On our trip to Philipsburg Manor we learned a little about the lives of enslaved people in New York. The students had many questions, many more than could be answered on our trip.

We embarked upon a mini-study of slavery in the United States. This mini-unit ended up taking five weeks, a long time in the life of fourth grade social studies classes, but still only long enough to just touch on many topics that are essential to anyone's understanding of American history. The report that follows has 30 authors. It is our hope that their work will be used to inform each other and any other interested reader. We are grateful to anyone who clicks on all our links and learns from them, and we would be even more pleased if any reader was inspired to read further on the topic of African-American history.

If you read the story that follows, and click on the links, you will have the beginning of an education about slavery and other facets of African-American history.

Between 700 and 1,000 years ago, three kingdoms of Africa were centers of world commerce and culture. These kingdoms were the kingdoms of Mali, Songhai, and Ghana. They played a central part in the global economy of the day, and some of the world's best universities and medical schools were located here.

One of the main factors to bring down the prosperity of Africa was when Europeans started to use Africans in the practice of slavery. Before the enslaved people were taken from the continent, they were brought to fortresses, including Goree Island. From there, they were forced on boats for the voyage to what was then called, "The New World." This voyage was called the Middle Passage.

Slavery was an atrocity wherever it was practiced in the New World. It was particularly cruel in the West Indies. Britain banned slavery in 1772, but not in its colonies. Still, there was some hope that slavery would end in the newly formed United States. People expected that it might end because it was morally a bad idea, and because it didn't make a lot of economic sense. After the invention of the cotton gin, however, it made more economic sense. It still did not make moral sense.

In the midst of this cruel system, enslaved people led their lives. Since marriage was illegal, they had their own form of marriage ceremony called, "Jumping the broom." They brought up children. Those who stayed together as a family were, at least in some ways, the fortunate ones.

Two enslaved people who became famous were Absalom Jones, and Phillis Wheatley. At Cathedral School, we honor Reverend Jones by naming a scholarship fund after him.

Many of the students were interested in whether or not the enslaved people engaged in revolts against the "masters." The enslaved workers certainly did. Sometimes they revolted by just working inefficiently. Who could blame them? Other times, the revolts were more active. Some of the more famous ones are listed here: the revolt on the Amistad, Nat Turner 's revolt, and a revolt led by John Brown.

Some formerly enslaved people have some fame nowadays, almost 150 years after slavery in the United States ended. They were able to escape slavery via the Underground Railroad, which of course, was not underground at all. It was a system of "safe houses," used by people on their voyage to freedom. The people who "worked" on the Underground Railroad were known as abolitionists, people who wanted to abolish slavery. Some of the more famous abolitionists, escapees, and Underground Railroad workers were the following: Harriet Jacobs, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and William Lloyd Garrison. The Underground Railroad took people to freedom in the North, and sometimes to Canada. After the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, an enslaved person did not feel safe unless he or she went all the way to Canada.

In 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Two years later, the 13 th Amendment ended slavery everywhere in the United States. Things were looking up for the prospects of African-Americans, but things started to get worse when a very rigid segregation system was adopted. Black people did not get the rights they expected, and their lives were very difficult. The "Plessy vs. Ferguson" Supreme Court decision made sure that segregation would go for many generations.

As they did during the time of slavery, many black people were still able to find fame and some fortune. Many actors, writers, and musicians attained fame, particularly during the time known as The Harlem Renaissance. We will study this specific topic later in the school year. W.E.B. Du Bois became famous as a black leader during these years of segregation.

After World War II, there were even more cries for segregation to end. People knew about the brave contribution of the Tuskegee Air Men to the war effort.   In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African-American baseball player in the major leagues. He broke the ground for future black ball players; his acceptance on the Dodgers' team, led the way for future efforts to integrate America.

The most important moment in the United States' move towards integration came with the Brown vs. Board of Education by the Supreme Court in 1954. Many people made this decision possible; the most famous one was Thurgood Marshall.

The Supreme Court's decision made integration the law of the land. However, the country did not integrate overnight, by any means. Many parts of American life are still segregated. The twenty years after the decision were very active ones for people who were interested in black people getting their rights. Some of the famous events, laws, places, and people who helped in the struggle are listed here: James Meredith, Fannie Lou Hamer, "Bloody Sunday," and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.   So many other people, most notably, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and President Johnson certainly played a big role, too. The Civil Rights struggle has been the struggle of thousands, not just of the handful whose names make it into history books. People who fought against segregation are alive today, and some of them are still fighting. This part of history is a living history.

In 1965, a law was passed that made it easier for black people to vote. They helped elect Barbara Jordan and Shirley Chisolm. Black people gained more power in our government. In the two George W. Bush administrations, two African- Americans, Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice played large roles.

Just last month, Barack Obama was elected president. He will take office in January 2009. While not everyone in the grade was a supporter of him, we are all wishing him the best in these troubled times. His election does not guarantee that the future is bright for all, or that everything bad that happened to African-Americans must be forgiven, but it is a positive sign. We can only imagine how pleased the millions of people who fought for freedom from slavery and for equal opportunities for blacks would be if they could see President Obama take the oath of office.

Written by Howard Nusbaum, 4 th grade Social Studies teacher, with the help of 30 student authors.