Smithsonian’s NMAAHC
@NMAAHC
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Journey through the lens of the African American experience. #APeoplesJourney, #ANationsStory Legal: https://t.co/3sIRJi7PRE • @NMAAHCdirector
Joined May 2009
This month, celebrate Malcolm X’s legacy with poet Sonia Sanchez & composer Terrence Blanchard. Free. Register and discover more of our May events:
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A deserving hug between @repjohnlewis and @POTUS. It's been a long journey and we're all grateful to be here. #APeoplesJourney
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“For us at the NMAAHC, Kobe holds a very special place in our hearts. In the very critical stages of building the museum, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant became founding donors, giving us the boost that we needed to keep moving forward." #KobeFarewell.
Go. See. This. Museum. There is no greater testament to this country than the stories in this building. Honored to be a part of it @NMAAHC
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#OTD in 1865, enslaved African Americans were notified of their freedom by Union troops in Galveston Bay, TX—two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Known as #Juneteenth, this day is widely celebrated as the end of chattel slavery in the U.S. #APeoplesJourney
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African American soldiers have served in every war in the United States. In choosing to join the military, African Americans sought to have their service understood by the nation as a demand for liberty and citizenship. We honor your sacrifice. #VeteransDay #APeoplesJourney
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#OTD in 1865, enslaved African Americans were notified of their freedom by Union troops in Galveston Bay, TX—two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Known as #Juneteenth, this day is widely celebrated as the end of chattel slavery in the U.S. #APeoplesJourney
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A statement from our Founding Director Lonnie Bunch on the noose found in our history galleries today.
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Today, on Trayvon Martin’s 28th birthday, our museum shines light on his life and legacy. He was a young, Black dreamer who led a life full of curiosity and possibility. See how his story inspired countless people to rally for social justice:
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#OnThisDay in 1865, General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, TX to read Order No. 3, which affirmed the end of slavery in the states of the former Confederacy. This momentous occasion has been celebrated as #Juneteenth — a combination of “June” & “19th” — for over 150 years.
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#OnThisDay in 1865, General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, TX to read Order No. 3, which affirmed the end of slavery in the states of the former Confederacy. This momentous occasion has been celebrated as #Juneteenth — a combination of “June” & “19th” — for over 150 years.
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To maintain segregation in the South, many white residents sought to make fear part of everyday life for African Americans. #APeoplesJourney
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In July of 1963, fifteen girls were jailed for challenging segregation laws. Ages 12 to 15, they were held for 45 days in the back woods of Leesburg, Georgia. Their parents had no knowledge of where authorities were holding their children: #HiddenHerstory
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Shirley Chisholm’s father was a factory worker from Guyana and her mother a seamstress and domestic worker from Barbados. They met and married in New York City. Their daughter, Shirley Chisholm was the first black woman elected to Congress. #APeoplesJourney #BHM #DiasporaLens
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Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence and called slavery an “abominable crime,” yet he was a lifelong slaveholder. His statue stands in our Slavery & Freedom exhibition with the names of the 600 men, women and children he enslaved at Monticello. #ANationsStory
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#OnThisDay 15 years ago, Barack Obama defeated Senator John McCain to become the first Black president of the United States. #APeoplesJourney
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Before it became a racist stereotype in the Jim Crow era, watermelon once symbolized black self-sufficiency. #NationalWatermelonDay
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DAP (Dignity and Pride) handshakes became symbols of unity, kinship and survival among AA soldiers in Vietnam. #MilitaryAppreciationMonth
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Black Panther is the first superhero of African descent to appear in mainstream American comics, and the film itself is the first major cinematic production based on the character. #BlackPantherWatchParty #BlackPanther.
The first black superhero in mainstream American comics, the Black Panther is king of a fictional African nation called Wakanda, one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. #BlackPantherHistory #WakandaForever
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On June 6,1944, almost 2,000 black soldiers landed on the shores of Normandy, France in the D-Day invasion. Waverly Woodson was one of those soldiers. He treated at least 200 injured men, despite being injured himself. More: #ANationsStory #DDay #DDay75.
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On Christmas Eve in 1854, Harriet Tubman returned to Maryland’s Eastern Shore to emancipate her brothers Ben, Henry and Robert from slavery. #APeoplesJourney
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In July of 1963, fifteen girls were jailed for challenging segregation laws. Ages 12 to 15, they were held for 45 days in the back woods of Leesburg, Georgia. Their parents had no knowledge of where authorities were holding their children: #HiddenHerstory.
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#OnThisDay in 2016, our museum first opened its doors to the public. Today, we commemorate 7 years as the nation’s largest destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story. #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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We are thrilled that we are going to acquire a significant portion of the archive of the Johnson Publishing Company, the publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines! The acquisition is pending court approval and the closing of the sale. #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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Happy birthday to the “Mother of Afrofuturism,” Octavia E. Butler, who was born #OTD in 1947 in Pasadena, California! Learn more about her literary and cultural impact in our #NMAAHCFutures exhibition and companion book:
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#OnThisDay in 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to Congress. The Brooklyn, New York native represented New York’s 12th congressional district for 7 terms from 1969 to 1983. More from our Searchable Museum:
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The earliest accounts of what would become #MemorialDay, was organized in a former Confederate Prison Camp in Charleston, S.C. on May 1, 1865. The celebration was established by newly freed African Americans, U.S. Colored Troops regiments & a small group of white Charlestonians.
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On the night of December 31, 1862, enslaved and free African Americans gathered, many in secret, to ring in the new year and await news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. Learn more about Watch Night, or Freedom's Eve: #APeoplesJourney
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#OTD in 1921, the deadliest racial massacre in U.S. history began in the thriving Greenwood African American community of Tulsa, OK. Black Wall Street in Tulsa, OK was destroyed by a racist mob. #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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#OTD in 1865, enslaved African Americans were notified of their freedom by Union troops in Galveston Bay, TX. Known as #Juneteenth, this day is widely celebrated as the end of chattel slavery in the U.S. Learn more: #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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Legendary singer Tina Turner was born #OnThisDay in 1939 in Nutbush, TN. Tina Turner's legacy elevates Black women’s unique perspectives on issues from gender & social class to loss & love.
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On March 24, 2023, our museum will debut a major, thought-provoking exhibition, "Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures.". One of the highlights of this new exhibition will be the #BlackPanther hero costume worn by the late Chadwick Boseman, pictured here. #NMAAHCFutures
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#OnThisDay, Dana Elaine Owens — known professionally as Queen Latifah — was born in Newark, New Jersey. She broke barriers and set standards as a rapper, a singer, and an actress. #HiddenHerstory #WomensHistoryMonth
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In 1921, Black Wall Street in Tulsa, OK was destroyed by a racist mob. Read our thread about the Tulsa Riots and visit the exhibition located our the Power of Place gallery on the 3rd floor of our Museum. #APeoplesJourney #BlackWallStreet.
Black Tulsans had formed their own community along Greenwood & Archer streets that became known as “Black Wall Street.” #APeoplesJourney
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Our museum is excited to announce we have acquired the Ebony Test Kitchen. Built in 1972 as a prominent feature of the Johnson Publishing Co. building, the Ebony Test Kitchen is where recipes were tested & prepared before being published in Ebony. More:
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#OnThisDay in 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to Congress. The Brooklyn, New York native represented New York’s 12th congressional district for 7 terms from 1969 to 1983. Learn more on our Searchable Museum:
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Lynchings were often organized by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), but thousands of everyday citizens participated and watched.
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"I realized that with African American people, where we've been blocked from being all that God meant for us to be, I don't have time to be patient.". Our Museum mourns the loss of Congressman Elijah E. Cummings.
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Our Founding Director Lonnie G. Bunch III was today named the Secretary of the @Smithsonian Institution. As Secretary, Bunch will oversee 19 museums, 21 libraries, the National Zoo, numerous research centers, and several education units and centers. Congrats to Secretary Bunch!
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#OnThisDay in 1961, Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. After serving as a senator for Illinois, he was elected 44th President of the United States and served from 2009 to 2017. #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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"The African American experience is the lens through which we understand what it is to be an American." -Lonnie G. Bunch III . Join us this #BlackHistoryMonth as we continue to celebrate American history through the African American lens. #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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#OTD in 1865, enslaved African Americans were notified of their freedom by Union troops in Galveston Bay, TX—two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Known as #Juneteenth, this day is widely celebrated as the end of chattel slavery in the U.S. #APeoplesJourney
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#OnThisDay in 1865, General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, TX to read Order No. 3, which affirmed the end of slavery in the states of the former Confederacy. This momentous occasion has been celebrated as #Juneteenth — a combination of “June” & “19th” — for over 150 years.
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#OnThisDay, Dana Elaine Owens — known professionally as Queen Latifah — was born in Newark, New Jersey. She broke barriers and set standards as a rapper, a singer, and an actress. #SmithsonianWHM #NMAAHCHipHop
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We remember Katherine Johnson, influential NASA mathematician who calculated the flight path for America’s first space mission and inspired the movie ‘Hidden Figures.’
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We are saddened by the loss of actor and friend of NMAAHC, Chadwick Boseman.
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Beginning with the founding of America, African Americans created new visions of freedom that have benefited all Americans. The paradox of the American Revolution—the fight for liberty in an era of widespread slavery—is embedded in the foundation of the US #ANationsStory #July4th
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Today, on what would have been Trayvon Martin’s 29th birthday, our museum shines light on his life and legacy. His mother Sybrina Fulton remembers him as an adventurous kid who loved planes and aspired towards a career in aviation.
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#OnThisDay in 1921, the deadliest racial massacre in U.S. history began in the thriving Greenwood African American community of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Black Wall Street in Tulsa, OK was destroyed by a racist mob. #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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“What is the purpose of a nation if not to empower human beings to live better together than they could individually?” - Rep. John R. Lewis
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#OnThisDay in 1897, Alfred L. Cralle patented the ice cream scoop. 🍨 . The newly patented design kept the ice cream from sticking and is widely used today. #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackJoy
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The deadliest racial massacre in U.S. history began #otd in 1921, in the thriving Greenwood AA community of Tulsa, OK. #APeoplesJourney
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#OnThisDay 160 years ago, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It read, "all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." . Learn more about this monumental anniversary: #ANationsStory
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A Tuskegee Airman waving to the President during his remarks. #APeoplesJourney #MakingHistory
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Today we launch Talking About Race, a new online portal designed to help individuals, families, and communities talk about racism, racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of American culture. Learn more: #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory.
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#OTD in 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston Bay, TX were notified of slavery's end by Union troops. #Juneteenth #APeoplesJourney
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#OTD in 1838, Frederick Douglass made the daring escape from slavery in Baltimore, Maryland, disguised as a sailor. #APeoplesJourney
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To celebrate #WomensHistoryMonth, we're sharing stories with #HiddenHerstory throughout the month of March.
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#OnThisDay in 1922, legendary actress & activist Ruby Dee was born. Dee blazed a trail in the industry with more than 70 years of performances. She originated the role of Ruth Younger in “A Raisin in the Sun” and with her husband, Ossie Davis, aided the Civil Rights Movement.
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#OnThisDay in 1970, Dana Elaine Owens — known professionally as Queen Latifah — was born in Newark, New Jersey. She broke barriers and set standards as a rapper, a singer, and an actress. #WomensHistoryMonth #NMAAHCHipHop
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Beginning with the founding of America, African Americans created new visions of freedom that have benefited all Americans. The paradox of the American Revolution—the fight for liberty in an era of widespread slavery—is embedded in the foundation of the US #ANationsStory #July4th
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Confederate veterans organized the first Ku Klux Klan group in Tennessee in 1865—intent on intimidating freedmen across the South.
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The first black superhero in mainstream American comics, the Black Panther is king of a fictional African nation called Wakanda, one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. #BlackPantherHistory #WakandaForever
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Their tactics included physical violence, economic threats, and psychological intimidation, as well as sexual exploitation. #APeoplesJourney
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Our resistance is in our activism. Join us to explore the power of Black resistance: from activism, education, faith, press and #BlackJoy, with this year’s official @ASALH theme: . #BlackHistoryMonth #APeoplesJourney
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Beyoncé paid homage to the unique culture of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with her historic Coachella performance. Join us as we explore the history of these African American educational institutions. #BeyonceHomecoming
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#OnThisDay in 1948, singer Grace Jones was born. Her deep ebony skin, crew cut afro, chiseled cheekbones and androgynous artistry made her a key cultural icon of contemporary Afrofuturist aesthetic expression across music, fashion, art, film and more. #NMAAHCFutures
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#OnThisDay in 1963, a bomb planted by the Ku Klux Klan ripped through 16th Street Baptist Church killing four little girls. The tragedy marked the third bombing in 11 days in Birmingham, Alabama following the federal order of Alabama school integration. #ANationsStory
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Today @sesamestreet turns 50! The beloved children’s television show was shaped by the African American communities in Harlem and beyond. The Unmistakable Black Roots of ‘Sesame Street’: #APeoplesJourney #Sesame50.
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At the beginning of the twentieth century, a distinctly Black LGBTQ+ culture took shape in Harlem and Chicago. The Harlem Renaissance (1920-1935) was particularly influential in this process.
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#OnThisDay in 1921, one of the deadliest racial massacres in U.S. history began in the thriving Greenwood African American community of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Black Wall Street in Tulsa, OK was destroyed by a racist mob. #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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Mary McLeod Bethune was born #OnThisDay July 10, 1875, in Mayesville, South Carolina, 15 of 17 children born to parents who had been enslaved. Eight of her older siblings were born into slavery. She was the only one of her siblings to receive an education.
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The @POTUS and @FLOTUS at our Dedication Ceremony with former President George W. Bush. #APeoplesJourney #MakingHistory
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On June 4, 1919, Congress passed the #19thAmendment, granting women the right to vote. African American women, however, still faced barriers exercising their right to vote. This could include waiting hours to register, facing violence, or taking new tests. #19thAt100
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#OTD in 1963, 250K people made the journey to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Today we recount their stories. #APeoplesJourney
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#OnThisDay in 1907, blues pianist, singer, performer, and drag king pioneer Gladys Bentley was born in Philadelphia. Her electrifying performances challenged standard views of gender presentation - Bentley always wore her signature tuxedo and top hat on stage. #HiddenHerstory
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Fannie Lou Hamer was born #OnThisDay in 1917. Hamer co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, which challenged the local Democratic Party’s efforts to block Black voters through violence, literacy tests, and intimidation. #APeoplesJourney
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#OTD in 1960, Ruby Bridges became the first African American to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South, at William Frantz School in New Orleans, Louisiana. For the entire school year only one teacher taught Bridges, in a classroom by herself. #ANationsStory
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Born #OnThisDay 95 years ago, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, also known as Malcolm X, was the inspiration behind much of the Black Power Movement. His intellect, historical analysis, and powerful speeches impressed friend and foe alike. #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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#OTD in 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the 1964 Civil Rights Act as Martin Luther King, Jr., and others, look on. #APeoplesJourney
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African American soldiers have served in every war in the US. In choosing to join the military, African Americans sought to have their service understood by the nation as a demand for liberty and citizenship. We honor your sacrifice. #VeteransDay #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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Most victims were accused of a crime but never put on trial. Rape of white women was the most frequent unsubstantiated charge.
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Frederick Douglass explored this paradox in his "What to the slave is the fourth of July?" speech, emphasizing that American slavery & freedom is a shared history & that the actions of ordinary men & women to demand freedom, transformed our nation. More:
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Today Emmett Till would have been 77 years old. He was kidnapped and killed at 14 for accusations of crossing the "color line" in 1955 Mississippi. #ANationsStory
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In November 1945, John H. Johnson launched Ebony magazine to present a view of Black America rarely seen in popular media. Over the next 7 decades, Ebony chronicled Black life and the contributions of African Americans across regions, movements and generations. #APeoplesJourney
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The earliest commemoration of what would later become #MemorialDay, was established by over 1,000 newly freed African Americans in Charleston, SC, in addition to U.S. Colored Troops regiments & a small group of white Charlestonians on May 1, 1865. #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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Today, we observe the life of Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who railed against racial injustice. King's widow, Coretta Scott King, continued his work, mobilizing the Poor People's Campaign (1968) and the federal holiday honoring King's life and legacy (1983).
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Serena Williams began practicing tennis at the age of 3 on a court near her home in Compton, California. In September of 1999, she won the #USOpen at age 17, and this week at the age of 40 she will play her final Grand Slam. #GameChangers
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After the Civil War, free AAs grew & sold watermelon—a symbol of freedom. @TheAtlantic: #NationalWatermelonDay
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In 2012, at the age of 16, gymnast Gabrielle Douglas became the first African American woman to win the gold medal in the individual all-around gymnastics competition at the London #Olympics. She led the competition from beginning to end. #GameChangers
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Charlotta Bass was the first black woman to run for national office as the V.P. candidate for the Progressive Party. She campaigned with the slogan: "Win or lose, we win by raising the issues.". More: #HiddenHerstory #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory
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This reinforced the idea that fear was the only way to control African Americans and force them to accept segregation and discrimination.
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#OTD in 1924, James Baldwin was born in Harlem, NY. He'd later become one of America's greatest literary voices, interrogating themes of racial and sexual oppression in America. Baldwin is regarded as one of the foremost writers and public intellectuals of the 20th century.
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In 1921, the deadliest racial massacre in the U.S. history occurred in Tulsa, OK. Explore this moment in history:
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#OTD 100 years ago, the #19thAmendment was ratified, formally granting women the right to vote. African American women, however, still faced barriers exercising their right to vote. This could include waiting hours to register, facing violence, or taking tests.
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#NMAAHC is the only national museum dedicated to the documentation of African American life, history, & culture. #BlackHistoryMonth
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Today, on what would have been Trayvon Martin’s 30th birthday, our museum shines light on his life and legacy. His mother Sybrina Fulton remembers him as an adventurous kid who loved planes and aspired towards a career in aviation.
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