The Children of the Amistad
March 9, 2015
Benjamin N. Lawrance— March 9 marks the 174th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision U.S. v Amistad, one of the most celebrated U.S. “freedom suits.” Since the case’s conclusion in… READ MORE
Category: African American Studies
Pop Quiz: Black History Month Edition
February 26, 2015
With the end of February marking the end of Black History Month, it’s time for a little pop quiz. Carla L. Peterson, author of Black Gotham, has put together a… READ MORE
10 Books for Black History Month
February 13, 2015
February is Black History Month! It’s a time, as President Ford put it, to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”… READ MORE
A Different Look at Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Dream
January 19, 2015
Michael Wayne— On the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s birthday, media outlets across the country will be running excerpts from his famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered at the… READ MORE
King’s Dream: Civil Rights and the History of Nonviolent Protest
August 28, 2014
On this day in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave what is widely hailed as the best political speech of the twentieth century. King famously departed from his prepared text… READ MORE
Video: Ship of Death, A Voyage that Changed the Atlantic World
April 7, 2014
In 1792, a ship set sail from England with the best of intentions. Its tragic journey would change the course of history forever. Historian Billy Smith uncovered a remarkable story of tragedy… READ MORE
Imagining Black America
February 28, 2014
To begin with, some basic biology. Human beings share fully 99.5 percent of our DNA. In other words, the individual difference between us – in height and weight, in skin… READ MORE
Abolitionism, Yellow Fever, and the Legacy of Slavery: Excerpt from Ship of Death
February 27, 2014
In 1792, the Hankey left Britain full of abolitionists who hoped to establish a colony free of slavery in West Africa. Botched negotiations with local tribes and the failure of… READ MORE
Podcast Interview with Eric J. Sundquist on KING’S DREAM
February 23, 2011
Because we want to hear from you about the Yale Press Podcast series, here is an interview with Eric J. Sundquist, author of King’s Dream: The Legacy of Martin Luther… READ MORE
A Conversation with Trudier Harris on Bigger: A Literary Life