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Article
PBS

Wgbh/pbs: Frontline: The Blurred Racial Lines of Famous Families: Cheswell

For Students 9th - 10th
Celebrated similar to Paul Revere, Wentworth Cheswell's biography highlights his contributions during the American Revolution. Cheswell, from New Hampshire, was a local politician who is considered to be the first black American elected...
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Unit Plan
Other

Usps: Marion Anderson: Voice of the Century

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Celebrate Black American History Month by studying this noteworthy Black American musician from the past Learn why Marian Anderson was called the voice of the century, how she impacted the lives of other Black musicians, and what it...
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Article
Black Past

Black Past: Lafayette, James Armistead (1760 1832)

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief biography of James Lafayette reveals that he was a spy during the American Revolution. He fooled the likes of Benedict Arnold and General Cornwallis of Britain!
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Website
Other

Epcc Libraries: Borderlands: Black Cowboys Rode the Trails, Too 21 (2002)

For Students 9th - 10th
Faculty-edited college student articles on the US-Mexico border giving insight to what life was like for black cowboys in the late 1800s. The article explains how many were ex-slaves that became cowboys after Emancipation, what their job...
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Website
Great Idea Finder

Great Idea Finder: Lewis Howard Latimer

For Students 9th - 10th
An extensive biography of the life of African-American inventor, Lewis Latimer. Find out about his primary claim to fame in the development of an incandescent light bulb, but be sure to read about his many patents, and his importance to...
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Website
Other

Bowdoin College: Arctic Museum: Biographies: Matthew Henson

For Students 9th - 10th
Biographical information about Matthew Henson, an African American explorer who was with Robert Peary's team, in 1909, when he reached the North Pole.
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Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Harold Washington (1922 1987)

For Students 9th - 10th
This biography profiles the political career of Harold Washington, the first African American mayor of Chicago.
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Lesson Plan
Other

Maryland Public Schools: Maggie L. Walker History Lesson Plan [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
With this lesson plan, students will learn about the life of African American teacher and entrepreneur Maggie L. Walker, the woman to own a bank in the United States. This document includes teacher resources, student resources and...
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Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: Biographical Directory of the u.s. Congress: Harold Washington

For Students 9th - 10th
This brief biography describes the career of the Illinois-born African American politician Harold Washington.
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Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: Historic Site: Maggie L. Walker Home and Museum

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the remarkable life and career of Maggie L. Walker, an African American teacher and successful business woman. Also includes a gallery of personal photographs, an online tour Walker's home and information about her work as a...
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Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Maggie L. Walker

For Students 9th - 10th
Maggie Lena Walker was an entrepreneur and the first female bank president in the United States. Find out about the personal life and many impressive career firsts of this African American teacher and businesswoman.
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Becoming Visible: James Baldwin

For Students 9th - 10th
James Baldwin is presented in this biography as a great African American contributor to the literary world during the civil rights movement. See "James Baldwin Activities" for more information.
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Unit Plan
George Eastman Museum

African Americans: Black History Through Photography

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of photographs from the Eastman House collection. They include portraits of important figures who shaped American history, as well as many other African Americans, whose names are unknown.
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Handout
Other

Arthur Ashe: Biography

For Students 9th - 10th
This official Arthur Ashe biography describes his life in detail, from his childhood in Virginia to his record-breaking career in tennis. Readers will also learn about his work as an activist and philanthropist, and his HIV positive...
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Website
Other

Crazy Horse Memorial: Crazy Horse Black Hills, South Dakota

For Students 9th - 10th
Official website of the carving in progress. A moving memorial to the spirit of Native Americans. Be sure to view the carving through the live webcam. Beautiful!
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Website
Other

Crazy Horse Memorial: Crazy Horse Black Hills, South Dakota

For Students 9th - 10th
Official website of the carving in progress. A moving memorial to the spirit of Native Americans. Be sure to view the carving through the live webcam. Beautiful!
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Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: Bass Reeves

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about Bass Reeves, who escaped a life of slavery and became a United States marshall.
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Handout
Oklahoma Historical Society

Oklahoma State University: Encyclopedia: Bass Reeves

For Students 9th - 10th
This biography describes the life of Bass Reeves, who fled slavery and became a United States marshall.
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Article
Other

Vanderbilt.edu."the the Black Female & Renaissannce Rena

For Students 9th - 10th
Highly detailed article concerning this famous era. Historical significance is addressed and a well-written analysis of many authors.
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

Nat'l Portrait Gallery: Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African American Portraits

For Students 9th - 10th
Biographical portraits of African Americans involved in the struggle for civil rights and equality, from the time of Frederick Douglass forward. Learn about the contributions of Edmonia Lewis, Sojourner Truth, Edward Bannister, Octavius...
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Handout
Other

Texas Black History Preservation Project: William Goyens (1794 856)

For Students 4th - 8th
A biography of William Goyens, a mixed African American and Cherokee married to a white woman, whose father was a freed slave. Goyens was a Texas businessman who himself participated in the slave trade, and friends with many of the well...
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Website
PBS

African American World: Profiles

For Students 9th - 10th
Use this site to find out the history of African Americans on an easy to use timeline dating from the 1400s to the present. You can also learn about African American arts and culture and read about the contributions of some specific...
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Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Wright, Richard

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief article about the famous black author, Richard Wright.
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Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Watts, Andre

For Students 9th - 10th
This encyclopedia article gives a brief biography of Andre Watts, the first internationally known black classical pianist.