The Civil Rights & Jim Crow Collection features selections focused on the fight for civil rights and racial equality in the United States. The voices represented in this Collection highlight the historical struggles of racial discrimination and segregation in the 20th century and ongoing movements to continue dismantling systems of oppression.
Publication year 1951
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation
Tags Lyric Poem, Harlem Renaissance, African American Literature, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Urban Development
Publication year 2000
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S.
Publication year 1973
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream'' speech is one of the most celebrated oratory pieces in American history. King delivered the speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963 as the final speech of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Ruston organized the march to advocate for civil and economic rights for Black Americans, which was among the... Read I Have A Dream Speech Summary
Publication year 1965
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Community
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Diversity, Class, American Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Published in 1965, John Ball’s In the Heat of the Night is a crime novel set in Wells, South Carolina. The story focuses on the police department’s numerous struggles to solve a recent murder. Virgil Tibbs, a Black detective from Pasadena, California, lends a helping hand, but his interactions with the locals reveal the deep-seated racism of Wells. Through this murder mystery, the novel addresses issues of systemic racism and offers hope for a better... Read In the Heat of the Night Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Gender / Feminism, African American Literature, Post-War Era, Southern Literature, History: World, LGBTQ
Publication year 1926
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Race
Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, African American Literature, Harlem Renaissance, Black Arts Movement
Publication year 1949
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, African American Literature, Race / Racism, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice
Publication year 2012
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: War, Society: Nation
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Crime / Legal, Leadership/Organization/Management, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Grief / Death, Vietnam War, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Grief / Death, Asian Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Parenting, Race / Racism, American Literature, Children's Literature, History: World
Cynthia Kadohata’s first novel, Kira-Kira (2004), is a historical coming-of-age novel for middle-grade readers. The novel tells the story of the Japanese American Takeshima family, who live in the Chesterfield, Georgia, in the 1950s. The protagonist and first-person narrator is the younger daughter, Katie. The narrative spans seven years, involving the family’s move from Iowa to the South, where Katie’s parents become workers in the poultry industry. The narrative follows Katie as she awakens to... Read Kira-Kira Summary
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fame, Relationships: Family
Tags Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Relationships, History: World, Social Justice, Biography
Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black, published in 1995, is an autobiographical account of the childhood and adolescence of the American lawyer and educator Gregory Howard Williams. An exceptional achiever throughout his life, Williams devoted 10 years to penning this memoir that centers around his being raised to believe he’s white, only to be told as a 10-year-old boy that he’s of African American... Read Life on the Color Line Summary
Publication year 1900
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem, Inspirational, African American Literature, American Literature, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S.
Publication year 1946
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Community
Tags African American Literature, Classic Fiction, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Race / Racism
“Like A Winding Sheet” is a short story by African American writer Ann Petry, originally published in 1945 and included in the 1946 collection of Best American Short Stories. Like many of Petry’s novels and short stories, “Like A Winding Sheet” examines how racism within American society impacts the personal lives of working-class African American people. In the story, Petry is especially interested in how racism is an inescapable part of life in New York... Read Like a Winding Sheet Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Identity: Mental Health, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Mythology, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Grief / Death, History: World, Love / Sexuality, Military / War, Music, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, WWI / World War I, WWII / World War II, Fantasy
Publication year 2013
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Inspirational, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Black Lives Matter, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2016
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, History: World, Politics / Government, Biography
Publication year 1959
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem, Harlem Renaissance, American Literature, African American Literature, Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Social Justice, History: U.S.
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Children's Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1972
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race
Tags Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Politics / Government, History: U.S., History: World, Social Justice, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2021
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Black Lives Matter, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Education, Politics / Government, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Arts / Culture, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Food, Grief / Death, History: U.S., History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Incarceration, Military / War, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Social Justice