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"Oklahoma Bound," the films of Reverend S. S. Jones

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1781 The Articles of Confederation were ratified. This was an agreement among all thirteen original states in the United States of America that served as its first Constitution.

1789 The U.S. Constitution declared persons of African decent 3/5th of a person.

1820 It was declared that all men who pay poll taxes can vote. This was a popular law among Southern States that required citizens to pay poll taxes.

1848 Mexicans were granted U.S. Citizenship but they were not allowed to vote.

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Voting Milestones - Google Arts & Culture

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1781 The Articles of Confederation were ratified. This was an agreement among all thirteen original states in the United States of America that served as its first Constitution. 1789 The U.S. Constitution declared persons of African decent 3/5th of a person. 1820 It was declared that all men who pay poll taxes can vote.

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The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a museum that seeks to understand American history through the lens of the African American experience. The only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture, it was established by Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. The Museum opened to the public on September 24, 2016, as the 19th museum of the Smithsonian Institution.

The Museum is a public institution open to all, where anyone is welcome to participate, collaborate, and learn more about African American history and culture. In the words of Lonnie G. Bunch III, founding director of the Museum, "there are few things as powerful and as important as a people, as a nation that is steeped in its history."

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Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, D.C., United States - Google Arts & Culture

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The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a museum that seeks to understand American history through the lens of the African American ...

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Born in Columbus, Georgia, and now based in the New York City area, Amy Sherald documents contemporary African American experience in the United States through arresting, intimate portraits. Sherald engages with the history of photography and portraiture, inviting viewers to participate in a more complex debate about accepted notions of race and representation, and to situate Black heritage centrally in American art.

Sherald received her MFA in painting from Maryland Institute College of Art and BA in painting from Clark-Atlanta University. Sherald was the first woman and first African-American to ever receive the grand prize in the 2016 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition from the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C., she also received the 2017 Anonymous Was A Woman award and the 2019 Smithsonian Ingenuity Award. In 2018, Sherald was selected by First Lady Michelle Obama to paint her portrait as an official commission for the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. Sherald's work is held in public collections such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA; Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Boston, MA; the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR; Embassy of the United States, Dakar, Senegal; Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, DC; Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC; and Nasher Museum of Art, Durham, NC.

2004 MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore MD
1997 BFA, Clark-Atlanta University, Atlanta GA

Lives and works in in the Greater New York area

Hauser & Wirth, 'Amy Sherald,' Monaco

Hauser & Wirth, 'Amy Sherald. The World We Make', London, UK

Hauser & Wirth, 'Amy Sherald. The Great American Fact', Los Angeles CA

Hauser & Wirth, 'Amy Sherald the heart of the matter...', New York NY

Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, 'Amy Sherald', Atlanta GA (travelling exhibition)
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, 'Amy Sherald', Bentonville AR (travelling exhibition)
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 'Amy Sherald', St. Louis MO (travelling exhibition)

moniquemeloche LES, 'Amy Sherald', New York NY

Monique Meloche Gallery, 'A Wonderful Dream', Chicago IL

Second Street Gallery, 'Off the Chain: American Art Unfettered', Charlottesville VA

Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 'Amy Sherald: Paintings', Baltimore MD

Green Family Art Foundation, 'Black Bodies, White Spaces: Invisibility & Hypervisibility', Dallas TX
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 'Black American Portraits', Los Angeles CA
Crystal Bridges Museum, 'In American Waters', cur. Austen Bailly, Daniel Finamore, Bentonville AR
National Museum of African American History and Culture, 'Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience.', Washington D.C.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 'The Obama Portraits Tour', Los Angeles CA (travelling exhibition)
The Brooklyn Museum, 'The Obama Portraits Tour', Brooklyn NY (travelling exhibition)
The Art Institute of Chicago, 'The Obama Portraits Tour', Chicago IL (travelling exhibition)
Peabody Essex Museum, 'In American Waters', cur. Austen Bailly, Daniel Finamore, Salem MA
Speed Art Museum, 'Promise, Witness, Remembrance', Louisville KY
MW Gallery, 'Recent Acquisitions and Rarely Seen Gems (from the Mott-Warsh Collection)', Flint MI

Seattle Art Museum, 'In This Imperfect Present Moment', Seattle, Washington
Ackland Art Museum, University of North Carolina, 'The Outwin 2016: American Portraiture Today', Chapel Hill NC (Travelling Exhibition)
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, 'The Outwin 2016: American Portraiture Today', Kansas City MO (Travelling Exhibition)
Baltimore Museum of Art, 'Baker Artist Awards', Baltimore MD

Rental Gallery, 'Color People', cur. Rashid Joohnson, East Hampton NY
California African American Museum, 'Face to Face: Los Angeles Collects Portraiture', Los Angeles LA
The David C. Driskell Center - University of Maryland, 'Shifting: African American Women Artists and the Power of Their Gaze', College Park MD
Studio Museum, 'Fictions, organized by Connie H. Choi and Hallie Ringle', Harlem NY
Speed Art Museum, 'Southern Accent: Seeking the American South in Contemporary Art', Louisville KY (Travelling Exhibition)
Art Museum of South Texas, 'The Outwin 2016: American Portraiture Today', Corpus Christi TX (Travelling Exhibition)

Creative Alliance, 'About Face', Baltimore MD
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, 'Visual Art and the American Experience', Washington D.C.
Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, 'Southern Accent: Seeking the American South in Contemporary Art', Durham NC
Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, 'Africa Forecast: Fashioning Contemporary Life', Atlanta GA
Art Museum of South Texas, 'The Outwin 2016: American Portraiture Today', Corpus Christi TX (Travelling Exhibition)
Tacoma Art Museum, 'The Outwin 2016: American Portraiture Today', Tacoma WA (Travelling Exhibition)
Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, 'The Outwin 2016: American Portraiture Today', Washington D.C.

moniquemeloche, 'Look At Me Now!' curated by Allison Glenn, Chicago IL

Sub-basement Gallery, 'Femme Effect', Baltimore MD

Maryland Institute College of Art, 'MFA Thesis Exhibition', Baltimore MD

Museum of Panama, collaboration with Dr. Arturo Lindsay, Panama City, Panama

Museum of Panama Education Gallery, Panama City, Panama

Joan Mitchell Residency, New Orleans LO

Creative Alliance Baltimore, Baltimore MD

Art Rules Aruba Teaching Residency, Aruba

Tong Xion Art Center, Studio Assistant Resident, Beijing, China

Odd Nerdrum Private Study

Taller Portobello Artist Colony, Portobelo, Panama

Spelman College Art Colony Portobelo, Panama

Maine College of Art Portland, Portland ME

Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award, Washington DC

Anonymous Was A Woman Award, New York NY

Semi-Finalist for Sondheim Artscape Prize

Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Grant

Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant

Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore MD
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland OH
The Columbus Museum, Columbus GA
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville AR
Embassy of the United States, Dakar, Senegal
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City MO
Long Museum, Shanghai, China
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles CA
Marieluise Hessel Foundation, Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson NY
Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis MN
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles CA
Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University, Durham NC
National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC
National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington DC
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington DC
Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC
Speed Art Museum, Louisville KY
UBS Art Collection, New York NY
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York NY

Sorkin, Jenni, Quashie, Kevin, Coates, Ta-Nehisi, 'Amy Sherald: The World We Make', Zurich/New York: Hauser & Wirth Publishers, 2022, ill.

Christovale, Erin, Melandri, Lisa, Silva, Eddie (eds.), 'Amy Sherald', St. Louis: Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 2019 (exh. cat.)

Bey, Dawoud, 'A Wonderful Dream. Amy Sherald', New York: Monique Meloche Gallery, 2016 (exh. cat.)

Lindsay, Arturo, Sherald, Amy, 'The Magical Real-ism of Amy Sherald', Chapel Hill: The Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History and The Robert and Sallie Brown Gallery and Museum, 2011 (exh. cat.)

Morrill, Rebecca, Hunegs, Simon, Murphy, Maia (eds.), 'Great Women Painters', London: Phaidon, 2022, p. 268, ill.
Le Thorel, Pascale, 'L'art contemporain par les femmes', Paris; Larousse, 2022, cover, pp. 192-195, ill.
Karnes, Andrea (ed.), 'Women Painting Women', Fort Worth: Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 2022, cover, p. 70, ill. (exh. cat.)
Alexander, Elizabeth, 'The Trayvon Generation', New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2022, p. 43, ill.
Andrews, Liz, Kim, Christine Y., 'Black American Portraits', Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2022

Finamore, Daniel, Bailly, Austen Barron (eds.), 'In American Waters. The Sea in American Paintings', Salem: Peabody Essex Museum, Arkansas: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art/University of Arkansas Press, 2021, p. 211, ill. (exh. cat.)

Hollein, Max, 'Gifts of Art: The Met's 150th Anniversary', New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2020, p. 171, ill.
Sajet, Kim, DuBois Shaw, Gwendolyn, 'First Ladies of the United States', Washington: National Portrait Gallery, 2020 (exh. cat.)
Gerhard, Jane, Tucker, Dan, 'Citizen Woman. An Illustrated History of the Women's Movement', Munich: Prestel Verlag, 2020

Sajet, Kim, DuBois Shaw, Gwendolyn, Moss, Dorothy, 'The Outwin 2016 American Portraiture Today. Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition', Washington: Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, 2016 (exh. cat.)

Schjeldahl, Peter, 'The Amy Sherald Effect', on: www.newyorker.com , 16 September 2019, ill.
Sheets, Hilarie M., 'The American Realism of Painter Amy Sherald', on: www.culturedmag.com, 9 September 2019, ill.
Martinović, Jelena, 'Not To Be Missed - Amy Sherald's Debut at Hauser & Wirth' on: www.widewalls.com, 30 August 2019, ill.
Westall, Mark, 'Amy Sherald documents contemporary black experience through arresting, otherworldly paintings.', on: www.fadmagazine.com, 27 August 2019, ill.
Kazanjian, Dodie, 'Amy Sherald, Michelle Obama's Portraitist, Readies her New York Debut', in: Vogue, 15 July 2019, ill.
Wellington, Elizabeth, 'Amy Sherald, who painted Michelle Obama's portrait, designs a mural that turns a Philly teen into her own inspiration', on: www.inquirer.com, Philadelphia, 5 June 2019, ill.
Akik, Chorouk, 'Who are the "She's Gotta Have It" artists amplifying Black creativity?', on: www.kulturehub.com, New York, 31 May 2019, ill.
Goldstein, Caroline, 'Carrie Mae Weems, Amy Sherald, and These Other Artists Have Cameos in Spike Lee's New Netflix Series, "She's Gotta Have It"', on: www.artnet.com, New York, 30 May 2019
Bugbee, Stella, 'How I Get It Done. Amy Sherald on Life After Painting Michelle Obama', on: www.thecut.com, New York, 2 May 2019, ill.
Wetherall, Shantel, 'A powerful moment for the Archibald prize. Could a portrait of a black woman win?', on: www.theguardian.com, London, 1 May 2019, ill.
Smith, Kelundra, 'Of Figurative Paintings and a First Lady', [interview], on: www.bittersoutherner.com, 22 March 2019, ill.
Danzy, Shelley, 'Obama Portraitist Amy Sherald's Vibrant Paintings Detail Perceptions Of Blackness', on: www.artsatl.org, Atlanta, 19 February 2019, ill.
Saget, Kim, 'The Obama Portraits have had a Pilgrimage Effect', on: www.theatlantic.com, Boston, 12 February 2019, ill.
Shaw, Gabbi, '20 Amazing Women who are Changing the World', on: www.businessinsider.com, New York, 12 February 2019, ill.
Carras, Jon, ''Sunday Morning' at 40. The artist's vision', on: www.cbsnews.com, New York, 27 January 2019, ill.
Valentine, Victoria L., 'The Year Ahead in African American Art. What to Look Forward to in 2019', on: www.culturetype.com, Silver Spring, 24 January 2019, ill.
Peacock, Leslie Newell, 'Indomitable. African American artists in 'On Their Own Terms' at UA Little Rock', on: www.arktimes.net, Little Rock, 14 January 2019, ill.
Crow, Kelly, 'In New Show, Michelle Obama's Portrait Artist Shifts to the Monumental', in: The Wall Street Journal, Washington, 8 September 2019, ill.
Wortham, Jenna, 'I Want to Explore the Wonder of What It Is to Be a Black American', on: www.nytimes.com, New York, 8 October 2019, ill.
___, 'Amerikansk kunstner portrætterer sorte mennesker ved at male dem grå', in: Politiken, Copenhagen, Denmark, 9 October 2019, ill.

__, 'Presence of Mind- Revealing Africans in the European Art', Transitions: International Review, Issue 111, 2013
__, 'Resisting Homogeneity in the 21st Century', The International Review of African American Art, Vol. 24, No.2., 2013
'Portfolio - Life Stories', Baltimore Style Magazine, 2013
Hycide Magazine, December (cover), 2013

Studio, The Studio Museum of Harlem Magazine, Fall Issue, 2008

__, 'In This Exhibition, The Subject Is Women', Baltimore Sun, February 22, 2006

__, 'Under Busy Baltimore Streets Art Flourishes', Baltimore Sun, October 24, 2004

Join us for a Private View of our brand new exhibition 'Amy Sherald. The World We Make' at Hauser & Wirth London. Amy Sherald, one of the defining contemporary portraitists in the United States, unveils a suite of new paintings in a major exhibition at Hauser &...
Learn more

We are pleased to invite you to the opening reception of 'the heart of the matter...,' Amy Sherald's inaugural exhibition with Hauser & Wirth. Sherald debuts a suite of new paintings that reinforces the multiplicities of African-American life and invites viewers to reconsider commonly accepted notions...
Learn more

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Born in Columbus, Georgia, and now based in the New York City area, Amy Sherald documents contemporary African American experience in the United States through arresting, intimate portraits. Sherald engages with the history of photography and portraiture, inviting viewers to participate in a more complex debate about accepted notions of race and representation, and to situate Black heritage centrally in American art.

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Lelia Foley-Davis, the nation's First Black Female Mayor

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Lelia Foley-Davis, the nation's First Black Female Mayor

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We kick off Black History Month with our Amazing Oklahoman -- a groundbreaker named Lelia Foley-Davis.

Foley-Davis was elected as the first Black Mayor of Taft back in 1973 and served until 1989.

Now, Foley-Davis does speaking engagements all around the country.

With all of her accomplishments, she says she just wants to be remembered as a servant to her home town.

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

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We kick off Black History Month with our Amazing Oklahoman -- a groundbreaker named Lelia Foley-Davis. Foley-Davis was elected as the first Black Mayor of Taft back in 1973 and served until 1989. Now, Foley-Davis does speaking engagements all around the country.

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Langston University, Oklahoma's own HBCU

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Langston University, Oklahoma's own HBCU

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"Africa is a rubber ball;
the harder you dash it to the ground,
the higher it will rise."
-Melvin B. Tolson, Libretto for the Republic of Liberia

The universality of the African proverb (above) quoted by former poet laureate of Liberia Melvin B. Tolson, professor of English, speech, and drama at Langston University (1947-1965), is reflected in the inspiring story of Oklahoma's only historically black college or university (HBCU)-Langston University. Born in turmoil, strengthened through adversity, Langston University today sits "high on a throne with royal mien." She celebrated her centennial in March 1997 and has moved with confidence into a second century of excellence.

On the one-year anniversary of Oklahoma statehood, April 22, 1890, Langston City was officially established.

Promoted by its founders, one of whom was prominent African American Edwin P. McCabe, who was influential in the selection of the site of Langston University, the city of Langston had a population of 600 and had 25 retail businesses by 1892, the year in which a common school was built and opened with an enrollment of 135.

Since African Americans were not permitted to attend any of the institutions of higher education in Oklahoma Territory, black citizens appeared before the Oklahoma Industrial School and College Commission in July 1892 to petition that Langston have a college. Eventually, Territorial Governor William Gary Renfrow, who had vetoed a civil rights bill that would have disregarded segregation, proposed a reform bill establishing the university. It was founded as a land grant college through the Morrill Act of 1890 and officially established by House Bill 151 on March 12, 1897, as the Colored Agricultural and Normal University.

The purpose of the university was to instruct "both male and female Colored persons in the art of teaching various branches which pertain to a common school education and in such higher education as may be deemed advisable, and in the fundamental laws of the United States in the rights and duties of citizens in the
agricultural, mechanical and industrial arts." One stipulation was that the land on which the college would be built would have to be purchased by the citizens. Picnics, auctions, and bake sales were held to raise money, and the land was purchased within a year by black settlers determined to provide higher education for their children.

On September 3, 1898, the school was opened in a Presbyterian Church in Langston with an initial budget of $5,000. The first president was Dr. Inman E. Page (1898- 1915), the son of a former slave who had purchased freedom for himself and his family. During the Page administration, the campus expanded to 160 acres; enrollment increased from 41 to 650 and faculty from 4 to 35; classroom buildings and dormitories were constructed, and the curriculum was strengthened. The meager funding from the State Legislature was assisted by the Enabling Act of 1906 in which Section 13 of each township was set aside for the benefit of education. Langston received eventually 100,000 acres located primarily in western Oklahoma, with some acres in Logan County and a small number in New Mexico. Funds derived from rental and leasing of these lands have benefited the school greatly, as has the one-tenth of the New Morrill Act funds.

Isaac Berry McCutcheon was appointed the second president in 1915 following President Page's resignation to become president of Macon College in Missouri. In this year, electricity replaced kerosene lighting; the Music Department was able to obtain songbooks, and enough dishes and silver were bought to set the tables in the dining hall. At the same time, much debate was taking place as to whether the prime purpose of Langston University should be to develop the skills of students in the domestic, manual, and agricultural areas as advocated by Booker T. Washington or to follow the teachings of W. E. B. DuBois, who sought political and social equality for African Americans. McCutcheon resigned following controversy surrounding his firing of a history professor. R. E. Bullitt served as Interim President for five months during the early part of 1916.

He was succeeded by John Miller Marquess, third president, who served 1916 - 1923. Marquess was a good businessman who made the boarding system a source of revenue, building a gymnasium from these funds. He favored industrial education, and by the time he left most of the four-year college courses had been dropped. Isaac William Young served as both the fourth president (1923 - 1927) and the sixth president (1931-1935). A physician involved in politics, he was first appointed through his friendship with Governor-elect Jack Walton, left when Walton was out of office, and was again appointed by Governor William H. Murray. He spent $1,000 on library improvements, renovated the Science Department, and spent $40,000 on campus repairs, obtaining from the legislature the first significant building appropriations. At this time, the school owned 320 acres and had nine principal buildings. Also, the curriculum emphasis shifted from manual and technical training to arts and sciences.

Zachary T. Hubert was appointed fifth president in 1927 and served until 1931. During his administration two dormitories and six teachers' cottages were built as well as a new stone home management house. Described as an intellectual with little interest in political matters, he was replaced by an incoming governor with sixth president I. W. Young.

Following Young's second term, J. W. Sanford was appointed president and served four years (1935-1939). Several buildings were completed during his tenure including the administration building, Sanford Hall, and an annex to the men's dorm. He was considered a popular president.

When President Sanford resigned, Benjamin Franklin Lee was appointed as the second interim president in 1939.

He was succeeded by the eighth president, Albert Louis Turner in 1940. Turner found himself in a hotbed of politics, wrote his resignation after about four days, and was nicknamed "President for a Day" as a result.

The shortest tenure of a president was followed by one of the longest. G. Lamar Harrison, ninth president, served from 1940-1960. His philosophy was to "serve the people of the state at the point of their greatest need." During his tenure, the school improved its library and physical plant, and in his first year he brought in four faculty with doctorates. The school participated in the national defense program; the high school became part of the teacher training unit, and the name of the school was officially changed to Langston University (1941). Both the town and university were named for John Mercer Langston (1829-1897), a black Virginia educator prominent in public affairs who organized the first Department of Law at Howard University, later serving as vice president and acting president of the university. He was appointed by the President to serve as resident minister to Haiti and Santo Domingo. He was also president of Virginia State College for Negroes and was elected in Virginia to serve in the House of Representatives from 1890-1891.

The Langston University Alumni Association was making progress in removing the presidency from political influence, and so Harrison could enjoy stability. A herd of registered beef cattle was established, and the campus was provided with steam heat and underwent renovation-- the paving of streets and construction of a modern stadium, a new library, the I. W. Young Auditorium, and Jones Hall. The value of the physical plant rose to $4 million. Radio, shoe, and barber shops were started, and the university printed its own catalog in its print shop.

During the Harrison tenure the curriculum was revised with five divisions being established and two-year associate degree programs added. In 1948 Langston University became a member of the Association of American Colleges, the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NCATE). It also was affiliated with the State Department for training of foreign students and nationals.

William Henri Hale, the first alumnus to serve as president, was installed in 1960 and served until 1969. One of the primary problems he faced, ironically enough, was integration because many black students were attending previously all-white institutions. Dr. Hale stressed that one of Langston University's functions was to fill cultural and educational gaps in the lives of underserved students. He proposed a "Ten Year Plan" to upgrade the physical plant and academic activities.

During his tenure, two residence halls, the student center, three faculty apartment buildings, three classroom buildings, a library annex, the music building, a science and technology building, and more apartments were built at a cost exceeding $4 million. The enrollment rose to more than 1,100, including nine (9) white students and 25 foreign students; the 75 member faculty included 20 white instructors. Many alumni sent family members to the university, and in growth and retention, Langston ranked near the top of Oklahoma colleges.

The last phases of the ten-year improvement program called for a new water supply, tennis courts, air conditioning of classroom buildings, and a Black Heritage Center. Recruitment by industry and government increased from ten companies in 1961 to more than 150 in 1966. A development foundation was established and started to provide scholarships and loans. A reading clinic and an audiovisual lab were established. The tailoring shop was replaced by an electronics lab.

During the Hale administration tuition scholarships were awarded to Oklahoma students making a 4.00 grade point average. Ten professional honor societies were on campus. Sixth-Grade Day was established to invite young students to campus to get a feel for college life. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education granted provisional accreditation to Langston University in 1965. Faculty study grants were awarded to ten faculty members to study for the doctorate with support of Title III funds. When Hale was discharged in October 1969 following a secret meeting of the Regents, he received popular support from the students, who marched to the State Capitol in his defense, and from the Langston Alumni Council.

Williams E. Sims, dean of academic affairs at the time, was appointed as third interim president and later as the eleventh president, serving from 1969-1974. During his tenure, research continued to expand as did cooperative education, and the Five College Curriculum Innovative Thrust Program was established. The library joined the Interlibrary Loan System. An auditor's report revealed that the school had severe financial problems. Sims resigned, and the director of the Cooperative Extension Service, James L. Mosley, was appointed fourth interim president, serving in 1974-75. Sims pointed out that Langston University must be given a substantial increase in funding to survive. He was commended by the Board of Regents and offered the opportunity to remain as a faculty member, but he chose to go to Colorado State University.

Dr. Mosley served during a time of financial stress. He revised the payroll system, restructured the insurance program, and succeeded, with the help of alumni, to keep the summer school program open despite efforts to close it. When he resigned, almost 40% of the private debt had been paid and other improvements with finances had been made.

Thomas E. English, a Langston University alumnus, was appointed twelfth president and served from 1975-1977. His philosophy was "to develop that climate of drawing out the better self of every student." Financial problems continued to haunt the university, which historically had been underfunded. A general campus cleanup was undertaken and a beautification campaign waged. The gymnasium was remodeled and the swimming pool constructed. Because financial problems continued, English was discharged by the Regents in August 1977.

Ernest L. Holloway, Langston University alumnus, was named fifth interim president in 1977-78. He had held various positions at Langston University, including registrar, dean of student affairs, and professor. He was vice president for administration at the time of his appointment.

Samuel J. Tucker was named thirteenth president of Langston University in March 1978. He spoke of a "new renaissance of excellence" in his opening address.

But by December 1978, he was dismissed by the Board of Regents, and Ernest L. Holloway was named interim president for the second time.

In 1979, Dr. Holloway was named fourteenth president of Langston University. He restored stability to the office and to the university. An immediate challenge was the implementation of the new urban mission, which had been assigned to Langston University in 1978 by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education as one component of Oklahoma's plan for compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The intent of the new institutional mission was to "help not only to give the university a new image and new thrust, but also make it a more integral and rational part of the total higher education effort in the state."

As a part of the new mission, upper division urban centers were established in Tulsa and Oklahoma City in 1979.

Sixteen new academic programs were added to the curriculum, including the university's first professional programs, nursing and physical therapy. Emphasis was placed on urban experiences in all program areas, while the original land grant mission was retained and carried out, particularly in such areas as agricultural research and cooperative extension. Enrollment increased steadily, thanks in part to the new programs and urban centers, resulting in a racial enrollment of approximately 50% black and 50% white, non-resident aliens, and others, as well as record-breaking enrollments in the 1980's and 1990's.

More than $105 million was secured through grants and other fund-raising efforts during the Holloway administration. When he retired in 2005, the Endowment Fund totaled over $18.3 million dollars.

The E. (Kika) de la Garza Institute for Goat Research, established in 1984 as the American Institute for Goat Research, continued to attract research scientists, agricultural specialists, and other visitors on the state, national, and international levels. Other highly successful projects of the Research area were the caged fish and small farm projects. The Institute for Goat Research was approved to accept a Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) and U.S. Agency for International Goat Production research grant funded at a level of 1 million dollars to do research in the Middle East between 2000-2005. Research is also being done in Ethiopia.

In 1987 Langston University joined with the Guthrie Arts and Humanities Council in opening the doors of the newly renovated historical Pollard Theatre in Guthrie, which has provided for Theatre Arts students a unique opportunity for experiential learning.

In 1987, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education granted to Langston University an eighth Function, which permitted the University to plan its first graduate program. Approval of the program in 1988 by the Governing Boards and by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools allowed the university to offer graduate work at the master's degree level. In Summer 1989 courses were initiated leading to the Master of Education degree with options in Multicultural/Bilingual Education, English As a Second Language, Urban Education, and Elementary Education.

In Fall 2000 approval was given for the Master of Rehabilitation Counseling degree. In Fall 1989 the E. P. McCabe Honors Program, with a special $200,000 appropriation from the Oklahoma State Legislature, offered its first courses, recruiting outstanding scholars from throughout the state and nation. Today, over $2.2 million is awarded annually for academic scholarships.

In the 1990's the residence of former presidents (the White House) was renovated and dedicated as the Helen Aline Johnson Hospitality Management Center. It includes housing for campus guests and a restaurant. Renovation was completed on the G. Lamar Harrison Library, which features a bell tower, the architectural focus of the campus. The William H. Hale Student Union dining facilities were expanded. The Randy Ponder Military Center was set up in the Student Union to provide opportunities for students to join the National Guard on campus, the first such establishment of an agreement between a college and the National Guard in the nation. Cable TV was installed on campus, with the university participating in instructional TV through the Higher Education Telecommunications Network (HETA) and the Black College Telecommunications Network (BCTN).

Established on campus were the Professional Counseling Center, the Small Business Development Center, and the National Institute for the Study of Minority Enterprise program. Langston University was officially adopted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which provided support to the Department of Technology, resulting in the establishment of a B. S. degree program in Airway Science, a cooperative effort with Oklahoma State University. The Soil Conservation Service provided a liaison to assist with programs and activities in the Agriculture Department.

During the 1990's the Oklahoma City Urban Center expanded to offer classes at Tinker Air Force Base. The graduate program began offering courses at the Oklahoma City and Tulsa Urban Centers leading to the Master of Education degree. State funding for Research and Extension was secured for the first time. In support of the Angora Goat Program, 160 acres of land were purchased. The university also participated in the Bryan Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation and Demonstration Project near Henryetta, a project underwritten by the Department of Interior in cooperation with the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.

The first honorary degrees (Master of Humane Letters) were awarded in the 1990's. The Ira D. Hall Endowed Lecture Series and the annual William Henri Hale Endowed Lecture Series were established.

In 1996 the Centennial Court student apartments were constructed and opened, increasing university housing bed space by approximately 520 beds. Remodeling of Moore Hall to house the School of Business, Department of Social Sciences, and Psychology program was completed. A telecommunications building was constructed as an extension to Sanford Hall. A mall and parking for the area connecting the Student Union, Gayles Gymnasium, and Sanford Hall were completed.

The Weekend College in Oklahoma City, which offers the Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies, was added in 2001.

The University's second master's degree - the Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling - was offered in
January 2001.

The following construction projects were completed: Scholars Inn (600-bed facility for students with minimum 2.5 GPA); The Commons ($10 million housing for students with children); a physical therapy building; the Annie Laurie Coleman Heritage Center, a replica of the Presbyterian Church in which the first university classes were held (funded by a donation from the late chaplain emeritus Dr. John Coleman in honor of his wife, a former faculty member); the Centennial Plaza, including restoration of the "old main entrance" to the university, and a Walk of Fame featuring busts of the university presidents; and the new Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Complex.

Gayles Fieldhouse was expanded, and the football stadium was enlarged to have a seating capacity of 12,000. Artificial turf was installed and the track improved.

The first floor of Breaux Hall was remodeled to house the Early Childhood Development Center, nursery, and Head Start in keeping with the "No Child Left Behind" concept.

Also, the street around Centennial Courts and the periphery of the campus was resurfaced and expanded. Academic goals attained since the turn of the century include offering the only doctoral program in physical therapy (DPT) in Oklahoma; reaccreditation from the North Central Association, NCATE, and the Oklahoma Board of Nursing, and unconditional accreditation for the School of Business; collaboration with public schools by each School; development of a Center of Excellence in Agriculture and Applied Sciences in partnership with the USDA in Grazeland Management, and development of a Center for Outreach, which includes partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and the Environmental Protection Agency; and complete automation and on-line status of the G. Lamar Harrison Library.

In addition, Langston University/Tulsa was established using existing facilities following separation from the University Center of Tulsa (UCT) consortium. Langston University/Oklahoma City was housed in a 38,000+ square foot facility in which are offices, classrooms, a computer laboratory, library facilities, a conference center, and centers for Research and Extension and Small Business Development as well as a food stamp program. A multimedia center there features state-of-the-art equipment which facilitates a teleconference.

One long-time major project completed was securing a four-lane highway between Langston and Guthrie. In recognition of President Holloway's efforts to see this project completed, as well as to recognize his twenty-five years as an outstanding educator and administrator in Higher Education, the portion of Highway 33 between the Cimarron River bridge and Guthrie was named the Dr. Ernest L. Holloway Highway.

In 2005 Dr. JoAnn W. Haysbert was named the fifteenth president of Langston University. During her first year Dr. Haysbert, with the assistance of her administrative team, prepared a Vision Statement for Langston University "predicated on the fact that we must spawn innovation, generate new technologies and ideas, and produce talented graduates for the global marketplace of tomorrow." Its basic principles are developing tomorrow's leaders, a student-centered campus, recruitment, scholarly activities, programs of distinction, closing the digital divide and upgrading technology, economic development, capital growth, and fundraising.

One primary emphasis in Year I was to implement the Statement of Timeless Values in all course syllabi. This statement includes respect for self, respect for others, respect for university property, service to others, leadership, and exemplary character.

Dr. Haysbert immediately established a participatory style of administration. Seeking out the concerns and desires of her administrative teams and other constituency groups including faculty, staff, students, alumni, and citizens of Langston Township, she established a Strategic Planning Committee which developed a Ten-Year Strategic Plan for Langston University. She has interacted with shareholders in the success of Langston University at the University, throughout the state, and on the national level. Year I also saw the establishment of a Center for Entrepreneurship in the School of Business both on the main campus and the urban campuses.

In January 2012, Dr. Kent J. Smith, Jr. was named 16th President of Langston University, making him the second youngest college president in the nation. He assumed the position on June 4, 2012. Heralded by his contemporaries as a student-focused, deeply committed, dynamic leader, Smith brought with him the experience and potential to take Oklahoma's only historically black institution of higher education to the next level of academic excellence and national preeminence. The advent of his presidency signaled a transition aimed at repositioning the University as a more student-focused, service oriented education enterprise with a higher level of visibility, prominence, and a stronger brand.

The current history-making activities are a continuation of a proud tradition of transforming challenges into progress, which demonstrates the academic excellence of Langston University in the 21st century.

*Early history is taken from Zella J. Black Patterson, Langston University: A History.

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History of Langston University | Langston University

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"Africa is a rubber ball; the harder you dash it to the ground, the higher it will rise." -Melvin B. Tolson, Libretto for the Republic of Liberia The universality of the African proverb (above) quoted by former poet laureate of Liberia Melvin B.

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Dark Was the Night by Gary Golio. Blind Willie Johnson's Journey to the Stars

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Dark Was the Night by Gary Golio. Blind Willie Johnson's Journey to the Stars

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Blind Willie Johnson's Dark was the Night

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Blind Willie Johnson's Dark was the Night

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Blind Willie Johnson - Best Of Blind Willie Johnson

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Aviators

Bessie Coleman

Born in Texas in 1892 to sharecropper parents, Bessie Coleman's childhood centered on helping her parents in the cotton fields and trying to take advantage of the few educational opportunities available. She walked a total of eight miles to attend school every day and she excelled as a student. Coleman was part Cherokee and her father was originally from Indian Territory. After earning a scholarship to attend high school, she came to Langston to attend the Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University for a term. She then settled in Chicago, where she became intrigued with flying. She worked two jobs to earn money to attend flying school, but no one would accept her because of her race and gender. The publisher of Chicago's Black newspaper, The Defender, assisted her in finding a financial sponsor so she could study in France in 1920. The people of France held strong positive attitudes towards Black Americans because of their contribution during World War I, and Bessie Coleman found a school there. Interested in learning how to perform daredevil tricks and stunts in the air, she took several flying courses in Europe. For several years, she performed in various air shows throughout the United States, gaining a large measure of fame in the process. When she died tragically at one of those performances in 1926, over ten thousand mourners attended her funeral.

Bessie Coleman was the first African American woman and first Native American woman to hold a pilot's license (image courtesy The Tempest).

Bessie Coleman traveled to France to earn her pilot's license (image courtesy The New York Times).

James Herman Banning and Thomas Allen

Born in 1899 in Canton, Oklahoma, James Herman Banning moved to Iowa and studied electrical engineering. He opened an auto repair shop and decided to learn to fly. The flying schools near Banning refused to enroll him because he was Black. Eventually, he found a former army pilot who agreed to train him. Banning was the first African American to receive a flying license in the US. In 1929, he went to Los Angeles to become the chief pilot for the Bessie Coleman Aero Club. He partnered with mechanic Thomas Allen in 1932 to become the first Black pilot to fly across the country. They touted themselves as the "Flying Hoboes," and raised funds along the way for fuel and supplies. In 21 days, Banning and All landed in Long Island, achieving their goal. Four months later, he died while performing.

Thomas Allen was born in 1907 and moved to Oklahoma City when he was 12. He loved the new technology of airplanes and he traded his saxophone for flying lessons. After working with Banning on their cross-country flight, Allen found work as a mechanic at Douglas Aircraft Company. Later, he would serve as a lecturer and guide at the Oklahoma Air Space Museum.

Thomas Allen (image courtesy AA Registry).

James Herman Banning (image courtesy National Air and Space Museum).

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Born in Texas in 1892 to sharecropper parents, Bessie Coleman's childhood centered on helping her parents in the cotton fields and trying to take advantage of the few educational opportunities available. She walked a total of eight miles to attend school every day and she excelled as a student.

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Footage from Bill Pickett's The Bulldogger silent film

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Footage from Bill Pickett's The Bulldogger silent film

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Bill Pickett Touring Rodeo comes to Hayward, CA

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Bill Pickett Touring Rodeo comes to Hayward, CA

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Inside the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo in Hayward, Calif.

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Bill Pickett-- Cowboy and performer, Inventor of Bulldogging

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Bill Pickett-- Cowboy and performer, Inventor of Bulldogging

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Black History Month: Remembering Bill Pickett, Texas Bulldogger

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The African American Civil Rights Movement in OKlahoma

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The African American Civil Rights Movement in OKlahoma

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Home | Learn | The African American Civil Rights Movement in Oklahoma

Protest at Bishop's Restaurant in Oklahoma City, June 1, 1963 (20246.38.83.1, John Melton Collection, OHS).

African Americans have a long history in Oklahoma. They first came to Oklahoma during the forced removal of American Indians because some tribes held African Americans as slaves. There were also African Americans who were American Indian and free. During the Civil War, many of these men in Indian Territory joined the war on both the Union and Confederate sides. Called Buffalo Soldiers, these African American servicemen played a vital role in Oklahoma and Indian Territory as well as in other regions of the West. Both the 9th and the 10th Cavalries and the 24th Infantry served in Indian Territory during the latter nineteenth century. Stationed at Fort Gibson, the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteers Infantry Regiment (later supplemented with the 2nd Kansas) fought at Cabin Creek and at the pivotal engagement of Honey Springs in July 1863. After the Civil War ended in 1865, all of the enslaved people in the United States, including Indian Territory, were to be freed. Known as Freedmen, many continued living among the Indians.

Many African Americans participated in the land openings in Oklahoma. Some came from the Southeast in hopes of new opportunities to own their own land and escape persecution. Some African Americans worked together to create All-Black towns. E. P. McCabe, for example, founded Langston, Oklahoma. Other African Americans also lived among whites in other communities.

During the Civil Rights Movement, African Americans fought to achieve equality as citizens in American society. They fought for the right to vote, for access to public places, and for equal education. The Civil Rights Movement fought against racism and discrimination. Racism is when someone thinks they are better than someone else based on the color of their skin. Discrimination is similar to racism, but applies to judging and mistreating people based on their religion, background, class, ethnicity, gender, or race. The Civil Rights Movement occurred during the mid-twentieth century, although the movement continues as African Americans and people of different races in America continue to work towards complete justice and equality for all.

When most people think of the civil rights era, they often think of events that happened in the South, in states like Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. However, events of national importance to the civil rights movement happened right here in Oklahoma. As Oklahomans, we must remember the atrocities, the long-fought struggles, and the victories of the civil rights era in order to understand our culture and our laws today.

The struggle for civil rights continues today as people of various races, backgrounds, genders, sexual orientation, and religions are not always treated equally and with respect. For example, calling someone gay as an insult is a form of discrimination. Bullying is an example of discrimination that happens today when people do not respect or understand someone who is different from them.

The following pages will help you learn about the Civil Rights Movement in Oklahoma. As you read, think about what you can do to continue promote equality, respect, and fairness in your school or community.

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African American Civil Rights Movement in Oklahoma

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Home | Learn | The African American Civil Rights Movement in Oklahoma Protest at Bishop's Restaurant in Oklahoma City, June 1, 1963 (20246.38.83.1, John Melton Collection, OHS). African Americans have a long history in Oklahoma. They first came to Oklahoma during the forced removal of American Indians because some tribes held African Americans as slaves.

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Ralph Ellison – Ralph Ellison Foundation

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Eight Black Inventors who Made Daily Life Easier

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Eight Black Inventors who Made Daily Life Easier

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8 Black Inventors Who Made Daily Life Easier | HISTORY

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Black inventors changed the way we live through their brilliant innovations, from the traffic light to the ironing board.

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National Museum of African American History and Culture

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No one has played a greater role in helping all Americans know the black past than Carter G. Woodson, the individual who created Negro History Week in Washington, D.C., in February 1926. Woodson was the second black American to receive a PhD in history from Harvard-following W.E.B. Du Bois by a few years. To Woodson, the black experience was too important simply to be left to a small group of academics. Woodson believed that his role was to use black history and culture as a weapon in the struggle for racial uplift. By 1916, Woodson had moved to DC and established the "Association for the Study of Negro Life and Culture," an organization whose goal was to make black history accessible to a wider audience. Woodson was a strange and driven man whose only passion was history, and he expected everyone to share his passion.

Scurlock Studio Records, ca. 1905-1994, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.

This impatience led Woodson to create Negro History Week in 1926, to ensure that school children be exposed to black history. Woodson chose the second week of February in order to celebrate the birthday of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. It is important to realize that Negro History Week was not born in a vacuum. The 1920s saw the rise in interest in African American culture that was represented by the Harlem Renaissance where writers like Langston Hughes, Georgia Douglass Johnson, Claude McKay-wrote about the joys and sorrows of blackness, and musicians like Louie Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Jimmy Lunceford captured the new rhythms of the cities created in part by the thousands of southern blacks who migrated to urban centers like Chicago. And artists like Aaron Douglass, Richmond Barthé, and Lois Jones created images that celebrated blackness and provided more positive images of the African American experience.

Woodson hoped to build upon this creativity and further stimulate interest through Negro History Week. Woodson had two goals. One was to use history to prove to white America that blacks had played important roles in the creation of America and thereby deserve to be treated equally as citizens. In essence, Woodson-by celebrating heroic black figures-be they inventors, entertainers, or soldiers-hoped to prove our worth, and by proving our worth-he believed that equality would soon follow. His other goal was to increase the visibility of black life and history, at a time when few newspapers, books, and universities took notice of the black community, except to dwell upon the negative. Ultimately Woodson believed Negro History Week-which became Black History Month in 1976-would be a vehicle for racial transformation forever.

The question that faces us today is whether or not Black History Month is still relevant? Is it still a vehicle for change? Or has it simply become one more school assignment that has limited meaning for children. Has Black History Month become a time when television and the media stack their black material? Or is it a useful concept whose goals have been achieved? After all, few-except the most ardent rednecks - could deny the presence and importance of African Americans to American society or as my then-14 year old daughter Sarah put it, "I see Colin Powell everyday on TV, all my friends-black and white-are immersed in black culture through music and television. And America has changed dramatically since 1926-Is not it time to retire Black History Month as we have eliminated white and colored signs on drinking fountains?" I will spare you the three hour lesson I gave her.

I would like to suggest that despite the profound change in race relations that has occurred in our lives, Carter G. Woodson's vision for black history as a means of transformation and change is still quite relevant and quite useful. African American history month, with a bit of tweaking, is still a beacon of change and hope that is still surely needed in this world. The chains of slavery are gone-but we are all not yet free. The great diversity within the black community needs the glue of the African American past to remind us of not just how far we have traveled but lo, how far there is to go.

While there are many reasons and examples that I could point towards, let me raise five concerns or challenges that African Americans - in fact - all Americans - face that black history can help address:

The Challenge of Forgetting

You can tell a great deal about a country and a people by what they deem important enough to remember, to create moments for - what they put in their museum and what they celebrate. In Scandinavia - there are monuments to the Vikings as a symbol of freedom and the spirit of exploration. In Germany during the 1930s and 1940s, the Nazis celebrated their supposed Aryan supremacy through monument and song. While America traditionally revels in either Civil War battles or founding fathers. Yet I would suggest that we learn even more about a country by what it chooses to forget - its mistakes, its disappointments, and its embarrassments. In some ways, African American History month is a clarion call to remember. Yet it is a call that is often unheeded.

Let's take the example of one of the great unmentionable in American history - slavery. For nearly 250 years slavery not only existed but it was one of the dominant forces in American life. Political clout and economic fortune depended on the labor of slaves. And the presence of this peculiar institution generated an array of books, publications, and stories that demonstrate how deeply it touched America. And while we can discuss basic information such as the fact that in 1860 - 4 million blacks were enslaved, and that a prime field hand cost $1,000, while a female, with her childbearing capability, brought $1,500, we find few moments to discuss the impact, legacy, and contemporary meaning of slavery.

In 1988, the Smithsonian Institution, about to open an exhibition that included slavery, decided to survey 10,000 Americans. The results were fascinating - 92% of white respondents felt slavery had little meaning to them - these respondents often said "my family did not arrive until after the end of slavery." Even more disturbing was the fact that 79% of African Americans expressed no interest or some embarrassment about slavery. It is my hope that with greater focus and collaboration Black History Month can stimulate discussion about a subject that both divides and embarrasses.

As a historian, I have always felt that slavery is an African American success story because we found ways to survive, to preserve our culture and our families. Slavery is also ripe with heroes, such as slaves who ran away or rebelled, like Harriet Tubman or Denmark Vessey, but equally important are the forgotten slave fathers and mothers who raised families and kept a people alive. I am not embarrassed by my slave ancestors; I am in awe of their strength and their humanity. I would love to see the African American community rethink its connection to our slave past. I also think of something told to me by a Mr. Johnson, who was a former sharecropper I interviewed in Georgetown, SC:

Though the slaves were bought, they were also brave. Though they were sold, they were also strong.

The Challenge of Preserving a People's Culture

While the African American community is no longer invisible, I am unsure that as a community we are taking the appropriate steps to ensure the preservation of African American cultural patrimony in appropriate institutions. Whether we like it or not, museums, archives, and libraries not only preserves culture they legitimize it. Therefore, it is incumbent of African Americans to work with cultural institutions to preserve their family photography, documents, and objects. While African Americans have few traditions of giving material to museums, it is crucial that more of the black past make it into American cultural repositories.

A good example is the Smithsonian, when the National Museum of American History wanted to mount an exhibition on slavery, it found it did not have any objects that described slavery. That is partially a response to a lack of giving by the African American Community. This lack of involvement also affects the preservation of black historic sites. Though there has been more attention paid to these sites, too much of our history has been paved over, gone through urban renewal, gentrified, or unidentified, or un-acknowledged. Hopefully a renewed Black History Month can focus attention on the importance of preserving African American culture.

There is no more powerful force than a people steeped in their history. And there is no higher cause than honoring our struggle and ancestors by remembering.

The Challenge of Maintaining a Community

As the African American Community diversifies and splinters, it is crucial to find mechanisms and opportunities to maintain our sense of community. As some families lose the connection with their southern roots, it is imperative that we understand our common heritage and history. The communal nature of black life has provided substance, guidance, and comfort for generations. And though our communities are quite diverse, it is our common heritage that continues to hold us together.

The Power of Inspiration

One thing has not changed. That is the need to draw inspiration and guidance from the past. And through that inspiration, people will find tools and paths that will help them live their lives. Who could not help but be inspired by Martin Luther King's oratory, commitment to racial justice, and his ultimate sacrifice. Or by the arguments of William and Ellen Craft or Henry "Box" Brown who used great guile to escape from slavery. Who could not draw substance from the creativity of Madame CJ Walker or the audacity and courage of prize fighter Jack Johnson. Or who could not continue to struggle after listening to the mother of Emmitt Till share her story of sadness and perseverance. I know that when life is tough, I take solace in the poetry of Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanni, or Gwendolyn Brooks. And I find comfort in the rhythms of Louie Armstrong, Sam Cooke or Dinah Washington. And I draw inspiration from the anonymous slave who persevered so that the culture could continue.

Let me conclude by re-emphasizing that Black History Month continues to serve us well. In part because Woodson's creation is as much about today as it is about the past. Experiencing Black History Month every year reminds us that history is not dead or distant from our lives.

Rather, I see the African American past in the way my daughter's laugh reminds me of my grandmother. I experience the African American past when I think of my grandfather choosing to leave the South rather than continue to experience share cropping and segregation. Or when I remember sitting in the back yard listening to old men tell stories. Ultimately, African American History - and its celebration throughout February - is just as vibrant today as it was when Woodson created it 85 years ago. Because it helps us to remember there is no more powerful force than a people steeped in their history. And there is no higher cause than honoring our struggle and ancestors by remembering.

Lonnie Bunch
Founding Director

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Knowing the Past Opens the Door to the Future: The Continuing Importance of Black History Month

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No one has played a greater role in helping all Americans know the black past than Carter G. Woodson, the individual who created Negro History Week in Washington, D.C., in February 1926. Woodson was the second black American to receive a PhD in history from Harvard-following W.E.B. Du Bois by a few years.

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The hidden life of Rosa Parks -  Riché D. Richardson

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How one journalist risked her life to hold murderers accountable - Christina Greer

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The chaotic brilliance of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat - Jordana Moore Saggese

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Biography and Reddit Present: Super Soaker inventor Lonnie Johnson | Biography

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Jacqueline Woodson "What reading slowly taught me about writing"

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Jacqueline Woodson "What reading slowly taught me about writing"

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Jacqueline Woodson: What reading slowly taught me about writing | TED

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🔴 LIVE! Bookmarks Full Episodes 📚 Black History Month Celebration with Netflix Jr

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Jacqueline Woodson Reads "The Day You Begin" | Bookmarks | Netflix Jr

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Students stand up against schools being named after Robert E Lee.

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Students stand up against schools being named after Robert E Lee.

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Gertrude "Trude" Lamb, 16, describes herself as a shy person. She never wanted to be the center of attention. But, in the summer of 2020, when Trude became the face of a movement to rename Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler, Texas, she was suddenly in a spotlight she'd never imagined.

A friend nudged her to join a local campaign and send a letter to the school board, but she wasn't sure why. Trude, who emigrated from Ghana in 2014, wasn't familiar with Lee or anything related to the Confederacy. So, she began to research.

"At school, they usually just teach the good part about somebody," she says. "They don't teach the bad part."

A star athlete on her school's varsity cross-country team, she'd penned a letter to school board members stating she'd no longer wear a jersey that bore the name of an enslaver.

The letter went viral after her mother shared it on social media, catching the attention of the school board and national media outlets. She later courageously read that letter to school board members at a June 22 meeting.

Trude read, in part:

"I love and enjoy the sports I play at Robert E. Lee. I cannot bear and will no longer wear Lee's name on my race jersey. ... As one of your students I am respectfully asking you to take up the Robert E. Lee name change issue."

Trude said she was scared and incredibly nervous to speak up, but she did it anyway because it was "the right thing to do." Support from friends and family got her through it.

"I'm also doing it for others out there, other Black people, and it was the time to get it done," she says.

In August, school board members voted to rename the school Tyler Legacy High.

Trude isn't alone in her activism. During the uprising of 2020, the impact of COVID-19, police violence and political discord culminated into a perfect storm. Thousands of young people across the country joined others in the streets, at school board meetings and city halls, building on a valued tradition of youth-led activism to demand the dismantling of Confederate iconography in their communities. School boards across the country, primarily in the South, voted to change schools' names, often as a result of pressure from students.

Young people have always led the way-from the Adkin High School students in Kinston, North Carolina, who staged a massive march in 1951, to the Children's Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963. More recently, we've seen the same activism in Black Lives Matter and March for Our Lives organizing.

Students' activism can lead to cultural and policy change, especially when adults-whether educators, caregivers or community leaders-elevate their voices and give them space to bravely express themselves.

Trude's teammates and community members had her back. Athletes from her school began posting photos of themselves wearing Lee jerseys that were blacked out on an Instagram account called "wewontwearthename." Some of her teachers, including one who attended a rally for the name change, encouraged her to keep using her voice.

However, other community members spoke out against change, as they'd been doing for years. And Trude received a number of threats, including one from a classmate who said on social media they'd bring a knife to school.

"I can remember them saying something about I'm from Africa, I'm not from the U.S., so I don't really know what I'm saying," Trude recounts. "[They said] I'm just being put up to this, like I have no idea what I'm doing."

While unfamiliar with the Lost Cause narrative, Trude was very familiar with the history of the dungeons that held enslaved people on the shores of her home country. Seeing a community divided brought these two stories together. She was witnessing, in real time, the residual effects of the transatlantic slave trade.

Persistence and Support

The histories of most U.S. cities have left some of their citizens marginalized or traumatized. In cities where schools are named after Confederate figures, chances are the same names can also be found on other public buildings, street signs, parks and monuments. In Tyler, Texas, Confederate Avenue runs straight through a predominately Black neighborhood. In Fairfax County, Virginia, county officials are still taking inventory of the numerous spaces that pay homage to Confederates.

That's where seniors Kimberly Boateng and Kadija Ismail demanded that their school board rename their Robert E. Lee High School-a racially diverse school in Springfield, Virginia. Kadija served on one of the school board advisory committees, while Kimberly served as a student representative on the school board during the 2019-2020 school year.

Discussions about renaming the school had happened in the past, but they didn't get far. In March of 2020, school board members began a five-month process to rename the school. Then the proposal took a back seat to equipping students with tools for online learning.

Students still saw the name change as a priority, however. In June, Kadija started a petition, which earned 1,000 signatures within 24 hours. Kimberly wrote an open letter, which included a link to the petition, and sent it to the school board, the superintendent, the school regional offices and the Fairfax County NAACP. Community leaders, including the NAACP, boosted the girls' voices online. They also found support in a new principal.

"It wasn't just like a student outcry," Kadija says. "It was like the community, the teachers that attend the school, the staff members, the alumni, everyone was just kind of like, 'OK, we want this to happen.' And so the added support from all realms was really what helped."

Kadija notes that some educators and administrators had underestimated how the name affected Black students.

"People didn't really necessarily know that this was something that was really impacting the students until the whole thing was happening, and people went out and spoke at the hearings," she says.

In July, facing the added pressure of a national uprising around racial injustice, the school board swiftly renamed the school John R. Lewis High School.

"It put them in a difficult space because they're giving statements about how racism does not belong in Fairfax County, and everyone was like, 'Well, prove it,'" Kimberly says. "It was very obvious that if they hadn't done something about it, there would be backlash."

Today, Kadija says, students there can say where they attend school more confidently.

"There's more pride that comes with the name John R. Lewis High School," she says. "You don't feel ashamed to say the entire name."

Kimberly and Kadija learned a valuable lesson through their advocacy: It takes passion and persistence to move people in power.

But the teens note that educators should be more open to listening to students' concerns before there is outside pressure. They shouldn't have to be the ones advocating for dropping a Confederate name from a school.

"When they first introduced the forum topics this past year in March to rename the school, I heard one of the school [board] members say, 'We haven't heard of advocacy involving the name change,'" Kimberly recounts. "That bothered me so much only because you shouldn't need a lot of advocacy to change the name of a Confederate general. That's common sense to me."

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Gertrude "Trude" Lamb, 16, describes herself as a shy person. She never wanted to be the center of attention. But, in the summer of 2020, when Trude became the face of a movement to rename Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler, Texas, she was suddenly in a spotlight she'd never imagined.

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Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

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Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

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Shirley Chisholm "Why did I run for president?"

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Shirley Chisholm "Why did I run for president?"

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Shirley Chisholm : My Bid for Presidency

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Shirley Chisholm announces her Presidential Campaign

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Shirley Chisholm announces her Presidential Campaign

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NYC Department of Records and Information Services

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Shirley Chisholm: Declares Presidential Bid, January 25, 1972

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Black History Month ebook & audiobooks to check out. 

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Black History Month ebook & audiobooks to check out. 

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Open a world of reading. Try Sora, the new reading app for students, by OverDrive.

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Poem: Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class by Clint Smith

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Poem: Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class by Clint Smith

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"Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class" poem by Clint Smith

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Why should you read Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”? - Yen Pham

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The exceptional life of Benjamin Banneker - Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua

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Original footage of all-Black towns in Oklahoma

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Original footage of all-Black towns in Oklahoma

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Rare 1920s Footage: All-Black Towns Living the American Dream | National Geographic

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The Plant Doctor

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George Washington Carver "The Plant Doctor" Revolutionized Farming Industry | Biography

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Meet the Black female scientist on the forefront of COVID-19 vaccine development

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National Museum of African American History and Culture

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Greetings from the Education Team of the National Museum of African American History and Culture!! The National Museum of African American History a…

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American slavery began 400 years ago this month. This is referred to as the country’s original sin, but it is more than that: It is the country’s true origin.

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George Washington Carver: An Uncommon Life

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George Washington Carver: An Uncommon Life

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George Washington Carver: An Uncommon Life

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5 African American Inventors who improved the world

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5 African American Inventors who improved the world

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These 5 African-American inventors improved the world

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Xavier Riddle: I am Maya Angelou/I am Frederick Douglass

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Xavier Riddle: I am Maya Angelou/I am Frederick Douglass

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Xavier Riddle & the Secret Museum EPISODE | I am Maya Angelou/I am Frederick Douglass | PBS KIDS

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Dr. Mae Jemison: "I wanted to go into space."

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Dr. Mae Jemison: "I wanted to go into space."

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NOVA's Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers

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Black inventors and scientists by 88brains.

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Black inventors and scientists by 88brains.

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Black History Month - Black Scientists and Inventors Part 1 (Animated)

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BrainPop: Black Lives Matters protests of 2020

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BrainPop: Black Lives Matters protests of 2020

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TIME: How Black Lives Matter is changing Black History Month

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TIME: How Black Lives Matter is changing Black History Month

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TIME How Black Lives Matter is Changing Black History Month

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Black history is Oklahoma History from the Oklahoma Historical 

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Black history is Oklahoma History from the Oklahoma Historical 

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The senseless deaths of George Floyd and so many other Black Americans, and the protests that occurred in response, have gripped Oklahomans, Americans, and the world alike. As an educational organization and a dedicated community partner, the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) has long believed that one important step toward ending racism and injustice is a better understanding of our shared history. By providing resources that give context for the Black experience in Oklahoma, we hope to spark civil discourse and open dialogue about the role of race in the history of our state. While these conversations about our past may not be comfortable, they are necessary to understand where we have been and how we can best move forward together.

During its 127-year history, the Oklahoma Historical Society has collected and shared the story of Oklahoma. In the 1980s, the OHS began a concerted effort to engage with Oklahoma's Black community-to listen to their stories and share their experiences. While we have made both mistakes and significant strides, we will continue to do better and do more. As new voices call for change, the OHS stands committed to our mission to collect, preserve, and share the history and culture of all Oklahomans. Learn more and browse free resources related to the Black experience in Oklahoma below.

The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture

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The senseless deaths of George Floyd and so many other Black Americans, and the protests that occurred in response, have gripped Oklahomans, Americans, and the world alike. As an educational organization and a dedicated community partner, the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) has long believed that one important step toward ending racism and injustice is a better understanding of our shared history.

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Scroll to the bottom of the page for a curated collection of free to use images.

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Top of page

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Use the largest library in the world online or in person! More about the Library.

Free to Use and Reuse: Native American Heritage Month

Selected images represent the historical experiences and achievements of indigenous peoples across North America. A formal celebration of Native American heritage occurs each year in the United States in November. Unless otherwise noted, the images here are from the Prints & Photographs Division.

Browse more content that is free to use and reuse

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The world's largest library. View historic photos, maps, books and more. Contact experts for help with research. Plan a visit. Home of U.S. Copyright Office.

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Five Black Scientists from the NY Hall of Science

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Five Black Scientists from the NY Hall of Science

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Renee Montgomery "How to turn moments into momentum"

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Renee Montgomery "How to turn moments into momentum"

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How to turn moments into momentum | Renee Montgomery

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Neil DeGrasse Tyson explains astronomically big numbers.

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Neil DeGrasse Tyson explains astronomically big numbers.

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Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Big Numbers

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Smithsonian Learning Labs: Black Heritage Stamp Series

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Smithsonian Learning Labs: Black Heritage Stamp Series

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Black History: Black Heritage Stamp Series

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A topical collection featuring African-American leaders, inventors, activists, sports figures, and culture-shapers whose lives changed history. Teaching Tips can be found in "notes." These stamps a...

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Library of Congress: Born in Slavery-- Slave Narratives from the Federal Writer's Project 1936-1938

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Library of Congress: Born in Slavery-- Slave Narratives from the Federal Writer's Project 1936-1938

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Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938 contains more than 2,300 first-person accounts of slavery and 500 black-and-white photographs of former slaves. These narratives were collected in the 1930s as part of the Federal Writers' Project (FWP) of the Works Progress Administration, later renamed Work Projects Administration (WPA). At the conclusion of the Slave Narrative project, a set of edited transcripts was assembled and microfilmed in 1941 as the seventeen-volume Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves. In 2000-2001, with major support from the Citigroup Foundation, the Library digitized the narratives from the microfilm edition and scanned from the originals 500 photographs, including more than 200 that had never been microfilmed or made publicly available. This online collection is a joint presentation of the Manuscript and Prints and Photographs divisions of the Library of Congress.

The Volumes

The published volumes containing edited slave narratives are arranged alphabetically by the state in which the interviews took place and thereunder by the surname of the informant. Administrative files for the project are bound at the beginning of Volume 1. These files detail the instructions and other information supplied to field workers as well as subjects of concern to state directors of the Federal Writers' Project.

Vol. 1

Vol. 2, Arkansas

Vol. 4, Georgia

Vol. 11, North Carolina

Vol. 14, South Carolina

Vol. 16, Texas

Historical Overview

In the Depression years between 1936 and 1938, the WPA Federal Writers' Project (FWP) sent out-of-work writers in seventeen states to interview ordinary people in order to write down their life stories. Initially, only four states involved in the project (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia) focused on collecting the stories of people who had once been held in slavery. John A. Lomax, the National Advisor on Folklore and Folkways for the FWP (and the curator of the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library of Congress), was extremely interested in the ex-slave material he received from these states. In 1937 he directed the remaining states involved in the project to carry out interviews with former slaves as well. Federal field workers were given instructions on what kinds of questions to ask their informants and how to capture their dialects, the result of which may sometimes be offensive to today's readers (see A Note on the Language of the Narratives). The field workers often visited the people they interviewed twice in order to gather as many recollections as possible. Sometimes they took photographs of informants and their houses. The interviewers then turned the narratives over to their state's FWP director for editing and eventual transfer to Washington, D.C. The administrative files accompanying the narratives detail the information supplied to field workers as well as subjects of concern to state directors of the FWP. For more information about the interviewers, the people interviewed, and the processes of collection and compilation, see Norman Yetman's essay which accompanies this online collection.

In 1939, the FWP lost its funding, and the states were ordered to send whatever manuscripts they had collected to Washington. Once most of the materials had arrived at the Library of Congress, Benjamin A. Botkin, the folklore editor of the FWP who later became head of the Archive of Folk Culture at the Library of Congress, undertook the remaining editing and indexing of the narratives and selected the photographs for inclusion. As noted above, he organized the narratives by state, and then alphabetically by name of informant within each state, collecting them in 1941 into seventeen bound volumes in thirty-three parts under the title Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves (Washington, D.C., 1941). The multivolume set and other project files, including some earlier unbound annotated versions of the narratives, are housed in the Manuscript Division and described in the finding aid for the records of the WPA.

Other records relating to the ex-slave project are among the FWP files at the National Archives and Records Administration (Record Group 69.5.5) and are described in the Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States, Vol. I. (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995). Volumes 2-17 of The American Slave: A Composite Autobiography, edited by George P. Rawick and others (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1972-79), present these narratives with a slightly different organization; the later volumes of Rawick's series also include ex-slave interviews housed in other archives. Anthologies containing selections from the Library of Congress collection include the Federal Writers' Project's Lay My Burden Down: A Folk History of Slavery, edited by B. A. Botkin (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1945) and Voices from Slavery (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1970), edited by Norman R. Yetman, author of An Introduction to the WPA Slave Narratives under the Articles and Essays tab. For additional works using these narratives as well as other slave narratives, please see the list of Related Resources.

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About this Collection | Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938 | Digital Collections | Library of Congress

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Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938 contains more than 2,300 first-person accounts of slavery and 500 black-and-white photographs of former slaves. These narratives were collected in the 1930s as part of the Federal Writers' Project (FWP) of the Works Progress Administration, later renamed Work Projects Administration (WPA).

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Library of Congress: African American Photos assembled by W E B DuBois for the Paris Exhibition of 1900

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Library of Congress: African American Photos assembled by W E B DuBois for the Paris Exhibition of 1900

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The Paris Exposition of 1900 (Exposition universelle internationale de 1900) devoted a building to matters of "social economy." The United States section of the building featured an exhibit that, according to W. E. B. Du Bois, attempted to show "(a) The history of the American Negro. (b) His present condition. (c) His education. (d) His literature." 1

Du Bois and Thomas J. Calloway, who was named special agent for the Exposition, spearheaded the planning, collection and installation of the exhibit materials, which included 500 photographs, as well as 32 charts, numerous maps, and a display of 200 books written by African Americans. Calloway's report to the U.S. Commissioner-General for the exposition mentions such sources of photographs as:

Coleman Manufacturing Company, Concord, N.C.

C.E. Fleetwood of the U.S. War Department

Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, Hampton, Va.

Bishop B.F. Lee of Wilberforce, Ohio, James P. Niell of Nashville, Tenn.

Roger Williams University

Shaw University

Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. 2

The Library of Congress holds approximately 220 mounted photographs reportedly displayed in the exhibition (LOTs11293-11308), as well as material specially compiled by Du Bois: four photograph albums showing "Types" and "Negro Life" (LOT 11930); three albums entitled "The Black Code of Georgia, U.S.A.," offering transcriptions of Georgia state laws relating to blacks, 1732-1899 (LOT 11932); and 72 drawings charting the condition of African Americans at the turn of the century (LOT 11931).

The materials cataloged online include all of the photos in LOT 11930, and any materials in the other groups for which copy negatives have been made.

Notes

1. Du Bois, W.E. Burghardt, "The American Negro at Paris" American Monthly Review of Reviews 22:5 (November 1900): 576.

2. Report of the Commissioner-General for the United States to the International Universal Exposition, Paris, 1900, (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1901), v. II, p. 464.

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About this Collection | African American Photographs Assembled for 1900 Paris Exposition | Digital Collections | Library of Congress

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The Paris Exposition of 1900 (Exposition universelle internationale de 1900) devoted a building to matters of "social economy." The United States section of the building featured an exhibit that, according to W. E. B. Du Bois, attempted to show "(a) The history of the American Negro. (b) His present condition.

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Poet and activist Amanda Gorman recites her poem "The Hill We Climb" at the historic inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Her words call for hope, unity and resilience in a time of division. "While democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated," she says.

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An unsung hero of the civil rights movement - Christina Greer

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Lonnie Johnson, inventor of the super soaker.

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Lonnie Johnson, inventor of the super soaker.

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Lonnie Johnson, Inventor of the Super Soaker | Black Inventors

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🇺🇸 Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman reads "Talking Gets Us There" | PBS KIDS Talk About | PBS KIDS

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Notes of a native son: The world according to James Baldwin - Christina Greer

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Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson read aloud

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Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson read aloud

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Counting the Stars:The Story of NASA Mathematician, Katherine Johnson(Literally Cultured Read Aloud)