Organizing for Success
For centuries, African Americans have formed associations for mutual benefit and advancement. While many Black organizations emerged in response to segregation, these organizations performed their own vital work within the community, allowing African Americans to develop leadership skills, pool resources, and cultivate a sense of belonging and pride. As African Americans braided together the strands of family, community, and civic outreach, they built powerful networks that would one day be utilized for profound social change.
Organizing for Success: Resources

Organizations
Search the Museum’s online collection for items related to African American organizations

Prince Hall Freemasonry: A Resources Guide
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress provides a guide to the numerous materials in its holdings related to Prince Hall Masons, including manuscripts, photographs, and books

Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Collection
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library
The Schomburg Center holds materials reflecting the activities of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (1939–1987), the union founded by A. Philip Randolph

Jackson Ward Walking Tour Podcast
Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
Explore the historic Jackson Ward neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia, a nationally important center of African American cultural and economic activity during the early 20th century