African Americans

There was a time in American history where African Americans did not have the same rights as other Americans. Segregation laws forced African Americans to have separate schools, restrooms, parks, and even drinking fountains. They suffered from racism and discrimination. Despite these disadvantages, African Americans fought for equality and set out to prove their worth. Colin Powell, Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, and Condoleezza Rice are just a few of the key historical people in this book. They all became successful through their hard work and exceptional skills and thus led the way for other African Americans to follow.

On November 4, 2008, Americans elected their 44th president named Barack Obama. He was the first African American to be elected president of the United States. This represented a significant change in America. He lives in the White House with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha and their dog Bo. President Obama has a unique life story. Obama's experience as a multi-racial American helps him relate to many people. Obama worked hard in school to get a good education. He became a community organizer, a lawyer, a university professor, and a senator before being elected as president. When Obama became president, there were many challenges in America. The economy was in a crisis and the nation was in the middle of two wars. President Obama is currently working hard to unite Americans to find solutions to these challenges.

Explore the extraordinary life of Frederick Douglass and his transition from slave to freed man. Born as a slave in 1818, Douglass endured many hardships, including being separated from his family when he was a young child. Throughout his life, Douglass struggled to become a freed man and risked his life to fight for equality for all people. He worked hard to become literate and eventually published his own autobiography. Douglass became friends with influential people, like President Lincoln, who helped Douglass work to achieve freedom for slaves. After the Civil War, Douglass continued to fight for the equality of women and immigrants. Today, Douglass is remembered as a famous orator, author, editor, and statesman who made America a better place for all people.

After the Civil War, African Americans were still experiencing discrimination and segregation. Many people chose to move North in search of equality and freedom. Langston Hughes was one of these migrants. He moved to New York City to attend college at Columbia University. He settled in Harlem, a thriving city full of jazz and blues music, art, and culture. Hughes became the "Voice of the Harlem Renaissance" and opened a window into African American culture. He was a gifted man who inspired many people with his poetry, plays, short stories, and autobiographies. Eventually more African Americans banded together and formed groups like the NAACP, which led to the Civil Rights Movement. They organized boycotts, marches, and other peaceful demonstrations to fight to end segregation. After 10 years of protests, President Kennedy passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964. Many people today believe that Hughes's literature and poetry inspired people to take the action needed to end segregation.

Slavery officially ended in 1865 with the Thirteenth Amendment. But this did not mean that hard times were over. All of a sudden there were over 400,000 freed slaves who needed jobs and homes. Despite the fact that the law said they were free, many African Americans experienced discrimination due to segregation laws and racism. They were paid unfair wages and many ended up in debt. From the end of the Civil War to 1970 is known as the Great Migration. More than 7 million African Americans left the South in search of a better life. They established themselves in cities like Harlem where art, music, and literature flourished. During this time, there were many influential people who fought to end segregation and to improve the lives of African Americans. Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Du Bois started organizations to unite African Americans. Booker T. Washington opened a university to promote education. Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. led nonviolent protests. Finally after 10 years of protests, the Civil Rights Act became law in 1964.