LeBron James’s new sneaker seeks to honor the civil rights leader with a color palette inspired by the Memphis motel where King was assassinated in 1968.
Category: Civil Rights Movement (1954-68)
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May Britt, 91, Dies; Her Marriage to Sammy Davis Jr. Sparked Outrage
She was a white actress, he was a popular Black entertainer, and their relationship elicited racist reactions in 1960, including from John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign.
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‘Paris Here I Come!’: The Story of a 1950’s Guide for Black Travelers
In 1953, Ollie Stewart, a correspondent for The Afro-American newspaper, wrote a guidebook to the French capital aimed at Black travelers. Nearly 75 years later, his grandniece follows in his footsteps.
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Peter Yarrow, the Peter of Peter, Paul and Mary, Dies at 86
The folk trio he formed with Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers became a pop phenomenon, scoring hits like “If I Had a Hammer” and “Puff the Magic Dragon.”
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How Jazz Musicians Like Louis Armstrong Paid Homage to Trains With Music
For Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Louis Armstrong, even their fame couldn’t fully protect them from the terrifying violence of Jim Crow. But the railroad, particularly the elegant Pullman sleeping car, provided a “home away from home.”
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Barbara Dane, Who Fought Injustice Through Song, Dies at 97
She was highly regarded as a folk, blues and jazz singer. She was also ardently left-wing and prioritized social change over commercial success.
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Bill Lucy, Pioneering Labor and Civil Rights Leader, Dies at 90
He helped popularize “I Am a Man” as a demand for respect during the 1968 strike by Black sanitation workers in Memphis.
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In New Orleans, a ‘Black Beach’ Is Being Rescued From the Ruins
During segregation, Lincoln Beach was the only place on Lake Pontchartrain where Black people were allowed to swim. Now, after years of neglect and the intervention of local volunteers, it’s on the edge of revival.
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How Ella Jenkins Revolutionized Children’s Music
Over seven decades, she brought a world of genres and ideas to songs for the young. On her centennial, what she would really like to do is perform again.
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Bernice Johnson Reagon, a Musical Voice for Civil Rights, Is Dead at 81
A singer, composer, curator and founder of the vocal group Sweet Honey in the Rock, she provided a gospel soundtrack for the civil rights movement.
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Mavis Staples Is an American Institution. She’s Not Done Singing Yet.
After more than seven decades onstage, the gospel and soul great decided last year that it was time to retire. Then she realized she still had work to do.
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The 25 Photos That Defined the Modern Age
A group of experts met to discuss the images that have best captured — and changed — the world since 1955.