An Independent Country

From gang member to world-famous baseball player, Jackie Robinson helped break down barriers for African American athletes, proving that they can not only compete, but excel, in a variety of sports. Jackie Robinson was the youngest of five children, born in 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. His father left the family…

They say necessity is the mother of invention; if that’s true, it’s no wonder African Americans have created so many useful products designed to make work easier or to save money. Fun Facts African Americans who were slaves often came up with ideas to make their work more efficient. They…

After the first world war, many African Americans migrated to the north, but some stayed in the south. They got jobs or farmed their own land. Their white neighbors didn’t always like them, especially if their crops were more successful. But World War II came, bringing change again. Fun Facts…

One of America’s most beloved writers and poets, Maya Angelou made many other contributions too. Fun Facts Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1928. When she was three (and her brother, four), her parents’ marriage ended. Her father sent the two children alone on a train to…

James Earl Jones is a famous African American actor known for his deep, booming voice. You might know him as Darth Vader or Mufasa, but his story began long before his film career. Fun Facts James Earl Jones was born in 1931 in Arkabutia, Mississippi. Life was tough for African…

Rosa Parks stood up for herself at a time when no one else would. Her courage started a movement that led to greater equality for African Americans. Fun Facts Rosa Parks was born February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her parents separated when she was two years old. She and her…

After the Civil War, African American slaves were set free, but life didn’t get much better for them. In the South and in other parts of the country, they were the targets of racism. They were sometimes kidnapped and even killed. But World War I changed things for them. Fun…

After the war, African-Americans were excited to start their new lives. Actually doing it was harder than they expected. First, many white people carried racist attitudes and refused to change. They wouldn’t give African-Americans jobs and sometimes actively hurt or even killed them. And, African-Americans lacked education and skills. They…

The years after the Civil War were hard ones for freed slaves. Just because a law said they were free did not mean people instantly embraced or accepted them. They couldn’t get jobs or an education and worse, their very safety was often in danger. Booker T. Washington had been…

Along time ago in Africa, the people could fly. They walked up into the air like they were climbin stairs. They could fly over the fields like blackbirds, their wings shiny and black. When they were captured and made slaves, they lost their wings. The slave ships were so crowded…