Black History Posters

Collecting Black History Posters

African Americans have had a significant impact on the course of American history. One of the best ways to pay homage to those who fought to end slavery and to abolish segregation is to collect and display posters depicting their images and heroic efforts. Posters are a popular collectible item, and there are many opportunities for those interested in black history to build impressive collections.

Posters of Slavery Era Heroes

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman is immortalized in history as the conductor of the Underground Railroad. You can order a poster edition of Paul Collins’ famous painting of the Tubman guiding slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad from Artisan Arts.

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass, who learned to read at an early age even though he was a slave, eventually escaped slavery and became an active abolitionist. He went on to write the autobiographical Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Art.com carries several posters depicting Douglass and his contributions to African American history.

Abraham Lincoln

A moving poster, aptly titled Colored Men poster, depicts the image of Abraham Lincoln superimposed above a civil war battlefield. This moving poster shows Americans divided, one side fighting to abolish slavery, the other side fighting to keep it.

Segregation

Following the civil war, slavery was abolished, but the fight for equality and recognition was just beginning for African Americans. The country entered a segregationist period, in which blacks and whites were kept apart under the doctrine of “separate but equal.”

During the segregationist period, one of the most telling images of the times was the existence of the Negro Baseball League, which was eventually done away with following de-segregation. The perfect counterpart for this poster in your collection is this image of Jackie Robinson stealing home for the Brooklyn Dodgers as the first African American player in major league baseball.

The road to desegregation, however, was a long one. One of the most unlikely heroes in the fight against segregation is Rosa Parks, a black woman from Montgomery, Alabama whose place in American history was solidified the day she refused to go to the back of a city bus.

Civil Rights

The fight for civil rights was a tumultuous time in American history, where many great leaders, black and white, stepped up to fight for equality. The Civil Rights Leaders poster, available at Art.com, depicts 12 of the most influential citizens in the fight for civil rights in America.

They Dared to Dream is a moving poster depicting black and white children playing together beneath images of Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, Jr., and Abraham Lincoln.

No black history poster collection is complete without an image of Martin Luther King and the text of his famous “I have a dream” speech.

More Leaders Who Made a Difference

• Agricultural scientist and educator George Washington Carver discovered hundreds of uses for peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes, and pecans.
• Attorney Thurgood Marshall became the first black Supreme Court Justice.
• Born into slavery, Booker T. Washington went on to become a teacher and in 1881 founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, which is still in operations today.

African American Groups

Some of the most impressive and moving posters depicting black history portray groups rather than individual citizens. There is something particularly moving about seeing the joint efforts of those who united together as pioneers for civil rights and equality in society.

• Buffalo Soldiers
• African American Writers
• Famous African American Women
• Famous African Americans
• The Tuskegee Airmen

Where to Purchase Posters

Posters representing historically significant individuals, groups, and events are available from many online retailers. The following websites carry full lines of black history posters at affordable prices.

• Art.com
• EduGraphics
• Tech Directions
• Urban Posters
• Little Africa

Commemorating African American Leaders & Heroes

With so many noble leaders paving the way for civil rights in America, you can also let history books be your guide as you build your collection.