AP African American Studies Resource Archive | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

An ivory and metal mask of a woman, with a tiara and necklace

Queen Mother Pendant Mask: Iyoba

16th Century

View a mask that was a symbol of the wealth of Benin in this period.

Primary Source

Stylized clay sculpture of an armored soldier on a horse

Mali Equestrian Figure

13th–15th Century

View this sculpture of a horseman with a quiver, an artifact of the Mali empire.

Primary Source

A wooden crucifix sculpture with three crosses stacked vertically, each with a Christlike crucified figure

Triple Crucifix

1500s–1800s

View this example of syncretic religious practice in the kingdom of Kongo.

Primary Source

Queen Nzinga, at right, wearing a gold crown, pink bandeau, pink, blue, and red skirt, and holding a multicolored bow and arrow, followed by an entourage of shirtless men and women.

Queen Nzinga with Military Entourage

1665–1668

View this depiction of Queen Nzinga (also spelled Njinga) from the viewpoint of an Italian missionary in Matamba.

Primary Source

A round stone tower next to a tree, flanked on all sides by stone walls

Great Zimbabwe

by Nancy Demerdash

Take a closer look at the kingdom of Zimbabwe and its greatest surviving architectural achievement.

Essay

A detail from a watercolor image showing a Black man in gray sixteenth-century dress holding a pony's reins and a spear; in front of him is a taller White man in red and orange pantaloons and jacket, carrying a helmet with a feather

Juan Garrido on a Spanish Expedition

1579

View this image that is believed to be Garrido alongside Hernán Cortés.

Primary Source

A tiled mosaic of three masked human figures dancing in long-fringed, multicolored body suits

“Each One, Every One, Equal All”

by Nick Cave

Explore the work of Nick Cave and his Soundsuits represented in this mosaic in the New York City subway system.

Work of Art

Hidden History: Jack Johnson

with Samuel Collins III, Linda Heywood, and Bob Spagnola

Explore the life and legacy of the “Galveston Giant” and champion boxer.

Video

Hidden History: Celebrating That Freedom Day

with Michael Hurd

Take a deep dive into the first Juneteenth celebrations where it all began, in Galveston, Texas.

Video

Woodblock of ironing boards that resemble slave ships.

Stowage

by Willie Cole

View this work of art responding to images of slave ships.

Primary Source

Sheet music for the song "Steal Away"

“Steal Away to Jesus”

1872

Read the lyrics and listen to this spiritual, popularized by the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

Primary Source

A stylized terracotta sculpture of a seated man with an oversized and elongated head relative to their body, chin resting on the figure's knees. Damage to the figure's shins.

Nok Sculpture

500 BCE–500 CE

View this sculpture from ancient Nigeria.

Primary Source