African American Voices and History in University Collections

The United States has a long history of activists seeking social, political, economic, and other changes to America—along with a history of other activists trying to prevent such changes. American activism covered a wide range of causes and utilized many different forms of activism.

American sociopolitical activism became especially prominent during the period of societal upheaval which began during the 1950s. The African American civil rights movement led the way, soon followed by a substantial anti-war movement opposing American involvement in the Vietnam War, and later by vigorous activism involving women’s issues, gay rights, and other causes.

The United States remains a land of nearly constant change, and activists play a significant role in the ongoing evolution of American democracy. It seems likely that Americans will remain enthusiastic activists in the future.

Discover the variety of African Americans experiences of the Civil War. On the front lines, African Americans served in the military, particularly as part of the U.S. Colored Troops, and supported the war through service in military camps. Many formerly enslaved people escaped to freedom during the war, including “contrabands,” while others continued to suffer under the system of slavery in the Confederacy.

Discover the big-name players from the Negro leagues, many of whom were credited by their Major League contemporaries as the best in the game. Learn more about African Americans in early baseball, professionalization of the Negro leagues, and the bond formed with Latin America. Follow their story through integration to the continued fight for civil rights, and how their contributions to the game are honored.

Discover the leaders and organizations that advocated for “black power” as frustration with nonviolent strategies grew in the face of continuing legal and social resistance to civil rights. New groups, such as the Black Panther Party, the Black Women’s United Front, and the Nation of Islam, developed new cultural, political, and economic programs and grew memberships that reflected this shift.

Independent Voices is an open access digital collection of alternative press newspapers, magazines and journals, drawn from the special collections of participating libraries. These periodicals were produced by feminists, dissident GIs, campus radicals, Native Americans, anti-war activists, Black Power advocates, Hispanics, LGBT activists, the extreme right-wing press and alternative literary magazines during the latter half of the 20th century.

Project STAND is a radical archives consortia between colleges and universities around the country; to create a centralized digital space highlighting digital and analog collections emphasizing student activism in marginalized communities.