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California Cultures: African Americans

Overview

Although a relative few Afro-Latinos and other Africans came to California before the mid-19th century, the Gold Rush brought the first real migration of African Americans to the state. Historic photographs and artwork show the changing lives of African Americans from the Gold Rush Era and Statehood (when many, but not all, slaves in California gained their freedom), through years of struggle to claim their civil rights. Although these images cannot possibly encompass every aspect of African American life in America during this time, they offer a candid look into a number of important areas in California: black migration into the state, the effects of segregation and racial discrimination, the struggle for social equality, the Civil Rights Movement and its leaders, the Black Panthers, urban violence and community renewal, and the rise of the black middle class and black political leadership.

This theme and its exhibitions were created as part of the California Cultures project.

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California Cultures: African Americans curated by University of California, available under a CC BY 4.0 license. © 2011, Regents of the University of California.

Please note that this license applies only to the descriptive copy and does not apply to any and all digital items that may appear.