The fate of enslaved people in the United States would divide the nation during the Civil War. And after the war, the racist legacy of slavery would persist, spurring movements of resistance, including the Underground Railroad , the Montgomery Bus Boycott , the Selma to Montgomery March , and the Black Lives Matter movement. Through it all, Black leaders, artists and writers have emerged to shape the character and identity of a nation.

Slavery Comes to North America , 1619


Rise of the Cotton Industry, 1793
Simone Landrum getting a prenatal massage. By Linda Villarosa. W hen Simone Landrum felt tired and both nauseated and ravenous at the same time in the spring of , she recognized the signs of pregnancy. She decided she would name her daughter Harmony. But Landrum, who was the mother of two young sons, noticed something different about this pregnancy as it progressed. Three months into her pregnancy, he became angry at her for wanting to hang out with friends and threw her to the ground outside their apartment. She scrambled to her feet, ran inside and called the police.
Background
The power of the written word is that it can take us beyond our own worlds, outside our own experiences, and into the lives of people different from us in ways great and small. If, in the wake of the killing of George Floyd , you're looking to broaden your understanding of the black experience in America—and around the world—turning to important books on the subject is a simple step to take. These novels, essays, and memoirs all address racial injustice with unique power and unforgettable prose, illuminating a topic that has been kept in the dark for many for far too long. Consider buying your books from one of these Black-owned bookstores. Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Margo Jefferson grew up in the upper crust of Chicago's black elite during the s and '60s.
Skip to Content. And, like many other big issues, it's something that comes up again and again in the movies, from inspiring stories about unforgettable leaders to wrenching documentaries about civil rights. Movies can help underline key messages like the importance of diversity and acceptance. They can also be opportunities to discuss how different racial groups are depicted in films.