American history and culture opened in 2016. Located on the National Mall near the washington monument, the museum has quickly become one of the most visited in the Nations Capital with capacity crowds almost every day. Up next, in the second of a twopart look of the history galleries, we tour the exhibits titled the era of 18771968. And hear the history of africanamericans after the civil war. After the end of the civil war, African Americans released from their bondage immediately sought about creating their own lives with their own resources. One of the first things many of them tried to do was reconnect with family members who had been separated during slavery. They traveled the country looking for their relatives. They placed ads in newspapers, primarily churchrelated newspapers, seeking to find kinfolk. They wrote letters to the freedmens bureau. They wanted to reconnect and build communities among themselves. One of the major elements of that process was creating all black towns. Not welcome in the wider society, a number of African Americans reconnected with their families and created towns where they built not only their homes, like this building out of maryland, which was then called jonesville, maryland, but also schools and churches in those communities. This particular building was built by john hall in 1874. It compares or contrasts rather with the slave cabin you have seen earlier by being a twostory building. It was a measure of his and his familys ambitions and optimism for the future. They actually had just bought land, so they were freehold farmers, not tenant farmers or sharecroppers. And with others in their community, they built one of the first, one of nine, allblack towns in Montgomery County in the late 1870s and eight in and 1880s. It was a mark of their independence and it mirrored towns across the country. This building was still in use as a family home, although highly renovated well into the 20th century. The family that still owned the home once it was abandoned, decided to donate it to this museum after researchers found stilln what is now cool poolsville, maryland. Our researchers went up and examined the building. We had to take the interior white board to see what the logs underneath looked like. We contracted with the buildings conservator. Dismantled the building log by log and restored what we could restore and replaced a few parts and rebuilt it here in the museum log by log for this display. There are actually hundreds of cabins inhabited by enslaved individuals. They had been reused decade after decade. The slave cabin we saw earlier in this tour in the slavery and freedom exhibition was occupied until the 1980s. Most of them have been reconstructed, updated with vinyl siding. The current inhabitants dont even realize that underneath the shell of the building is the structure of a former slave cabin. We are going to see the rest of the response to this kind of independence with a segregated the response to that with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s. At the very end of the civil war, africanamericans had civil rights in the former confederacy. And in fact, had Voting Rights and produced legislatures in which over 1900 africanamericans had served in state legislatures in southern states. In 1877, the political compromise removed northern troops from the former confederacy. That allowed White Society to begin a campaign of removing the civil rights africanamericans had received at the very end of the civil war and recreating slavery by another name, a segregated society, what we have come to call jim crow. The initial elements had changes in state laws that limited the rights of africanamericans, limited their rights to move, to vote, limited their rights to serve on juries, limited their economic rights. But it was not just the imposition of new laws. It was the support of those laws by a reign of terror. The symbol of that terror has come to be the ku klux klan, but only element of terror. It was a broadly societal effort epitomized by the klan. Founded in 1865, it was established to form new kinds of law and the creation of a new type of white supremacy. African American Society was attacked on all levels, not simply physical violence, but psychologically and intellectually, and by the denial of all of their rights. But africanamericans responded to that in a way that created their own society and allowed them to express their own vision for the future. The white hood became the symbol of the ku klux klan and was widely seen across society , protecting the identity of individuals, although in most communities, everyone knew who was underneath the hood. But it wasnt just the physical terror if you demised if you demised if you demised klan and the the lynchings other parts of society conducted. More than 4000 individuals were illegally murdered with no consequences on the perpetrators from the 1880s into the 1940s. It was a constant process of intimidation. It had to do with psychological intimidation, so the publication of a book in 1900 perpetrators the idea that African Americans were put on earth to serve white people. They are not their own beings, not their own human beings, they are not their own selves. They are here as servants for society. That kind of structure and psychological makeup that had on White Society as well as detrimental effects on africanamericans which had to resist the constant barrage of negative information about them created a sense of terror that was constant and unremitting. Yet, africanamericans responded in a number of creative ways. It was not simply physical terror, but it involves things like the constant denigration of so thatamericans stereotypes, what have become collectibles in 21st Century America were constant reminders , that africanamericans were inferior and constant reminders to africanamericans that White Society did not value them as individuals and productive members of society. The response of the africanamerican community, however, was not simply defensive. It was an expression expressions of their own vision for the future. So they built educational institutions. They built community and civic organizations. They focused on their churches and created entrepreneurial enterprises. They valued the black press, a free press that communicated information. They built a society within the Larger Society that responded and protected them from the Larger Society but also express ed their own values and own sense of what the future could be for themselves and their children. A very typical american approach to life. In the early 20th century, there was the beginning of a massive migration of African Americans from the rural south to northern cities. This changed the character and allowed more opportunity for africanamericans to engage in modern society in those northern cities. It also changed the character of their sense of themselves and their opportunities. In the 1920s, right after world war i, where africanamericans served in great numbers, particularly in france in the comes engagement with cultural expression that has become known as the new negro or the negro renaissance. This is the migration of the negro by jacob lawrence, a n artistic retrospective looking back on the experience of movement of massive numbers, millions of africanamericans to northern cities between 1910 and 1940. By the mid20th century, Jim Crow Society was established north and south in the United States and the west for that matter. The tradition of response to that Jim Crow Society, of efforts to expand civil rights for African Americans, had continued since the late 19th century well through the early parts of the 20th entry. 20th century. By the 1950s and 60s, just after world war ii where africanamericans served in the military and came home to a segregated society that did not accept them entirely, the notion of a concerted biracial movement Civil Rights Movement grew and took on more added energy and strength. On the other side of this white sonly door, we have instances of violence against African Americans who were active in the Civil Rights Movement before there was a Civil Rights Movement. In the 1940s and 50s, activists constantly tried to put pressure on White Society to allow greater civil activity for African Americans. Economic rights, legal rights but particularly Voting Rights. , one of the major proponents of Voting Rights in florida was moore and his wife, harriet. They were active in the Civil Rights Movement. Both of them were educators and registered many africanamericans in florida to vote. On christmas day, 1941, a bomb exploded under their bedroom in Broward County florida. , harry was killed outright. Harriet died a few days later, but they were only two of several martyrs to the Civil Rights Movement before the board v. Brown case in 1954 and before the montgomery boycott is to instigated by rosa parks. There has been a constant number of individuals who were fighting for civil rights before those events drew national attention, who were killed by the terrorists involved in trying to preserve white supremacy. Harry moore, his wallet, his pocket watch. The small ladies wristwatch. The small locket which harriet wore contained photographs of herself and her husband. These are the personal elements that survived the bombing of their home in 1951. Another example of precivil rights era activism comes from of johns island, just south of charleston. The jenkins created a group called the Progressive Society which operated a store, small motel, and gas station. They bought a volkswagen van and began ferrying individuals from johns island to their jobs in charleston. But it wasnt simply a transportation service. During the ride from the island and back at night, jamie would teach the individuals literacy skills, teach them how to read and write and use the constitution of the state of South Carolina to teach them about Voting Rights so that they would have the opportunity to take the test and apply for voter registration. They combined a service along with an opportunity for africanamericans to gain their rights. In the midst of a segregated society, transportation was one of the great challenges for both africanamericans and whites. How to create separation for whites but allow transportation for the black community. This railway car, built in 1923, was only in 1940 renovated to create separate sections that is the system became more restrictive as time went on and as more africanamericans joined the traveling ranks. Longdistance travel, this car was made for the southern railways and traveled between washington, d. C. , and new orleans and had to accommodate the notion of increasingly segregated society. Lets go inside and take a look. As a white passenger, i would look at this portion of the car and say these are nice, large seats. Im quite comfortable here. I have lots of room. I can look out the windows and enjoy a smokefree atmosphere because when i get back here, ive got room to store my large luggage. I dont have to keep it on my lap and ive got a restroom with a lounge that allows for smoking out of the main car. And a fairly large restroom that is quite accommodating for passengers. But if i were an African American passenger, i would walk into this section and take a look and say these seats are fine, but theres no place to store my luggage other than a small overhead rack. If i have a large bag, ive got to keep it with me on my lap or at my feet. I look around and see theres no other accommodations except a very small toilet area with no lounge. In other words, its a much different experience for longdistance travel for africanamericans and clearly an inferior experience. [indiscernible] when the Supreme Court of the United States announced separate but equal was inherently equal unequal in American Education in the brown v. Board case, it opened the door for opportunity for other African Americans to argue about that same kind of inferiority in separate but equal situations. In 1955, rosa parks, with a long career in activism, decided she could not take it anymore, that she needed to find out what her rights as an africanamerican were. And so, she refused to give up her seat on a city bus in montgomery, alabama. Parks worked as a seamstress and homeewing this dress at refused toperiod she give up her seat. This was her project at home. Another woman early on in the Civil Rights Movement was quite different not a 40yearold married woman with a job but a , 14yearold High School Student by the name of carlotta walls in little rock, arkansas, who simply wanted the best education she could get because she had the ambition of becoming a doctor. When the opportunity to attend the Best High School in little rock, central high school, she signed up and became one of what later became known as the little rock nine, the first nine africanamerican students to integrate Little Rock Central High School in 1957. The is the dress she wore first day of school in when she 1957 was denied access to the school. It was a dress that exemplified her desire as a 14yearold to get the best education and put herself forward in a situation where she could be respected and achieve her ambitions. A very typical american story. Quite a different story is joan trumour, a 19yearold white student at duke university, joan was a devout christian and figured the Civil Rights Movement expressed christian values. And therefore joined citizens in sitins in North Carolina and ultimately became a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and spent four years in the movement. Was one of the freedom writers, freedom riders, arrested, served time in parchman prison in mississippi and carried with her the notion of an interracial, multiracial, cooperation that would lead to civil rights for all americans. This is her best in which she collected all the buttons she collected that represented the various causes she believed in and created her own monument and memorial and reminder of her act activities in the movement in the early 1960s. Of course, Martin Luther king was the inspirational leader of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement and has become the symbol of that movement for many americans. As we have seen, he was certainly not the only individual who was primary to that movement and those activities. In 2014, king, posthumously, and his widow, were awarded the congressional medal of honor, the highest civilian award for americans. King however had evolved during the Civil Rights Movement and had moved from specific rights to africanamericans, particular ly Voting Rights and the end of segregation, to a broader critique of American Society that included a critique of the vietnam war and american poverty that affected all races. And therefore began a larger approach to change in america. At point, were going to move on to the next exhibition, a changing america 1968 and beyond. [indiscernible] having left the exhibition on the era of segregation, we are moving to the final exhibition in the threepart history galleries. A changing america 1968 and beyond. You can sense a difference in the tone of the africanamerican liberation movement. The late 1960s was an era of era ofower and also the the transition of the philosophies of Martin Luther king, particularly his development of the Poor Peoples Campaign a multiracial campaign for Economic Justice and the end of poverty that king had initiated just before his assassination in 1968. The mural behind me is one of the representations of that campaign which was embodied in resurrection city, a tent city here in washington, d. C. , in may and june of 1968. Kings vision was for a multiracial campaign that would bring americans native americans, African Americans, latino americans puerto rican , americans, poor, white individuals from all parts of the country two washington, d. C. , to Lobby Congress and the presidency for economic changes. Not merely civil rights for one group but for changes in the fundamental Economic System that would alleviate poverty in america. This mural, one of many painted on the plywood that would have a made up part of the tent city that housed 3500 individuals on the mall in washington, d. C. , represents that multiracial character of the campaign. It contains a number of representations. It was clearly made by individuals, both African Americans and chicanos interested in the movement who , brought their concerns and culture two washington, d. C. For , this moment. We are assuming it was produced in part by students from california, the university of the pacific and the university of california at los angeles. But its also evident this could have been representing a number of individuals from various parts of the country, including the use of language that expresses the hope that poverty can be ended in that United States. With kings death, his associate, the reverend abernathy and his own widow, continued the Poor Peoples Campaign. Resurrection city had permits to set up on the national wall. National mall. The weather was terrible and for six weeks, they tried in vain to lobby the federal government for fundamental change. At the end of those six weeks, the federal government removed bulldozed the city and evicted the residents and basically ended the campaign. Members of the Peoples Campaign who were washington residents managed to find out where the bulldozed material had been taken to a local military base and went by the base late at night and salvaged some of the material, including this plywood mural. Other materials, documents, and parts of the tents, were also preserved by activists who literally kept them until they donated it to this museum. Many people think the black Power Campaign was a negation of the Civil Rights Movement, that it was in opposition to civil rights. In fact, the nonviolent philosophy of Martin Luther king and the black Power Movement are not at odds, even though one of the symbols of the black Power Movement is this image of one of the founders of the black Panther Party in california in 1966 holding a spear and shotgun. Newton is the premier example of this sense of militant opposition to American Society the panthers supposedly, allegedly represented. But in fact, much of their campaign was about selfdefense for africanamericans. The same kind of selfdefense that had been seen earlier with the deacons of defense and earlier efforts in the military and other areas opposing violence against their society. Part of the black panther campaign, a major part was , social reform. Educational reform, health care, housing, the freedom to get an education that was useful for them. And opposition to the legal system that was imprisoning thousands of African Americans with no good reason. An element we want to focus on and make known more widely to the American Public is the notion of survival programs. That the party was developing a series of activities and pioneered the idea of legal aid, health clinics, educational programs, a Free Breakfast Program for schoolchildren. The social reform the panthers was ased and symbolized important, probably more important, than the militaristic side and militant activities highlighted in the press at the time. Another element of kings evolution was his development and opposition to the vietnam war, an issue that rent American Society in the 1960s and 1970s. King in 1967 straight out said one of his greatest disappointments was americas failure to deal with the triple evils of racism, economic exploitation, and militarism. Africanamerican soldiers served in vietnam. Some willingly, some reluctantly. But they all took pride in their service and did their utmost to serve their country, a tradition that had continued on from earlier wars in American History and since the vietnam era. The vietnam tour jacket was a common memento acquired by soldiers on r r in okinawa where they would have them embroidered with symbols of their service. In this particular instance, and africanamerican soldier not only had a tour jacket made to commemorate his service in vietnam, but he had a door and adorned with symbols of black power resenting his commitment to the black Power Movement and his own service in the vietnam war. Also in this area on the black power europe is elements of the broad concerns, basically a renovation of the harlem renaissance of the early 20th century a concern with , literature, culture, with representation. Particularly the development of black women writers, black feminists, critique of American Society, the development and growth of shirley chisholm, the first black woman to run for major Party Nomination for the presidency. A Political Force on all those levels through culture, politics, Popular Culture representation in mass media. The black Power Movement renovated and created yet another new africanamerican way of expressing themselves and of taking power, being represented and being in control of their own circumstances. And that created opportunities for subsequent generations. Perhaps the most significant example of that creating of new opportunities comes with the growth and influence of someone all americans have come to know, oprah winfrey. Black power in the Civil Rights Movement opened up opportunities for African Americans in all realms of American Life politics, Popular Culture, literature, economic entrepreneurialism. Oprah winfrey has become one of the great icons of the late 20th century. Starting her talk show in 1986, she developed an empire that went beyond the business and talked about individual self empowerment, creative opportunities, educational opportunities. And used her wealth and influence to promote the kinds of ideas that the civil rights leaders and the black power leaders had advocated. Her career exemplifies that kind of opportunity and making the most of it both individually and collectively. Ms. Winfrey was kind enough to be a supporter of this museum and donated these artifacts from the last show that aired in 2011 of her daytime talk show. [indiscernible] in 2008, barack obama created a Multiracial Coalition that brought him to the presidency. A coalition that mirrored the type of coalition Martin Luther king envisioned in 1968 for the Poor Peoples Campaign. Barack obamas residency did not presidency did not represent a postracial society as we have come to understand. Still, it represented a marked departure from previous american political life and created a new image of the black man and black family in the lives of many africanamericans and americans. For whatever his legacy in terms of policy and the administration, his personal legacy and his impact on american political life will be seen as a very positive element in the future as historians consider and reconsider the impact of his presidency. We are lucky enough to have a president in barack obama who understood the impact of history and importance of understanding history, so the artifacts we have received from the white house include the dress michelle obama, the first lady, wore at the 50th anniversary of the 1963 march on washington. And the comments signed by the president that he made on that occasion. Acknowledging the history and importance of the march on 1963 washington in which he makes clear every generation has a responsibility to increase the rights and opportunities all americans enjoy. And its that kind of opportunity and challenges that is represented not only by his administration and his understanding of history, but by the black lives Matter Movement and others who seek ways of creating a more equal and just American Society. The american experiment we continue to have. I think the history galleries really demonstrate the power of social change through activism, that nothing happens by chance. I think they also demonstrate how the values represented in these exhibitions are quintessentially american values. They are about opportunities. They are optimistic. They are resilient. They are about enlarging the experience of all americans, africanamericans and others. They are a very optimistic , american expression of overcoming the odds and succeeding. And we think thats a very positive sign and we hope that is the message, that positive change comes about. Then it is absolutely possible as long as one is involved in the values and processes of american democracy. Cspans American History tv is at the William Trent house, the oldest house in the state at nearly 300 years old. And it is the citys namesake. The 1719 William Trent house museum is located in downtown trenton and is the oldest Historic House in new jersey. William trent was a scottish born merchant based out of philadelphia. His merchant business despite its ups and downs did make him very wealthy
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