Illustrated Black History: Honoring the Iconic and the Unseen

• Hardcover
• 384 Pages
• 300 original illustrations and paintings
• By George McCalman

• Illustrated Black History is a breathtaking collection of original portraits depicting black heroes—both famous and unsung—who made their mark on activism, science, politics, business, medicine, technology, food, arts, entertainment, and more. Each entry includes a lush drawing or painting by artist George McCalman, along with an insightful essay summarizing the person’s life story.

  The 145 entries range from the famous to the little-known, from literary luminary James Baldwin to documentarian Madeline Anderson, who produced “I Am Somebody” about the 1969 strike of mostly female hospital workers; from Aretha Franklin to James and Eloyce Gist, who had a traveling ministry in the early 1900s; from Colin Kaepernick to Guion S. Bluford, the first Black person to travel into space.

  Eye-opening, educational, dynamic, and timely, this compendium pays homage to Black Americans and their achievements, and showcases the depth and breadth of Black genius.

African American history is deeply woven into the fabric of the United States, from the struggles of slavery and segregation to the ongoing fight for civil rights and justice.

The National Archives preserves and protects a wealth of African American history records, including records from the slave trade, civil rights cases, photographs, military records, and the writings of activists, artists, and everyday citizens. These records document the lives, contributions, and resilience of Black Americans across centuries.

On the African American Research page, the National Archives provides online access to records documenting African American history in collections that focus on the Black Power movement, voting rights, mass migrations, and more. Featured records include the March on Washington and President Barack Obama.