African Americans have made great strides in the battle for equal rights in the United States, from the time of slavery all the way through the Civil Rights Era in the 1960s. This book examines important questions by giving a detailed account of the protagonists, campaigners, events, and attitudes that shaped an era. The narrative uses carefully chosen primary sources including period photography and fascinating extras such as the lyrics to John Brown’s Body, which is a song written about the radical abolitionist John Brown following his death.