These images show some of the many African Americans who fought or worked for the Union Army in the Civil War.

Enslavers used harsh and punishments to force enslaved people obey them. These images show these punishments. This text contains sensitive images that may not be suitable for all students.

These images show enslaved people laboring in fields in Georgia and South Carolina.

Thomas was born into slavery and lived a harsh life, but he was finally able to escape and reunite with his family.

When Africans were brought to American shores in chains, they brought pieces of Africa with them and used their traditions, music and culture to help them survive.

William Wells Brown was born into slavery and later escaped to become one of the foremost supporters of abolition.

Patty, a young enslaved girl, shares some insight about life on a South Carolina plantation.

In this poem, Nell and her family follow the North Star and navigate the Underground Railroad to freedom.

Mum Bett hears the cries for American freedom from British tyranny and launches her own American Revolution against slavery in Massachusetts.

In the face of extreme punishment for enslaved people and breaking the law for whites, roughly 5 percent of the enslaved population learned to read and write. Letters like the ones written below show the lengths they would go to learn.