| The ASALH Website is a project of the ASALH Publication Committee, Daryl Michael Scott, Chair. Direct comments to phughes@asalh.net Page revised 09/05/2008 |
Founders of Black History Month
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Quest for Black Citizenship in the Americas A century ago, an interracial group of Americans joined together and formed the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Two generations after emancipation, a tide of racism had betrayed the promise of first-class citizenship. In the South, whites had stripped blacks of the right to vote and constructed a society based on racial segregation. In the North, African Americans confronted myriad forms of discrimination that thwarted their aspirations. The Supreme Court turned a blind eye to the denigration of American citizenship taking place across the land and in the government itself. The story of the NAACP is the story of struggle to create and maintain equal citizenship for all Americans. Through exposing the horrors of lynching, keeping the issue of equality before the courts, and organizing branches throughout the country, the NAACP drew a national following and inspired others to form organizations for racial change. The NAACP's work gave hope not only to blacks in the North, but to men and women in the South like Rosa Parks and Medgar Evers. The centennial of the NAACP is an occasion to highlight the problem of race and citizenship in American history, from experiences of free blacks in a land of slavery to he political aspirations of African Americans today. The centennial also provides an opportunity to explore the history of other nations in the Americas, where former slaves also sought the fruits of citizenship. |