African Americans

Musicians gathering to collaborate, some sitting on steps (© Alexia Webster/OneBeat)

Music diplomacy: Helping to ‘see each other’s humanity’

The U.S. sends musicians abroad each year. Learn about this music diplomacy, which began with 1950s jazz heroes and continues today.
Martin Luther King Jr. waving to crowd gathered along reflecting pool (© AFP/Getty Images)

How King’s words brought America closer to its best

Sixty years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech that changed history. A scholar and a poet explain why his words still move Americans.
Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley (© Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service/Getty Images)

National monument will honor Emmett Till, Mamie Till-Mobley

The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument will honor the teenager and his mother, who galvanized the Civil Rights Movement.
Profile of woman looking toward window (© LM Otero/AP)

Meet Opal Lee, ‘grandmother of Juneteenth’

Opal Lee, a 96-year-old activist from Texas, worked hard to get Juneteenth recognized as a federal holiday. Learn how she did it.
Abdirahman Kahin carrying food in aluminum foil containers from car with trunk open (© Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune/Getty Images)

Bringing a taste of Africa to the U.S. Midwest

A native of Somalia who operates restaurants in Minnesota inspired by African flavors won a small business award.
Poster celebrating jazz, with illustration of Jon Batiste leaning back, smiling, with eyes closed, playing a melodica (State Dept./D. Thompson)

Meet Oscar-winning jazz artist Jon Batiste [poster]

For Jazz Appreciation Month, learn about Jon Batiste, a young American jazz musician who has won numerous awards, including an Oscar in 2021.
Two women on baseball field smiling (© Joseph Guzy/Miami Marlins)

Changing the game: U.S. women in sports management

Several women are working in senior management positions for major U.S. sports franchises historically dominated by men.
Man and woman signing different versions of a comment (© Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post/Getty Images)

A distinctive sign language thrives among Black Americans

Meet Carolyn McCaskill, a deaf American who educates the world about Black American Sign Language and the people who use it.
Three food dishes in individual bowls (Courtesy of Jerome Grant)

Chef diplomats will use food to connect cultures

The American Culinary Corps will tell America's story with food in diplomatic settings. Read all about it here.