What is the most important document in African American history?
Monday, January 5th, 2009Today we released the January edition of our Milestone Documents newsletter. The primary focus is on the Progressive Era and World War I, but we also devote some attention to famous inaugural addresses in U.S. history.
In addition, with an eye toward Black History Month in February, we’ve launched a new survey: Which is the most important primary source document in African American history? The candidates are duly famous, and not all of them are “positive”–in keeping with the notion that history is not an unbroken line of ever-more-virtuous acts and events. Progress is always hard-fought. Herewith the five candidates we’ve chosen for the survey:
- Dred Scott v. Sandford
- The Emancipation Proclamation
- Plessy v. Ferguson
- Brown v. Board of Education
- Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech
It’s interesting to reflect on the importance of the Supreme Court in advancing–or delaying–progress at various times in the nation’s history. Also, it’s been 45 years since King’s seminal address. I wonder if in 45 years any of Barack Obama’s speeches or writings will make a similar list? I would bet so. It seems a stretch to think that the inaugural address of the country’s first African American president wouldn’t automatically be part of this kind of list, but maybe history will prove me wrong.
You can take our survey here.
Meanwhile, our press release “Who Is Inspiring Obama?” is getting some nice media hits today, including Forbes, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and Yahoo.

