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Voting Rights in Selma, Alabama

When 600 civil rights marchers attempted to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965, troopers attacked them. This day, known as Bloody Sunday, led President Johnson to one conclusion—it was time to give black citizens the unhindered right to vote.

Other Civil Rights Demonstrations

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Jessica's African-American History Blog

Denzel Washington

Sunday July 5, 2009
For thirty years, actor Denzel Washington has been mastering the art of acting. Clearly, he has succeeded: he is the winner of two Oscars and numerous other awards. Although he has earned the title of "movie star," one is unlikely to read stories about Washington, a family man who enjoys his privacy, in tabloid magazines. However, you might catch a glimpse of him supporting one of his favorite causes—the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images.

Charles Drew: An Extraordinary Doctor

Thursday July 2, 2009
Photo courtesy of NARA With such notable athletic talent, it would seem that Charles Drew was headed for a successful career as an athlete. However, Drew wanted to become a doctor. Although it would take patience and perseverance, luckily for the world he did. It was Charles Drew who made a remarkable discovery that improved the method of preserving plasma for blood transfusions. This discovery saved thousands of lives during World War II.

Photo courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration

Booker T. Washington: Civil Rights Opponent or Supporter?

Tuesday June 30, 2009
Courtesy of the Library of Congress Booker T. Washington became one of the most controversial leaders of his time. At odds with W.E.B. Du Bois and other civil rights advocates, Washington was often called an accommodationist because he advocated self-help through economic means over civil and political rights. This, however, was the public Washington. Evidence now shows that he secretly supported civil rights causes.

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress

The Disenfranchisement of Blacks with Literacy Tests

Saturday June 27, 2009
Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress Literacy tests disenfranchised southern blacks for nearly one hundred years after being given the right to vote through the Fifteenth Amendment. Although patently unfair, these tests passed constitutional scrutiny because blacks were excluded on the basis of literacy and not race.

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