Sometimes, we come across the term "Antebellum". Since it was not always clear to me exactly what the term meant, I thought maybe others may have been like myself. So, here is the definition of "Antebellum":

Antebellum

: Occurring or existing before a particular war. esp. the U.S. Civil War.

The U.S. Civil War started in 1861. So, anything before then was

Antebellum

.

I think this helps us keep African American History in perspective by understanding the terms that are used to explain different events in United States history.