Events

Henry Armstrong's Fight Against Discrimination Archives Online Exhibit

February 2025

Celebrate Black History Month with this special online exhibit of the California State Archives. According to Governor Gavin Newsom’s Black History Month proclamation, this is an opportunity to “pay homage to the rich history and contributions of Black Americans who have shaped our state and nation in countless ways through centuries of struggle and triumph.” This exhibit is drawn from the historic records of the State Athletic Commission of the California Dept. of Consumer Affairs held by the California State Archives, a Division of the Secretary of State’s Office. These records tell the story of Henry Armstrong (1912-1988), one of the greatest boxers of all time, who faced a potential lifetime boxing ban in California in 1940 due to his protesting against racial discrimination.