The Unhidden Minute

Located on Chicago’s South Side, Bronzeville is one of the most historically significant Black communities in the United States. Often called the "Black Metropolis," Bronzeville thrived in the early to mid-20th century as a vibrant center of Black American culture, business, and political life. Following the Great Migration, thousands of Black families moved north from the Jim Crow South, settling in Bronzeville and building a self-sustaining community rich with jazz clubs, newspapers, churches, and entrepreneurs. Landmarks like the Supreme Life Insurance Company and the Chicago Defender newspaper played key roles in shaping national Black identity. The neighborhood also fostered the talents of icons like poet Gwendolyn Brooks, musician Louis Armstrong, and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells. Though urban renewal and disinvestment led to periods of decline, recent revitalization efforts have aimed to honor and preserve Bronzeville’s legacy as a cornerstone of Black cultural and historical achievement in America.

The Bronzeville National Historic Site was established by the United States Congress in 2023 as unit of the National Park Service. The bronze statue in this post Monument to the Great Northern Migration was sculpted by Alison Saar and dedicated in 1994. This depiction of a traveler is a testament to the thousands of Black Americans who migrated to Chicago in the early 20th century. In search of greater freedom and opportunity, the traveler’s hand is raised in salutation to his new home. In his other hand he carries a worn suitcase symbolic of his journey, dreams and talents. The bollards surrounding the monument are also suitcases that are textured with a pattern derived from the pressed tin ceilings of the era. The figure is oriented to the north, symbolizing the traveler’s destination. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_s_publicart-alisonsaarsmonumenttothegreatnorthernmigrati.html

The Joy Trip Project celebrates American History.

The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series aims to elevate the untold stories of Black Americans who are too often left out of the stories share about our common national heritage.

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In 1887, members of the 9th Cavalry Regiment—known as Buffalo Soldiers—intervened to protect a band of Ute Indians. These Native Americans had fled into Utah after tensions escalated with white settlers and the Colorado state militia. The Utes had left the White River Reservation in Colorado, fearing violent retribution and encroachment on their lands. In response, the Colorado militia pursued them, intent on forcing their return or provoking conflict. The U.S. Army, recognizing the potential for bloodshed and the questionable legality of the militia’s actions, dispatched Black American troops of the 9th Cavalry to intercept the militia and deescalate the situation, preventing a deadly confrontation. Their disciplined conduct and calm presence upheld federal authority and protected the Ute families. This little-known episode highlights the complex role Black soldiers played in both enforcing and sometimes tempering U.S. Indian policy during the western expansion.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates Black History Month.

The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series aims to elevate the untold stories of Black American history.

#unhiddenblackhistory #NationalParkService #yourparkstory #NationalGeographic #unhiddenminute

In 1887, Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Cavalry were stationed at Fort Douglas, near Salt Lake City, Utah. They were part of the U.S. Army’s broader efforts to secure western territories during the post-Civil War era. These Black American troops, many of them formerly enslaved, were among the most disciplined units in the frontier army. The performed with distinction and honor. At Fort Douglas, their duties included escorting settlers, protecting stagecoach routes, and maintaining order in a region marked by tensions between Native American nations and expanding white settlements.

Their presence at Fort Douglas reflected both the racial contradictions of the time—Black soldiers enforcing federal policy on lands taken from Indigenous peoples—and their critical role in shaping the early development of the American West. Despite facing racial prejudice from local citizens and within the Army itself, the Buffalo Soldiers earned a reputation for professionalism, endurance, and bravery in some of the harshest conditions in the West.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series aims to elevate the untold and often hidden stories of our shared national heritage.

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The origins of Memorial Day are deeply rooted in Black American history, though this is often overlooked in mainstream narratives. On May 1, 1865, just weeks after the Civil War ended, over 10,000 formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina, held a procession to honor Union soldiers who had died in a Confederate prison camp and were buried in a mass grave. Black residents exhumed the bodies, gave them proper burials, and organized what is widely considered the first large-scale Memorial Day commemoration.

The event included prayers, singing, readings, and the laying of flowers—hallmarks of modern observances. This early expression of collective mourning and patriotism was both a tribute to the sacrifices of Black and white Union soldiers and a declaration of Black Americans' rightful place in the national story. Over time, this origin was forgotten or suppressed as Memorial Day evolved into a national holiday with different regional and political meanings. But the contributions of Black American to this annual celebration continue to resonate through the present day.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.

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Become a paid subscriber to the Unhidden Minute Podcast for one year and receive a copy The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors 10th Anniversary Edition by James Edward Mills.

The Greensboro lunch counter protests of 1960 marked a pivotal moment in the American Civil Rights Movement. On February 1, 1960, four Black American college students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University — Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain, and Joseph McNeil — sat down at a "whites-only" lunch counter at the Woolworth’s store in Greensboro, North Carolina. Refused service, they remained seated in a peaceful protest against racial segregation. Their courageous action sparked a wave of similar sit-ins across the South, as thousands of students joined in, demanding equal rights and the end of segregation in public spaces. The Greensboro sit-ins led to the formation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee or (SNCC), which became a key organization in the Civil Rights Movement. The protests ultimately contributed to the desegregation of Woolworth’s and other establishments, demonstrating the power of nonviolent resistance and youth activism.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.

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Lemuel Haynes (1753–1833) was the first Black American ordained as a minister in a mainstream Protestant denomination in the United States. Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, to a white mother and a Black father, Haynes was indentured to a Massachusetts farmer until age 21. He enlisted in the local militia as a Minuteman in 1774 and was called to arms following the outbreak of hostilities with British forces at the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. Haynes joined other Minutemen units and served during the Siege of Boston, which followed soon after. He later served with the militia in Fort Ticonderoga in 1776.

In 1785, he was ordained and became the pastor of a predominantly white congregation in Rutland, Vermont, where he served for over 30 years. His influential sermon, Liberty Further Extended, challenged the institution of slavery and recognized it as a direct contradiction principles of American Democracy.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.

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William Still (1821–1902) was a prominent Black American abolitionist, writer, and key figure in the Underground Railroad. Often referred to as the "Father of the Underground Railroad," Still helped hundreds of enslaved people escape to freedom while working as chairman of the Vigilance Committee of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society in Philadelphia. Born to formerly enslaved parents in New Jersey, Still grew up committed to justice and equality. He meticulously recorded the personal stories of those he helped, preserving vital historical records that would later form the basis of his landmark 1872 book, The Underground Railroad. His documentation offered rare first-person narratives of freedom seekers, making his work an invaluable resource for understanding the lived experiences of the enslaved who escaped to freedom. In addition to his abolitionist work, Still was also a successful businessman and a strong advocate for education and civil rights. His legacy remains central to the story of resistance to slavery in America.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.

#unhiddenblackhistory #NationalParkService #yourparkstory #NationalGeographic #unhiddenminute

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a prominent leader in the American civil rights movement, was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was in the city to support a strike by African American sanitation workers. While standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, King was fatally shot by James Earl Ray, a fugitive from the Missouri State Penitentiary. His assassination sent shockwaves across the United States and the world, sparking riots in more than 100 American cities. King’s death marked a tragic turning point in the civil rights movement, but his legacy of nonviolence, equality, and justice continues to inspire generations. The nation mourned the loss of a visionary who had led peaceful protests, including the Montgomery Bus Boycottand the March on Washington, where he delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. In 1986, the U.S. established Martin Luther King Jr. Day to honor his life’s work.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.

(Cover image) The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stands with other civil rights leaders on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., on April 3, 1968, a day before he was assassinated at approximately the same place. From left are Jesse Jackson, King and Ralph Abernathy.

Charles Kelly/AP

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Become a paid subscriber to the Unhidden Minute Podcast for one year and receive a copy of The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors 10th Anniversary Edition by James Edward Mills.

Shirley Chisholm was a groundbreaking American politician, educator, and author. Born on November 30, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York, she became the first Black American woman elected to the United States Congress in 1968, representing New York's 12th congressional district for seven terms until 1983.

Chisholm was a fierce advocate for racial and gender equality, education, and social justice. In 1972, she made history again by becoming the first Black woman to seek a major party's nomination for President of the United States, running under the slogan "Unbought and Unbossed."

Despite facing significant opposition and discrimination, she built a coalition of marginalized communities and inspired generations of activists and leaders. Chisholm’s fearless leadership, authenticity, and commitment to progressive change left a lasting legacy. She paved the way for future women and minority politicians, and her influence continues to shape American politics and civil rights movements to this day.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.

#unhiddenblackhistory #NationalParkService #yourparkstory #NationalGeographic #unhiddenminute

The march from Selma to Montgomery on March 21, 1965, was a pivotal event in the American civil rights movement. Led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., thousands of demonstrators set out from Selma, Alabama, to demand voting rights for Black Americans. This was the third attempt after previous marches were met with violent resistance from local law enforcement officers, notably on “Bloody Sunday” (March 7). Protected by federal troops, the marchers walked 54 miles, reaching Montgomery on March 25. Their peaceful protest highlighted racial injustice and helped to spur the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This legislation banned discriminatory practices like literacy tests, ensuring greater access to the ballot box for Black citizens. The march symbolized courage and determination, cementing its place in U.S. history as a defining moment in the struggle for civil rights. Today, it remains an enduring testament to the power of peaceful protest and the fight for justice.

The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.

#unhiddenblackhistory #NationalParkService #yourparkstory #NationalGeographic #unhiddenminute