University of Virginia
Virginia Center for Digital History: Television News of the Civil Rights Era
A rich collection of streaming video samples of television news footage from 1950 to 1970, along with an assortment of primary source documents, first-person accounts, a glossary of terms, and essays and analysis for learning about the...
Library of Congress
Loc: Born in Slavery
From the Library of Congress American Memory project, this extensive online archive contains first-person narratives of slavery and 500 black-and-white photographs of former slaves that were collected in the 1930s as part of the Federal...
National Women’s History Museum
National Women's History Museum: Ruby Bridges
A biographical look at Ruby Bridges who became famous at six years of age by being the first Black child to attend a desegregated school in America.
Smithsonian Institution
National Postal Museum: 1990 Black Heritage Series: Ida B. Wells Issue
View the artwork for a U.S. postage stamp issued in 1990 to commemorate Ida B. Wells, one of the founders of the NAACP. With a short passage on her life and contributions to ending discrimination against women and African-Americans.
Scott Alexander
Red Hot Jazz: The Origins of Jazz
Red Hot Jazz outlines the origins of jazz, taking a look at the blend of cultures that existed in New Orleans at the turn of the century when jazz first emerged as a unique musical form. Includes links to additional information about...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: Sojourner Truth
Learn of Sojourner Truth's eventful life from runaway slave to advocate for freedom and fairness. She was the first African American woman to speak out against slavery in public. She continued her quest for fairness by being a...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: Sojourner Truth
Learn about Sojouner Truth's eventful life from runaway slave to advocate for freedom and fairness. The first African American woman to speak out against slavery in public. (In Spanish)
NASA
Nasa: Astronaut Biography: Mae C. Jemison
Official NASA biography of astronaut, Mae C. Jemison, the first African American woman admitted into the astronaut training program.
US Department of State
Biographies of the Secretaries of State: Colin Luther Powell
Biography of Colin Powell, the first African American to serve as Secretary of State, nominated by George W. Bush. Mr. Powell served 4 years in that role which proved to be both influential and controversial.
US Department of State
Biographies of the Secretaries of State: Condoleezza Rice
Biography summary of Condoleezza Rice who was nominated for Secretary of State by George W. Bush and assumed office on January 26, 2005, serving four years in the position. She was the first African-American woman to serve as Secretary...
Read Works
Read Works: Smile!
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about Ruby Bridges, the first African American to attend a Southern, all-white elementary school. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Walking Tall
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about Ruby Bridges, the first African American to attend a Southern, all-white elementary school. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Walking Tall
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about Ruby Bridges and her experience as the first African American to attend an all-white elementary school. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Thurgood Marshall
The first African-American on the U.S. Supreme Court as a pioneer for equal rights. Learn more about Thurgood Marshall on this Library of Congress site.
NPR: National Public Radio
Npr: Ghana Celebrates 50 Years as Independent Nation
In this article and the accompanying radio broadcasts, Ghana reflects back on its accomplishments in the fifty years since it became independent of colonial rule. It was the first African nation south of the Sahara to do so. [March 7, 2007]
Library of Congress
Loc: Historic Baseball Resources: Personalities: Jackie Robinson
Biographical sketch of baseball great Jackie Robinson, who was the first African American to play baseball in the major leagues.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Legends of Tuskegee
Exhibit documents the history and achievements of three key constituents of Tuskegee University: Booker T. Washington, who founded the university; the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American flying squadron who trained there during...
National Women’s History Museum
National Women's History Museum: Phillis Wheatley
Despite spending much of her life enslaved, Phillis Wheatley was the first African American woman to publish a book of poems.
Curated OER
Real African American Heroes: Guion S. Bluford, Jr.
This site provides the resume and a picture of Guion S. Bluford, Jr., America's first NASA African-American astronaut in space.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: African Americans in the British New World: The Growth of Slavery
Africans first arrived in Jamestown as indentured servants, but soon the appeal of having laborers that were not free after seven years caught on. See how the use of slaves grew in the Southern colonies, the economies of which were based...
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Introduction to Africa
This introduction provides some basic information as background for the detailed accounts of the particular cultures that follow. The cultures have been selected to represent Africa, in the sense that they include the larger and...
Other
Hall of Fame Biographies: John Maxwell (Michael) Coetzee
A brief biography of John Maxwell Coetzee, a professor and famous author from Africa. Read about his accomplishments which led him to be the first to win two Booker Awards.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Daguerreotypes by Augustus Washington
Augustus Washington, son of a former slave, learned to make daguerreotypes in 1843 to offset his college expenses, during his freshman year at Dartmouth College. Biographical notes and details about his work are provided in an annotated...
Other
Hall of Fame Biographies: Christian Neethling Barnard
A concise biography of Christiaan Barnard (1922-2001), the famous surgeon who did the first heart transplant. Learn about his early life, education, and his learning process of performing heart transplants.