Celebrate the impact of Black writers and their work!
Our newest exhibit, Dark Testament: A Century of Black Writers on Justice, examines the history of racial injustice in America through the work of Black American writers from the end of the Civil War through the Civil Rights Movement. This exhibit is available to explore now and is included with general admission.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Immerse yourself in our newest exhibit Dark Testament: A Century of Black Writers on Justice and honor the significant contributions of Black writers to American literature and history. Explore and better understand racial injustice in America by examining the work of Black American writers from the end of the Civil War through the Civil Rights Movement. Featuring original artwork, augmented reality and other interactive elements that enliven and enrich the experience, Dark Testament brings the work of writers past and present to life in new and exciting ways. This exhibit, and all exhibits, are included with museum admission.
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February is Black History Month and we have a number of resources available to help you discover, celebrate, and honor the vast contributions of Black writers, both past and present.
Register for these programs in February with Black writers and artists.
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois
Plus, you can take a virtual guided tour focused on Frederick Douglass with a group or classroom! Learn more and book a tour.
Author and orator Frederick Douglass was a “self-made man” (the title of one of his most popular speeches). To Douglass, a self-made man was an activist who sought to eradicate the sins of society. He escaped from slavery to become one of the most eloquent voices of abolitionism. The official end of slavery in 1865 marked the second phase of Douglass’ career. His words – passionate, brilliant, and powerful – denounced violent racism in the South while demanding true equality for all Americans.
Pauli Murray (1910-1985) was a poet, a lawyer, a priest, a freight hopper, Eleanor Roosevelt’s friend, arrested for refusing to comply with bus segregation laws, a closeted member of the LBGTQ+ community, a professor, and so much more. Their work has influenced Supreme Court decisions, the Civil Rights movement, and countless individual people. Get to know the life and work of Pauli Murray and see how they used writing to fight for justice for all oppressed communities.
In the online adaptation of our physical exhibit American Voices, you can delve into more than 400 years of American writing. Learn more about barrier-breakers like Phillis Wheatley, who at the age of 20 became the first published African-American author in 1773. Or learn about Modernism-era writers like Richard Wright, Zora Neale Hurston, and more. Explore themes like “Identity” and “Promise” and see how Black writers have helped shaped these throughout American history.
Watch today’s leading writers, scholars, and activists read Frederick Douglass’s iconic 1845 memoir Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave in its entirety.
Over on our YouTube channel we’ve put together a Black History Month playlist for your viewing pleasure. Revisit many of our past programs with leading Black writers writers like:
Check out the AWM Podcast Network if you are interested in learning about writers of the past or hearing from leading writers of the present.
Hit the American Writers Museum blog for even more Black History Month content.
The following two book recommendations for young readers were featured at the inaugural American Writers Festival on May 15, 2022. The Festival highlighted a number of Black writers from a wide range of genres. Check out the American Writers Festival playlist on YouTube and be sure to subscribe as we release more programs throughout Black History Month.
Stranger Things meets Jordan Peele in Burn Down, Rise Up, the utterly original debut from incredible new voice Vincent Tirado. For over a year, the Bronx has been plagued by sudden disappearances that no one can explain. Sixteen-year-old Raquel does her best to ignore it. After all, the police only look for the white kids. But when her crush Charlize’s cousin goes missing, Raquel starts to pay attention―especially when her own mom comes down with a mysterious illness that seems linked to the disappearances.
In Survive the Dome by young adult novelist Kosoko Jackson, Jamal Lawson just wanted to be a part of something. As an aspiring journalist, he packs up his camera and heads to Baltimore to document a rally protesting police brutality after another Black man is murdered. But before it even really begins, the city implements a new safety protocol…the Dome. The Dome surrounds the city, forcing those within to subscribe to a total militarized shutdown. No one can get in, and no one can get out….how will Jamal survive?
