World War II Era African American History (Teaching with Historic Places)

More to Explore

This article is part of a feature on African Americans in World War II. Find more Teaching with Historic Places lessons here.

Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) uses historic places in National Parks and in the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places to enliven history, social studies, geography, civics, and other subjects. TwHP has created a variety of products and activities that help teachers bring historic places into the classroom.

Here you’ll find place-based educational resources relating to African American history during World War II. Discover more resources about World War II and military and wartime history on the TwHP homepage.

Featured Lesson Plans

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  Lesson Plan

  The Detroit Race Riot of 1943

  This lesson discusses the devastating racial unrest that gripped Detroit in June 1943. It can be taught as part of a unit on World War II.

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  Lesson Plan

  The Tuskegee Airmen

  In 1941 in Tuskegee, Alabama, the U.S. Army Air Corp began a program to train African American servicemembers as Air Corps cadets.

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  Lesson Plan

  The USO in Wilmington, NC

  This lesson plan explores the history of USO clubs for servicemen in Wilmington, NC, an American WWII Heritage City.

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  Curiosity Kit

  Learning from Mabel Keaton Staupers

  Mabel Keaton Staupers fought for the integration of Black nurses through World War II.

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  Lesson Plan

  African Americans in Pittsburgh

  Part of a series teaching about the World War II home front about Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, an American World War II Heritage City.

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  Lesson Plan

  African Americans work in the Tri-Cities

  Part of a series teaching about the World War II home front, with Tri-Cities, Washington as an American World War II Heritage City