Black history in the US is rich, profound — and at risk of being lost forever, if not for the monumental efforts of Julieanna L. Richardson. As the founder of The HistoryMakers — the largest national archive of African American video-oral history — Richardson shares some of the unknown and incredible legacies of Black America, highlighting the importance of documenting and preserving the past for future generations.
If you love watching TED Talks like this one, become a TED Member to support our mission of spreading ideas:
Follow TED!
Twitter:
Instagram:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:
The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.
Watch more:
TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at
#TED #TEDTalks
awilkynson
July 20, 2022 at 3:18 pm
This is a sad sad comment on the American government, yet again, the Government should be funding museums like Germany regarding the Holocaust, it’s pathetic! You keep talking! You’re right and I can’t believe they’re trying to erase actual history! ☮❤🇨🇦🙋♀️
Vicky Targaryen
July 20, 2022 at 3:21 pm
❤️ I listened and I heard you.
Zahra Laifa
July 20, 2022 at 3:23 pm
Great 🧡
Joan Sommerfield
July 20, 2022 at 3:24 pm
Please don’t forget about Native American History, the most forgotten of all
vector DW
July 20, 2022 at 4:25 pm
I think that this isn’t the place. Her talking about preserving Black American history,about it being white washed,and erased is not a call for “what bout us-ism”… we can have a conversation about black history solely without pivoting to another group. If you feel so deeply about that history you have the ability to do the work. Let’s not try to get someone else to pivot their focus for your want.
Doug Ewald
July 20, 2022 at 5:19 pm
Absolutely!
capac2
July 20, 2022 at 5:30 pm
@vector DW yup, exactly. Lets take the time to listen and learn and value a people for their own contributions and distinguished history before jumping to another topic however important it is. Comment is tone deaf. All people are important, but when it comes to the USA in particular, the African diaspora is a crucial topic to understanding USA history which is extremely ignored. And yes, without a doubt, the indigenous/First Nations peoples of North America too but this video is not about that. Lets celebrate this Woman’s initiative and discourse.
Henry Cardona
July 20, 2022 at 3:30 pm
Well said. She is an inspiring speaker.
Xeonophon
July 20, 2022 at 3:38 pm
the history of farming equipment in the USA
listen2meokidoki
July 20, 2022 at 3:41 pm
If you wanna know everything about Black USA history just watch Amos and Andy.
Most people can only understand history in terms of stereotypes any hows.
So it’s all theys needs.
R Hawkins
July 20, 2022 at 3:47 pm
Grateful to hear truth being spoken and validated for the masses!
maxpolaris99
July 20, 2022 at 3:52 pm
CRT is not Black History, it’s a destructive, divisive Cultural Marxist invention. Black Lives Matter is demonstrably a grievance mongering financial fraud! Demonstrable to anyone with any common sense at all.
Jean Wallace
July 20, 2022 at 4:01 pm
Black put before any statement gives worrying racist propaganda vibes:
Please stop listing human status or values system via colour. Blessings all🌹
Violet_SKRS
July 20, 2022 at 4:06 pm
i loved reading about the all black WW1 combat unit: the Harlem Hellfighters. or reading about the Tuskegee Airmen of WW2, the Red Tails.
the reclamation of our history is too important. until today during the video, i had never heard of the Montford Point Marines who fought throughout the pacific campaign. or The Golden 13 the first commissioned black officers in the U.S. Navy, pivotal moment which jumpstarted further integration to the most tradition bound, segregated branch of our military.
schools need to teach all of our history, not just what a few deem as worthy. I never even learned about native american (navajo in this case) involvement in WW2 until the move Windtalkers, about how they used their language to encrypt U.S. messages during the war. was never even touched on (i graduated HS In 2015 for frame of reference). same goes for the red tails or harlem hellfighters, i learned about them kn my own. the red tails movie was my first introduction to them, and the harlem hellfighters book by max brooks was first introduction to them (and later in the Battlefield 1 game including them in the first campaign mission).
so much room to tell stories but their massive contribution to american history is still hidden and untalked about in most circles.
whateveryousay
July 20, 2022 at 4:12 pm
Thank you for helping our history shine. And not be hidden under the guise of “anti critical race theory”. Our history is filled with race based crimes and attitudes. It’s important to revisit it from time to time, so that we are no doomed to repeat it.
Peter Weller
July 20, 2022 at 4:13 pm
You are an American and as such are part of our history.
There are many dark days, oh yes, my friend. Many much too many.
There is solace in that if we manage not to wipe out all human history things will get better.
I want to believe it will.
I served in the Navy with good and bad people of every stripe.
Wealthbuilderz TV
July 20, 2022 at 4:23 pm
As much as they try to take our history it will never be taken as long as WE keep it alive.
Leonard Dunbar
July 20, 2022 at 4:51 pm
This is amazing! Thank you❤️ for all your work and preserving my history!
whatsapp me_+①③⑥⓪④③⑥⑤⑨⑧⑤
July 20, 2022 at 5:06 pm
T̲h̲a̲n̲k̲s̲~~~~
coldest beer
July 21, 2022 at 4:55 am
Detroit & gang culture
anferny18011981
July 20, 2022 at 4:57 pm
ok..
la Sn3ak3r
July 20, 2022 at 5:33 pm
We Democrats WILL abolissh police nationwide and ban constitutional carry nationwide once we SWEEP the midterms!! Vote dem 2022 to make it happen!! 💙
Stig Helmer
July 20, 2022 at 5:45 pm
Black Americans are on average 15% white.
Brooke Woody
July 20, 2022 at 6:01 pm
My god mother, ValJeanne T. Grigsby was a WAC alongside the Tuskegee Airmen. She was a wonderful person and I wish I could have her life documented here as well!!
Douglas Marshall
July 20, 2022 at 11:23 pm
I do too I’d be great
bob ainsworth
July 20, 2022 at 7:24 pm
Will places like Fla. Stop you from researching you history? After all soon they will say you can’t even say you’re black.
There are people in this country trying to rewrite history let alone let you speak or study it.
patrick ortiz
July 20, 2022 at 7:35 pm
This is a stupid narrative because i picked up a book i learned about my peoples history and if i dont see them on tv all the time i dont feel left out. What happened to being an adult?
patrick ortiz
July 20, 2022 at 7:36 pm
Black history is american history is native american history stop chopping us up into fragile groups
Bruce Barton
July 20, 2022 at 8:20 pm
LOL! SAVE HISTORY! ESPECIALLY BAD HISTORY!
LET’S NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES, AGAIN!
Chandrashekhar Kumar
July 20, 2022 at 11:45 pm
🙏🙏🙏👍👍👍
Ernesto Dialogo
July 21, 2022 at 1:31 am
Learn how communicated that’s gold medal in the bus stop ✋🦋 ok86 naP 😰 Salute 🌹🐱🦋🐦 null hypothesis that you can do anything because is ❤ for you keep what you doing people love 💘 and one comment flash null hypothesis that you can do anything because is ❤ for you keep what you doing people love 💘 and one comment flash null hypothesis that you can do anything because is ❤ for you keep the words of black history.
S4
July 21, 2022 at 3:12 am
History is written by the victims.
James Markley
July 21, 2022 at 3:20 am
Despite the economic downturn,I’m so happy☺️. I have been earning $ 60,200 returns from my $7,000 investment every 13days
Joshua Hayes
July 21, 2022 at 4:49 am
That’s 100% true ✅ Please how do I start trading with him?.
Robin Quette
July 21, 2022 at 4:55 am
美国 美国 美国 美国ကောင်းတယ်
➕𝟭𝟮𝟬𝟯𝟲𝟳𝟬𝟲𝟵𝟵𝟲 美国ကောင်း..
Robin Quette
July 21, 2022 at 4:55 am
Trade with him and remember to share testimonies with others ☝️😊..🇺🇸🇺🇸.
Adrian J. Powell
July 21, 2022 at 4:58 am
Thanks for this. Will definitely reach out to him now. Thanks again.
Eugene K. Ott
July 21, 2022 at 5:02 am
I just looked him up on google and he’s a licensed broker, I am contacting him right away. Thanks
супер мир Олега
July 21, 2022 at 6:48 am
Илон Маск собирается делать портальную пушку
Banu Siddesh
July 21, 2022 at 7:38 am
👍👍great message, let us create our tomorrow
Digital Dirk
July 21, 2022 at 8:53 am
lmao that like/dislike ratio
If you can’t see it, the video currently has 386 likes and 1.2k dislikes.
Mirko Gizela Pericic
July 21, 2022 at 9:42 am
Salvation
: 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the
world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe
is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the
light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates
the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be
exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds
may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”…Jesus Christ
is the Savior and the Judge…Repent , for the Kingdom of Heaven is
near…Bible .
PLF
July 21, 2022 at 9:43 am
How about just teaching American history properly – the more of a gap people put between America and Black America, the division between them will stay.
sayiddah bey
July 21, 2022 at 12:03 pm
This story moved me to tears.
Sarah Modica
July 21, 2022 at 3:30 pm
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Chard Tyler
July 21, 2022 at 9:33 pm
I’ve been in debt for ages, the bear market hasn’t been favorable for single investors lately; but so far, investing with a community has been so helpful.
Mr Chad has been helpful with his community, you get good signals, neat investment and quick call on how to improve your financial status via crypto market. The bear market has given new opportunities for new set of millionaires, use this wisely
Alwyn Nito
July 21, 2022 at 10:25 pm
+ Aboriginals, past South American cultures and diseases brought by Spain, nazis, Chinese organ farming, elitism and old cultures brutalizing themselves or each other. Atlantis? Amazonians? Cannibalization of foreigners (coloured or not) in old cowboy days, neglect/abuse of inuits, “Manifest Destiny” (like KKK), violence in Africa and India, terrorists, etc, racism and sexism is so duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuumb
Edit: I added more recent stuff
Putin must be evil or missed all his history classes and not raised in a loving environment
Andy Cordy
July 22, 2022 at 5:37 pm
Aside from the massively emotive content of this talk I thank you for the simple observation that without the struggle for civil rights in the Black community, there would be no feminism and no gay liberation.
Ryuna Lunaris
July 22, 2022 at 6:44 pm
Stop living in the past and aim for success. It’s just as easy. Black lives don’t matter more than any other life and as much as you like to call out and repeat everything wrong done in history, it’s a neverending story, if you choose to live in the past. History is essential, but there will always be people who make the clear mistake of believing there is one good path to choose and follow. In every case, it IS the wrong path too. It always has been subjective to every individual and it will stay this way… So why not stop this nonsense of racial conflict and believe in being human for once, instead of white or black monsters, neglecting humanity at all, by ignoring all virtues and benefits in being a collective of like-minded individuals without the trivial narrowminded disputes over skin color, heritage, religion… We tend to put labels on everything and everyone. It helps to sort things in our minds but it’s also a way of excluding those labeled groups from each other. Being inclusive over an infinite spectrum of things is one of our greatest traits as “intelligent” lifeforms… why should we exclude anything, if it could be beneficial for us to include it in our life and thoughts… we are one species and that’s everything that matters… It could be the other way around, white ppl being enslaved by black ppl… or Chinese, cultists of crab people, or Trump follower zombies… we shouldn’t care! Not that we should forget, don’t get me wrong here… But this is a loophole don’t you see it?! We should spare our energy and ingenuity minds for more uplifting projects than praising or condemning what’s already happened. Future generations will thank you for stopping this madness we created for ourselves…
Rebecca Evans
July 24, 2022 at 3:00 am
That’s so badass
Twuan Dixon
July 25, 2022 at 11:24 am
I love black history until you apply the woke idiocy.