Culture enrichments. We are standing in the middle the exhibition title determine, the 400 year struggle for black equality. Explores the period from the end of the civil war which ended slavery in the u. S. This is a period that witnessed both progress and backlash for black americans. After the civil war, as black virginians and americans embraced new opportunities in the form of access to education, new civil rights, political participation, building new communities, starting new businesses and so forth, black lives florist under the new promises afforded by freedom in American Society. It also began to suffer backlash from the white establishment. It is the power of supremacy and control over people of color. At the same time see amazing strides. In the form of distance franchise and legalized segregation. I look at a few stories that exemplify that push and pull dynamic of progress and backlash. The section starts with reconstruction and key legislative amendments. And shapes the rights of black people in america. Finally and definitively ended 246 years of slavery in america. The 14th amendment which guaranteed Citizenship Rights to former slaves and also promised the process and protection under the law to all americans. Cited in legal cases today. Women with white and black women were knocking the right until 1920. You see black men embracing opportunities in getting involved and active in politics. From the end of the civil war through 1900. The longestserving representatives from Northampton County in virginia. He represents this flowering of black political activism, through assemblyman mike Peter Jacob Carter and other black politicians that helped pass legislation creating a Public School system in virginia. Readjusting virginias debt after the war and other measures like that. May represent the activism and eager embrace of political activism of lachman. Was the colored voters as they were described to register to vote in 1867. There is also a broadside about a mass meeting of the democratic Republican Association which was an alliance of black men and also white Union Supporters who were advocating to give lachman the right to vote, in the days of the civil war. That activism started early on. Unfortunately, as i said, the white establishment was not happy with this newfound power of black people and acted to limit that power. It did so through various measures. Measures designed to disenfranchise black men from participation. It was passed in 1902. If the culmination of decades worth of measures trying to disenfranchise black voters and political participation. It was particularly effective in doing that. It did so primarily through a poll tax. 1. 50 which might not seem like a lot of money. It is about 40 today. Since many virginians could not afford that, that tax was incredibly successful at disenfranchising voters. Almost 90 of eligible voters were disenfranchised because of that. Interestingly, also white voters were disenfranchised at shocking rates, about 50 of eligible voters were also disenfranchised. That the tax was part of the 1902 state constitution. Another primary means of which the white medical establishment asserted its control and racial hierarchy was through the practice of segregation. Segregation became legalized through a Landmark Supreme Court decision of 1896. It codified into law the notion of separate but equal. You could maintain racially separate facilities as long as they were will. They basically legalized a system of apartheid in america, whereby black people were legally separated and denied access to the same facilities. Even though ferguson was supposed to allow separate but equal facilities, facilities for black americans were rarely if ever equal to those of white americans. An image showing a segregated , when people think about the world of segregation, they probably conjure images such as this of people are people of color being forced to sit in the back of the bus whereas white people could sit in the front. Black people were also limited in going about their day to day lives in where they could shop, where they could sit in the theater, which public facility such as pools and libraries they could use. Even which doors they could enter. Many establishments had separate doors for white and colored people. We have recreated, this physical structure to remind people and force visitors to think about what choice they will make. Will they want to the white only door or the colored only door. This was a daily reality of life under segregation in the jim crow era. On the backside, we have a display related to the green book. It was a travel guide that was published annually by the green, beginning in 1936. This guy but provided a way for black travelers, during a period in which tourism and automotive travel was becoming popular across america. The green but provided black travelers away to find businesses and establishments such as hotels, restaurants, hair salons and so forth that were friendly to black visitors. It would not discriminate against them under jim crow segregation. Green book was an important guide for black travelers. It also allows them to determine their economic power, where they would spend their money, which businesses they would support with their tourist dollars. It allowed black visitors to define those establishments that were friendly to them. One of the key figures visitors will encounter is and spencer who was a renowned poet and Civil Rights Activist from lynchburg virginia. And spencer was part of the flourishing of black cultural expression, beginning in the 1920s, after world war i. A nursing that is called the new renaissance or the harlem renaissance. And acknowledges that the geographical hub of the flowering of Cultural Expressions was in new york citys vibrant black neighborhood of harlem. And spencer made lynchburg, virginia a satellite of the new renaissance. As i mentioned, and spencer was a poet. She first became known to other members of the new renaissance through meeting James Weldon Johnson who was visiting lynchburg virginia to establish a chapter of the naacp. And spencer was involved in creating what was one of virginias first chapters of the naacp. She and James Weldon Johnson became great friends. Johnson read some of her poetry, sent it back to his friends in harlem who then began publishing her poetry in publications such as the crisis and other publications. Through her poetry which was widely admired by her peers, and spencer became good friends with many important black cultural literary and intellectual features in the middle decades of the 20th century. Many of those figures visited the home that she and her husband have in lynchburg, virginia. Her lynchburg home became an important satellite of the new renaissance. Basically, you name an important black cultural figure of that period and they likely stated and spencers home. They were known as very gracious hosts. And spencer was an avid gardener. She would regularly host literary salons. Conversations about culture in her home and garden. Just to name a couple visitors, they were probably at her home. We have a letter from him to and spencer. They met in 1898 and became very Close Friends. This is a letter from mentioning a visit he will be taking in 1934 and asking about her famous garden. He was a regular visitor to the spencer home. As was langston hughes, paul robison, and even Martin Luther king visited her home. As i say, many key black intellectual and cultural figures of the day. And spencer was constantly writing and very devoted to her craft. She was regularly writing versus on any available piece of paper in the back of the check book or an old envelope. She called these her scribblings. We have several examples of her scribbling. She kept them around her home. She took with her when she traveled new york and washington atlanta and other places. Even though and spencer was constantly writing, she wasnt a poet that actively sought publication. Only about 30 of her poems were ever published during her lifetime. She generally had to be prodded into sending her poems to literary journals and other publications. She was not seeking that kind of recognition. We do have an example from the lyrica magazine, a virginia published literary journal, which includes a couple of her poems. Her works are included in all the major anthologies of american poetry and lack poetry of the period. As i mentioned, in addition to being a poet, she was a Civil Rights Activist. She stopped taking the bus in lynchburg to protest segregated busing. She became a somewhat notorious figure around town because she would walk everywhere or try to hitch rides on farmers wagons and so forth. Something that was considered, inappropriate for the respect of the lady in that day. She also worked as a librarian for 20 years. It was through her activism that she was able to obtain resources to find books and make books available to black students. The types of resources that they otherwise would not have had without her advocacy for black educational development, particularly encouraging literary interests of students. Another key figure, visitors will encounter is givens. Is a richmond native that became a mn. Before i tell his story, went to remind listeners that at the outskirts of world war ii. The u. S. Military was segregated. In addition to black servicemen and women having to serve in separate units, they were often relegated to the most meaningful task. They were denied leadership opportunities. As black activist started fighting against those types of restrictions and demanding a few opportunities in the military. The agreed to create the program. Givens was one of nearly 1000 pilot. Who earned his wings through that program. World war ii really crystallized many of the contradictions of American Society for black americans during that period. On one hand, black men and women were being asked to serve their country to fight totalitarian regime such as the abroad. At the same time, they were being oppressed. They were being treated like secondclass citizens through segregation at home. World war ii spurred black activism, particularly in the form of what was called the double victory campaign. Where black americans and allies were fighting for two victories. Victory abroad and victory at home. Victory against jim crow segregation. The pilots were important pioneers in starting to change public attitude, not only about the accomplishment of black servicemen and women but also the iniquities they faced in society. Givens is one of those Tuskegee Airmen that made the ultimate sacrifice. He was killed while flying over the coast of italy in 1944 during his world war ii service. We have his Tuskegee Airmen pat showing the crest which is a black pant there spitting out red flames. As the mono says, spitfire. Than we also have this poignant document which is a Western Union telegram, sent to his family, notifying them of his death in 1944. We have other items that belonged to other airmen, including a leather flight helmet with goggles and also a bomber jacket. This jacket belonged to Thomas Winburn who trained as a radio gunner and what is charming is you see the personalized patch which shows bugs bunny reclining on a missile with the phrase whats up doc. To suggestion is the messiah will be dropped on the germans or one of americas other enemies. With bugs bunny sending it on its way. The patches marked with his nickname wendy. As i say, the airmen are on one hand representatives of the service and sacrifices the black servicemen and women have made. Is going back to the american revolution. Also in particular, the Tuskegee Airmen help started to shift Public Opinion about the abilities, accomplishments and skill of black servicemen and women in the military. Were in the final chronological gallery of determine. This section explores black history in the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement of the 50s and 60s, up through the present day. It is a period that looks at not only the phenomenal progress that society has made toward racially quality as a result of the Civil Rights Movement and some of the key legislation that was made in the 1960s but it also chases the achievements and accomplishments of black americans in all avenues of modern life once various barriers choose to participate. Full participation was broken down. As far as racially quality, we are still a nation that very much struggles with race. The section opens up with the modern Civil Rights Movement of the 50s and 60s, represented by two characters who represent two key elements of what was a broad and multifaceted site for civil rights in the 50s and 60s. The first character is who is a student, let a strike of students in her segregated high school. She led the protest against the inadequate conditions of her high school. As i mentioned, segregation allowed for the maintenance of facilities including schools for blacks and whites students. Generally black students had much poorer facilities than the white counterparts. Barbara johns got sick of that. She led students protest that ultimately linked her schools case to the larger case for desegregation. Is a Landmark Supreme Court decision in 1954. It struck down the notion of separate but equal. It overturned the earlier decision. Separate was inherently unequal and had to be ended. Unfortunately, the board of education wasnt kind of a one and done. Virginia and other Southern States that were deeply resistant to integrating races in Public Schools let a campaign of massive resistance to try and resist the federal mandate to integrate schools. It would manifest in various ways, including the closure of schools in some counties of virginia. At the time, when the allman closed certain schools rather than integrate them. There is a photograph showing students protesting the fact that they had to lose four years of school because schools were closed rather than being integrated. Barbara john story and the story of the fight for desegregation underscores what was an important facet of the Civil Rights Movement. That was to fight for the legal dismantling of jim crow laws of laws that had codified separate but equal. Virginia was a major battleground in that fight. The naacp which often led and filed lawsuits in virginia over desegregation. One of those lawyers was oliver hill. We have a document which is a Financial Accounting of his law firm. Of the expenses related to the board of education fight. Another strain of the movement and one represented by a second figure is the movement to change Public Opinion. And to advocate for civil rights across society, rather than trying to dismantle segregation on the basis through the court. That movement is represented by dr. Wyatt t walker who is not well known but one of the leading figures of the Civil Rights Movement of the early 1960s. He began activism in virginia. He was a student at Virginia Union university. Through his pastor ship gill filled Baptist Church and he organized a range of nonviolent protests against segregation. He led marches against segregated swimming pools, he got a demonstration of the Public Library and other kinds of organizing it to these two protest segregation. Regarding his library demonstration, he and other activists went to the whites only section of the Public Library in 1951. Try to check out the biography of a confederate general, robert e lee. Shows an amazing amount of. Also for trying to use the whites only section of the library, wyatt walker had the Police Called and he was arrested. The first of 17 arrests over the course of his career as an activists. That is one of the items we have on view. He became very Close Friends with dr. Martin luther king jr. They first met at an intra seminary conference in the early 1950s. Walker became kings righthand man. Helped found the southern christian leadership conference. Organized many of the nonviolent mass protests activities that marked the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Martin luther king referred to walker as the keenest mind of the movement. Walker strategized many of the major activities, including the Birmingham Campaign of 1963 and the march on washington in 1963. As a sign of how close dr. King and walker were, we have an early letter from Martin Luther king to wyatt walker, dated december 3, 1958. It is referencing a march against segregated schools that he was organizing in richmond. It is signed mike. Only dr. Kings closest mens referred to him as mike. Is a powerful indication of how close the friendship was. We have this, it is humble looking. We have this aluminum cup, a freedom cup. This belonged to his wife, Teresa Walker who was a fellow activist. It is an important reminder of the role that women played in the Civil Rights Movement. She got this cup when she was imprisoned in jackson, mississippi in june 1961. After taking one of the freedom rides. Those were organized by Civil Rights Activists, both white and black activists who wanted to test southern compliance with federal mandates. Against segregated busing and interstate bus travel. Groups of freedom riders with board buses and take journeys into the deep south to see if they would be allowed, regardless of race to go to the same reading rooms and so forth, even though federal law mandated that, the freedom risers were generally met by violence, intimidation and often imprisonment when they arrived in various court. Teresa walker was arrested after one of these rides. This is what she use during imprisonment. We have other items related to other test activities, including this lunch counter which came from the richmond will worse branch. It was the site of one of many student citizens that were held around the country. In the 1960s, protesting segregated lunch service. These are the kinds of protests that were designed to underscore the iniquities and the humiliations that black people faced, trying to navigate the segregated world. Also they intended to change Public Opinion as news outlets across the country and world were covering things like student citizens and peaceful protest marches that were met by police yielding highpowered fire hoses and seeking dogs against protesters. Those were images that shocked the nation and forced a reckoning. We also have several documents in various civil Rights Groups such as the naacp. Also promoting these various forms of nonviolent activism. Many of these activities, even though the involve many groups and networks of activists at local state and national levels, many activities culminated in the 60s and key legislative action. It broke down the system of legalized segregation and guaranteed equal rights to americans, regardless of race. Many guaranties also extended not only to race but to gender, age and religion. A couple of these legislative moments that we outline, include the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights act of 1965 which banished the use of poll taxes, understanding clauses and so forth. They were so effective in disenfranchising black voters. And also the Fair Housing Act of 1968 which band discrimination and sale and rental of housing. As you move throughout the rest of the exhibition from this period, you see how the movement paves the way for black people to break the color line. Sciences and cultural field and professional athletics. Arthur ashe represents one of those figures who broke the color line in professional tennis. This pioneering tennis player who was also a great champion of human rights throughout the world. A couple of items related to him include a tennis ball that a fan had him sign. For arthur ashe, a richmond native who grew up being banned from certain segregated courts in tennis, to make it to the International Sports arena and also to be selected as a representative for the u. S. Team on the davis cup with that was incredibly significant. Another figure that showcases great strides, black black virginians have made is doug wilder who represents political first for a black virginian. Over the course of the long career, many firsts including when he won a seat on the Virginia State assembly in 1969 , becoming the first black politician to do so since the 19th century. It is a remarkable achievement, given how effectively black people have been disenfranchised in virginia for much of the 20th century. One of his other first was becoming the first black governor elected by any u. S. State when wilder won the Gubernatorial Race in 1990. He engineered many of these victories through yielding a coalition across racial lines. Wilder always said he wanted to be judged by his achievements and his position, not by the color of his skin. This was the kind of Coalition Building that served as a model for other politicians. Including resident barack obama. Virginia was instrumental in his president ial victory, first in 2008 and again in 2012. That was a moment when virginia, after decades of voting for over a book and candidates turned from red to blue and voted for a democratic candidate in became instrumental in electing the first black president. After looking at these, the exhibition brings us to the present day. Confining if we can do events in charlottesville. And other types of activism, designed to confront lingering problems and persistent problems the nation has around race, systemic racism and long standing patterns of discrimination. Also forms of socioeconomic disparity between right people and people of color. Ultimately, our goal is to not only showcase a remarkable story from across the years of history but also to give visitors a deeper appreciation for the determination of the persistence, the resilience of white people as they have fought for equality across the 400 years. Also hoping visitors walkway inspired by the stories encountered. There is a lot of pain and horror in history around the issue of race. Some of the figures featured in the exhibition, i hope motivate and inspire visitors with their stories of sometimes success and sometimes failure but willingness to fight against sometimes and unfavorable odds. I also hope that by exploring the legacy of 1619 was the beginning of slavery in british north america. Over two centuries of slavery through emancipation, segregation, victory from the Civil Rights Movement to the present day. Looking at that long legacy, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for the root system of our presentday problems. The know how we got to hear and are inspired to limit changes for the future. This was the second of the two part toward the Virginia Museum of history and cultures exhibit on 400 years of African American history. You can watch part one under American History tv programs at www. Cspan. Org history. Back all week we are featuring American History tv programs is a preview of what is available every weekend on cspan3. Lectures in history, american artifacts, real america, the civil war, oral history, the residency and special event coverage about nations history. Enjoy American History tv now and every weekend on cspan3. Watch cspans campaign 2020 coverage of the democratic president ial candidates at the New Hampshire party convention. This coverage is saturday at 9 pm eastern on cspan. Online at www. Cspan. Org or listen with the free cspan app