African American Studies Commons^™

Interview With Otis Cunningham, Columbia College Chicago

Chicago Anti-Apartheid Movement

Length: 99 minutes

Oral history interview of Otis Cunningham by Lilah Hernandez discussing events and activities since his original 2010 interview.

The 1985 Move Bombing: A Study In Perspectives, Kaci Delisle

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

On May 13, 1985, Philadelphia police dropped a military grade bomb on 6221 Osage Avenue, a row house in a Black neighborhood in West Philadelphia. This home was occupied by a revolutionary group called MOVE. The bomb started a fire that the police and firefighters decided to “contain” rather than put out, resulting in the deaths of eleven people and the destruction of sixty-one homes. Only two MOVE members survived the fire. Using court records, documents from the investigation conducted by the Philadelphia Special Investigation Commission (PSIC), and other interviews regarding MOVE and the bombing, this paper reconstructs different perspectives …

The Story Of Jennie Steers: An Examination Of Race, Gender, And Lynching In Northwest Louisiana, Lauren Smith

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

As the nineteenth century ended, the American South entered a new century equipped with the foundations of a Jim Crow society. Through political intimidation, segregation, and racial violence—most notoriously through the practice of lynching—white Southerners reasserted white supremacist rule. Yet the lynching of Black men in this era is more often documented than the plight of Black women at the hands of white mobs and local authorities. By focusing on Jennie Steers, a woman lynched outside of Shreveport, Louisiana in 1903, this project sheds light on the violent history of Northwest Louisiana and the ways in which Black women navigated …

In A Pickle: African Americans Struggles With Racism And Progress In Mount Olive, North Carolina, 1930-1955, Devin Lamb

History Honors Program

This paper examines the experiences of African Americans living in Mount Olive, North Carolina during the 20th century. Life in Mount Olive afforded African Americans a multitude of opportunities such as economic, educational, and access to healthcare. Though African Americans' situation in Mount Olive was better than Black people living in other locations throughout North Carolina, an exodus still occurred in the latter half of the 20th century. I argue African Americans stayed in Mount Olive because of the stability and economic opportunities provided to them by staying post-great migration, but that the persistence of racism and segregation made living …

We Are Gullah: A Community Approach To Preserving Gullah Geechee Historical Sites Of Significance, Peter Gaytan

All Theses

The National Register of Historic Places is an inventory established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 that identifies architectural and archaeological sites significant to American history. The National Register was created to encourage the documentation, evaluation, and protection of America’s historic resources. Over 96,000 historic properties, sites, and structures are currently listed on the National Register. Despite the number of historic places listed on the National Register there is still an overwhelmingly low number of sites listed on the National Register relating to underrepresented communities. This thesis assessed the definition of significance laid out in the National Register …

Spirits And Spirituality: Temperance And Racial Uplift In Nineteenth-Century Nantucket, Ma, John T. Crawmer

Graduate Masters Theses

Studies of alcohol consumption have shown alcohol’s role in defining social boundaries based on class and ethnicity, but few have interrogated alcohol in the context of race. During the early-19th century, free black communities were encouraged to refrain from alcohol as part of a larger project of racial uplift. Black societies and churches perceived intemperance as not only immoral but a threat to community survival. Excavations of the Nantucket African Meeting House noted a considerable lack of alcohol bottles, but it was unclear whether temperance was equally observed at the neighboring Boston-Higginbotham House. This research uses a minimum number of …

Forgotten Spirits: Enslaved And Free Black Contributions To Bourbon And Reshaping Public Memory., Kevin Bradley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bourbon distilling is a multi-billion-dollar industry that draws hundreds of thousands of tourists to Kentucky each year. However, the industry usually overlooks or ignores the historic and ongoing contributions of African Americans. This thesis offers distilleries methods for incorporating into their public tours the often-difficult history of free and enslaved Black participation in the bourdon industry. Change requires cooperation between corporate leaders, public historians, and relevant stakeholders to forge new narratives and retrain tour guides. Based on primary and secondary research, in-person visits to distilleries, and interviews with public historians, this thesis explores free and enslaved African American contributions to …

Black Joining The Ranks Of White: Black Slaveowning In 1800s South Carolina, Zachary M. Saddow

Graduate Theses

Exploring the lives and impact of the Black slaveholders in Antebellum South Carolina is a highly overlooked subject in a sensitive area. The idea of a Black slaveholder stands contrary to the widely held belief of slavery held by a majority in the United States. This realization is also startling as most slaveholders were White, with those in bondage being Black. These Black slaveholders actively took part in the system of slavery including the buying and selling of slaves, the production of cash crops, and even support for the eventual Confederacy. Although many began their life in chains, Black future …

The Creation Of Political Survival Strategies By Black Collegiate Women On Virginia’S Predominantly White Campuses, Maya Jenkins

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The University of Mary Washington is a liberal arts institution founded in 1908 as a normal and industrial school for women (Our History - About UMW, 2015). Because of its small size, Mary Washington was historically known as Virginia’s “undiscovered gem” (Boyer, 2011). Mary Washington is described as a place built to support the “innovative, passionate, intellectual, and genuine” (Boyer, 2011). However, in 2020, the deaths of Breonna Taylor and Tony McDade and a racial protest that took place near the college’s campus caused many Black collegiate women at Mary Washington to question if their university was built to support …

Amplifying Unheard Voices: A Community-Based Approach To Preserving Black History In The Inland Empire, Eric L. Milenkiewicz

Library Faculty Publications & Presentations

This presentation discusses the "Bridges That Carried Us Over Project: Documenting Black History in the Inland Empire," a community-based, collaborative initiative between three local area universities designed to capture the accounts, experiences, and personal narratives from members of the Black community in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

"Between Too Much & Not Enough," A Meta-Analysis Of The 1619 Project, Nathan Pipes

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

When the New York Times released the 1619 Project in August 2019 it was met with enthusiasm and critical review. The outcome of the public debate, as of now, is mixed. Research is also mixed. Education findings suggests the project has the power to heal. Case study evidence indicates culturally centered approaches positively impact academic outcomes and mental health of historically oppressed peoples. By emphasizing and affirming African American experiences 1619 has potential to narrow the achievement gap and disrupt rising suicide rates. However, philosophy and psychology warn against overemphasizing culture. Excessive affirmation can cause groupthink. Continual praise aggrandizes the …

Intelligence Operations Conducted On Martin Luther King Jr. And His Loose Morals: The Changing Motivations For His Surveillance, Haley D. North Ms.

Madison Historical Review

The United States intelligence community took great pride in producing insightful intelligence for the protection of threats to their nation and its citizens. However, the government's intentions for surveillance under their administrations can be questioned when analyzing the individual governmental agendas for conducting surveillance against American citizens. One American consecutive administration targeted in particular was Martin Luther King Jr. Throughout Marin Luther King Jr.’s public career there was a constant effort on the part of the government to conduct surveillance of his every move. The National Security Agency’s (NSA) justification under project MINARET for the surveillance of King was claimed …

One Among Many: Charlotte Kolmitz, Assistant U.S. Attorney In Seattle, 1918–1925, Anna Synya

Digital Legal Research Lab

One Among Many: Charlotte Kolmitz, Assistant U.S. Attorney in Seattle, 1918–1925

Research poster prepared for Digital Legal Research Lab, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Contemporary Environmental Art: The Multidimensional Relationship Between Black Communities And The American Landscape, Sophia Perkins

Honors Capstones

Contemporary environmental art can be inspired by personal experience and reflections between the artist and their surroundings. Black women have a unique interaction with and relation to their environment. I would like to unpack the relationships between Black women and the environment by exploring a few different artists’ work, and by dissecting the effects race and gender have on one’s view of the natural world. I have studied the work of four artists: Torkwase Dyson, Allison Jane Hamilton, LaToya Ruby Frazier, and Calida Garcia Rawles. Environmentally, I have a specific interest in bodies of water / Black waterways because of …

Gentrifying While Black: Exploring The Concept Of An African Homeland Through Gentrification In Accra, Ghana, Amaya Davis

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Martin, John - Receipt For Advertisement Of The Final Settlement Of The Estate Of John Martin, Deceased, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Receipt for advertisement of the final settlement of the estate of John Martin, deceased

Martin, John - Original Will Of John Martin, Deceased, 1825, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Original Will of John Martin, deceased, which includes the transfer of enslaved persons to family members.

Martin, John - Inventory And Appriasement Of The Estate Of John Martin, Deceased, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Inventory and appriasement of the estate of John Martin, deceased, including 11 enslaved persons: Trim, Frank, Alse, Esther + child, Maria, Sal (mulatto), Leah, Hugh, Maria, Smith, Ally

Martin, Andrew -Order For Inventory And Appraisement Of The Estate Of Andrew Martin, Deceased, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Order for the inventory and appraisement of the estate of Andrew Martin, deceased, including six enslaved persons: David, 32 years; Joice, 24 years; Celia, 18 years; Charles, 8 years; Esther, 6 years, and Jane, 2 years

Martin, John - Estate Of John Martin, Deceased, With Moses Martin, Executor, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Envelope for pobate records for John Martin, deceased

Martin, Andrew - Estate Of Andrew Martin, Deceased, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Envelope for probate records of Andrew Martin, deceased

Martin, Abraham - Inventory Fragment 3, Abraham Martin, Deceased, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Fragment of inventory for the estate of Abraham Martin, deceased, which includes a case of knives and forks, desk, tables, looking glasses, hand bells, a tea kettle and books.

Martin, Abraham - Inventory Fragment 1, Abraham Martin, Deceased, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Fragment of inventory for the estate of Abraham Martin, deceased, which includes a ox cart, small waggon, riding [chair], ox chains and other furniture.

Martin, Abraham - Inventory Fragment 2, Abraham Martin, Deceased, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Fragment of inventory for the estate of Abraham Martin, deceased, which includes part of the text of an affirmation about the estate by Mary Martin, signed with her mark.

Martin, Abraham - Estate Of Abraham Martin, Deceased With [Blank], Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Envelope of probate records for Abraham Martin, deceased

Martin, Abraham - Inventory Of The Estate Of Abraham Martin, Deceased, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Inventory of the estate of Abraham Martin, deceased

Martell, Paul Marie Lewis - Receipt For Office Fees Related To The Emancipation Of Agatha, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

receipt for fees office fees related to the emancipation of Agatha

Martell, Paul Marie Lewis - Estate Administration Record, Paul Mary [Marie] Lewis Martell, Deceased, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Estate administration record, Paul Mary [Marie] Lewis Martell, deceased

Martell, Paul Marie Lewis - Receipt For Fees For Suit In Concordia Parish, Louisiana, To Emancipate Agatha, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Receipt for fees for suit in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, to emancipate Agatha

Martell, Paul Marie Lewis - Inventory Of Furniture Bequeathed To Agatha, Formerly Enslaved By Paul Marie Lewis Martell, Chancery Court Of Adams County

Historic Natchez Foundation

Inventory of furniture bequeathed to Agatha, formerly enslaved by Paul Marie Lewis Martell