Guides
Wayfinders for our collections, tools, and servicesAfrican American studies resources in Special Collections: Politics and activism
Discover and engage with rare and unique historic materials related to African American studies in Stanford Libraries
Manuscript collections
- Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation Inc. collection, 1968 -1994Personal papers of Dr. Huey P. Newton, including correspondence, manuscripts, legal files, education papers, and speeches, interviews, lectures, and documents generated by the activities of the Black Panther Party.
- Stokely Carmichael/Lorna Smith collection, 1964-72Correspondence and scrapbooks of clippings from newspapers and magazines, circulars, folders, conference advertisements, and programs, relating to Carmichael and his work. The Collection includes correspondence with Mrs. Lorna Smith concerning her work with the Mississippi Summer Project of 1964 and SNCC.
- Charles McDew collection of personal writings and ephemera pertaining to civil rights activities and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), 1961-1964Narratives and essays written by activist and SNCC Chairman (1960-1963) Charles McDew about the civil rights movement, articles about McDew, clippings, broadsides, flyers, cartoons and photographs.
- Free street; Free Huey : poster, 1968Poster by the Black Panther Party.
- Donald A. Jelinek papers, circa 1960s-2014Papers and photographs related to Jelinek's experiences as a civil rights lawyer.
Material related to the Angela Davis Conspiracy Trial
- Freiheit für Angela Davis ephemera collection, 1971-1972. Includes correspondence from the East German "Freiheit für Angela Davis" Campaign, 1971-1972.
- National United Committee to Free Angela Davis records, circa 1970-1972. Letters of support to Angela Davis from prisoners in the United States, organizations in Eastern Europe, and school children in East Germany; newsclippings of the trial and personal correspondence.
- Angela Davis trial, 1972-1974. Trial transcripts, tape recordings of impressions of the daily trial proceedings, articles and newsclippings, etc. related to Ms. Davis' trial.
Photographic collections
- Bob Fitch photography archive, 1965-2013
Photographic archive documenting the civil rights movement, the farm worker movement, and other movements for social justice. Many images (and contact sheets for photographic negatives) in the collection has been digitized and images can be viewed in SearchWorks.
The Bob Fitch photography archive can also be viewed in Spotlight.
- Michelle Vignes collection, 1966-1974Includes photographs and photographic negatives of Huey Newton's trial and prison time; and Angela Davis taken during a 1969 press conference at Mills College and her trial in 1971 and 1974.
- Susanna Lucia Lamaina photographs of former Black Panther Party members, 1984-2015Photographs of former Black Panther Party members accompanied by printed descriptions .
- Martin Luther King, Jr. : photographs, 1964-1968Photographs by Robert A Sengstacke (1943-2017), an African American photojournalist for the Chicago Defender, documenting Martin Luther King, Jr.'s activities in the American civil rights movement.
Rare books
- Transforming hate : an artist's book, Clarissa SlighAn artist's book about transforming hate into a beautiful art object which asks the viewer "to question her or his perceptions about history, reality, identity and voice."
- I am, Tia BlassingameA conceptual artist's book about police brutality, violence, and humiliation in African American communities.
- The day of the ropeA triangular shaped artist's book that references a Ku Klux Klan hood. The book contains historical text, and social and political commentary about hate groups.
- Black woman's role in the revolution, [by the Sisters of B.C.D.]Discusses the of role of Black women in the Black Community Defense and Development (B.C.D.) including hair, make-up, alcohol, smoking, and dress.
- The Combahee River Collective statementThis statement on Black feminism was first published in April 1977 by the Combahee River Collective, a Black feminist lesbian organization active in Boston from 1974-1980. This 2017 edition was published by Gato Negro Ediciones, a Mexico City-based independent press specializing in political manifestos, art theory, and prose, as part of their “Contemporary? Manifestos!” series.
- The Fire Next Time, James BaldwinLetterpress edition featuring photos by Steve Shapiro and an introduction by John Lewis.
- Pamphlet collection: Civil rights United StatesOver 100 pamphlet titles from the Civil Rights era.
Selected electronic resources
- Black Thought and CultureThis source for published and unpublished works of historically important Black leaders includes the Black Panther Party Newspapers.
- Black Freedom Struggle in the 20th CenturyPrimary source material from federal agencies, letters, papers, photographs, scrapbooks, financial records, diaries and more. Contains the papers of Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Congress for Racial Equality (CORE).