Voices from the Past: Learning Black History from Those Who Lived It

| By Rebecca Parks | In August 2019, the New York Times Magazine published a long-form journalism project, known as the 1619 Project, on the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved persons from Africa to colonial Virginia. The collection of essays, commentaries, and poems aimed to reorient U.S. history to centralize slavery’s … Read more

Cengage and Gale on Inclusion and Diversity: What we believe

Cengage has a critical role to play in providing quality, inclusive learning materials that empower progress and combat ignorance. As one of the largest education companies in the world, and a global employer, we are taking action to advance inclusion and diversity efforts in our workplaces, communities and the education experiences we provide to learners and educators. We do this … Read more

Fannie Lou Hamer: Papers of a Civil Rights Activist, Political Activist, and Woman

| By Sara Tarpley, Director, Academic Product Sales, Gale | February and March are significant months for Gale in that they’re tied to the celebration of history, one of our favorite disciplines. In February, we acknowledge and appreciate Black history, while March brings us the opportunity to celebrate women’s history. This year, with dialogue sparked … Read more

Asserting Equality: Black Political Activism During Reconstruction

During Black History Month, we honor African Americans who profoundly impacted the course of American history. During Reconstruction—an era that lasted from about 1865 to 1877—African Americans gained new political and legal rights that were implemented with the support of the federal government. A number of activists redefined how blacks participated in American politics, society, and culture, especially in the South. Men like Hiram Revels, Robert Elliot, and Joseph Rainey were part of the vanguard of black political leadership in this period.

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Gender & Diversity Content at Your Fingertips

In-Depth Portfolio: Resources for Instruction & Research Our new Gender & Diversity Content Hub is full of stimulating content from Gale Primary Sources, eBooks on GVRL, and several databases all in one central location. In the hub, you will find information on Civil Rights, Sexuality & Gender, and Women’s Studies from our most popular, authoritative … Read more

Confederate Remembrance In Context: A History of Heritage or Hate?

| By Beth Manar | Though the US Civil War officially ended with the surrender of Confederate general Robert E. Lee in 1865, the rift that began when eleven slave-holding Southern states seceded from 1860 to 1861 had repercussions that are still felt more than 150 years later. It is estimated that more than 620,000 … Read more

Female Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement

During Black History Month, we celebrate African Americans who made impactful contributions to American history. One of the most important developments of the twentieth century was the civil rights movement. Many Americans, both black and white, fought for equality in access to voting, education, housing, and public spaces for African Americans. Most of the best-known civil rights leaders of this period were male, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, and John Lewis. However, many women also made significant contributions, including Fannie Lou Hamer, Pauli Murray, and Dorothy Height. Because of their efforts, black Americans, especially in the South, gained new legal rights and freedoms.

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American Civil Liberties Papers, 1912-1990

Behind the scenes access to the most influential court cases of the twentieth-century

Part of the Making of Modern Law series, American Civil Liberties Papers, 1912-1990 gives researchers access to the more than 2 million documents contained in the records of the American Civil Liberties Union at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript library at Princeton University. As part of the Gale Primary Sources platform the American Civil Liberties Union Papers, 1912-1990 can be integrated with complementary primary source collections to allow users to make eye-opening research discoveries.

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Sitting on the Floor of the House

Posted on June 23, 2016 By Debra Kirby The afternoon of June 21st a form of protest popular in the 1960s was employed by advocates for gun control legislation on the floor – literally — of the U.S. House of Representatives, when civil rights icon and Georgia representative John Lewis led his colleagues in a … Read more

The Civil Rights Act of 1964: A Foundational Influence

Published on June 9, 2016

By Debra Kirby

I listen to National Public Radio (NPR) on my daily commute. A series on All Things Considered called Generational Politics, which aired in June and which explored the events that shaped the political views of three different generations – 25, 45, and 65 year olds – got me thinking about what most influenced my views, political and beyond. Looking back it is no surprise that having spent some of my most formative years in the 1960s in Detroit, the events related to the Civil Rights Movement played a major role in shaping my beliefs, ideas and character. To this day, I feel privileged to have witnessed that exciting and often turbulent time – even though my parents refused, despite my most earnest and compelling arguments, to let their pre-teen daughter travel by bus to Washington, DC to actually participate in the historic events.  The anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 this July 2 provides the perfect opportunity to go beyond the more commonly known facts surrounding this historic act and the events and people who made it happen.

For example, did you know?

  • John Robert Lewis, civil rights movement veteran and U.S. Congressman from Georgia since 1986, was the only living speaker from the March on Washington present at President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration. After the ceremony, Lewis asked Obama to sign a commemorative photograph for him. The new president signed the photo with the message, “Because of you, John. Barack Obama.” — Biography In Context.

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