The laws of changeless justice bind
Oppressor with oppressed;
And close as sin and suffering joined
We march to fate abreast. - John Greanleaf Wittier
From the first footsteps of enslaved peoples on American soil to where Martin Luther King, Jr. challenged us all to rise to his "Dream," national parks preserve the places where this history happened. Plan a visit to parks that honor and preserve African American heritage, attend an event, or simply learn about the heartbeat of American history that is African American history. A special NPS film, "Twenty & Odd," explores the legacy of more than 400 years of the African American experience. You can also explore the many ways that the dedicated professionals of the National Park Service work to preserve and protect these sites and aid communities outside our park boundaries.
Cover Caption: History Class, Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee Alabama
Photo description: B&W photo of teacher standing in front of classroom of students with writing on blackboard
Credit: Library of Congress; photo taken by Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952)
Places of Struggle, Community and Triumph
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Freedom’s Fortress: Escape to Freedom
Empowered by a legal loophole, thousands of enslaved Africans escaped and found refuge at a Union-held fort during the Civil War. Fortress Monroe in Virginia became the site of the first “contraband camp”; a spontaneous community of self-emancipated blacks where inhabitants often became recruits for military service.
- Duration:
- 4 minutes, 27 seconds

Explore the Story of Harriet Tubman
The Underground Railroad’s best known conductor was also a suffragist, a warrior, and a caretaker.

400 Years of African American History
In 2019 and 2020, we are commemorating the landing of the first enslaved Africans in English-occupied North America in August 1619.

List of African American Heritage Parks
Visit these sites to learn, feel, and experience the heartbeat of American history that is African American history.

Education & Schools
Explore textbook examples of African Americans overcoming racism by founding their own schools and desegregating public schools.

Buffalo Soldiers
Explore the places throughout the country that these African American men known as the Buffalo Soldiers helped build, protect, and operate.
Last updated: February 5, 2020