Organizations and Projects
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
The ACLU is the nation's largest public interest law firm, with a 50-state network of staffed, autonomous affiliate offices. The ACLU is non-profit, non-partisan, and does not receive any government funding.
BlackPast
BlackPast is an online reference center which makes available a wealth of materials on African American History. The site includes over 4,000 entries, 300 full text speeches, 140 primary source documents, a listing of African American museums and research centers and more.
Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CBMA)
CBMA is a national membership network that seeks to ensure the growth, sustainability, and impact of leaders and organizations committed to improving the life outcomes of Black men and boys.
Candid: Funding for Racial Equity
IssueLab by Candid: Race and Policing
Black Male Achievement See also Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CBMA)
Candid believes putting an end to systemic racism here and around the world is going to require nonprofits and foundations to step up like never before. Driven by Candid’s core values, Candid is sharing continuously updated data and insight on race and policing, black male achievement, and racial equity. Candid was created in February 2019 when Foundation Center and GuideStar joined forces.
Center for Policing Equity
A research and action think tank aiming to reduce the causes of racial disparities in law enforcement. Using evidence-based approaches to social justice, the center uses data to create levers for social, cultural and policy change. CPE partners with law enforcement agencies across the country and is based at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Racism, Inequality, and Health Care for African Americans, by Jamila Taylor, 12/19/2019.
The Century Foundation (TCF) is a progressive, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to foster opportunity, reduce inequality, and promote security at home and abroad.
EJI works to end mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and racial inequality. It is a nonprofit organization that provides legal representation to people who have been illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in state jails and prisons. EJI was founded in 1989 by Bryan Stevenson, a widely acclaimed public interest lawyer and bestselling author of Just Mercy.
Everyday Democracy
Everyday Democracy’s work helps communities move conversation into action and action into lasting positive change. They provide discussion guides, how-to handbooks, trainings, coaching and other resources to help you create a more democratic and inclusive community. Everyday Democracy is located in Hartford and is a project of the Paul J. Aicher Foundation.
Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE)
GARE is a national network of government working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. It is a joint project of Race Forward and the Othering and Belonging Institute.
Live Free
Live Free Campaign is working to end gun violence and mass incarceration through congregations across the United States.
MacArthur Foundation: Safety and Justice Challenge
Safety and Justice Challenge is an initiative to address the issue of disparities in the incarceration of African American men. Jurisdictions participating in the Challenge will develop and demonstrate alternatives to incarceration as usual, creating models for safely reducing unnecessary jail use to make communities healthier, fairer, and safer. The initiative is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
National Museum of African American History and Culture
The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is a place where all Americans can learn about the richness and diversity of the African American experience, what it means to their lives, and how it helped us shape this nation. NMAAHC is a Smithsonian Institution museum located in Washington, D.C.
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice.
Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center, April 2019, “Race in America 2019”
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
In 2017, Race Forward merged with the Center for Social Inclusion (CSI) and became the new Race Forward. Race Forward is a national organization that advances racial justice through research, media and practice. It also publishes Colorlines, a daily news site where race matters.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
Digital Schomburg
Relying on the expertise of distinguished curators and scholars, Digital Schomburg provides access to trusted information, interpretation, and scholarship on the global black experience. Find video streams, podcasts, oral histories, exhibitions, books, images, and more. The Schomburg Center is a research division of the New York Public Library.
Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is led by a team of civil rights lawyers and is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. It employs a three-pronged strategy to battle racial and social injustice: fighting hate, teaching tolerance, and seeking justice.
Whiteness Project
The Whiteness Project is an interactive investigation into how Americans who identify as “white” experience their race. The project is produced in association with American Documentary’s broadcast series POV. American Documentary is a national nonprofit media arts organization.
Additional Resources
"African American Organizations to Know" An article from Diversity Best Practices a division of Working Mother Media, June 27, 2016 and updated as of February 2020.
Race Equity and Inclusion Action Guide: Embracing Equity: 7 Steps to Advance and Embed Race Equity and Inclusion Within Your Organization, Annie E. Casey Foundation, c2014.
This 16 page guide was written in partnership with Terry Keleher, thought leadership and practice specialist at Race Forward: The Center for Racial Justice Innovations and uses tools he developed, in addition to tools developed by the Foundation. Thought partnership and technical assistance provided by PolicyLink and Race Matters Institute, a project of Just Partners, Inc. It includes a page of core concepts and definitions.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation is devoted to developing a brighter future for millions of children at risk of poor educational, economic, social and health outcomes.
Racial Equity Tools Glossary
Racial Equity Tools is designed to support individuals and groups working to achieve racial equity. This site offers tools, research, tips, curricula and ideas for people who want to increase their own understanding and to help those working toward justice at every level – in systems, organizations, communities and the culture at large.
Connecticut Resources
ACLU of Connecticut
The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut is a nonpartisan, non-profit membership organization that defends, promotes and preserves individual rights and liberties under the U.S. and Connecticut constitutions in state and federal court, the General Assembly and the state’s 169 towns and cities.
An Act Concerning Hate Crimes - Public Act 17-111
This act, which became effective October 1, 2017, made several changes to the state's hate crime laws, including modifying the elements of some of these crimes, broadening the protected classes, and enhancing certain penalties.
Connecticut Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparity in the Criminal Justice System
Biennial Report 2017-2018
The Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparity in the Criminal Justice System was created by the Connecticut state legislature in 2000. The stated purpose was “to establish a commission dedicated to eliminating racial and ethnic disparity in the criminal justice system.” During the 2015 legislative session, the Commission’s membership and charge were slightly modified with the passage of Public Act 15-109.
Connecticut Town Profiles, provided by AdvanceCT, contain demographic and economic information for each of Connecticut's towns and municipalities. AdvanceCT is a nonprofit organization that works to engage, retain and recruit businesses and advance overall economic competitiveness in Connecticut and works in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). Originally established in 1993 as the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. (CERC), the economic development entity changed its name to AdvanceCT in 2020.
National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ)
NCCJ is a human relations organization located in Windsor that promotes inclusion and acceptance by providing education and advocacy while building communities that are respectful and just for all. NCCJ provides highly regarded programs, conferences, public forums and dialogues for adult and youth audiences throughout Connecticut and Western Massachusetts.
University of Connecticut Resources
Africana Studies Subject Guide, UConn Library
This guide highlights websites, books, journals and other scholarly sources useful to those studying African American Studies.
Local Resources
Fairfield County Community Wellbeing Index
The Fairfield County Community Wellbeing Index measures social progress, economic opportunity, and well-being in Fairfield County neighborhoods. The Index is a core community indicators program of DataHaven, produced in partnership with Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, and is a collaborative Community Health Needs Assessment for the towns served by Bridgeport Hospital, Danbury Hospital, Greenwich Hospital, Norwalk Hospital, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, and Stamford Hospital.
Ridgefield Town Profile (2019)
Connecticut Town Profiles contain demographic and economic information and are provided by AdvanceCT.
Federal Government Resources
Federal Government Resources
U.S. Census Bureau
Census Data
The Census Bureau is the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy. Search Census data using "race" or "Black" or African American".
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (OCR)
Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC)
The Civil Rights Data Collection is a biennial survey of public schools required by OCR since 1968. It includes information about the enrollment of, and educational services to students in public schools in every state by race/ethnicity, sex, and disability.
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
U.S. Dept. of Justice Hate Crimes
U.S. Dept. of Justice Hate Crimes: Learn About Hate Crimes
U.S. Dept. of Justice Hate Crimes: Resources
U.S. Dept. of Justice Hate Crimes: Prevention
U.S. Dept. of Justice: Get Help Now (how to report a hate crime)
Combating hate crimes is one of the Department of Justice's highest priorities. In this effort to fight bias and hate, the DOJ created a website as a centralized portal for all its hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other interested organizations and individuals. Use these resources to learn more about hate crimes, encourage hate crime reporting, and make America safer for all.
African American News Sites
BlackPressUSA
BlackPressUSA is the news site of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPPA), the trade association for America’s Black Press & media. It is a project of the Black Press Institute, a partnership between the National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation and Howard University. It is the only national website featuring news exclusively from African-American journalists and Black community publications.
Colorlines
Colorlines is a daily news site where race matters, featuring award-winning in-depth reporting, news analysis, opinion, and curation. Colorlines is published by Race Forward a national organization that advances racial justice through research, media, and practice.
New York Amsterdam News (New York City)
Amsterdam News is the oldest Black newspaper in the country that offers the "New Black View" within local, national and international news for the Black community. It is one of the most influential Black-owned and -operated media businesses in the nation, if not the world.
