African American history sites

something I haven't emphasized in my postings recently regarding slavery and national memory is that an important aspect of acknowledging and embracing slavery as part of our collective past as a nation is the highlighting of African American experiences and perspectives as central to the American story. Much of my alleged negativity about American history is actually just the opposite; I attempt to expose and include neglected, marginalized and subaltern voices and experiences to show their contributions to the mainstream. For example, in studying the late 19th century, I don't focus on the big, bad Robber Barons and other evil white men so much as emphasize the rise of a working class, African American protest and political organization, women's rights activists, and the political mobilization and contributions of farmers' groups, etc.

A couple of new sites worth visiting explore African American history. PBS has a series beginning on February 9th called Slavery and the Making of America. The website has a ton of resources and links.

An article in today's Times -- Black Migration, Both Slave and Free -- discusses a new exhibition at the Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City called In Motion: The African-American Migration Experience. The website seems slow, but is jam packed with primary and secondary source material you won't find anywhere else.