Black History Month

This resource features expertly selected primary source documents. Visitors will find historical newspaper articles, pamphlets, diaries, correspondence and more from specific time periods in history marked by the opposition African Americans have faced on the road to freedom.

February is African American History Month. The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.

February is dedicated as Black History Month, honoring the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history, including the civil rights movement and their artistic, cultural and political achievements.

African Americans are central to U.S. history and responsible for much of what we consider American culture. The apps, games, and websites collected here tell that story, balancing the triumphs of African Americans in politics, literature, music, science, and beyond with the continued struggle for social justice. Use these picks to break free of the boundaries of Black History Month and integrate African American history all year long across the curriculum.

One of twenty-one libraries in the Smithsonian Libraries system, the National Museum of African American History and Culture Library is devoted to collecting and providing access to resources that support research in African American history, culture, and the African Diaspora. The library also supports research in genealogy and family history.