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The 1990s: Visibility and Voice, Backlash and Global Reach

The 1990s ushered in a new era of media saturation, globalization, and policy shifts that deeply affected Black Americans. How did this new media landscape reshape Black struggle without resolving it? This decade brought greater public exposure of police Read more

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The 1980s: Holidays, Hip Hop, and the Fight to Protect Gains

The 1980s were a decade of consolidation and contestation. On the one hand, the country formally recognized some of the achievements of the civil rights era, most notably by creating a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther Read more

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The 1970s: From Streets to Systems – Politics, Education, and Identity

The 1970s are sometimes treated as a quieter period between the dramatic 1960s and the culture wars of the 1980s and 1990s. In reality, this decade was crucial for translating the moral and legal victories of the civil rights Read more

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The 1960s: Marches, Laws, and the Cry for Power

If the 1950s lit the fuse, the 1960s were the explosion. This decade was a whirlwind of marches, sit-ins, Freedom Rides, legislative victories, assassinations, and new demands for Black power and self-determination. When we think about civil rights, many Read more

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The 1950s: From Brown to the Bus Boycott – The Movement Takes Shape

Empty Bus Seat

The 1950s are often remembered as the birthplace of the modern civil rights movement, and for good reason. This decade brought landmark Supreme Court decisions, powerful grassroots organizing, and iconic acts of courage that pushed segregation into the national Read more

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The 1940s: War, “Double V,” and Breaking Barriers

Large V with Tuskegee Airmen, Planes, and a Baseball Bat

The 1940s were marked by the aftermath of the Great Depression and the global crisis of World War II. For Black Americans, the battle was on two fronts. The “Double V” campaign captured this reality: victory against fascism abroad Read more

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The 1930s: Struggle in the Courts and Songs of Freedom

The 1930s were marked by the economic devastation of the Great Depression and rising global tensions. For Black Americans, the decade combined intense economic hardship with some of the earliest national spotlights on racial injustice in the legal system. Read more

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The 1920s: Claiming Memory — Black Culture, History, and the Fight to Be Remembered

1920s: The Renaissance & The Roots - Image featuring artistic rendering of Harlem Jazz Band and Carter G Woodson

As we celebrate Black History Month in 2026, it’s worth revisiting the decade that helped ignite it all: the 1920s. This was a time of profound cultural awakening and powerful resistance through memory, art, and scholarship.

The 1920s were Read more

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