Feb 18 Watch 9:26 The often misunderstood legacy of the Black Panther Party By John Yang, Kaisha Young, Andrew Chambers, Winston Wilde, Azhar Merchant, Juliet Fuisz In the 1960s civil rights movement, some concluded that non-violence and the focus on integration had failed — their cry was “Black Power” rather than “We Shall Overcome.” One of the most prominent of these groups was the Black Panther… Continue watching
Feb 17 How Black activists have long used mapmaking to document culture and racism in the U.S. By Joshua F.J. Inwood, Derek H. Alderman, The Conversation Ongoing research highlights the neglected history of Black mapmaking in America and shows the creative ways in which Black people have historically used mapping to tell stories. Continue reading
Feb 12 Watch 10:00 ‘The Space Race’ documentary explores Black astronauts’ efforts to overcome injustice By Geoff Bennett, Anne Azzi Davenport, Alison Thoet A new documentary explores the little-known stories of the first Black pilots and engineers who were pioneers of NASA's space program. Geoff Bennett has this look at the film, “The Space Race,” which airs on the National Geographic Channel and… Continue watching
Feb 09 Ed Dwight was supposed to be the 1st Black astronaut. At 90, he’s finally getting his due By Jake Coyle, Associated Press An accomplished Air Force pilot, Ed Dwight was groomed by John F. Kennedy's White House to be the first Black astronaut. But in training, he faced discrimination that detoured his path. Now 90, Dwight is widely celebrated as a pioneer… Continue reading
Nov 10 Watch 7:45 ‘Invisible Generals’ chronicles little-known history of 1st Black U.S. generals By Geoff Bennett, Stephanie Kotuby, Satvi Sunkara A new book explores and honors the legacy of two exceptional American veterans whose contributions have gone largely unknown, until now. In “Invisible Generals,” author Doug Melville recounts his family history and tells the barrier-breaking stories of the country’s first… Continue watching
Jul 23 Watch 6:32 ‘Gaining Ground’ highlights Black farmers’ efforts to reclaim lost land By John Yang, Kaisha Young, Juliet Fuisz, Marconja Zor In 1910, about 14 percent of U.S. farmers were Black, owning more than 16 million acres. Now, according to the latest Census of Agriculture, only one in 100 farmers is Black, owning less than 5 million acres. A new documentary… Continue watching
Jul 23 Biden will establish a national monument for Emmett Till, Black teen lynched in 1955 By Darlene Superville, Associated Press President Joe Biden will establish a national monument honoring Emmett Till, the Black teenager from Chicago who was abducted, tortured and killed in 1955 after he was accused of whistling at a white woman in Mississippi, and his mother, a White House official… Continue reading
Jun 29 Christine King Farris, the last living sibling of Martin Luther King Jr., dies at 95 By Associated Press Christine King Farris, the last living sibling of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., has died. Continue reading
Jun 19 A beginner’s guide to celebrating Juneteenth By Terry Tang, Associated Press Since it was designated a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth has become more universally recognized beyond Black America. But how should people mark the day? For beginners and those brushing up on history, here are some answers. Continue reading
Jun 18 Watch 3:36 The story of Bayard Rustin, openly gay leader in the civil rights movement By John Yang, Harry Zahn This Pride Month, as part of our “Hidden Histories” series, we look at the contributions of Bayard Rustin, one of the driving forces of the civil rights movement, whose life as an openly gay man relegated him to behind-the-scenes roles… Continue watching