In 1827 Samuel Cornish and John Russwurm joined forces and created the Freedom’s Journal. This publication created a space for black journalists to speak on issues relevant to black people.

From there, we would see other noted publications, like The Colored American, enter the homes of black people across the country. The black press not only spoke on topics like racial injustice and protests, but it delivered news so powerful that it would be tied to the launch of the Civil Rights Movement. As the press grew in distribution, black issues became highlighted and black accomplishments were able to be celebrated nationwide.

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The phrase “40 acres and a mule” — a promise to former slaves — was hatched from a meeting with William Tecumseh Sherman, a former Union general and 20 black ministers. The purpose of the meeting was to develop a plan to remedy the harsh treatment of black people. Unfortunately, President Andrew Johnson would renege on this promise and many families never saw this promise come to fruition. While land ownership would have been a step in the right direction, negotiations robbed black families of an opportunity to invest in an economic future with.

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With the formal ending of slavery in place, many freed black people saw this as an opportunity to start anew. But, for those in the south, things didn’t seem much different. The southern black experience saw more aggression, lynchings and segregation. As a result, the time to move was imminent.

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As a teenager, Oscar Micheaux wrote a story that was inspired by his experience on a farm. The novel, entitled The Homesteader, was published and later adapted into a silent motion picture. With this project, he became the first black filmmaker to independently produce and direct his own feature films.

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In June of 1882, a 30-year-old shoemaker by the name of Homer Plessy of New Orleans led a revolution that aimed to overturn Jim Crow segregation laws.

Plessy, who was said to be 1/8 black, entered the white’s only car while on a train. When asked to move to the colored car, Plessy refused. Following his arrest, a group of citizens used his arrest to fight Jim Crow segregation laws. Facing defeat at every turn, the battle raged on all the way up to the Supreme Court in the 1896 case, Plessy v. Ferguson.

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Harriet Tubman is one of the greatest freedom fighters to exist. Born a slave, Tubman committed to not only freeing herself, but she created a system that would revolutionize slavery and the people who benefited from it most, The Underground Railroad. She was known as “The Moses of her people,” because she guided them to freedom. Tubman was laid to rest with military honors. Her commitment to the advancement of freedom is highly respected and noted in history.

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