ProQuest's Black Freedom Struggle in the U.S. website is designed for teaching and learning about the struggles and triumphs of Black Americans. Developed with input from Black history scholars and advisors, its easily discoverable materials are ideal for assignments and special projects focused on U.S. Black history. This curated selection of primary sources includes over 2,000 source documents — historical newspaper articles, pamphlets, diaries, correspondence, and more — from pivotal eras in African American history.
The site covers several time periods in American history when Black Freedom Struggle ran more powerfully – while not losing sight of the fierce, often violent opposition that Black people have faced on the road to freedom. These periods include:
- Slavery and the Abolitionist Movement (1790-1860)
- Civil War and Reconstruction Era (1861-1877)
- Jim Crow Era from 1878 to the Great Depression (1878-1932)
- New Deal and World War II (1933-1945)
- Civil Rights and Black Power Movements (1946-1975)
- Contemporary Era (1976-2000)
The Black Freedom Struggle in the United States website is intended to support a wide range of students, from middle and high school to college, as well as anyone interested in learning more about African American history. To access this database, follow the top navigation on the library's website to Research & Learn>Resources A-Z.