African-American History Module

These lessons on African-American history are drawn from Chicago WebDocent modules such as Economics, Constitution, and Illinois History.

 

African-American Studies Page

Research links and special features from eCUIP, the digital library. Learn about Langston Hughes, Richard Wright, Duke Ellington and more.

My Name is Phebe Attucks
Crispus Attucks freed himself from slavery and became an American patriot who inspired others to freedom. Today he is remembered as the first American to die in the cause of American liberty. Learn about the life of this famous American from his older sister, Phebe.
Bound Labor
This lesson focuses on two forms of bound labor -- indenture and slave -- that were used on farms and plantations in the colonial and early American period.
The Plantation Economy
A follow-up lesson to "Bound Labor," it describes the rise and fall of the plantation economy in the American South between 1730-1865.
Mum Bett and the Massachusetts Constitution
Elizabeth Freeman, formerly known as Mum Bett, was the first slave to successfully sue for her freedom under the Massachusetts state constitution in 1781. She tells the story of her life in the household of Colonel Ashley, and how she gained the courage to win her freedom
Segregation and the Constitution
This lesson tells the story of segregation and the Constitution from 1846 to 1964. It uses multiple perspectives to highlight important legal cases that shaped the cause of civil rights for over 100 years. The cases include Dred Scott, Plessy v. Ferguson, and Brown v. Board of Education. The narrators of this lesson are civil rights leaders, Supreme Court justices, and politicians.
Slavery and Anti-Slavery in Illinois
This lesson describes the abolition movement in Illinois and the United States as well as pro-slavery forces at work.
The Great Migration
This lesson describes the lives of different African-American families who came to Chicago in the early 20th century.
 




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