Virtual Programs Commemorate African American History Month
By Michael Davis | National Archives News
WASHINGTON, February 26, 2021—Throughout February, African American History Month, the National Archives and the National Archives Foundation presented a number of live streamed programs on the historical and continuing struggle for Black equality and civil rights. This year’s theme for African American History Month is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.”
In video messages recorded at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero introduced most of the virtual events. The topics ranged from the Underground Railroad to the Harlem Globetrotters.
All programs are free and open to the public and available for viewing on the National Archives YouTube channel.
South to Freedom: Runaway Slaves to Mexico and the Road to the Civil War
Date: February 4
Watch it: South to Freedom: Runaway Slaves to Mexico and the Road to the Civil War
Historian Alice L. Baumgartner presented a talk on her book, South to Freedom: Runaway Slaves to Mexico and the Road to the Civil War. She discussed the Civil War and the thousands of enslaved persons in the south-central United States who escaped slavery, not by heading north using the Underground Railroad, but by crossing the southern border into Mexico, where slavery had been abolished in 1837.
“Thank you so much to the National Archives for inviting me to be a part of this series,” Baumgartner said . “I did a lot of work for this book at the National Archives in DC, College Park, and at Fort Worth, TX. I really couldn’t have done the work without all of the archivists who helped me find material … so it’s especially gratifying to share the result of that research now in this series.”
South to Freedom was selected as the editors choice by the New York Times Book Review and one of the best Black History books of 2020 by the African American Intellectual History Society.
The Rope: A True Story of Murder, Heroism, and the Dawn of the NAACP
Date: February 9
Watch it: The Rope: A True Story of Murder, Heroism, and the Dawn of the NAACP
Bestselling author Alex Tresniowski discussed his book The Rope: A True Story of Murder, Heroism, and the Dawn of the NAACP. In his book, he tells the true-crime story of the murder of Marie Smith, the dawn of modern criminal detection, and the launch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
“Thank you sir for hosting me today,” Tresniowski said. “I am very pleased to be able share a couple of stories from [my book]. It’s a book I really care about and while I was working on it, it became even more relevant than when I started.”
Migrant Farm Workers and the Evolution of Farm Labor Programs in the United States
Date: February 10
Watch it: Migrant Farm Workers and the Evolution of Farm Labor Programs in the United States
Gabrielle Hutchins, a textual processing archivist at the National Archives at College Park, MD, gave a presentation on the stories of African American, Mexican, and Caribbean migrant workers through the records of the Bracero Programs, H-2A Guest Worker Programs, and related record groups.
“Our job at NARA is to make access happen, and I think learning about our federal records allows us to understand how important communities’ individual stories are in building this nation,” said Hutchins.
Young Learners Program—Meet Harriet Tubman
Date: February 11
Watch it: Young Learners Program- Meet Harriet Tubman
“Meet Harriet Tubman” was part of the National Archives Comes Alive! series within the Young Learners Program. Daisy Century, teacher and actor with American Historical Theatre, portrayed Harriet Tubman.
“Harriet Tubman is an inspiration to us today,” said Missy McNatt, education specialist with the National Archives and livestream moderator. “In the holdings of the National Archives, we have numerous records of Harriet Tubman.”
Century’s depiction of Harriet Tubman concluded with a question-and-answer session.
Nine Days: The Race to Save Martin Luther King Jr.’s Life and Win the 1960 Election
Date: February 11
Watch it: Nine Days: The Race to Save Martin Luther King Jr.’s Life and Win the 1960 Election
Authors Stephen and Paul Kendrick (father and son) discussed their book, Nine Days: The Race to Save Martin Luther King Jr.’s Life and Win the 1960 Election.
“It is an honor to be able to present our book,” said Stephen Kendrick. ”We did a lot of work at the Kennedy Library. . . . Without librarians, this type of work is not possible. So we owe you so much, and the nation does [as well].”
“The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity”
Date: February 25
Watch it: The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity
Ida E. Jones, university archivist at Morgan State University, moderated the event “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.” The panelists include: Alison M. Parker, author of Unceasing Militant: The Life of Mary Church Terrell; Darius Young, author of Robert R. Church Jr. and the African American Political Struggle; John Whittington Franklin and Karen Roberts Franklin, Franklin Global LLC; and Barbara Spencer Dunn, vice president for membership of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
The panelist spoke about Black family traditions, brothers and sisters, power couples, and community.
Spinning the Globe: The History and Legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters
Date: February 26
Watch it: Spinning the Globe: The History and Legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters
The final session, and book talk—”Spinning the Globe: The History and Legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters”—is happening today, February 26, at 7 p.m. Two current Globetrotters, Fatima “TNT” Lister and Charles “Handles” Franklin, and former player and coach “Sweet Lou” Dunbar join Ben Green, author of Spinning the Globe: The Rise, Fall, and Return to Greatness of the Harlem Globetrotters, to discuss the Globetrotters’ history and legacy, while drawing on National Archives records. Register online.
You can explore more records relating to African American history at Archives.gov. The African American History web page highlights National Archives resources and events, and the African American History research portal guides you to an assortment of records in the National Archives. The “Bending Towards Justice” section of the Records of Rights online exhibit showcases the drive for civil rights for African Americans through original documents, photographs, videos, and interactive exhibits.