The African-American struggle and triumph comes to life in these pages, from the Emancipation Proclamation and racial segregation, to the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement, to the first African-American president. This volume provides information on what it meant and means to be an African American - from the 1800s to the present day.

Table of Contents

• 1898-1919
• 1898: African American Wood Turner
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Farmville, Virginia
• 1913: Young Singer of Spirituals
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Denmark, South Carolina
• 1916: African American U.S. Army Major
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Mexico
• 1917: Civil Rights Advocate
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Harlem, New York
• 1919: Female African American Entrepreneur
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Harlem, New York
• 1920-1939
• 1927: Blues Singer Florence Mills
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Harlem, New York City, New York
• 1935: African American Couple Emigrate from Rural South to Urban North
• Life at Home
• Life at Work: The Pullman Company
• Life in the Community: Harlem, New York
• The Sharecropper System
• 1939: Female Pianist and Musical Arranger
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Kansas City, Missouri
• 1940-1959
• 1942: Guitarist with Transformative Technique
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• 1945: Female Trombonist in Traveling Band
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Wartime Entertainers
• 1946: African American Newspaper Reporter
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• The Black Press
• 1946: African American Sailor and Desegregation Advocate
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico
• 1948: U.S. Delegate and Postwar Architect
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: London, England
• Britain during the War
• 1951: Former Slave and Proud Matriarch
• Life at Home
• Life at Work: Midwife
• Life in the Community: Summerton, South Carolina
• 1952: Olympic Gold Medal Hurdler
• Life at Home
• Life at Work: Olympic Athlete
• Life in Olympic Community: Helsinki, Finland
• 1959: Rock ‘n’ Roll Pioneer and Prisoner
• Life at Home
• Life at Work: Prisoner and Musician
• Life in the Community: Nashville, Tennessee
• Music Trivia
• 1960-1979
• 1960: Self-trained Olympic Weightlifter
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: The Olympic Village, Rome
• 1961: Educator and Civil Rights Pioneer
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Charleston, South Carolina
• 1962: From Orphan to Self-made Golf Caddie
• Life at Home
• Life at School and Work
• Life in the Community: Baltimore, Maryland
• 1966: African American Baseball Player
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Washington, DC
• 1966: Army Private in the Vietnam War
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Vietnam
• 1968: Female Electronics Worker
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Memphis, Tennessee
• Civil Rights in Memphis
• 1970: Earth Day Advocate
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Earth Day Around the United States
• 1975: Jamaican Immigrant and Caregiver
• Life at Home
• Life in the Community: New York City
• 1980-1999
• 1983: Music Promoter and Innovator
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Detroit, Michigan
• 1985: Haitian Immigrant and Artist
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Haiti and Miami, Florida
• 1993: University Student and Music Promoter
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Queens, New York
• 2000-2016
• 2008: Surfer and Surfboard Entrepreneur
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Santa Monica, California
• 2015: Field Service Scheduling Supervisor
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Weymouth, Massachusetts
• 2016: Family Therapist
• Life at Home
• Life at Work
• Life in the Community: Worcester, Massachusetts
• The Black Population: 2010 Census Brief
• Black (African-American) History Month: February 2016
• Further Reading