Vanderbilt University Launches Digital Collection of Papers From Rev. James M. Lawson
Lawson enrolled in Vanderbilt Divinity School in the 1950s, and was soon expelled for organizing peaceful protests in the downtown Nashville. Since then, Vanderbilt has recognized Lawson's contributions to the civil rights movement through several awards and university initiatives named in his honor.
Counties With Historical Ties to Lynching Associated With Low Economic Mobility Among Blacks
A new study has found an association between counties in the southern United States with a high incidence of historical lynchings and current poor economic opportunities for those counties' Black residents.
AUC Acquires Archival Collection From Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Clarke Franklin
In November 2001, Franklin became the first Black woman mayor of any major city in the southern United States. She served in this role for two-terms, focusing her efforts on supporting the local arts and improving the city's infrastructure.
VCU Acquires Film Collection Documenting the Civil Rights Movement in Richmond
The Richmond Police Department has provided VCU Libraries with the Surveillance Media Collection, a collection of video and audio materials documenting local protests, meetings, and marches from the civil rights movement.
Three Black Authors Named Finalists for Yale’s 2024 Frederick Douglass Book Prize
The finalists are Kerri Greenidge, professor at Tufts University; Sarah Johnson, professor at the University of California, San Diego; and Emily Owens, professor at Brown University.
Florida State University Adds New Documents to Emmett Till Archives Collection
Currently, the Emmett Till Archives contains hundreds of materials documenting Till's case, as well as scholarly research and documentation surrounding the case that has been conducted over the past 70 years.
In Memoriam: Sybil Haydel Morial, 1932-2024
When pursuing her graduate education in the 1950s, Haydel Morial was denied enrollment at Tulane University and Loyola University because of her race. She went on to become an active member of the civil rights movement and advocate for voting rights in New Orleans and held administrative posts at Xavier University of Louisiana.
Grinnell College Dedicates Building in Honor of First Black Alumna Edith Renfrow Smith
Renfrow Smith, who recently celebrated her 110th birthday, is Grinnell College's first Black alumna and oldest living alum. The newly established Renfrow Hall will serve as a space for the college and local community to collaborate on civic engagement projects.
Gerald McWorter Donates Archival Materials to the University of Illinois
Dr. McWorter - also known as Abdul Alkalimat - has donated a collection of his papers to the archives at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he is a professor emeritus of African American studies. The donation includes materials on the history of the Black studies field and the civil rights movement, as well as personal family records.
Gene Jarrett Receives Award for His Biography of Paul Laurence Dunbar
Gene Jarrett's book, Paul Laurence Dunbar: The Life and Times of a Caged Bird, tells the story of Dunbar's life as an African American writer in the late 1800s.
Sherita Johnson Appointed Director of the Africana Research Center at Pennsylvania State University
Sherita Johnson is a scholar of nineteenth-century African American literature and print culture. She has conducted extensive archival research on the experiences of Black writers, activists, and public intellectuals.
Rutgers University Unveils Mural of Black Alumnus Paul Robeson
Robeson graduated from Rutgers University in 1919 as valedictorian and the only Black student of his class. The new mural, painted by Rutgers alumnus Alonzo Adams, is displayed behind the student section in Rutgers' football stadium
Stanford Lab Uses AI to Remove Racially Restrictive Language from Santa Clara Property Deeds
According to the Stanford project, the County of Santa Clara has over 24 million deed documents dating back to 1850 that contain racist verbiage that restricts individuals of African and/or Asian descent from owning property.
California State University, Northridge Acquires Archives of Photojournalist Vera Jackson
During the 1940s, Vera Jackson was the only woman on the staff of Los Angeles' oldest Black newspaper, The California Eagle. She later became a teacher, while continuing her work as a photojournalist for various media outlets.
University at Buffalo Acquires Archival Collection From Historic Black Church
Founded in 1861, St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Buffalo, New York, is one of the country's oldest Black Episcopal congregations. Recently, the University at Buffalo has acquired a collection of materials documenting the church's history and impact on the Black community in Buffalo.
North Carolina Supreme Court Unveils Portrait of NCCU Law Dean Patricia Timmons-Goodson
Patricia Timmons-Goodson was appointed to the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2006, making her the first Black woman to serve in that capacity. She has served as dean of the North Carolina Central University School of Law for the past year.
The Anti-Defamation League Honors Charles Chavis for Scholarship on Black and Jewish Relations
Dr. Chavis currently teaches as an assistant professor of conflict resolution and serves as the founding director of the John Mitchell, Jr. Program for History, Justice, and Race at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
Street Named to Honor the First Black Football Player at the University of Memphis
Rogers walked-on to the football team at what was then Memphis State University in 1968, making him the institution's first Black football player. After graduating in 1972, he spent the next four decades as a coach and administrator with Memphis-area schools.
