Welcoming @Joshua O to the Black Mail Black History Learning Lab Community!

Head on over to the classroom page and check our newest adds: 40 Acres & A Mule: Promises Made, Promises Broken Many folks have heard of the 40 Acres and a Mule story, in which formerly enslaved Black people were promised land. That promise was rescinded within 18 months displacing approximately 40,000 people. What you might not know is that a group of Black ministers advocated for the land and that losing the land forced many back into exploitative labor roles while simultaneously being exploited by former Confederate enslavers. Watch the video to learn more. The 1921 Sheppard-Towner Act: The Law That Displaced Black Midwives & Birth Workers Our second resource shares the story of how Black Midwives and physicians in the rural South were displaced following the passage of the Sheppard-Towner Act, when their skills were minimized, and they were denied certification and recognition by various medical organizations. Both resources are part of the Equity and Exclusion Archive, which chronicles 80 federal actions that have impacted the lives of Black Americans from 1776 to 2026. Check these resources out in the class and visit the full archive at https://equity.blackmail4u.com

Happy Juneteenth! Check out our Juneteenth Explorer. With it, you can take a deep dive into understanding Juneteenth, its history, and present-day impact. You can also ask questions or even download a discussion guide. Visit the classroom or check it here: https://juneteenth-explorer.netlify.app

Check out our latest video on the Wednesdays In Mississippi movement that took place during the summers of 1964 and 1965 when a committed coalition of women assembled by civil rights activist Dorothy Height along with Polly Cowan of the National Council of Jewish Women organized groups of women who traveled to Mississippi on a weekly basis to build relationships with Southern women and bring much needed aid and support for civil rights and voting rights. The threat of violence was real, yet they persevered. This story is a Black Mail favorite. We hope you enjoy it. Head over to the Classroom and check it out!

Today marks the 101st birthday of Malcolm X. Often viewed as a controversial and militant figure, Malcolm's identity evolved over time, just like us. His life was marked by racism, trauma, and violence, almost from its inception. His father was murdered when he was just six. His mother's mental health deteriorated under the strain of trying to support her large family. A stellar student, he was crushed when his teacher ridiculed his dream of becoming a lawyer, encouraging him to go into carpentry instead. His views evolved over time. Sadly, his life was snuffed out by an assassin's bullet on February 21, 1965. Check out this 3 min video and let us know what you think. Head on over to the classroom and check out the video