion.

Video

A woman with curly, short, black and auburn hair smiles at the camera in front of a brick background. She wears a blue top, gold hoop earrings, and glasses with black frames.

The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church

with Rachel L. Swarns

Learn the story about the 272 enslaved people who were sold to fund the construction of Georgetown University.

Video