As an organization that supports educators in teaching accurately and inclusively about the United States, Primary Source considers African American history to be core to our mission.

African people first arrived here in the 16th century, and have contributed to the building of the country and its culture ever since. Four centuries of stories, experiences, and perspectives cannot be ignored; they are interwoven into the fabric of this place and they enrich our understanding of who “we” as a country are. We cannot dismantle racist policies and racial animosity today until we understand their roots and the ways they have become embedded in our society. Doing this work requires the preparation of learning about African American experiences past and present. Primary Source is committed to the value of this effort, and believes knowledge equips us to build a future that treasures African American people.