African American History: The Development of a People provides students with diverse, concise essays that explore the experiences, traditions, and culture of African Americans in the United States from the nation’s early years to today. The readings center on the collective and individual experiences of African Americans and explore the cultural and historical contexts in which they live their lives.

Part I of the anthology features readings that correspond to America’s Antebellum Era. The selections speak to slavery, politics, family life, survival, and indomitable will. Part II explores issues of the post-Civil War and Reconstruction eras, including reimagining life after slavery, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, boycotts, the emergence of black power, and more. The final part contains readings from influential figures and political bodies—including former presidents Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama, civil rights leader Booker T. Washington, civil rights activist W.E.B. DuBois, and Supreme Court decisions—that demonstrate how African Americans have challenged and continue to challenge political and social systems through activism.

A powerful and engaging anthology, African American History is well-suited for undergraduate and graduate courses in U.S. history, African American history, urban sociology, and black political thought.