The NAACP Roots

People protesting with the NAACP

A Legacy Rooted in Justice

For more than a century, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has stood at the center of America’s struggle for civil rights. Founded in 1909 in response to racial violence, including the Springfield Race Riot, the organization began with a mission that still guides it today. According to the NAACP’s official history, its purpose has always been to secure justice and equal rights for all.

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How the NAACP Began

A Diverse Group of Founders

The NAACP was formed by a coalition of Black and white activists dedicated to confronting racial injustice. Leaders such as Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Mary White Ovington helped shape the organization’s early direction. You can learn more about its founding through the Library of Congress Civil Rights History Project.

A Mission That Still Matters

Since its creation, the NAACP has focused on eliminating race-based discrimination through legal advocacy, grassroots organizing, and community education. The organization continues to influence voting rights, education, employment, and criminal justice reform nationwide.

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Milestones That Shaped a Nation

Legal Victories With Lasting Impact

One of the NAACP’s most defining achievements was the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. Argued by NAACP lawyers, the case declared segregated schools unconstitutional and paved the way for the modern Civil Rights Movement.

A Voice Against Racial Violence

Long before the nation paid attention to the problem of lynching and hate crimes, the NAACP was already fighting to end racial violence. The organization went on to play a key role in the March on Washington and in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, strengthening protections for millions of Americans.

Built Through Community Power

With thousands of chapters across the country, the NAACP empowered local communities to challenge discriminatory laws and advocate for change. The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture highlights how these local efforts helped fuel national progress.

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The NAACP Today

The Seal of NAACP

Modern Challenges, Same Commitment

Today, the NAACP continues to address major civil rights issues, including voting rights protection, criminal justice reform, environmental justice, and economic equity. The organization also prioritizes youth development and education through leadership and scholarship programs.

Why the NAACP Still Matters

Although the U.S. has made significant progress, racial inequality persists. The NAACP remains a powerful voice for fairness, equal opportunity, and systemic reform. Its work helps ensure that every person—not just a few—can participate fully and freely in American life.

AI Disclosure: After gathering information about The NAACP, and evidence of this association, I used Claude Ai and Microsoft CoPilot to generate the notes into a smooth, readable text. I then edited the generated-AI text. I added photos and captions. I expanded on the generated-AI with adding some of my personal thoughts. 

'In The Heat of the Night'

This was my first time watching In the Heat of the Night. I was expecting it to be boring, but it shocked me. It was the complete opposite  In my opinion, the film put a lie to the prediction that segregation would lead to the separate by showing that the whole idea of creating peace, and order in segregation is completely false. 

In Sparta Mississippi, the racism leads to multiple counts of corruption, accusing someone of a crime based on their race instead of having evidence on the crime. This shows that the separate but equal idea that they was going for did not work out. The facilities that they had in the town were not equal from the ones that they had for the whites. When it came to the law, it was not fair. It was most of the time the black people that was automatically guilty. 

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Virgil Tibbs vs. the System

Virgil Tibbs and the Sparta police

Virgil Tibbs had to step into a world that was completely against him. Virgil Tibbs is an accomplished detective from Philadelphia who finds himself instantly targeted because of his race. The local police force, politicians, and power brokers all expect him to “know his place.” Tibbs’ response is simple but powerful: he refuses. He leans on his expertise, forcing the town to confront the uncomfortable truth that they need him even if they don’t want to admit it. His presence becomes a quiet challenge to the entire system.

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A Relationship That Reflects a Changing Nation

Chief Gillespie

One of the most compelling parts of the film is the progressive relationship between Tibbs and Police Chief Gillespie. At first, Gillespie sees Tibbs as a threat, who wouldn't? He is a Black man who is smarter, more skilled, and not intimidated by Southern racism. But as the investigation unfolds, and time goes on,  respect begins to replace hostility. Their uneasy alliance mirrors the broader social changes happening in the 1960s: slow, messy, and far from complete, but undeniably moving forward for the better. 

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A Film That Leaves You Feeling Both Heavy and Hopeful

I think that the movie doesn’t shy away from exposing the ugliness of racism. It’s often tense and uncomfortable. However it also offers moments of humanity and connection, especially in Tibbs’ refusal to be broken by Sparta’s hostility. The result is a film that leaves you both moved and hopeful. It also makes you aware of the injustice, but also of the possibility for change.

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Women in Sparta: A Different Kind of Inequality

Watching the film for the first time highlighted how women suffered enough under their own strict limits in the Jim Crow Era. Mrs. Colbert has wealth but little power. Delores Purdy is judged and used by the men around her. Mamma Caleba has inner strength but no influence outside her community. Whether rich or poor, white or Black, none of them enjoy equality. Even issues like reproductive rights appear in the story, shown through secrecy, desperation, and a total lack of safe options. Equality was nowhere visible.

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A Crumbling Power Structure

Mr. Endicott’s single scene in the greenhouse captures the collapse of the old Southern order. When Tibbs slaps him back, it shatters a rule about who could lay hands on whom. Endicott’s tears reflect more than personal humiliation—they mark the moment he realizes his world is changing.

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Not Even All White Men Were Protected

Even the white male characters supposedly the most privileged—don’t come off as secure. Sam Wood is easily blamed. Harvey is intimidated. Ralph lives a violent, empty life. The system only truly protects its most powerful men. Everyone else is not protected.

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A Story of Injustice and the First Steps Toward Change

In the Heat of the Night exposes how segregation harms entire communities. But it also shows how courage and persistence can begin to crack even the oldest systems of oppression. Through Virgil Tibbs, the film reminds us that change often starts with one person refusing to step aside.

Reaction Post - Videos

People during the Reconstruction Era

 
Rising from the Coal Mines

Born into slavery in 1856, Booker T. Washington began life under the harshest conditions. As a boy, he worked in coal mines and salt furnaces before setting out on a 200-mile journey to attend the Hampton Institute.

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” – Booker T. Washington

By 1881, he had founded the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where students learned farming, trade skills, and self-discipline — values he believed would uplift Black Americans through hard work and education.

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A Seat at the White House Table

Washington’s 1895 Atlanta Exposition Address urged African Americans to focus on economic empowerment first, famously advising, “Cast down your bucket where you are.”

In 1901, he became the first Black leader to dine at the White House, a symbolic moment of progress. Yet not all agreed with his approach — critics like W.E.B. Du Bois felt he accepted segregation too easily.

Despite the debate, Washington’s legacy remains one of resilience, vision, and belief in the power of education.

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After Lincoln: Dreams and Disillusionment 

Abraham Lincoln during the Era 

Just decades earlier, the U.S. faced a nation-shaking tragedy. Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in April 1865 — only five days after the Civil War’s end — shattered hopes for a gentle reunification.

His successor, Andrew Johnson, quickly welcomed Confederate states back into the Union, allowing the rise of Black Codes that tightly controlled the lives of newly freed people.

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Sharecropping: Freedom in Name Only

A system called sharecropping emerged, offering land and shelter in exchange for crops. In reality, it trapped millions — mostly Black farmers — in a cycle of debt and dependency.

Even as the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments promised equality, racial violence, poll taxes, and segregation erased many of Reconstruction’s gains.

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The Long Road to Equality

Washington’s story and the Reconstruction era share a powerful truth: ending slavery did not end racial struggle. Progress came slowly — through classrooms, communities, and the persistent fight for civil rights that would continue for generations.

AI Disclosure: After gathering information about the videos we watched in class and taking notes on the topic, I used Chat GPT and  Microsoft CoPilot to generate the notes into a smooth, readable text. I then edited the generated-AI text. I added photos and captions. As well as some subheadings. I expanded on the generated-AI with adding some of my personal thoughts. 

Reaction Post - Plessy v Ferguson

 

Separate but equal doctrine

Separate but Unequal: The Story of Homer Plessy

In 1892, a fair-skinned African American man named Homer Plessy bought a first-class train ticket in Louisiana. Though he looked white, one of his grandparents was African American — making him what society then called an “octoroon.” Under Louisiana law, that single drop of African ancestry meant he was considered Black. 

Plessy boarded a “whites-only” train car, quietly taking his seat. He wasn’t disruptive or loud — he was simply testing an unjust system. Moments later, he was arrested for violating the Separate Car Act, a law that required railroad companies to segregate passengers by race.

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A Peaceful Act of Defiance

At the time, segregation was spreading across the South under the banner of “separate but equal.” But Plessy, a taxpayer and working man, saw the contradiction in a democracy that promised liberty while denying it to millions.

His protest was part of a carefully planned challenge organized by a group of Black and Creole leaders in New Orleans. They chose Plessy precisely because his appearance blurred the racial line — forcing the courts to answer a profound question: What truly defines race?

When Plessy refused to move, he was forcibly removed from the train. His legal team argued that his arrest violated the 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law.

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The Court’s Decision — and Its Consequences

In 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Plessy in the now-infamous case Plessy v. Ferguson. The Court upheld racial segregation, claiming that separate facilities for Black and white citizens were constitutional as long as they were “equal.”

They never were. This decision gave legal cover to decades of racial discrimination under Jim Crow laws, which enforced segregation in schools, transportation, housing, and public spaces. 

Justice John Harlan

Justice John Marshall Harlan was the lone dissenter, warning that the Constitution “is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.” His words would echo throughout history, inspiring later generations of civil rights activists.

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The Legacy of Homer Plessy

Though he lost his case, Homer Plessy’s act of peaceful resistance planted a seed that would grow decades later. In 1954, the Supreme Court overturned Plessy v. Ferguson in Brown v. Board of Education, declaring that segregation was inherently unequal.

Homer Plessy

Plessy’s story is a reminder that progress often begins with ordinary people who dare to stand up — or, in his case, sit down — for justice.

As one writer put it, “Some of God’s children were deemed unworthy to sit beside others.” Yet through faith and courage, that false belief began to crumble.

Today, Homer Plessy’s name represents the power of conscience over conformity — a lasting symbol of the fight for equality that continues to shape America’s story.

AI Disclosure: After gathering information and watching the presentations of the mock trial from Plessy v Ferguson,  I used Claude Ai to generate the notes into a smooth, readable text. I then edited the generated-AI text. I added photos and captions. I also added subheadings.

Reconstruction Video

 On June 17, 2015, a man entered Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, to pray. Moments later, he opened fire, killing nine African Americans during Bible study. It was a modern act of racial hatred, echoing a painful history that stretches back centuries. (Read more about the To understand the weight of that tragedy, we must look back to another defining era — Reconstruction, the period after the Civil War when America tried, and often failed, to rebuild a more equal society.

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The Promise of Reconstruction

After Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865, the war that divided the nation finally ended.

During the war, enslaved people had already begun shaping their freedom. Thousands fled to Union lines seeking refuge, and more than 180,000 Black men enlisted in the Union Army, ensuring the war would truly end slavery. Their prayers — and their courage — brought liberation closer to reality.

The first colored senators
and representatives. 

The end of slavery sparked a wave of hope. For the first time, Black Americans held seats in Congress, advocating for rights, education, and land ownership. Reconstruction was not just political — it was deeply personal. Families once separated by slavery sent out letters and requests, desperately searching for loved ones. 

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“Forty Acres and a Mule” — The Dream That Was Denied

In the summer of 1865, General Oliver O. Howard began helping freed families acquire land — an idea that became known as “40 Acres and a Mule.” 

But President Andrew Johnson, who took office after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination on April 14, 1865, reversed those efforts. He returned much of the land to former Confederates and required freed people to sign labor contracts with their old enslavers.

The freed people refused. As Howard recalled, a woman began singing, and soon the crowd joined in — a powerful act of defiance. Their voices carried a simple message: freedom must be more than words.

Howard and his Mules.

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The Backlash: Jim Crow and the “Lost Cause”

The Reconstruction dream was short-lived. White Southerners, unable to accept equality after 250 years of slavery, fought to restore dominance. “The Lost Cause” myth romanticized the Confederacy, while Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation and stripped Black citizens of rights and dignity.

Violence became routine. From vagrancy laws to lynch mobs, every mechanism of control was used to suppress Black progress. Yet through it all, the fight for justice continued — rooted in the same faith and resilience that guided the enslaved.

Trying to beat the segregation.

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A Legacy Still Unfolding

When shots rang out in Charleston in 2015, they echoed centuries of struggle — but also centuries of strength. From Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, Black Americans have carried forward a vision of freedom grounded in equality and hope.

As the 13th Amendment once symbolized the dawn of liberation, today’s pursuit of racial justice reminds us that freedom is not a moment — it’s a mission. (Learn more about the 13th Amendment.

AI Disclosure: After gathering information and watching the video of reconstruction, and the history on this,  I used Claude Ai to generate the notes into a smooth, readable text. I then edited the generated-AI text. I added photos and captions. I also added subheadings.

Tuskegee Institution: From Humble Beginnings to Lasting Legacy

Booker T. Washington; First Principal

Founded on July 4, 1881, in Tuskegee, Alabama, the Tuskegee Institute began modestly with one teacher and thirty students. National Park Service+2National Park Service+2 It was established to provide access to education and training for African Americans in the post‑Reconstruction South. National Park Service+1

Tuskegee Institution when first founded. 

The school’s first principal, Booker T. Washington, was a former slave who believed deeply in practical education that could empower individuals and communities alike. Encyclopedia Britannica+1 Under his leadership, students at Tuskegee learned trades like carpentry and brick‑making, and they helped build the campus itself — turning education into action. National Park Service+1

Out of this foundation emerged national recognition. In 1896, agricultural scientist George Washington Carver joined the school and his innovations in crop rotation and alternative agriculture helped black farmers become more self‑sufficient. Encyclopedia Britannica+1 Around the same time, architect Robert R. Taylor — a pioneering African‑American MIT graduate — oversaw the design of buildings that embodied Tuskegee’s “learn by doing” ethos. National Park Service+1

As the decades passed, Tuskegee evolved. The institution’s name changed several times — from Tuskegee State Normal School to Tuskegee Normal & Industrial Institute, and eventually to Tuskegee Institute in 1937 and Tuskegee University in 1985. National Park Service+1 Today it offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in diverse fields. Encyclopedia Britannica

The campus itself is historic. Many of the buildings students helped build remain and are part of the 50‑acre Historic Campus District. National Park Service+1 The school was designated a National Historic Site by the National Park Service in 1974, underscoring its importance in American educational and African American history. National Park Service+1

There have been tough chapters in Tuskegee’s story too. While the institute itself didn’t run the infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Study, the location and name became closely associated with it — and that legacy remains a reminder of why ethics and trust matter in research and education. (You may need to add a dedicated slide in your presentation if you include this topic.)

Tuskegee University now. 

The story of Tuskegee is ultimately one of resilience, vision, and transformation. From a one‑room schoolhouse to a full university, the journey shows that education can be more than instruction — it can be empowerment. Many generations of students have benefited from this model of combining academic learning, vocational skills, and community service.

It also proves that you can be at the bottom, and still grow into something so incredible. 

AI Disclosure: After gathering information about Tuskegee Institution, and the history on this,  I used Claude Ai to generate the notes into a smooth, readable text. I then edited the generated-AI text. I added photos and captions. I expanded on the generated-AI with adding some of my personal thoughts. 

Gone with the Wind Reflection

 

Sentimental scene of Gone with the Wind

This was the first time I watched Gone with the Wind. In the beginning, I thought the film was going to be so boring. However, Gone with the Wind is a cinematic classic that offers a highly stylized view of life in the South during the Civil War. In the film, I seen how it romanticized the era and showed the brutal reality of slavery. But the movie also reveals surprising insights into universal human behaviors  friendship, empathy, and resilience that still resonate today.

One of the most interesting things I noticed was how the film subtly captures the complexities of the relationships. For example, the bonds between Scarlett and the women around her. Mammy, Melanie, and even Belle Watling showcase a range of love and conflict that feels real, despite the film’s heavy fiction.

The filmmakers took enormous liberties with history, the south is portrayed through rose-colored glasses, and slavery is largely sanitized or ignored, which is a huge flaw. Yet, I believe that within the sweeping drama, there are kernels of truth. The interactions between characters, they care for one another, clash, and survive adversity reflect genuine aspects of human nature that no amount of fictionalizing can erase.

Take Scarlett O’Hara for example. She starts as the spoiled, self-centered Southern belle, but the harsh realities of war strip away much of her privilege and innocence. Scarlett’s transformation into a determined, resourceful woman who refuses to be a victim is one of the most compelling arcs in the film.

Scarlett O'Hara

Her evolution highlights how wartime experiences often force women to shed traditional roles and stereotypes. Scarlett moves from being defined by beauty and charm to someone who takes charge to managing a plantation, making tough decisions, and doing whatever it takes to survive. It’s a powerful reminder that war, while tragic, can accelerate social changes, especially around gender.

This isn’t unique to the Civil War era. History shows us that during many conflicts, whether World War I, World War II, or more recent wars. Women have stepped up, taking on roles traditionally reserved for men. They’ve proven to be independent, resilient, and essential to both the war effort and the rebuilding that follows.

 Gone with the Wind's failure to fully address the horrors of slavery and its romanticization of the Old South are serious shortcomings. But if we watch it critically, we can appreciate the way it captures human emotions and struggles. It reminds us that even in flawed stories, there are moments of truth about survival, love, and the complexity of people in difficult times.

So, while the movie’s historical accuracy is questionable, its portrayal of personal strength, conflict, and relationships still speaks to us. And that’s why, decades later, it continues to be watched, discussed, and debated. After watching it, I realized that it gives me a different perspective on the tragic events that happened during the war. It also gave me a way to see how lucky I am to have life in the time I am in now.