Today’s post was written by Grace Schultz, archivist at the National Archives at Philadelphia. A companion lesson plan can be viewed here on DocsTeach. The fight to desegregate schools started long before the Supreme Court’s decision in Oliver Brown, et al. v. Board of Education of Topeka, et al., and it continues today. As can … Continue reading Equalization and its Role in Dismantling Racial Segregation in Virginia Public Schools
By David Langbart The late 1950s and early 1960s saw the establishment of numerous newly independent nations in Africa and Asia. This led to an influx of foreign diplomats from countries not previously represented in Washington. At that time, the Nation’s Capital was still very much a Southern city and the non-Caucasian diplomats assigned there, … Continue reading Foreign Diplomats and Domestic Discrimination
By David Langbart By Executive Order 9981 (NAID 300009), dated July 26, 1948, President Harry S Truman ordered the integration of the armed forces of the United States. Given the stationing of large numbers of American forces overseas after World War II, that move potentially had ramifications for U.S. relations with host countries. With that … Continue reading Foreign Policy Aspects of Integration of the U.S. Armed Forces
By M. Marie Maxwell Earlier this month millions of Americans voted. Voting is one of the hallmarks of our democracy, and one method to make their elected officials accountable to the people. Government accountability, for the elected and the unelected, is also found through peaceful protest, letters, petitions, journalistic exposes, court actions and other expressions … Continue reading NAACP vs the Washington DC Police Department: A 1957 hearing before the DC Board of Commissioners
As Black History Month draws to a close, nothing illustrates the great progress of the civil rights movement more than a glimpse at a bleaker era. The work we do every day at the National Archives is for the express purpose of preserving historical context, even the disturbing parts, as exemplified in today’s post, written … Continue reading That Cognac Can Get You Into Very, Very Bad Trouble!
