Concentrating on the tumultuous years of the Civil War and the difficult Reconstruction period that followed, this book and accompanying CD recount, like no others, the African American experience through contemporaneous documents, diaries, visuals, and texts. These primary sources provide insight into the public and private worlds of those who came before us and shaped the United States of America. The documents make clear the importance of race in the formation of a common American culture. They pay tribute to the strength, endurance, creativity, and contributions of those often ignored in conventional textbooks. Our New Day Begun offers an inclusive American history, revealing the interracial, multicultural heritage that became the foundation of our nation.

• context essays written by scholars in African American history
• lesson plans written largely by teachers for teachers
• a glossary
• an accompanying CD, featuring all the primary source materials, plus supplementary materials, a chronology of events, an annotated bibliography, and recordings of music.

The system requirements for the CD are:

Macintosh
PowerPC Processor
System 8 (or higher)
64MB RAM (more recommended)
SVGA Color Display (or better)
8x CD-ROM Drive (or faster)