BLACK HISTORY DECADE BY DECADE
1910 - PRESENT
To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
 This Resource Packet contains images that may enhance an already existing
curriculum, by stimulating and igniting new ideas through students’ group
observation of images.
 Teaching through images is an educational method that is based on a
pedagogy called “Visual Thinking Strategies” (VTS). For more information,
go to: http://vtshome.org/what-is-vts
 Students’ observation can be guided and grounded by the inquiry questions
that accompany each image.
 Research has shown that including images in teaching improves critical
thinking and clarifies communication and visual literacy skills.
2. Images - Primary Source images are from:
 The Digital Gallery of the New York Public Library
 Digital Schomburg
3. Questions/Image Descriptions and Facts
 Image based inquiry questions
 Did you know?...
4. Classroom Activity
 Questions and activities that relate to the images in the packet
5. Additional Resources for Students and Educators
 Vocabulary list
 Guide to access NYPL online databases
 Books, Academic Journals, Web resources
 Annotated Bibliography
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
THE GREAT MIGRATION – 1910s
Image Title: Moving North
Digital Schomburg: #1168439 (World War I)
Link to Image: http://iiieyedigital.com/schomburg-africana/images.html
Image Description: Did you know?: “Between 1914 and 1920, roughly 500,000 black
southerners packed their bags and headed to the North, fundamentally transforming the
social, cultural, and political landscape of cities such as Chicago, New York, Cleveland,
Pittsburgh, and Detroit.”
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
The Great Migration - 1910
What do you see in this picture?
What questions do you want to ask the
What are the facial expressions, how people people in this picture?
are dressed, what other observations can you
make?
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
HARLEM RENAISSANCE – 1920s
Image Title: King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band
Digital Schomburg: #1953622
Link to Image: http://iiieyedigital.com/schomburg-africana/images.html
Image Description: Did you know?: “Band members, like those in King Oliver's (18851938) band, were often southern born. They traveled to northern cities to play, occasionally
in integrated clubs but more often in segregated ones.”
Left to right, standing: King Oliver (cornet), Bill Johnson (bass).
Left to right, seated: Baby Dodds (drums), Honore Dutrey (trombone), Louis Armstrong (second cornet),
Johnny Dodds (clarinet), Lil Hardin (piano).
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
The Harlem Renaissance – 1920s
What do you notice about these musicians,
their instruments, the band members? What
other observations can you make about this
image?
Who do you think this music is being played
for? What might it sound like?
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
INTERNATIONALISM - JOSEPHINE BAKER – 1930s
Image Title: Josephine Baker
Digital Schomburg: #74886 (Black Internationalism)
Link to Image: http://iiieyedigital.com/schomburg-africana/images.html
Image Description: Did you know?: “African-American entertainer Josephine Baker left
the United States in 1925 to pursue her stage career in Paris and became a French citizen in
1937. Upon her return to the United States following World War II, Baker refused to
perform for segregated audiences, an act that helped to integrate venues in Miami and Las
Vegas.”
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Josephine Baker – 1930s
How would you describe the person in this
picture?
What do you know about this artist from
looking at this image? What would you like
to learn?
Why do you think there is writing on this
picture?
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
WORLD WAR II – 1940s
Image Title: Rushing the SS George Washington Carver to completion.
NYPL Digital Id number: Image ID: 1260356
Image Description: Miss Anna Bland, an African American woman, working on the SS
George Washington Carver, April 1943] World War II – 1940s.
Did you know?: In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an Executive Order, No:
8802, which declared that all Americans including African Americans were allowed to
work in the war effort “without discrimination because of race, creed, color…”
Robertson, Naomi. "Executive Order 8802." The American Mosaic: The African American
Experience. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 3 Feb. 2012.
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
World War II – 1940s
What is happening in this picture?
What kind of job do you think she has? Can
you tell this from observing the image?
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
Rosa Parks – 1950s
Image title: Booking Photo of Rosa Parks, February 22, 1956
AP Montgomery County Sheriff’s office
Link to Image: http://exhibitions.nypl.org/african-americans-in-politics/index2.html
Image Description: Did you Know?: “Rose Parks (1913-2005) was already involved with
the NAACP and voter registration activities when she refused to move from her seat in the
“colored section” on a Montgomery Alabama bus to make room for whites on December 1,
1955. This action led to the formation of the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA)
with Martin Luther King, as President, and a 381 day bus boycott.”
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Rosa Parks – 1950s
What is happening in this picture?
Why do you think Rosa Parks is sometimes
called the “Mother of the Civil Rights
Movement”?
Who took this picture? How do you think
this may have influenced the events
following Rosa Park’s arrest?
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Civil Rights Movement - Malcolm X and Martin Luther King – 1960s
Image 1: Malcolm X, wife Betty Shabazz
and daughters Attallah and Qubilah, circa
1962
“The minister had married Betty X (Sanders)
in 1958, and in 1962 they were living in East
Elmhurst, Queens, with their daughters
Attallah, Qubilah, and Ilyasah. Family life
gave him the base from which to take his
Nation mission to an ever wider world. First
the broader black community and then
mainstream America took increasing note of
the bold message and leadership of the
Nation—as did various local and national
government intelligence agencies.”
Image ID: Malcolmbatch4b.jpg
Image 2: Martin Luther King, Jr.
Selma to Montgomery March, 1965
“…Martin Luther King led a “symbolic”
march to the bridge. Following by a ruling by
Federal District Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr.
that, “The Law is clear that the right to petition
one’s government for the redress of grievances
may be exercised in large groups,” about 3,200
marchers set out on the third Selma-to
Montgomery March on Sunday, March 21. By
the time they reached the capital on Thursday,
March 25, there were 25,000. Less than 5
months later, President Johnson signed the
Voting Rights Act of 1965.”
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Pictures -1960s
What is happening in these pictures?
What do you think these pictures
communicate about these important leaders
in our World History?
Image #1:
Image #2:
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
SHIRLEY CHISHOLM – FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT – 1970s
Image Title: Shirley Chisholm
Digital Schomburg: #1225990
Link to Image: http://iiieyedigital.com/schomburg-africana/images.html
Image Description: Did you know? “Born in Brooklyn of Barbadian and Guyanese
parents, Chisholm (1924-2005) began work as a schoolteacher. Her political career was
launched in 1964 when she won a seat in the New York State Assembly where she
authored legislation establishing the SEEK program to provide college funding for
disadvantaged youth. Continuing to serve her Brooklyn community, she won election to
the U.S. House of Representatives in 1968, becoming the first black congresswoman.
Chisholm was the first African-American woman to campaign for the presidency with her
run for the Democratic nomination in 1972.”
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Shirley Chisholm – 1970s
Can you think of a time when you ever tried What do you think Shirley Chisholm meant
something, not knowing that you would
with this candidacy speech?
lose or win but were willing to try your best
anyway?
“I am not the candidate of black America,
although I am black and proud. I'm not the
candidate of the women's movement of this
country, although I am a woman and I'm
equally proud of that. I'm not the candidate of
any political bosses or fat cats or special
interests. I am the candidate of the people.
And my presence before you now symbolizes
a new era in American political history.”
:
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Public Enemy– 1980s
Image Title: Public Enemy
Digital Schomburg: #1953542
Link to Image: http://iiieyedigital.com/schomburg-africana/images.html
Image Details: Did you know?: “Public Enemy is a hip-hop group established in Long
Island, New York. Consisting of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff, the S1Ws, and DJ
Lord (who replaced Terminator X in 1999), Public Enemy brought to the forefront a
number of issues that plagued the black community. Moreover, their lyrics exposed and
criticized structural and institutional racism. Pictured are Chuck D and Flavor Flav in
concert.”
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Public Enemy - 1980s
What is happening in this picture?
*What do you think the title “Black Panthers
of Rap” or “Black CNN” means?
* Referring to the Black Panthers Party and CNN News
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
NELSON MANDELA AND CORETTA SCOTT KING – MAE JEMISON – 1990s
Image Title: Nelson Mandela's Victory
Digital Schomburg: #A02
Link to Image:
http://iiieyedigital.com/schomburgafricana/images.html
Did you know?: “Nelson Mandela received the
Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and was elected
president in 1994. On May 2, Coretta Scott King
sings and dances alongside the president-elect at
a victory celebration on the day of the country's
first integrated elections.”
Image Title: Mae C. Jemison
Digital Schomburg: # US01 AP Photo/NASA
Link to Image:
http://iiieyedigital.com/schomburgafricana/images.html
Did you know?: “… Mae C. Jemison (b. 1956)
became the first African-American woman in
space. Born in Decatur, Alabama, and raised in
Chicago, Jemison earned a bachelor's in chemistry
from Stanford University (1977) and a doctoral
degree in medicine from Cornell
(1981)…Throughout her career, Jemison made
significant contributions to the advancement of
medicine and technology throughout the world. In
addition, she has supported and established
educational programs that encourage young people
to embrace the sciences and technology.
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Nelson Mandela – End of Apartheid and Mae C. Jemison, Astronaut – 1990s
What do you notice is happening in these
pictures?
What do you think these pictures
communicate about this time in history?
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
BARACK OBAMA
2008-Present
Barack Obama – From Senator and Presidential Candidate to President
Democratic Presidential Candidate Sen. Barack Obama,
D-Ill, June 3rd 2008, in St. Paul Minn.
Link to Image: http://exhibitions.nypl.org/african-americans-in-politics/index2.html
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Barack Obama – 2008 to Present
What are some of the messages from
President Obama’s Presidential campaign?
How does this message tie back to history
and to the images on the previous pages?
What does the “Change” in his message
mean to you?
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Vocabulary
Apartheid: A political system in South Africa from 1948 to the early 1990s that separated
the different peoples living there and gave privileges to those of European origin.
Boycott: To cease or refuse to deal with something such as an organization, a company, or
a process, as a protest against it or as an effort to force it to become more acceptable.
Diaspora: A dispersion of a people, language, or culture that was formerly concentrated in
one place.
Grievances: A formal complaint made on the basis of something that somebody feels is
unfair.
Integrate: To make a group, community, place, or organization and its opportunities
available to everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or social class.
Mainstream: The ideas, actions, and values that are most widely accepted by a group or
society, e.g. in politics, fashion, or music.
Renaissance: A rebirth or revival, e.g. of culture, skills, or learning forgotten or previously
ignored.
Segregate: To keep different groups within a population separate, especially different
ethnic, racial, religious, or gender groups.
Venue: A place where an event such as a sports competition or a concert is held.
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Find it!
NYPL Digital Databases on African American Civil Rights, Newspapers and Black Studies
African American Experience
Full-text digital resource exploring the history and culture of African Americans, and Black Diaspora.
African American Newspapers: The 19th Century
Searchable full-text of the major African-American newspapers published in US during the 19th century.
Atlanta Daily World (1931-2003)
The Atlanta Daily World had the first black White House correspondent and was the first black daily in
the nation in the 20th century
Black Studies Center
This fully cross-searchable gateway to Black Studies combines: Schomburg Studies on the Black
Experience, International Index of Black Periodicals (IIBP), and The Chicago Defender. Includes
scholarly essays, recent periodicals, and historical newspaper articles.
Brainpop
Animated Science, Health, Technology, Math, Social Studies, Arts & Music and English movies, quizzes,
activity pages and school homework help for K-12 kids.
International Index to Black Periodicals
Full Text includes current and retrospective citations
and abstracts from scholarly journals and newsletters from the U.S., Africa and the Caribbean--and fulltext coverage of core Black Studies periodicals.
Los Angeles Sentinel (1934-2005)
First hand coverage of the grass-roots struggle against the racially restrictive housing covenants of the
1940s. Considered to be the major newspaper of the Black community in Los Angeles during the 20th
century. The oldest and largest black newspaper in the western United States and the largest AfricanAmerican owned newspaper in the U.S.
ProQuest Historical African American Newspapers
Atlanta Daily World (1931-2003), Chicago Defender (1910-1975), Los Angeles Sentinel (1934-2005),
NY Amsterdam News (1922-1993), and the Pittsburgh Courier (1911-2002).
Slavery and Anti-Slavery: A Transnational Archive
A historical archive that embraces the scholarly study of slavery in a comprehensive, conceptual and
global way.
Twentieth Century African American Poetry
The Database of Twentieth Century African-American Poetry is a collection of poetry written by
important and influential African-American poets of the 20th century.
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Additional NYPL Resources:
New York Public library Digital Gallery: http://www.nypl.org
The NYPL Digital Gallery provides free and open access to over 700,000 images digitized from the New
York Public Library's vast collections, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters,
rare prints, photographs and more.
Schomburg Library
“Relying on the expertise of distinguished curators and scholars, Digital Schomburg provides access to
trusted information, interpretation and scholarship on the global black experience. Users worldwide can
find, in this virtual Schomburg Center, exhibitions, books, articles, photographs, prints, audio and video
streams, and selected external links for research in the history and cultures of the peoples of Africa and the
African Diaspora.”
Schomburg African Images links:
http://exhibitions.nypl.org/african-americans-in-politics/html/23.html
http://iiieyedigital.com/schomburg-africana/images.html
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
The Following resources may be found on the NYPL Online databases
Find It!
Quick Guide to NYPL Databases
1. Go to www.nypl.org
2. Click Find Books, DVDs & More
3. The next page will look like this:
4. Click GO under Articles & Databases
5. Now, your screen will look like this:
6. Type the database name in the
Database title/description box
7. Press enter
8. Select your database on the next screen and
start your search
* To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
This project was made possible by a generous grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Additional Research Databases:
The Great Migration
“In 1861, “91% of all African Americans lived in the South.” This article gives information about the Great
Migration from the South. Learn more about The Great Migration by reading…
Adams, Luther J. "Causes of Great Migration." The American Mosaic: The African American
Experience. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2012.
Harlem Renaissance
Did you know: “Some of the most notable musical and theatrical performers during the Harlem
Renaissance were women.” Read this wonderful overview of the Harlem Renaissance to learn more…
NYPL Database: African American Experience
Beaulieu, Elizabeth. "Harlem Renaissance (Overview)." The American Mosaic: The African American
Experience. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2012.
Josephine Baker
Did you know: That Josephine Baker adopted 12 children from all over the world forming her rainbow
family. Two of her children run Chez Josephine Restaurant in NY’s Time Square area.
NYPL Database: Biography in Context
"Josephine Baker." Contemporary Musicians. Vol. 10. Detroit: Gale, 1993. Gale Biography In Context.
Web. 30 Jan. 2012.
NYPL Database: African American Experience
Martone, Eric. "Josephine Baker." The American Mosaic: The African American Experience. ABC-CLIO,
2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2012.
World War II: SS George Washington Carter
Did you know: Unlike the U.S. Army, Navy, or Coast Guard, the USMS was racially integrated: Black
and white crew members served on the same ships…At least seventeen ships were named in honor of
well-known black Americans, including the Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Booker T. Washington
(Mulyac's ship), and George Washington Carver.” Learn more by reading…
NYPL Database: History in Context
"Production Miracles." American Home Front in World War II. Ed. Allison McNeill, et al. Vol. 1:
Almanac. Detroit: UXL, 2005. 17-35. Gale U.S. History In Context. Web. 30 Jan. 2012.
To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org.
This project was made possible by a generous grant from The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Rosa Parks
Did you know: That Rosa Parks is often called the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.
NYPL Database: History in Context:
Miller, Laura M. "The Arrest of Rosa Parks (1 December 1955)." Dictionary of American History. Ed.
Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 9. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 445-446. Gale U.S. History In
Context. Web. 26 Jan. 2012.
Shirley Chisholm
Did you know: Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman to run for the presidency? The
following articles describe a woman who remains an inspiration to us today.
NYPL Database: African American Experience:
O'Brien, Steven G. "Shirley Chisholm." The American Mosaic: The African American Experience. ABCCLIO, 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2012.
NYPL Database: History in Context:
Njoki-Wa-kinyatti,. "Shirley Chisholm." Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series:
Sports Figures. Ed. Arnold Markoe and Kenneth T. Jackson. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003.
Gale U.S. History In Context. Web. 26 Jan. 2012.
Public Enemy
Did you know: “Public Enemy has sought to be a force of social change but also to create music that is
danceable and entertaining.”
NYPL Database: The African American Experience
Gould, Katherine. "Public Enemy." The American Mosaic: The African American Experience. ABCCLIO, 2012. Web. 1 Feb. 2012.
NYPL Database: History in Context
Pendergast, Sara and Pendergast, Tom " St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Ed. Detroit: St.
James Press, 2000. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 26 Jan. 2012.
Nelson Mandela
Did you know: Nelson Mandela wrote about his 27 year experience in jail in his memoirs entitled Road to
Freedom. He changed the face of South Africa and the world.
NYPL Database: Literature Resource Center.
To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org.
This project was made possible by a generous grant from The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
Goodrich, Chris. "Agitating for Equality: A Political Activist Who Exchanged a Prison Cell for the
Presidents Office." Los Angeles Times Book Review (8 Jan. 1995): 3. Rpt. in Literature Resource Center.
Detroit: Gale, 2012. Literature Resource Center. Web. 1 Feb. 2012.
Mae Jemison
Did you know: “In September 1992 Mae Jemison became the first African-American woman in space
when the space shuttle Endeavor lifted off beyond the earth's atmosphere…”
NYPL Database: Science Online
Oakes, Elizabeth H. "Jemison, Mae Carol." Science Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 1 Feb. 2012.
http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin=EWSR0451&SingleRecord=True
Barack Obama
NYPL Database: Ebsco Primary Search
Jones Z. Barack Obama. (cover story). Scholastic Action [serial online]. February 2, 2009;32(9):4.
Available from: Primary Search, Ipswich, MA. Accessed February 1, 2012.
NYPL Database: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-Present
Link to database: http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp
Description: Provides biographical information on the more than 13,000 persons who have served in the
United States Congress, including those who served in the Continental Congress.
Some recommended books on the NYPL Catalog…
Our Enduring Spirit
Of Thee I Sing
A Letter to My
President Barack Obama's
Daughters
First Words to America
By Obama, Barack, 2010
By Obama, Barack, 2009
Change We Can Believe in The Audacity of Hope
Barack Obama's Plan to
Thoughts on Reclaiming
Renew America's Promise
the American Dream
By Obama, Barack, 2008
By Obama, Barack, 2006
To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org.
This project was made possible by a generous grant from The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.
To find more books, DVDs and more on the NYPL website. Go To www.nypl.org.
Explore, find and create!
To access this and other images, visit the Digital Gallery at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org.
This project was made possible by a generous grant from The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation.