Jessica's African-American History Blog

For thirty years, actor Denzel Washington has been mastering the art of acting. Clearly, he has succeeded: he is the winner of two Oscars, numerous other awards, and most recently he has been nominated for best actor by the Golden Globe. Although he has earned the title of movie star, one is unlikely to read stories about Washington, a family man who enjoys his privacy, in tabloid magazines. However, you might catch a glimpse of him supporting one of his favorite causes—the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Take a look at the career of Denzel Washington, an actor whose passion and commitment to acting has earned him critical acclaim.

Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images.

With only vocal experience in a church choir, a young Sarah Vaughan set her sights on a singing career. It was on the stage of the Harlem Apollo Theater as a contestant that Sarah Vaughan launched her career. She was an untrained singer full of natural raw talent, a three octave range, and an amazing ability to improvise. By the end of her life, critics and colleagues recognized her as one of the greatest singers in the history of jazz.

• Sarah Vaughan Quotes

Photo © Copyright William P. Gottlieb www.jazzphotos.com

When Delta blues singer Son House reemerged in the 1960s after disappearing for two decades, listeners once again experienced the intensity of his blues. Perhaps his intense style was a result of his Baptist preaching background and the way his powerfully deep voice expressed just how heartfelt his songs really were. Whatever it was about his style, there is no doubt that Son House’s influence on past and present musicians will continue for years to come.

More about the Blues:

The History of the Blues

The Country Blues

The Classic Blues Era

Fourteen-year-old Chicago resident Emmett Till had little knowledge about the ways of the South. Consequently, when he spoke to a white female grocery clerk in Mississippi, Till was unable to see that this act had put his life in serious jeopardy. A few days later he was murdered.

• Timeline of the Emmett Till case.

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Early blues singers, such as Blind Lemon Jefferson and Blind Blake, led the way when it came to the early recordings of the country blues. It was the popularity of these artists that hastened the recordings of other country singers; suddenly, “race records” became big money makers for record companies. The high point in the careers of most of these singers was short-lived: when the Great Depression hit, many country blues artists disappeared.

Eighteen days after the March on Washington, on the early Sunday morning of September 15, 1963, a bomb exploded in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, killing four girls. Find out what happened on that early September morning. Plus, learn why it took so long to bring a second suspect to justice.

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

The Freedom Rides were scheduled to take just thirteen days and initially involved only thirteen Freedom Riders. By the end of the summer of 1961, over three hundred activists had participated in the Freedom Rides. Although the riders faced violent attacks by the KKK and other angry Southern whites, they never gave up. In the end, despite the many bumps in the road, nonviolent tactics worked and interstate travel was finally desegregated.

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

Born prematurely and weighing only three pounds, Sidney Poitier’s chance for survival looked bleak. His father, certain that his son would not survive, obtained a shoebox in which he planned to bury him in. As fate would have it, Poitier survived. As an adult, he went on to become a leading actor who graced the screen with the portrayal of powerful black characters.

Sidney Poitier Quotes

Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images.

Joe Louis could not have guessed that a career in boxing would make him into national hero. As World War II loomed, Joe Louis was thrust into the political arena when he fought Germany’s Max Schmeling. Louis’ win over Schmeling was a win for America. Surprisingly, at a time when segregation and discrimination were prevalent, he became a hero for both black and white America.

• Joe Louis Quotes

Photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, NYWT&S Collection.

Jim Crow laws paved the way for segregation in the South. For nearly sixty years blacks lived under conditions that were separate and unequal. This summary briefly traces the history of the creation and collapse of segregation laws.

Sample Jim Crow Laws

Read about the creation of Jim Crow laws

Photos of segregation signs

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress