The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) has long been at the forefront of revealing the hidden history of racial injustice in America, and its A History of Racial Injustice project is central to this mission. What began as an award-winning wall calendar to highlight overlooked historical events has evolved into a digital platform and a series of investigative articles and films exposing America’s painful history of racial violence and discrimination.
The journey began in 2013 with the creation of the History of Racial Injustice calendar. EJI’s team researched and wrote historical entries for every day of the year, detailing events and people who were critical to America’s racial history but rarely featured in mainstream discussions. Over the years, the calendar became an invaluable resource in classrooms, community centers, and homes, helping to foster learning and spark meaningful conversations.
EJI’s commitment to educating the public continued to grow, and in 2019, it launched a digital version of the calendar. This digital experience featured multimedia elements—images, videos, and extended essays—that enhanced the calendar’s content, making it more interactive and accessible. Expanding to an online platform provided new avenues for reaching people eager to learn about the overlooked events that shaped Black communities and continue to influence today’s racial dynamics.
In 2024, EJI took the project even further by launching a ten-part series of investigative articles and short films. This series delves deep into some of the most haunting and underreported stories from the calendar. One such story, The Kiss, explores the 1958 arrest and brutal punishment of two young Black boys, David “Fuzzy” Simpson and James Hanover Thompson after a white girl kissed them on the cheek during an innocent game. This terrifying story is one of many that EJI has worked tirelessly to unearth. In addition to the article, a powerful 2-minute animation further brings this forgotten history to life.
The History of Racial Injustice is more than just an exploration of the past—it is a call to action. As Bryan Stevenson, EJI’s executive director, said, “Understanding the history of America and the experience of Black people is critical to creating a future that is unburdened by inequality, injustice and unfairness. Knowledge of the past empowers a more informed and just future.” These words resonate deeply as America continues to grapple with the ongoing struggles against racial injustice.
These narratives are often excluded from textbooks or diluted in mainstream accounts of American history. Yet, they are essential for understanding the historical context of racial injustice and its ongoing effects on Black communities. It is equally vital for the broader public to engage with these truths to help dismantle the systems that perpetuate inequality. It compels us to confront these truths and begin to reckon with their lasting impact. Over the next month, Essence will share four stories from EJI’s series. These stories serve as a powerful reminder of why it’s crucial to continue learning, discussing, and striving toward justice. Essence remains committed to amplifying voices often overlooked in race and justice discussions.
By sharing these stories from EJI’s series, we hope to spark important conversations and provoke deep reflection among our readers, especially during these fraught times, when there are deliberate attempts to ban this history, erase its truths, and deny the enduring impact of racial injustice on Black communities.
The History of Racial Injustice series is not merely a collection of historical facts; it is a testament to the resilience of Black Americans throughout history. From the tragic Wilmington Massacre of 1898, when a white mob murdered dozens of Black citizens, to The Kiss in 1958 when two young Black boys were wrongfully arrested after a white girl kissed them as part of a children’s game, this series paints a comprehensive picture of the injustices that have persisted for far too long. Through its continued exploration of these events, EJI aims to educate the public and challenge them to confront these uncomfortable truths in order to work toward a more just and inclusive society.
Stay tuned each week over the next month as ESSENCE shares four stories from this crucial series.