The first enslaved Africans were brought to English colonies in North America

This event marks the beginning of African American history in North America

Phillis Wheatley published her poetry collection

She became the first African American author to publish a book

The United States declared independence

The ideals of “freedom and equality” did not apply to enslaved people

The United States banned the transatlantic slave trade

Slavery continued to exist within the country

David Walker published

Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World

The work openly condemned slavery and racial inequality

Frederick Douglass published his autobiography

Slave narratives gained widespread circulation and shaped public awareness

The Dred Scott decision was issued

The ruling declared that African Americans could not be U.S. citizens, provoking national controversy

The Emancipation Proclamation was issued

It declared freedom for enslaved people in Confederate states under wartime authority

The American Civil War ended

The 13th Amendment was ratified, abolishing slavery at the legal level

The 14th Amendment was ratified

It established birthright citizenship and equal protection under the law

The 15th Amendment was ratified

It prohibited denying voting rights based on race or previous condition of servitude (in law)

The Supreme Court issued the

Plessy v. Ferguson decision

The ruling established the doctrine of “separate but equal,” legalizing racial segregation

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded

The organization pursued civil rights primarily through legal advocacy

The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History was founded

Systematic research and preservation of Black history began

Negro History Week was first observed

African American history was formally introduced into public education

1

The Harlem Renaissance continued to develop

African American literature, music, and art entered mainstream cultural visibility

The Supreme Court issued the

Brown v. Board of Education decision

Racial segregation in public schools was ruled unconstitutional

The Montgomery Bus Boycott began

Nonviolent protest emerged as a core strategy of the civil rights movement

The March on Washington was held

National attention to civil rights legislation intensified

The Civil Rights Act was passed

Racial discrimination in public spaces was prohibited

The Voting Rights Act was passed

Federal protections for voting rights were significantly strengthened

The Fair Housing Act was passed

Racial discrimination in housing was prohibited

Universities began observing Black History Month as a month-long commemoration

The observance expanded from one week to an entire month

Black History Month received formal recognition at the federal level

It became a national public commemoration

The U.S. Congress formally established Black History Month by law

Institutional commemoration gained a legal foundation

Canada officially recognized Black History Month

The observance became international in scope

Barack Obama was elected President of the United States

He became the first African American president in U.S. history

The Supreme Court issued the

Shelby County v. Holder decision

Key federal oversight provisions of the Voting Rights Act were weakened

Black Lives Matter protests spread globally

Racial justice became a central topic of international public discourse

Juneteenth was designated a U.S. federal holiday

The end of slavery received official national commemoration

The centennial of Black history commemorative observances

The theme emphasizes remembrance, education, and the future of public history

Content marked by specific years represents historical events with clearly defined points in time, such as the passage of legislation, the publication of significant works, or symbolic public events. These moments have clearly identifiable dates in historical research. Content marked by decades or time ranges is used to summarize social, cultural, or institutional changes that unfolded over multiple years or even decades. Such changes are often not triggered by a single event, but instead emerge gradually through sustained interaction and long-term processes.