Join us in a celebration of African American History Month! The National Archives holds a wealth of materials documenting the African American experience. We invite you to learn more about the extraordinary contributions of African Americans to United States history and culture through online resources, research guides, and upcoming events and programs.
L: Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr., member Tuskegee Airmen, signs a canopy modeled after his P51 D Mustang during a reception following unveiling ceremonies, 5/18/1996. National Archives Identifier 6497047 R: Photograph of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion in France, 5/27/1945. National Archives Identifier 175539237
Guide to Black History
In 1984, to support the growing demand for knowledge of African American history, Dr. Debra Newman Ham, with the help of several other colleagues, took on the responsibility of compiling a guide to Black history records at the National Archives. With the publication of Black History: A Guide to Civilian Records in the National Archives, NARA became recognized as one of the primary sources for African American historical documents. Here you will find records, information, research tools and resources on topics such as Civil Rights, Education, Diaspora, Women, and more.
In addition, the African American History research page provides archives resources, blog posts and articles, featured records, public programs, subject portals, and more. Subject portals on topics such as Black Power, Voting Rights, and World War I highlight selected records, guidance for researchers, and additional resources for further study.
For the latest updates, subscribe to the Rediscovering Black History blog! Learn more about the vast amount of records at the National Archives and Presidential Libraries related to the African American experience.
History Hub is our support community for researchers, genealogists, history enthusiasts, and citizen archivists. Ask questions, share information, work together, and find help based on experience and interests. Researchers can ask—or answer—questions on History Hub, or search to see if a question has been asked before.
Citizen Archivist Transcription Mission:
African American History
Join us as a Citizen Archivist and help make records more searchable and findable in the Catalog! For this Citizen Archivist mission, explore and help transcribe records in the Catalog documenting African American History. Every word you transcribe helps unlock history.
The famous 369th arrive in New York City. Members of the 369th colored infantry, formerly 15th New York regulars. "Back to little old New York." National Archives Identifier 26431290
The National Archives is committed to the health and safety of our visitors and staff. We are closely monitoring the situation regarding COVID-19, and we are working with public health officials and our counterpart agencies to monitor and respond to the evolving conditions and following CDC guidelines.
