Banner for National History Day <i>in Massachusetts</i>

National History Day in Massachusetts

Celebrating Juneteenth 2022

A banner with four b&w photographs of Black men and women: Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglas, Sarah P. Remond, and Charles Lenox Remond. All four photographs look old and show the person profiled from the shoulders up.

To mark the celebration of Juneteenth, the legal end of enslavement in the United States, the Massachusetts Historical Society invites you to explore our annual NHD web display of student research. 

On this page, you will discover student projects from the 2021-2022 National History Day in MA competition that explore topics related to African American history and culture. The projects adhere to this year's NHD theme, "Debate and Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences" and include several project categories, including websites, exhibits, performances, and papers.

We also invite you to explore a selection of materials from the collection of the MHS that relate to the abolitionist movement, the struggle for emancipation, and those who fought for freedom.

2022 National History in Massachusetts Projects

Please note: We were given permission to identify some students by their full name, while others are identified only by their first name. 
 
One of the most valuable aspects of NHD is that students have the opportunity to interpret evidence and draw their own conclusions. Therefore, the interpretations and opinions expressed in these projects are the work of the students and are not necessarily shared by the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Websites

Labeled 'Website.' Screenshot of a website with the title 'The Black Panther Party The Untold Story.' Above the text is a black and white photo of several Black people standing in a row wearing leather jackets and pins, several are raising their fists in the air.The Black Panther Party: The Untold StoryOlugbolade Asupoto
Stoneham High School

"Despite the way they were treated by the country and government the Black Panther Party has been able to create a impactful legacy for themselves by bringing forth legislative change, new medical ideas, and social movements."

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Labeled ‘Website.’ Screenshot of a website homepage with the title 'The Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.' Behind the text is a photograph of MLK Jr and an American Flag. Below is a b&w photo of King at the March on Washington, standing at a podium with crowds of people in the background.The Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.James Benners and Oliver Josselyn
Mashpee Middle School

"One of King’s most famous speech is his “I have a dream” speech, which took place on August 28th, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. He lead a march, and then gave a speech in front of more than 200,000 people. He talked about how he envisioned the world, with no discrimination, segregation, full of peace and equality."
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Exhibits

Labeled ‘Exhibit.’ Shows top half of a trifold exhibit board titled 'The Niagara Movement.' The top of the board looks like a roof of a building with windows, and below the title are boxes with text and b&w photos.The Niagara MovementAbbie Brady, Annie Carroll, and Alek Musiak
Needham High School

"The 1905 Niagara Movement led by William Edward Burghardt DuBois and William Monroe Trotter, though it did not gain much traction due to internal weakness and Booker T. Washington’s ideas of a slow and gradual request for rights, was the forerunner for the NAACP which continued the Movement's fight for the rights of African Americans and became the nation’s premier civil rights organization."

To view the exhibit, click the image above to open a PDF; the exhibit follows the written material.
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Labeled ‘Exhibit.’ A close-up photo of an exhibit board titled ‘W.E.B. DUBOIS THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE.' Below the title is a text box and the top of several leaves cut out of green paper with text on them.The Running Legacy of W.E.B DuBois and the Boston Branch of the NAACP
Rylie Dallaire-Boogaard, Emmett Duffield, and Iilia Jayjock
Marshall Simonds Middle School

"WEB Dubois founding of the Boston Branch of the NAACP is a diplomatic success that was launched to help African American people strive in their communities; ensure educational and political help along with non violently removing racial discrimination."

To view the exhibit, click the image above to open a PDF; the exhibit follows the written material.
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Performances & Papers

Labeled ‘Performance.’ A still from a video showing two students standing side by side. One is wearing a tie and a black robe, and the other is wearing all black.The Freedom Rides of 1961
Susan Anderson and Maggie O.
Hingham High School

"Unifying Americans to defend their freedoms within the broader civil rights movement, the Freedom Rides of 1961 effectively tested Supreme Court rulings that desegregated interstate travel. Riders faced severe violence from enraged segregationists in the South, prompting both legal and federal action to maintain justice and ensure diplomacy."

Bibliography and Process Paper
Image entitled /2012/juniper/assets/masshistoryday/Juneteenth/NHD_thumbnails_2022_-_PAPER_Gladys_Bentley.jpgGladys Bentley and the Shaping of an Intersectional Community of LGBT Pride in the Music Industry
Bridgette Cassidy
Bancroft School

"Gladys Bentley was the queen of Harlem nightlife, captivating audiences with her genderbending costumes and raunchy performances. [...] Bentley used music and performances to portray a message of pride and unashamed individuality that gave a voice to future LGBTQ+ artists of color and introduced LGBTQ+ culture to the music industry."
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