On the first day of 1947, drummer Art Blakey laid the foundation for what would become one of the most iconic jazz groups of all time: The Jazz... Continue →
On this day, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all enslaved people in Confederate states to be free. However,... Continue →
Omega Psi Phi, the first international fraternal organization founded on the campus of a historically Black college, was incorporated on this day.... Continue →
On this day, C. W. Allen invented the self-leveling table, an innovative device designed to maintain a level surface regardless of movement. He was... Continue →
William Monroe Trotter, a Harvard-educated activist and outspoken advocate for civil rights, launched The Guardian as a platform to challenge racial... Continue →
A law took effect in Arkansas prohibiting the employment of free Black individuals on boats and ships navigating the state's rivers. This legislation... Continue →
The first celebration of Kwanzaa, created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966, concluded on January 1 with "Imani," the seventh principle of the Nguzo... Continue →
Lola Falana, an American singer, dancer, and actress, was born in Camden, New Jersey. Known as the "First Lady of Las Vegas," Falana broke barriers... Continue →
Kofi Annan began his term as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, making history as the first Black person and the first sub-Saharan... Continue →
On January 1, 1960, Cameroon gained independence from France, becoming the Republic of Cameroon. This marked a significant moment in the broader wave... Continue →
On January 1, 1956, Sudan officially declared its independence from joint British-Egyptian rule. The event marked the emergence of Sudan as a... Continue →
On January 1, 1808, the African Benevolent Society for Education was founded in New York City. Created by free African Americans, the society aimed... Continue →
On this day, a federal law went into effect prohibiting the importation of enslaved Africans into the United States. While slavery itself remained... Continue →
James Meredith became the first Black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi, marking a significant milestone in the American Civil... Continue →
On this day in 1961, James B. Parsons made history as the first African American appointed to a lifetime position on the federal bench in the United... Continue →
Sharon Pratt Dixon was sworn in as mayor of the District of Columbia. Dixon succeeded Marion Barry who was convicted of cocaine possession in the... Continue →
Oprah Winfrey, one of the most influential media moguls in history, was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Overcoming a challenging childhood marked by... Continue →
On this date in 1990, David Norman Dinkins officially began his tenure as the 106th mayor of New York City, making history as the city's first... Continue →
On this date in 1977, Erroll Garner passed away. He was an influential jazz pianist and composer, best known for his timeless jazz standard "Misty."... Continue →
On this date in 1977, Ellis Wilson, an influential African American painter, passed away on January 2, 1977. Born in 1899 in Mayfield, Kentucky,... Continue →
On this date in 1970, Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, a prominent educator, minister, and civil rights leader, was named president of the Atlanta Board of... Continue →
On this date in 1970, Clifton Reginald Wharton Jr. made history on January 2, 1970, when he became the president of Michigan State University (MSU).... Continue →
On this date in 1968, actor Cuba Gooding Jr. was born on January 2, 1968, in The Bronx, New York. He is an Academy Award-winning actor best known for... Continue →
On this date in 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) launched a voter registration drive in... Continue →
On this date in 1915, Historian John Hope Franklin was born. He was a highly influential historian, scholar, and educator, best known for his work on... Continue →
On this date in 1898, Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander was born on, in Philadelphia, PA, and she made history as a trailblazing African American woman... Continue →
On this date in 1872, the Mississippi Legislature convened, and John R. Lynch, at the age of 24, was elected Speaker of the Mississippi House of... Continue →
Organized by Daniel Rudd, a Black Catholic journalist and activist, the Congress brought together over 100 Black Catholic men from across the United... Continue →
On this day, free Black residents of Philadelphia, led by Reverend Absalom Jones and joined by 70 other free Black men, submitted a historic petition... Continue →
Bryant Gumble resigns after 15 years as host of NBC's Today Show
On this date in 1989, The Arsenio Hall Show premiered, making history as the first regularly scheduled nightly talk show to be hosted by an African... Continue →
On this date in 1984, Rev. Jesse Jackson successfully negotiated the release of U.S. Navy Lt. Robert Goodman, a pilot who had been shot down over... Continue →
On this date in 1969, Louis Stokes made history when he was sworn in as the first African American congressman from Ohio. He represented Ohio's 21st... Continue →
On this date in 1969, Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was seated by Congress after a long political battle. Powell, a Democratic congressman from... Continue →
On this date in 1966, Floyd B. McKissick, a civil rights attorney from North Carolina, was named the national director of the Congress of Racial... Continue →
On this date in 1966, Sammy Younge Jr. was a 21-year-old civil rights activist and a student at Tuskegee Institute who was tragically shot and killed... Continue →
On this date in 1961, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was elected Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, making him one of the most powerful... Continue →
On this date in 1947, the **NAACP's 1947 report** highlighted the extreme racial violence that African Americans, particularly returning Black... Continue →
On this date in 1947, Congressman William L. Dawson of Illinois made history as the first African American to chair a standing committee of the U.S.... Continue →
On this date in 1947, the total population of the United States was approximately 150,697,361. The Black population was about 15,042,286, making up... Continue →
On this date in 1621, First African American, William Tucker, born. William Tucker is recognized as the first recorded African American born in the... Continue →
Congressman William H. Gray is elected chairman of the House Budget Committee, the highest congressional post held by an African American.
Prince Hall, founder of the first African American Masonic lodge petitioned the Massachusetts legislature for fund to return to Africa. The plan is... Continue →
Nearly 1,500 African American students in Selma, Alabama, boycotted classes to protest the dismissal of Norward Rousell, the city's first Black... Continue →
Patrick Kelly, an acclaimed fashion designer and a native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, passed away in Paris at the age of 35. Known for his bold,... Continue →
Renowned African American soprano Leontyne Price gave her final performance at the Metropolitan Opera, singing the title role in Aida. Her farewell... Continue →
Dr. Melvin H. Evans was inaugurated as the first elected governor of the United States Virgin Islands on January 4, 1971. Prior to his election,... Continue →
On this date, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) was officially organized by 13 African American members of the United States House of... Continue →
Archie A. Alexander, architectural engineer and former governor of the Virgin Islands, died on this day in 1958 at the age of 69. He had been... Continue →
William Levi Dawson was elected as a United States Representative from Illinois on November 3, 1942, and began his congressional service on January... Continue →
Floyd Patterson, the first Olympic gold medalist to become a world heavyweight boxing champion, was born in Waco, North Carolina. Known for his speed... Continue →
On this day, Andrew “Rube” Foster, a former player, manager, and executive, established the Negro National League (NNL), the first successful,... Continue →
C.L.R. James, a Trinidadian historian, journalist, and socialist, was born on this day. He is best known for his influential work The Black Jacobins... Continue →
On January 5, 1943, George Washington Carver Day was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt following Carver’s death. This day honors the... Continue →
William H. Hastie, the first African American to serve as a civilian aide to the U.S. Secretary of War, resigned his position to protest the ongoing... Continue →
Alvin Ailey, born on January 5, 1931, in Rogers, Texas, was a seminal American dancer, choreographer, and activist. His early experiences in the... Continue →
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. was founded at Indiana University by Elder W. Diggs, Bryan K. Armstrong, John M. Lee, Harvey T. Asher, Marcus P.... Continue →
Amidst a wave of violence and political unrest aimed at suppressing Black voters and Republican officials during Reconstruction, President Ulysses S.... Continue →
The Ohio legislature passed the first in a series of "Black Laws" designed to restrict the rights and movement of free Black people in the North.... Continue →
The Peabody Fund was established by philanthropist George Peabody to support education in the post-Civil War Southern United States, particularly for... Continue →
Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of 14-year-old Emmett Till—whose brutal lynching in 1955 became a catalyst for the American civil rights... Continue →
Legendary jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie passed away at age 75. A key figure in the development of bebop and... Continue →
On January 6, 1971, Cecil A. Partee was elected President Pro Tempore of the Illinois State Senate, becoming the first African American to hold this... Continue →
John Singleton, acclaimed director and screenwriter, was born in Los Angeles, California. He is best known for his groundbreaking 1991 film Boyz n... Continue →
In Rock Hill, South Carolina, nine African American students from Friendship Junior College were arrested for a sit-in at a segregated lunch counter.... Continue →
On this day, Congressman Robert Brown Elliott delivered one of the most powerful and eloquent speeches in defense of Senator Charles Sumner’s civil... Continue →
The New England Anti-Slavery Society was organized at the African Baptist Church on Boston’s Beacon Hill. Led by William Lloyd Garrison, the... Continue →
In Boston, Massachusetts, abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison released the first issue of The Liberator, an anti-slavery newspaper that would become... Continue →
The first organized emigration to Africa begins as 86 free African Americans depart New York Harbor aboard the Mayflower of Liberia. Their... Continue →
On this day, a group of enslaved Black men in Massachusetts submitted a petition to the colonial legislature, seeking their freedom. Citing natural... Continue →
Michael Griffith, a 23-year-old African-American man, was chased by a group of white teenagers in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens, New York.... Continue →
African American inventor William B. Purvis was granted U.S. Patent No. 419,065 for improvements to the fountain pen. His design helped regulate ink... Continue →
Breaking significant racial and gender barriers, Shirley Franklin took office as the 58th mayor of Atlanta. Her election marked a historic moment as... Continue →
On this day, Marian Anderson became the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She appeared as Ulrica in... Continue →
On this day, Yale University opened the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection of African American Arts and Letters at the Beinecke Rare Book &... Continue →
Zora Neale Hurston, an influential African American author, anthropologist, and filmmaker, was born in Notasulga, Alabama. Best known for her novel... Continue →
On January 7, 1868, the Mississippi Constitutional Convention convened in Jackson, Mississippi, as part of the Reconstruction efforts following the... Continue →
The Arkansas constitutional convention convened in Little Rock with a racially mixed delegation—eight Black and forty-three white delegates. This... Continue →
Celebrated on January 7 by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, Genna marks the birth of Jesus Christ according to the Julian calendar. Rich in tradition,... Continue →
The original lawsuit was filed in 1952 by John Hall and supported by the NAACP, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education... Continue →
On this day in 1875, William P. Powell, an African American entrepreneur and civic leader, founded the city of Centerville in California. Amidst the... Continue →
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denied the license renewal application of the Alabama Educational Television Commission due to persistent... Continue →
Colonel Charles Young, the first African American to reach the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army, passed away on this day. A trailblazer and military... Continue →
The African National Congress (ANC) was established in Bloemfontein, South Africa, to unite African people and spearhead the struggle for political,... Continue →
Congress passed legislation granting African American men the right to vote in the District of Columbia, overriding President Andrew Johnson's veto.... Continue →
Fannie M. Jackson (later Coppin), a trailblazing educator and missionary, was born. In 1865, she became the first African American woman to graduate... Continue →
The final major battle of the War of 1812 was fought between American forces, led by General Andrew Jackson, and the British Army. Among Jackson’s... Continue →
On this day, U.S. federal troops and local militias suppressed the 1811 German Coast Uprising in Louisiana, one of the largest slave revolts in U.S.... Continue →
Charles Deslondes, a free man of color from Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti), led one of the largest slave revolts in U.S. history in the Territory... Continue →
Time, Inc. agrees to sell NYT Cable for $420 million, to a group led by J. Bruce Llewellyn, the largest cable TV acquisition by an African American.... Continue →
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by three African American students: A. Langston Taylor, Leonard... Continue →
After months of resistance, the Georgia House of Representatives, facing mounting legal pressure and national scrutiny, finally voted to seat Julian... Continue →
Renowned poet Countee Cullen, a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance, passed away on this day. Known for works such as Color and Copper Sun,... Continue →
Earl Gilbert Graves Sr. (January 9, 1935 – April 6, 2020) was an influential American entrepreneur, publisher, and advocate for African American... Continue →
Ahmed Sékou Touré, the first President of Guinea, was born on this day. A key figure in the African independence movement, Touré led Guinea to... Continue →
Edward Mitchell Bannister, a celebrated African American painter known for his pastoral landscapes and seascapes, died on this day. Bannister was a... Continue →
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was founded in New Orleans, Louisiana by a group of prominent ministers including Dr. Martin... Continue →
Baseball great Willie Lee McCovey was born in Mobile, Alabama. McCovey joined the San Francisco Giants in 1959 and quickly made an impact, earning... Continue →
Frank Holoman, born on July 10, 1934, in McCaskill, Arkansas, was elected to the California State Assembly in 1972, representing the Los Angeles area... Continue →
On this day, Julian Bond, a founding member and communications director of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), was denied his seat... Continue →
On this day, Adelbert H. Roberts became the first African American to serve in the Illinois General Assembly in at least twenty-five years. His... Continue →
Max Roach, one of the most influential drummers in jazz history, was born on this day in Newland, North Carolina. A key figure in the development of... Continue →
Dean Dixon was born on this day in Harlem, New York. A trailblazing African American conductor, Dixon faced racial barriers in the U.S., prompting... Continue →
A.B. Blackburn was granted U.S. Patent No. 376,362 for an innovative railway signal on this day in 1888. His invention contributed to improved... Continue →
On this day, the Georgia state legislature reconvened and readmitted Black representatives and senators who had been wrongfully expelled in 1868.... Continue →
The Georgia Equal Rights Association was organized in Augusta, Georgia, becoming the first statewide political organization for African Americans in... Continue →
George Washington Carver, a pioneering Black scientist, inventor, and agricultural chemist, was born into slavery in Diamond, Missouri. He became... Continue →
In Philadelphia, Black community members gathered at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church to protest the American Colonization Society’s... Continue →
James Varick, the first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) Church, was born on this day. A pioneer of religious independence... Continue →
With the Confederacy facing imminent defeat and suffering from severe troop shortages, General Robert E. Lee proposed the use of enslaved African... Continue →
On this day, scientists publicly announced findings supporting the theory of Mitochondrial Eve, a woman who lived in Africa around 150,000 to 200,000... Continue →
Reuben V. Anderson was appointed as a judge on the Mississippi Supreme Court, becoming the first African American to serve on the state's highest... Continue →
Mary J. Blige, widely known as the "Queen of Hip Hop Soul," was born in the Bronx, New York. Blige revolutionized R&B by blending soulful vocals... Continue →
On this day, David Ruffin officially began performing with The Temptations, marking a turning point in the group's history. Known for his powerful... Continue →
A violent riot erupted at the University of Georgia after the admission of its first two Black students, Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes. The... Continue →
Charles W. Anderson Jr. became the first African American elected to the Kentucky General Assembly in the 20th century. Representing Louisville, his... Continue →
William D. McCoy, an African American diplomat from Indiana, was appointed as the United States Minister (a role akin to ambassador) to Liberia. His... Continue →
Out of 106 representatives, 31 were Black. Additionally, 5 of the 33 senators were Black. This marked a significant moment in the Reconstruction Era,... Continue →
On this day, thirteen African American members of the U.S. House of Representatives formally organized the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). The... Continue →
Lorraine Hansberry, acclaimed author and playwright, passed away at the age of 34. She was best known for A Raisin in the Sun (1959), the first play... Continue →
Jacques Dominique Wilkins, Hall of Fame basketball player, was born in Paris, France. Known for his scoring ability and highlight-reel dunks, Wilkins... Continue →
On this day, the University of Tennessee admitted its first Black student, marking a pivotal moment in the desegregation of higher education in the... Continue →
On this day, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Sipuel v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma that states must provide equal... Continue →
Joe Frazier, Olympic gold medalist and heavyweight boxing champion, was born in Beaufort, South Carolina. Known for his relentless fighting style and... Continue →
Born in Marshall, Texas, James Farmer was a key figure in the American civil rights movement. He co-founded the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE),... Continue →
Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, a prominent educator and minister, was born on this day in Paris, Tennessee. He became the first Black president of Howard... Continue →
Michael Jordan announces his second retirement from the NBA, stepping away from what was widely regarded as the most illustrious career in... Continue →
Charity Adams Earley, the first Black woman commissioned as an officer in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) and commander of the only... Continue →
On this day, Vernon Baker, a U.S. Army lieutenant and World War II veteran, was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton. Baker was one... Continue →
Wilder, a Democrat and former lieutenant governor, won the Virginia gubernatorial race by just 7,000 votes. His election was especially significant... Continue →
Sterling Allen Brown, a renowned poet, folklorist, and literary critic, passed away on this day. Born in 1901, Brown was a leading figure of the... Continue →
Arizona Governor Evan Mecham rescinded a gubernatorial decree by former Governor Bruce Babbitt that had established Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday... Continue →
A commemorative stamp honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is issued by the U.S. Postal Service as part of the Black Heritage USA... Continue →
Robert C. Weaver made history as the first Black person appointed to a United States presidential cabinet when President Lyndon B. Johnson named him... Continue →
On January 13, 1953, Don Barksdale made history as the first Black player to participate in an NBA All-Star Game. A trailblazing athlete and former... Continue →
On this day, Benjamin Lawson Hooks was born in Memphis, Tennessee. A tireless advocate for civil rights, Hooks became one of the most influential... Continue →
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Howard University by 22 collegiate women committed to public service, with a primary... Continue →
On this day, P.B.S. Pinchback, the first African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state, formally stepped down from his role as governor of... Continue →
The Colored National Labor Union (CNLU) convened its first national meeting in Washington, D.C. Founded by Isaac Myers, the CNLU became the first... Continue →
On this day, Lawrence Douglas Wilder was sworn in as Governor of Virginia, becoming the first African American elected as governor of a U.S. state.... Continue →
James Frank, then president of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, was installed as the first African American president of the National... Continue →
William T. Coleman was named Secretary of Transportation by President Gerald R. Ford, becoming the second African American to serve in a... Continue →
On January 14, 1972, the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son premiered, quickly becoming a hit. The show portrayed the comedic relationship between an... Continue →
Carl Weathers was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known for his role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky film series. A former professional... Continue →
Harvey B. Gantt, born on this day in 1943, became the first African American student to enroll at Clemson University in South Carolina in 1963. He... Continue →
Julian Bond, an influential civil rights leader, legislator, and co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), was born in... Continue →
On this day, renowned biologist Dr. Ernest E. Just was elected Vice President of the American Society of Zoologists. A pioneer in the field of cell... Continue →
John Oliver Killens, an influential African American novelist, was born on this day in Macon, Georgia. Killens was a co-founder of the Harlem Writers... Continue →
On this day, African Americans organized the National Steamboat Company in Washington, D.C. The company operated the "George Leary," a luxury... Continue →
Isaac D. Shadd was elected Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives on January 14, 1874. Born in 1837 in Delaware, Shadd was a prominent... Continue →
On this day in 1873, P.B.S. Pinchback, the first African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state (Louisiana), was elected to the U.S. Senate.... Continue →
The South Carolina constitutional convention convened in Charleston, becoming the first official legislative assembly in the Western world with a... Continue →
On this day, North Carolina's constitutional convention convened in Raleigh, marking a significant step during the Reconstruction Era. Of the 133... Continue →
Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most influential leaders in the American civil rights movement, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He is best known for... Continue →
Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, the nearby crypt containing the remains of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his boyhood home are dedicated as part... Continue →
On January 15, 1961, The Supremes officially signed with Motown Records, marking the beginning of one of the most successful careers in music... Continue →
More than 4,000 delegates representing 100 national organizations gathered in Washington, D.C., for the National Emergency Civil Rights Conference.... Continue →
Yancey Williams, a student at Howard University, filed a lawsuit in federal court demanding that the secretary of war and other U.S. government... Continue →
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the first historically Black Greek-letter sorority, was founded on this date at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by... Continue →
A division of Black soldiers under the command of Major General Charles Paine participated in the successful Union assault on Fort Fisher, North... Continue →
On this day, the Bahamas installed its first Black government, a milestone in the nation’s progress toward independence. This political shift... Continue →
Richard Parsons, then CEO of AOL Time Warner, was selected to become the company’s next chairman. This made him one of the most powerful African... Continue →
A bronze bust of Martin Luther King, Jr. becomes the first of any Black American to be placed in the U.S. Capitol. Just five days later, on January... Continue →
NASA announces the selection of three Black astronauts—Maj. Frederick D. Gregory, Maj. Guion S. Bluford, and Dr. Ronald McNair. This historic... Continue →
On this day, boxing legend Muhammad Ali was honored as the Associated Press Athlete of the Year. Known for his unmatched skill in the ring and his... Continue →
Lucius D. Amerson was sworn in as sheriff of Macon County, Alabama, becoming the first Black sheriff in the Southern United States in the twentieth... Continue →
On this day, Harold R. Perry was consecrated as a bishop, becoming the second Black Roman Catholic bishop in U.S. history and the first to serve in... Continue →
A federal lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court accusing the New York City Board of Education of using “racial quotas” in a way that... Continue →
Debbie Allen, an acclaimed African American dancer, choreographer, actress, and television producer, was born in Houston, Texas. Known for her... Continue →
The 99th Pursuit Squadron, the first all-African American flying unit in the U.S. Army Air Corps, is officially formed. This marks the beginning of... Continue →
The U.S. War Department announced the formation of the first Army Air Corps squadron for Black cadets, marking a significant step toward racial... Continue →
On January 16, 1941, Dr. Charles Richard Drew, an African American physician and medical researcher, helped establish one of the first large-scale... Continue →
Benny Goodman led a groundbreaking jazz concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City, considered one of the first serious jazz performances in that... Continue →
Eartha Kitt, an iconic singer, actress, and activist, was born in North, South Carolina. Known for her distinctive voice and dynamic performances,... Continue →
Hiram Rhodes Revels, the first African American to serve in the United States Senate, died in Aberdeen, Mississippi at the age of 73. He was elected... Continue →
Jefferson F. Long of Georgia was sworn in as the second Black Congressman in U.S. history. He was also the first Black man to speak on the floor of... Continue →
Union General William T. Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15, which set aside a strip of coastal land from Charleston, South Carolina, to the... Continue →
The Continental Congress officially approved General George Washington’s decision to allow the enlistment of free Black men into the Continental... Continue →
The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) of South Africa officially suspended its armed campaign against the apartheid government led by President F.W. de... Continue →
January 17, 1992 – Jimi Hendrix Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, known for his revolutionary... Continue →
Muhammad Ali(Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr), 57 former heavyweight champion boxer. Born Lousivlle, Ky. Jan,17, 1942.
Paul Cuffee, a successful African American shipowner, merchant, and advocate for the emigration of free Black people to Africa, was born on this day.... Continue →
On January 17, 1996, Barbara Charline Jordan passed away. Born on February 21, 1936, in Houston, Texas, Jordan broke multiple barriers throughout her... Continue →
On January 17, 1978, Dr. Ronald McNair was selected by NASA as one of 35 candidates for the astronaut program, becoming one of the first African... Continue →
John M. Burgess was installed as bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, making him the first African American diocesan bishop... Continue →
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. opened his campaign in Chicago on January 17, 1966, marking the beginning of the Chicago Freedom Movement. This initiative... Continue →
James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Tate County, Mississippi. Known for his distinctive voice and powerful performances, his film credits include... Continue →
Lawrence Douglas Wilder, the first African American to be elected governor of a U.S. state, was born on this day in Richmond, Virginia. A member of... Continue →
Jewel Plummer Cobb, a pioneering cancer research biologist and the first African American woman to serve as president in the California State... Continue →
The Third Pan-African Congress convened its first and second sessions on this day in London. Organized by W.E.B. Du Bois and other leading figures,... Continue →
On January 17, 1923, a report revealed that twenty-nine Black individuals were lynched in the United States during the year 1923. This grim statistic... Continue →
George Washington Carver, head of the department of research at Tuskegee Institute, received the NAACP's Spingarn Medal for his groundbreaking... Continue →
On this day, the United States officially succeeded Denmark as the sovereign authority in the Virgin Islands, marking a major shift in the region's... Continue →
Armed white Democrats forcibly seized control of the Texas state government, effectively ending Radical Reconstruction in the state. This marked a... Continue →
On January 18, 1981, Grant Fuhr became the first Black player to be drafted in the first round of the National Hockey League (NHL) Draft. Selected by... Continue →
On September 16, 1928, a devastating hurricane struck Palm Beach County, Florida. Known as the Okeechobee Hurricane or the Storm of '28, it caused... Continue →
"The Jeffersons" premiered as one of the first American sitcoms centered on an African-American family. A spin-off from "All in the Family," the show... Continue →
Robert C. Weaver made history when he was sworn in as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under President Lyndon B. Johnson. This... Continue →
Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was temporarily closed after student demonstrations erupted in protest of the expulsion of classmates... Continue →
Congressman William L. Dawson of Illinois was elected chairman of the House Expenditures Committee, becoming the first African American to lead a... Continue →
Daniel Hale Williams, the pioneering African American surgeon who performed one of the first successful open-heart surgeries in the United States, is... Continue →
On this day, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) honored diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ralph Bunche by naming a campus... Continue →
John H. Johnson, the trailblazing African American entrepreneur and publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines, was born on this day in Arkansas City,... Continue →
Colin Luther Powell is sworn in by President George W. Bush as Secretary of State. He becomes the first Black person in U.S. history to hold this... Continue →
Cheryl Mills, serving as White House Deputy Counsel, makes history as the first Black person to argue a case before a U.S. Senate impeachment hearing... Continue →
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., with support from Robert Samuel Taylor of Phi Beta... Continue →
On this day in 1997, former Major League Baseball outfielder Curt Flood passed away at the age of 59. Flood famously challenged baseball’s reserve... Continue →
Celebrated poet and author Maya Angelou became the second poet in U.S. history to recite at a presidential inauguration. She delivered her poem "On... Continue →
On this day, the United States observed the first national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The holiday, signed into law in 1983,... Continue →
Josh Gibson, one of the greatest power hitters in baseball history and a Negro League superstar, died on this day in 1947. Known as the "Black Babe... Continue →
Barbara Jordan, a pioneering American politician, was born in Houston, Texas. She became the first African American woman elected to the Texas Senate... Continue →
On this day, Congressman George H. White, a Republican from North Carolina and the last African American in Congress at the time, introduced a bill... Continue →
Eva Jessye was born in Coffeyville, Kansas. A pioneering African American choral director, she gained fame for her role as the choral director for... Continue →
Hiram R. Revels was elected to the United States Senate by the Mississippi state legislature, becoming the first Black person to serve in the U.S.... Continue →
The Florida Constitutional Convention met in Tallahassee, including eighteen Black delegates and twenty-seven white delegates. This was a pivotal... Continue →
William R. Pettiford was born on this day in 1847. A pioneering African American banker, Pettiford founded the Alabama Penny Savings Bank in 1890,... Continue →
The Pioneer African Baptist Church, later known as the First African Baptist Church, was organized in Savannah, Georgia, with Andrew Bryan as its... Continue →
On this day, Congressman George H. White of North Carolina introduced a bill to make lynching a federal crime. As the only Black member of Congress... Continue →
Twelve Black members of the U.S. House of Representatives boycotted President Richard Nixon's State of the Union address to protest his... Continue →
On this day, Carl T. Rowan became the director of the United States Information Agency (USIA), making him the highest-ranking African American in the... Continue →
On January 21, 1933, the American Bridge Association (ABA) was established by Black bridge players in response to racial segregation in card-playing... Continue →
William Brown-Chappell, a notable African American civil rights advocate, educator, and civic leader, was born on this day. He became known for his... Continue →
On this day in 1830, officials in Portsmouth, Ohio, began forcibly deporting Black residents from the town. This action was carried out under Ohio's... Continue →
On this day in 1824, Osai Tutu Kwamina, an Ashanti military leader, successfully led forces to defeat the British at Assamaka in present-day Ghana.... Continue →
On this day, poet Phillis Wheatley—born into slavery in 1754—was freed, and her first book, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, was... Continue →
On January 22, 1981, Samuel Pierce was appointed Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by President Ronald Reagan.... Continue →
Clarence Willi Norris, the last surviving member of the Scottsboro Boys, died at age 76 while a patient at Bronx Community Hospital. Norris was one... Continue →
On January 22, 1949, Dr. James Gladden became the first African American to be certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. His... Continue →
George Foreman, two-time heavyweight boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist, was born in Marshall, Texas. Known for his powerful punching and... Continue →
Singer Sam Cooke, widely regarded as one of the pioneers of soul music, was born in Chicago, Illinois. The son of a minister, Cooke began his musical... Continue →
William Warfield, acclaimed actor, pianist, and singer, was born in West Helena, Arkansas. His illustrious career in music spanned 54 years, during... Continue →
The Lodge Bill, also known as the Federal Elections Bill of 1890, which aimed to protect African American voting rights through federal oversight of... Continue →
Barney Lancelot Ford was born into slavery in Virginia but escaped and went on to become a successful entrepreneur, abolitionist, and civil rights... Continue →
Haitian liberator Toussaint Louverture entered the city of Santiago in the eastern part of Hispaniola (modern-day Dominican Republic) as part of his... Continue →
The 24th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, abolishing the use of poll taxes in federal elections. Poll taxes were... Continue →
Nell Carter, celebrated actress and singer, died at age 54. She was best known for her role as the sassy housekeeper on the 1980s sitcom Gimme a... Continue →
Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey, known as the "Father of Gospel Music," passed away in Chicago, Illinois. A prolific composer, performer, and recording artist,... Continue →
ABC-TV began airing the groundbreaking mini-series Roots, based on Alex Haley's novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. The eight-part series... Continue →
Paul Robeson, a renowned actor, singer, athlete, and civil rights activist, passed away on this day in 1976. Robeson was a multi-talented figure who... Continue →
Student activists at the University of Chicago, supported by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), launched demonstrations from January 23 to... Continue →
The National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN) pressured the U.S. Army Nurse Corps to eliminate its racial color bar and admit nurses... Continue →
On this day, acclaimed African American author Richard Wright was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his groundbreaking novel Native Son.... Continue →
On this day in 1891, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, one of the first African American surgeons in the United States, founded Provident Hospital in... Continue →
Amanda Berry Smith was born into slavery in Long Green, Maryland. After gaining her freedom, she became a renowned evangelist and missionary. Defying... Continue →
On January 23, 1821, minister and former slave Lott Cary departed the United States, leading a group of freed African Americans to West Africa under... Continue →
On January 24, 1962, Jackie Robinson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming the first African American to receive the honor.... Continue →
On January 24, 1993, Thurgood Marshall, the first African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice, passed away at the age of 84. A towering figure in... Continue →
On January 24, 1989, the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts ratified the election of Reverend Barbara Harris as bishop suffragan. This confirmation... Continue →
On January 24, 1977, Howard T. Ward was appointed as Georgia’s first Black Superior Court Judge. His appointment marked a historic step forward for... Continue →
Aaron Neville, celebrated American R&B and soul singer, was born on January 24, 1949, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Known for his distinctive voice... Continue →
On January 24, 1885, Martin Delany, a pioneering African American abolitionist, physician, and military officer, died in Xenia, Ohio. Delany was one... Continue →
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg was born on January 24, 1874, in Santurce, Puerto Rico. A historian, writer, and activist of Afro-Puerto Rican and German... Continue →
On January 24, 1972, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm officially launched her campaign for President of the United States, becoming the first Black... Continue →
On January 25, 1999, Reverend Henry Lyons, then-president of the National Baptist Convention USA, went on trial for embezzling millions of dollars... Continue →
On January 25, 1980, Black Entertainment Television (BET) began broadcasting from Washington, D.C. Founded by Robert L. Johnson, BET became the first... Continue →
On January 25, 1966, Constance Baker Motley made history by becoming the first African American woman appointed to the federal judiciary. Nominated... Continue →
Gloria Naylor, acclaimed African American novelist, was born on January 25, 1950, in New York City. She is best known for her debut novel The Women... Continue →
On January 25, 1890, the National Afro-American League was founded by Timothy Thomas Fortune. As one of the first national civil rights organizations... Continue →
On January 25, 1851, Sojourner Truth delivered a powerful address at the first Black Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. A formerly enslaved... Continue →
Bessie Coleman, the first Black American woman to earn a pilot’s license, was born on January 26, 1893, in Atlanta, Texas. Denied flight training... Continue →
Anita Baker, the celebrated American singer-songwriter renowned for her soulful ballads and powerful contralto voice, was born on January 26, 1958,... Continue →
On January 26, 1990, Elaine Weddington Steward was named assistant general manager of the Boston Red Sox, making her the first Black woman to hold an... Continue →
Angela Davis, prominent political activist, scholar, and author, was born on January 26, 1944, in Birmingham, Alabama. Known for her involvement in... Continue →
Sherian Grace Cadoria was born on January 26, 1940, in Marksville, Louisiana. A graduate of Southern University, she became the highest-ranking... Continue →
On January 26, 1863, the U.S. War Department authorized Massachusetts Governor John A. Andrew to raise a regiment of African American soldiers. This... Continue →
On January 27, 1961, Leontyne Price made her historic debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, performing the role of Leonora in... Continue →
On January 27, 1973, Joseph Lawson Howze was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson, Mississippi, becoming the first African... Continue →
On January 27, 1972, Mahalia Jackson, the “Queen of Gospel,” passed away in Evergreen Park, Illinois. Known for her powerful voice and deep... Continue →
On January 27, 1953, Ralph Ellison's groundbreaking novel Invisible Man won the National Book Award for Fiction. The novel, which explores themes of... Continue →
Will Marion Cook, a pioneering African American composer, violinist, and conductor, was born on January 27, 1869. Trained in classical music, Cook... Continue →
On January 28, 1989, after 62 years of controversy, Colgate-Palmolive announced the rebranding of its “Darkie” toothpaste—sold primarily in... Continue →
On January 28, 1997, during South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings, former apartheid-era police officers publicly confessed to... Continue →
On January 28, 1986, physicist and astronaut Dr. Ronald McNair was tragically killed when the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after... Continue →
On January 28, 1970, Arthur Ashe, the first Black man to win Wimbledon, was denied a visa to compete in the South African Open as part of the U.S.... Continue →
On January 28, 1963, Harvey Gantt became the first Black student to enroll at Clemson College in South Carolina, peacefully integrating the last... Continue →
On January 28, 1944, Matthew Henson was awarded a joint medal by the U.S. Congress in recognition of his role as co-discoverer of the North Pole.... Continue →
On November 8, 1938, Crystal Bird Fauset was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, becoming the first African American woman to serve... Continue →
William "Bill" White, born on January 28, 1934, in Lakewood, Ohio, was a standout Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman. Over his... Continue →
Richmond Barthé, a prominent African American sculptor associated with the Harlem Renaissance, was born on January 28, 1901, in Bay St. Louis,... Continue →
On January 28, 1787, the Free African Society was organized in Philadelphia by Richard Allen and Absalom Jones. It was one of the first Black mutual... Continue →
On January 29, 1970, tennis champion Arthur Ashe was denied a visa to compete on the U.S. team at the South African Open due to his outspoken... Continue →
On January 29, 1908, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity was officially incorporated at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Founded in 1906 and... Continue →
On January 29, 1997, Louis E. Martin, a pioneering journalist and influential presidential adviser, died in Orange, California. Often referred to as... Continue →
On January 29, 1991, Sharon J. Barnes, a chemist at Dow Chemical Company, along with her team, was granted U.S. Patent #4,988,211 for developing a... Continue →
On January 29, 1991, Nelson Mandela, then deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC), and Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi of the Inkatha... Continue →
On January 29, 1981, William R. "Cozy" Cole, a renowned jazz drummer, passed away. Known for his impeccable technique and influential solos, Cole... Continue →
On January 29, 1966, Charles H. Mahoney, the first African American appointed as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations, passed away. A lawyer,... Continue →
John Tate, American heavyweight boxer and former WBA World Heavyweight Champion, was born on January 29, 1955, in Marion, Arkansas. Known for his... Continue →
Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954, in Kosciusko, Mississippi. She rose to prominence as an actress, media mogul, and talk show host, making... Continue →
On January 29, 1926, Violette Neatley Anderson became the first African American woman admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. A... Continue →
On January 29, 1913, a major celebration marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation was held in Washington, D.C. The event... Continue →
On January 29, 1913, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority was officially incorporated. Founded at Howard University in 1908, it is the first Greek-lettered... Continue →
On January 29, 1872, Francis Lewis Cardozo was elected as South Carolina's State Treasurer, becoming the first African American to hold this... Continue →
On January 29, 1837, Alexander Pushkin—widely celebrated as the father of Russian literature—died following a duel at the age of 37. Pushkin was... Continue →
On January 30, 1965, legendary pitcher Leroy "Satchel" Paige was named the all-time outstanding player by the National Baseball Congress. Renowned... Continue →
On January 30, 1979, Franklin Thomas was named president of the Ford Foundation, becoming the first African American—and the first person from... Continue →
On January 30, 1956, the home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, was bombed in Montgomery, Alabama. Although his... Continue →
Floyd Flake, born on January 30, 1945, is a former U.S. Representative from New York and senior pastor of the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral in... Continue →
Sharon Pratt Dixon, later known as Sharon Pratt Kelly, was born on January 30, 1944. In 1991, she became the first woman to serve as Mayor of... Continue →
On January 30, 1927, the Harlem Globetrotters played their first game in Hinckley, Illinois. Founded by Abe Saperstein, the team combined... Continue →
On January 30, 1910, Granville T. Woods, a prolific African American inventor, passed away. Known as the “Black Edison,” Woods held more than 50... Continue →
On January 30, 1900, John Parker, a prominent abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor, passed away. A former enslaved man who bought his... Continue →
On January 30, 1858, William Wells Brown—abolitionist, novelist, and dramatist—published Leap to Freedom, the first known play written by an... Continue →
Richard Theodore Greener, who would later become the first African American to graduate from Harvard University, was born on January 30, 1844. He... Continue →
On January 30, 1800, U.S. census data recorded a total population of 5,308,483, with 1,002,037 identified as Black—constituting approximately 18.9%... Continue →
On January 30, 1797, the U.S. Congress refused to accept the first recorded petitions submitted by free African Americans. These petitions called for... Continue →
Sojourner Truth was born into slavery on January 30, 1797, in Hurley, New York. She went on to become a powerful abolitionist and women’s rights... Continue →
On January 30, 1797, the African American Masonic leadership under Prince Hall established the first Black interstate organization by creating lodges... Continue →
On January 31, 1988, Doug Williams, quarterback for the Washington Redskins, made history as the first African American quarterback to play in and... Continue →
On January 31, 1963, James Baldwin’s powerful essay collection The Fire Next Time was published. Comprised of two essays, the book offered a... Continue →
On January 31, 1962, Lieutenant Commander Samuel L. Gravely assumed command of the USS Falgout, a destroyer escort, becoming the first African... Continue →
On January 31, 1934, Etta Moten, a pioneering African American actress and singer, performed at a White House dinner for President and Mrs. Franklin... Continue →
Ernie Banks, legendary Major League Baseball player and longtime Chicago Cubs star, was born on January 31, 1931, in Dallas, Texas. Known as "Mr.... Continue →
On January 31, 1920, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, which was founded at Howard University on January 9, 1914, was officially incorporated. The... Continue →
On January 31, 1919, baseball legend Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia. In 1947, he broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier by joining... Continue →
On January 31, 1914, boxer Jersey Joe Walcott was born as Arnold Raymond Cream in Merchantville, New Jersey. A skilled and resilient fighter, Walcott... Continue →
On January 31, 1865, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution by a vote of 121 to 24. This amendment,... Continue →
On February 1, 1990, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp honoring Ida B. Wells, the pioneering Black journalist,... Continue →
On February 1, 1978, the U.S. Postal Service issued the first stamp in its Black Heritage USA series, honoring Harriet Tubman. A legendary... Continue →
On February 1, 1997, BET Holdings, Inc. and Encore Media Corporation launched BET Movie/Starz, the first 24-hour movie channel dedicated to Black... Continue →
On February 1, 1990, Joseph McNeil, Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair Jr.), Franklin McCain, and David Richmond—known as the Greensboro... Continue →
On February 1, 1974, the groundbreaking sitcom Good Times premiered on CBS. It was one of the first television shows to depict a Black family living... Continue →
On February 1, 1967, renowned poet, playwright, and social activist Langston Hughes passed away. A central figure of the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes... Continue →
On February 1, 1965, a peaceful voting rights demonstration in Selma, Alabama, ended with the mass arrest of approximately 700 protesters. The... Continue →
On February 1, 1965, acclaimed actress and civil rights activist Ruby Dee participated in a major Shakespeare Festival production. Her appearance... Continue →
On February 1, 1960, four Black students from North Carolina A&T College—Joseph McNeil, Jibreel Khazan (Ezell Blair Jr.), Franklin McCain, and... Continue →
Rick James, influential funk and R&B singer, songwriter, and producer, was born on February 1, 1952, in Buffalo, New York. Known for his... Continue →
Garrett Morris, trailblazing African American actor and comedian, was born on February 1, 1937, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He became one of the... Continue →
On February 1, 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson launched the first Negro History Week, aimed at highlighting the contributions of African Americans... Continue →
Langston Hughes, one of the most influential figures of the Harlem Renaissance, was born on February 1, 1902. Hughes became known for his insightful,... Continue →
On February 1, 1887, J. Robinson was granted U.S. Patent No. 356,852 for an innovative design of a dinner pail. This practical invention contributed... Continue →
On February 1, 1871, Jefferson Long of Georgia became the first African American to deliver an official speech on the floor of the U.S. House of... Continue →
On February 1, 1870, Jonathan Jasper Wright was elected to the South Carolina Supreme Court, becoming the first African American to serve on the... Continue →
On February 1, 1865, John Sweat Rock, a distinguished Boston lawyer, became the first African American admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme... Continue →
On February 1, 1865, the 38th U.S. Congress passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which formally abolished slavery in the United States.... Continue →
Henry McNeal Turner was born on February 1, 1834, in what is now known as Hannah Circuit near Newberry, then part of Abbeville County, South... Continue →
On February 1, 1897, Alfred L. Cralle, an African American inventor and businessman, was granted U.S. Patent No. 576,395 for the ice cream mold and... Continue →
On February 1, 1989, a rebellion broke out in Tampa, Florida, following the suspicious death of Edgar Allan Price, a Black man who died while being... Continue →
On February 2, 1962, eleven people—seven white and four Black activists—were arrested after an all-night sit-in at Englewood City Hall in New... Continue →
On February 2, 1948, President Harry S. Truman sent a special message to Congress urging the adoption of a civil rights program. His recommendations... Continue →
On February 2, 1915, biologist Ernest E. Just was awarded the first NAACP Spingarn Medal for his groundbreaking research in cell division and... Continue →
William Ellisworth Artis was born on February 2, 1914, in Washington, North Carolina. A talented sculptor and ceramicist, Artis studied at Syracuse... Continue →
Herbert Mills, tenor singer and member of the legendary vocal group The Mills Brothers, was born on February 2, 1912. The Mills Brothers were... Continue →
On February 2, 1862, the U.S. Congress began legislative efforts to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, initiating the process that would... Continue →
Inventor Edmond Berger patented the spark plug. Some historical accounts credit Edmond Berger, an African American inventor, with creating an... Continue →
On February 3, 1999, the Cyber-Youth Network was launched—marking the first time a website was specifically created to address the educational... Continue →
On February 3, 1997, award-winning jazz drummer Tony Williams died in Daly City, California. Known for his innovative style and technical brilliance,... Continue →
On February 3, 1989, tennis professional Lori McNeil defeated legendary player Chris Evert in the Pan Pacific Open held in Tokyo, Japan. The win was... Continue →
On February 3, 1989, former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Bill White was named president of the National League, becoming the first African... Continue →
On February 3, 1988, Thomas Reed, president of the Alabama chapter of the NAACP, was arrested along with 11 others during a protest at the Alabama... Continue →
On February 3, 1981, the U.S. Air Force Academy officially ended its discriminatory policy that barred applicants with sickle cell trait from... Continue →
On February 3, 1965, African American sculptor Geraldine McCullough was awarded the Widener Gold Medal by the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.... Continue →
On February 3, 1964, an estimated 464,000 Black and Puerto Rican students boycotted New York City public schools in one of the largest civil rights... Continue →
On February 3, 1956, Autherine J. Lucy became the first Black student to attend the University of Alabama, breaking a significant racial barrier in... Continue →
On February 3, 1948, Rosa Ingram and her two teenage sons, aged fourteen and sixteen, were sentenced to death in Georgia for the alleged murder of a... Continue →
On February 3, 1948, Laura Wheeler Waring, a prominent African American portrait painter and illustrator, passed away. Known for her elegant and... Continue →
On February 3, 1920, the Negro National League (NNL) was founded in Kansas City, Missouri, by Andrew “Rube” Foster and a group of Black team... Continue →
On February 3, 1874, Blanche Kelso Bruce was elected to a full six-year term in the U.S. Senate by the Mississippi legislature. He became the first... Continue →
On February 3, 1810, Antonio Ruiz, known as El Negro Falucho, died defending the Argentine flag. A formerly enslaved African who became a soldier, he... Continue →
On February 3, 1996, Congressman J.C. Watts of Oklahoma became the first African American chosen to deliver the official Republican response to the... Continue →
On February 3, 1986, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp honoring Sojourner Truth, the renowned abolitionist and women’s rights... Continue →
On February 3, 1971, the National Guard was mobilized in Wilmington, North Carolina, to quell civil unrest sparked by racial tensions and protests.... Continue →
On February 3, 1969, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) intensified its armed struggle against Portuguese colonial rule. As one... Continue →
Rosa Parks, born Rosa Louise McCauley on February 3, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, became a pivotal figure in the American civil rights movement. Her... Continue →
On February 3, 1794, during the French Revolution, France formally abolished slavery in all of its colonies, marking a landmark moment in European... Continue →
On February 5, 1990, Barack Obama was elected president of the Harvard Law Review, becoming the first African American to hold the prestigious... Continue →
On February 5, 1962, a federal lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court challenging the racial segregation of elementary schools in Englewood, New... Continue →
On February 5, 1958, Clifton R. Wharton Sr. was confirmed as U.S. Minister to Romania, becoming the first African American to head a U.S. embassy in... Continue →
Singer Natalie Cole was born on February 5, 1950, in Los Angeles, California. The daughter of legendary musician Nat King Cole, she began singing... Continue →
Henry "Hank" Aaron, one of baseball’s greatest legends, was born on February 5, 1934, in Mobile, Alabama. Nicknamed the “Home Run King,” Aaron... Continue →
On February 5, 1900, Jefferson Franklin Long, the first African American to represent Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives, died in... Continue →
On February 5, 1866, Congressman Thaddeus Stevens introduced an amendment to the Freedmen’s Bureau bill that would have authorized the distribution... Continue →
On February 6, 1961, the "Jail-in" movement began in Rock Hill, South Carolina, when nine Black students refused to pay fines for a sit-in and... Continue →
On February 6, 1993, Arthur Ashe, renowned tennis champion and civil rights activist, passed away at the age of 49. Ashe was the first Black man to... Continue →
On February 6, 1972, Robert L. Douglas, founder and coach of the New York Renaissance (the “Rens”), became the first African American elected to... Continue →
On February 6, 1945, Bob Marley, the legendary Jamaican reggae musician, was born in Nine Mile, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica. Marley became a global... Continue →
Walter E. Fauntroy was born on February 6, 1933, in Washington, D.C. He later became the first non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of... Continue →
Melvin B. Tolson, acclaimed author, educator, and poet, was born on February 6, 1898. Known for his powerful works blending modernist style with... Continue →
On February 6, 1870, Jonathan Jasper Wright was elected to the South Carolina Supreme Court, becoming the first African American to serve on a state... Continue →
On February 6, 1867, philanthropist George Peabody established the Peabody Education Fund to support public education in the Southern United States,... Continue →
On February 6, 1820, the first organized emigration of free African Americans to Africa began as 86 individuals departed New York Harbor aboard the... Continue →
On February 6, 1820, census data recorded the United States population at 9,638,453, with 1,771,656 identified as Black—accounting for... Continue →
On February 6, 1926, Negro History Week was observed for the first time. Created by historian Carter G. Woodson, the week was established to... Continue →
On February 6, 1974, the Caribbean nation of Grenada achieved independence from Great Britain. Sir Eric Gairy became the country’s first Prime... Continue →
On February 6, 1967, comedian, actor, author, and filmmaker Chris Rock was born in Andrews, South Carolina. Known for his sharp wit and fearless... Continue →
On February 6, 1946, a filibuster in the U.S. Senate effectively killed a bill that sought to make the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC)... Continue →
On February 6, 1945, Irwin C. Molison was appointed to the United States Customs Court by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He became the first... Continue →
Eubie Blake, the legendary African American composer and pianist, was born on February 7, 1883, in Baltimore, Maryland. A pioneer of ragtime and... Continue →
On February 7, 1872, Alcorn A&M College officially opened in Mississippi. It was the first Black land-grant college in the United States and is... Continue →
On February 8, 1986, Debi Thomas became the first African American to win the Women's Singles title at the U.S. National Figure Skating... Continue →
On February 8, 1990, CBS suspended veteran 60 Minutes commentator Andy Rooney for 90 days after The Advocate, a national gay and lesbian... Continue →
On February 8, 1986, The Oprah Winfrey Show premiered in national syndication, making Oprah Winfrey the first African American woman to host a... Continue →
On February 8, 1985, Brenda Renee Pearson, an official court reporter for the U.S. House of Representatives, became the first Black woman to record a... Continue →
On February 8, 1978, Leon Spinks shocked the world by defeating Muhammad Ali in a split decision to win the world heavyweight boxing championship.... Continue →
On February 8, 1968, Gary Coleman was born in Zion, Illinois. He became a prominent child actor, best known for his role as Arnold Jackson in the... Continue →
On February 8, 1968, South Carolina Highway Patrol officers opened fire on unarmed students during a peaceful protest at South Carolina State College... Continue →
On February 8, 1944, Harry S. McAlpin became the first African American journalist accredited to attend a White House press conference. Representing... Continue →
On February 8, 1925, Marcus Garvey, influential Black nationalist and founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), entered the... Continue →
On February 8, 1925, students at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, organized a strike to protest the repressive policies of the white... Continue →
On February 8, 1894, the U.S. Congress repealed the Enforcement Act of 1871, a key piece of Reconstruction-era legislation that had protected African... Continue →
On February 9, 1952, Ralph Ellison's groundbreaking novel Invisible Man won the National Book Award for Fiction. The novel explores themes of racial... Continue →
On February 9, 1967, the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution officially went into effect. While not exclusively a Black history event, the... Continue →
On February 9, 1995, Dr. Bernard Harris became the first African American astronaut to perform a spacewalk during the STS-63 mission aboard the space... Continue →
On February 9, 1971, legendary pitcher Leroy "Satchel" Paige was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He became the first player from... Continue →
Alice Walker, renowned novelist, poet, and activist, was born on February 9, 1944, in Eatonton, Georgia. She is best known for her Pulitzer... Continue →
On February 9, 1906, acclaimed poet and author Paul Laurence Dunbar died at the age of 33 in Dayton, Ohio. One of the first African American writers... Continue →
On February 10, 1992, Alex Haley, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family, passed away at the age of 70. Haley’s... Continue →
On February 10, 1967, the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect. It clarified presidential succession and procedures for dealing... Continue →
On February 10, 1966, Andrew Brimmer was appointed to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System by President Lyndon B. Johnson, becoming... Continue →
On February 10, 1964, after 12 days of debate and voting on 125 amendments, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by... Continue →
On February 10, 1946, Jackie Robinson, who would soon break Major League Baseball’s color barrier, married Rachel Isum in Los Angeles. Their... Continue →
Roberta Flack, the acclaimed American singer, was born on February 10, 1940, in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Known for her smooth vocals and... Continue →
On February 10, 1927, world-renowned opera singer Leontyne Price was born in Laurel, Mississippi. She began singing in church choirs as a child and... Continue →
On February 10, 1989, Ron Brown was elected Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, becoming the first African American to lead a major U.S.... Continue →
Grace Towns Hamilton, a pioneering civil rights activist and politician, was born on February 10, 1907, in Atlanta, Georgia. She became the first... Continue →
On this day, conservative Republicans, supported by military forces, took control of the Florida Constitutional Convention. They drafted a new... Continue →
Joseph Charles Price, a pioneering African American educator and leader, was born on this day in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. He became the... Continue →
On this day, Georgia's House of Assembly appointed William Few, Abraham Baldwin, William Pierce, George Walton, William Houston, and Nathaniel... Continue →
Just days before his assassination, Malcolm X delivered a powerful and thought-provoking speech at the London School of Economics (LSE). Addressing... Continue →
On February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years of imprisonment in South Africa. One of his greatest pleasures—watching the sun... Continue →
On February 11, 1989, The Right Reverend Barbara Clementine Harris, a Philadelphia native, became the first woman ever consecrated as a bishop in the... Continue →
On this day in 1976, Clifford Alexander, Jr. was confirmed as the first African American Secretary of the Army. Appointed by President Jimmy Carter,... Continue →
On February 11, 1971, Whitney M. Young, Jr. passed away suddenly while in Nigeria. He served as Executive Director of the National Urban League from... Continue →
Robert C. Weaver was sworn in as Administrator of the Housing and Home Finance Agency, marking the highest federal position ever held by a Black... Continue →
Owen L. W. Smith, an African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion minister and educator from North Carolina, was appointed as the U.S. Minister to Liberia.... Continue →
Jarena Lee, the daughter of former slaves, was born in Cape May, New Jersey. She is considered the first female preacher in the African Methodist... Continue →
On February 11, 1644, eleven Black men in the Dutch colony of New Netherland (present-day New York) submitted a petition for their freedom, marking... Continue →
In response to racial discrimination on public transportation, Black residents in Macon, Georgia, launched a bus boycott on February 11, 1962. The... Continue →
Celebrated pianist and composer Eubie Blake died in Brooklyn, New York, just five days after his 100th birthday. A pioneer of ragtime and early jazz,... Continue →
Arsenio Hall, who would go on to become the first Black late-night talk show host in American television history, was born on this day in Cleveland,... Continue →
On February 11, 1952, Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism during the... Continue →
On February 12, 1948, First Lieutenant Nancy C. Leftenant became the first Black nurse accepted into the regular U.S. Army Nurse Corps. Her... Continue →
On February 12, 1939, Augustus Nathaniel Lushington passed away. He was the first African American to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.),... Continue →
William Felton "Bill" Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana. A legendary basketball player and civil rights advocate, Russell later became the first... Continue →
On this day, a health study began in Tuskegee, Alabama, where over 400 African American men were part of a project to learn more about syphilis, a... Continue →
Founded in New York City by a diverse group of Black and white citizens committed to social justice, the National Association for the Advancement of... Continue →
Roberta Martin was born on this day in Helena, Arkansas. A pioneering figure in gospel music, she worked closely with gospel greats like Thomas... Continue →
For a Lincoln birthday celebration, James Weldon Johnson writes the lyrics for "Lift Every Voice and Sing." With music composed by his brother, J.... Continue →
Black rights activist Henry Highland Garnet dies, shortly after being appointed as the U.S. ambassador to Liberia. Garnet was a powerful... Continue →
Isaac Burns Murphy, one of the greatest jockeys in American horse racing history, died on this day in 1896. Known for his integrity and exceptional... Continue →
On February 12, 1865, Henry Highland Garnet became the first Black person to speak in the U.S. Capitol when he delivered a memorial sermon on the... Continue →
On February 12, 1793, the U.S. Congress passed the first Fugitive Slave Law to enforce the Constitution's Fugitive Slave Clause. This law allowed... Continue →
Gertrude E. Downing and William P. Desjardin were granted U.S. Patent No. 3,715,772 on February 13, 1973, for a "Reciprocating Corner and Baseboard... Continue →
On this day, the New York Stock Exchange admitted its first Black member, Joseph Searles III. His membership marked a historic milestone in the... Continue →
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was officially organized at a meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was... Continue →
On February 13, 1923, the New York Renaissance, commonly known as the “Rens,” became the first all-Black professional basketball team. Founded by... Continue →
Wendell P. Dabney, a prominent African American civil rights activist, journalist, and author, founded The Union newspaper in Cincinnati, Ohio. The... Continue →
The World's Fair Colored Opera Company became the first African American performers to appear at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Their groundbreaking... Continue →
Henry Highland Garnet, a prominent African American minister, abolitionist, and diplomat, died at the age of 66 in Monrovia, Liberia. Garnet was... Continue →
Absalom Jones, the first African American to be ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church, died on this day in 1818. A pioneering religious leader... Continue →
America's first public school, the Boston Latin School, opened in Boston, Massachusetts. While it marked a significant development in American... Continue →
After his home in Queens, New York, was firebombed earlier that morning, Malcolm X delivered what would become his final public speech at the Ford... Continue →
The National Negro Congress was organized in Chicago at a meeting attended by 817 delegates representing over 500 organizations. Asa Philip Randolph,... Continue →
Gregory Hines was born on February 14, 1946, in New York City. He began tap dancing at the age of two and started performing professionally with his... Continue →
Morehouse College was organized in Augusta, Georgia, on February 14, 1867. Originally named the Augusta Institute, it was established to train... Continue →
Frederick Douglass, born into slavery as Frederick Bailey, is widely believed to have been born on this day. After escaping slavery, he purchased his... Continue →
Richard Allen was born into slavery in Philadelphia on this day in 1760. He later purchased his freedom and became a pioneering religious and civic... Continue →
Louis Armstrong's "Hello Dolly" recording becomes his first and only number one record.
Malcolm X delivered his powerful speech "There Is a Worldwide Revolution Going On" at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. In this address, he... Continue →
During a United Nations session on Congo, nationalists disrupted the proceedings with a dramatic demonstration in honor of Patrice Lumumba, the slain... Continue →
On February 15, 1968, Henry Lewis made history by becoming the first African American to be appointed as the music director and conductor of a major... Continue →
On February 15, 1965, Nat King Cole, an acclaimed singer and pianist, died at the age of 45 in Santa Monica, California. Known for his smooth... Continue →
U.S. civil rights activists and African nationalists disrupted United Nations sessions to protest the assassination of Congolese Prime Minister... Continue →
A group of Black abolitionists stormed a Boston courtroom to rescue Shadrach Minkins, a fugitive slave who had been captured under the Fugitive Slave... Continue →
On this day, Black abolitionists in Boston boldly stormed a courtroom to rescue Shadrach Minkins, a fugitive slave captured under the Fugitive Slave... Continue →
On this day, five-year-old Sarah Roberts was barred from attending a whites-only public school in Boston. Her father, Benjamin Roberts, filed Roberts... Continue →
The New Jersey Legislature approved a law for the gradual emancipation of enslaved African Americans, becoming the last Northern state to initiate... Continue →
Joe Frazier defeated Jimmy Ellis by knockout in the second round at Madison Square Garden, New York, to become the undisputed world heavyweight... Continue →
Malcolm X delivered his speech “Not Just an American Problem, But a World Problem” at the Corn Hill Methodist Church in Rochester, New York. In... Continue →
LeVar Burton was born in Landstuhl, Germany. He rose to prominence for his portrayal of Kunta Kinte in the groundbreaking television miniseries... Continue →
The New York City Council passed a groundbreaking bill prohibiting racial discrimination in city-assisted housing developments. This legislation... Continue →
Blues legend Bessie Smith made her first recording, "Down Hearted Blues," for Columbia Records. The song became an instant hit, selling over 800,000... Continue →
The Virginia House of Delegates voted unanimously to retire "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia" as the official state song. The decision came after... Continue →
Legendary jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk died at the age of 64. Known for his unique improvisational style and contributions to the... Continue →
The U.S. Navy commissioned the frigate USS Jesse L. Brown (DE/FF/FFT-1089), named in honor of Ensign Jesse L. Brown—the first African American... Continue →
Ronald DeVoe, a singer and one of the founding members of the R&B/hip-hop group Bell Biv DeVoe, was born in Boston, Massachusetts. The group, a... Continue →
Michael Jeffrey Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, was born in Brooklyn, New York. Known for his legendary career... Continue →
Huey P. Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther Party, was born in Monroe, Louisiana. An illiterate high school graduate, Newton taught himself to... Continue →
Mary Frances Berry was born in Nashville, Tennessee. She would go on to become a pioneering educator, civil rights advocate, and historian. Berry... Continue →
James Nathaniel Brown, known as Jim Brown, was born on this day in St. Simons Island, Georgia. Widely regarded as one of the greatest football... Continue →
Charles A. Hayes, civil rights advocate and U.S. Representative from Illinois, was born in Cairo, Illinois. A labor leader and longtime supporter of... Continue →
Marian Anderson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A gifted contralto, she was entered in the New York Philharmonic Competition at age 17 and... Continue →
African American inventor A.C. Richardson was granted U.S. Patent #466,470 for an innovative butter churn design. His invention improved the... Continue →
The U.S. Congress passed a resolution to readmit Mississippi to representation in Congress, with the condition that the state would never amend its... Continue →
H. Grenon, an African American inventor, received U.S. Patent No. 554,867 for a razor stropping device designed to maintain the sharpness of straight... Continue →
Malcolm X participated in a live radio debate with Gordon Hall, a self-proclaimed expert on extremism, just three days before his assassination. The... Continue →
Palmer Hayden, a prominent African American painter associated with the Harlem Renaissance, passed away at the age of 82. Known for his vivid... Continue →
Toni Morrison, born Chloe Anthony Wofford in Lorain, Ohio, would become one of the most celebrated authors in American literature. She was the first... Continue →
Paul Revere Williams, the first African American member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), was born on this day in Los Angeles,... Continue →
An institution that would eventually become Morehouse College was founded in Augusta, Georgia. Originally established to educate freedmen and train... Continue →
As Confederate forces abandoned Charleston near the end of the Civil War, the first Union troops to enter the city included the Twenty-first United... Continue →
Four Quakers in Germantown, Pennsylvania, drafted the first recorded formal protest against slavery by an organized white body in English America.... Continue →
On February 18, 1965, The Gambia gained independence from British colonial rule and became a sovereign nation within the Commonwealth. Dawda Jawara... Continue →
Vonetta Flowers made history by becoming the first Black athlete to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympic Games. Competing alongside her partner... Continue →
Dorothy Maynor, a trailblazing African American soprano and music educator, passed away on this day. Known for her rich voice and groundbreaking... Continue →
John Singleton made history as the first African American—and the youngest person ever at the time—to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best... Continue →
The U.S. Army Air Corps activated the 100th Pursuit Squadron at Tuskegee Institute, marking the official beginning of the Tuskegee Airmen program. As... Continue →
Soul singer and songwriter William "Smokey" Robinson was born in Detroit, Michigan. While still in high school, he formed the group the Miracles in... Continue →
The first Pan-African Congress, organized by W.E.B. Du Bois, convened at the Grand Hotel in Paris. It brought together 57 delegates from 16 countries... Continue →
Confederate forces defeated Union troops, including three Black regiments and six white regiments, at the Battle of Olustee in Florida, about fifty... Continue →
At the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards, African American musicians won eight major awards, showcasing the continued impact of Black artists on global... Continue →
State troopers used tear gas to suppress student demonstrations at Alcorn A&M College (now Alcorn State University) in Mississippi. The protests... Continue →
Charles Wade Barkley, Hall of Fame basketball player and sports analyst, was born in Leeds, Alabama. Known for his dominant rebounding, outspoken... Continue →
Nancy Wilson, an acclaimed jazz, R&B, and pop vocalist, was born in Chillicothe, Ohio. Known for her smooth, expressive voice and versatility... Continue →
John Hope, the first Black president of both Morehouse College and Atlanta University, passed away on this day. A prominent educator and advocate for... Continue →
Emmett Paige, Jr. was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He became one of the highest-ranking African Americans in the U.S. Army, achieving the rank of... Continue →
The play Harlem, co-written by Wallace Thurman and William Jourdan Rapp, debuted in New York City. Offering a gritty, realistic portrayal of life in... Continue →
Sidney Poitier was born in Miami, Florida. He would go on to become the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, for his role in... Continue →
John F. Pickering, an inventor from Gonaïves, Haiti, was granted U.S. Patent No. 643,975 for his innovative airship design. His invention featured... Continue →
Frederick Douglass, the leading Black spokesman of the 19th century, died on this day. Born into slavery, Douglass escaped and rose to prominence as... Continue →
Tennessee Governor William G. Brownlow declared martial law in nine counties to suppress rampant violence and intimidation by the Ku Klux Klan during... Continue →
Inventor Otis Boykin was granted U.S. Patent No. 2,972,726 for an improved electrical resistor. His invention played a vital role in the development... Continue →
Eva Jessye, the first African American woman to gain international recognition as a professional choral director, passed away at the age of 97. Known... Continue →
African Americans in Tampa, Florida, erupted in protest after the death of 23-year-old Melvin Hair, a Black man who died in police custody following... Continue →
Malcolm X, a prominent African American leader and civil rights activist, was assassinated at age 39 while delivering a speech at the Audubon... Continue →
John Lewis, a key figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, was born in Troy, Alabama. He would go on to become the founding chairman of the... Continue →
Barbara Jordan was born in Houston, Texas. A trailblazing politician, educator, and civil rights leader, she became the first African American woman... Continue →
Nina Simone, born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in Tryon, North Carolina, was an acclaimed singer, pianist, and civil rights activist. Known for her... Continue →
Thelonious Monk, one of the most influential figures in jazz history, was born on this day in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Known for his unique... Continue →
On the day following the death of Frederick Douglass, the North Carolina Legislature—then dominated by a coalition of Black Republicans and white... Continue →
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince made history by winning the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance with their hit Parents Just Don’t... Continue →
Julius Winfield Erving II, famously known as "Dr. J," was born in Roosevelt, New York. A revolutionary figure in professional basketball, Erving was... Continue →
Ishmael Reed, an influential American poet, novelist, and essayist, was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Known for his satirical style and sharp... Continue →
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, known as the "Bronze Muse," died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A prolific writer, lecturer, and activist, Harper... Continue →
Frazier B. Baker, a Black postmaster appointed by President McKinley, was lynched by a white mob in Lake City, South Carolina. The mob set his home... Continue →
Horace Pippin, a self-taught African American painter, was born on this day in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Despite being wounded in World War I, he... Continue →
Grafton Tyler Brown was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He became the first African American artist to depict the American West, gaining... Continue →
Frank E. Petersen Jr. was named the first Black general in the history of the United States Marine Corps. A distinguished aviator and Vietnam War... Continue →
Melvin Franklin, the deep-voiced bass singer of the legendary Motown group The Temptations, passed away in Los Angeles at age 53 due to complications... Continue →
Constance Baker Motley was elected as Manhattan Borough President, becoming the first Black woman to hold the highest elective office in a major... Continue →
Elston Gene Howard, the first African American to play for the New York Yankees, was born in St. Louis, Missouri. A talented catcher and later coach,... Continue →
Louis Stokes was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He became the first African American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio, serving from... Continue →
Robert Smalls, a formerly enslaved man who became a Civil War hero and later a U.S. Congressman during Reconstruction, died in Beaufort, South... Continue →
William H. Heard, an African Methodist Episcopal (AME) minister, educator, and civil rights advocate, was appointed U.S. Minister to Liberia by... Continue →
On this day, Louisiana Governor Henry C. Warmoth signed one of the nation’s first public accommodations laws, which prohibited racial... Continue →
Dr. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, a pioneering educator, sociologist, and civil rights advocate, was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Du... Continue →
Rebecca Lee Crumpler became the first Black woman in the United States to earn a medical degree, graduating from the New England Female Medical... Continue →
Kwame Nkrumah, the elected leader and first president of Ghana, was overthrown in a military coup while on a peace mission to Vietnam. Nkrumah, a... Continue →
Jimmy Ellis, born James Albert Ellis in Louisville, Kentucky, was a prominent heavyweight boxer who became World Boxing Association (WBA) champion in... Continue →
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 126 to 47 to impeach President Andrew Johnson, primarily for violating the Tenure of Office Act. This was a... Continue →
Daniel Alexander Payne, a key leader in African American religious and educational life, was born on this day. He became the first Black president of... Continue →
Adrienne Mitchell, a U.S. Army Specialist, became the first African American woman to die in combat during the Persian Gulf War. She was killed when... Continue →
White supremacist John William King was sentenced to death in Jasper, Texas, for the brutal 1998 murder of James Byrd Jr., a Black man. Byrd was... Continue →
R. Kelly's inspirational ballad "I Believe I Can Fly" won three Grammy Awards: Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best Song... Continue →
Mike Tyson defended his heavyweight titles and solidified his status as the undisputed heavyweight champion by defeating Frank Bruno in a fifth-round... Continue →
Edward Daniel Nixon, former president of the Georgia NAACP and a key figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, died at age 87. A longtime... Continue →
Robert E. Hayden, an acclaimed African American poet and the first Black person to be appointed as Poetry Consultant to the Library of Congress (a... Continue →
Daniel "Chappie" James Jr., the first African American to attain the rank of four-star general in the U.S. military, died at the Air Force Academy in... Continue →
Elijah Muhammad, longtime leader of the Nation of Islam, died in Chicago at the age of 77. Under his leadership, the organization grew significantly,... Continue →
President Richard Nixon met with the newly formed Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) for the first time, following months of pressure from the group.... Continue →
On this day, 22-year-old Muhammad Ali—then known as Cassius Clay—defeated Sonny Liston in Miami Beach to become the world heavyweight boxing... Continue →
One day after winning the world heavyweight boxing title, Cassius Clay announced his conversion to Islam and adopted the name Muhammad Ali. The... Continue →
The U.S. Congress passed the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which guaranteed that the right to vote could not be denied based on “race,... Continue →
At the 27th Annual Grammy Awards, African-American musicians achieved sweeping success. Lionel Richie’s Can’t Slow Down won Album of the Year for... Continue →
President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Andrew Brimmer as the first African American governor of the Federal Reserve Board. A respected economist and... Continue →
Jimmie Lee Jackson, a 26-year-old civil rights activist, died from injuries sustained during a peaceful voting rights protest in Marion, Alabama. He... Continue →
A violent race riot erupted in Columbia, Tennessee, after a dispute between a Black Navy veteran and a white shopkeeper. The incident escalated into... Continue →
Godfrey Cambridge, a prominent African American actor and comedian, was born on February 26, 1933, in New York City. Known for his sharp wit and... Continue →
The Green Pastures, a groundbreaking play by Marc Connelly, opened at the Mansfield Theatre in New York City. Featuring an all-Black cast, it was one... Continue →
Antoine "Fats" Domino, an influential American singer, pianist, and songwriter, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Known for hits like Blueberry... Continue →
Theodore "Tiger" Flowers, known as the "Georgia Deacon" for his devout faith, made history by defeating Harry Greb at Madison Square Garden to become... Continue →
Historian Carter G. Woodson initiated the first Negro History Week to promote the study and celebration of Black history in the United States. Timed... Continue →
On this day, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, often called the "Father of Black History," founded Associated Publishers to promote and preserve African... Continue →
James E. O’Hara, a pioneering African American congressman from North Carolina, was born on this day. First elected to the U.S. House of... Continue →
At the Wormley Hotel in Washington, D.C., representatives of presidential candidate Rutherford B. Hayes and Southern Democrats held a private... Continue →
Wyatt Outlaw, a prominent Black leader of the Union League and the first African American town commissioner in Graham, North Carolina, was lynched by... Continue →
The U.S. Congress passed the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, prohibiting the federal and state governments from denying citizens the right... Continue →
On this day, an African American inventor William B. Purvis was granted U.S. Patent No. 273,149 for an improved hand stamp. His design enhanced the... Continue →
American figure skater Debi Thomas made history by becoming the first Black athlete to win a medal at the Winter Olympics. She earned the bronze in... Continue →
Anna Julia Cooper, an educator, scholar, and advocate for the rights of Black women, died at the age of 105. Born into slavery in 1858, she went on... Continue →
Award-winning journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault was born in Due West, South Carolina. She became one of the first two Black students to integrate the... Continue →
Marian Anderson, a groundbreaking African American contralto, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Renowned for her extraordinary voice and... Continue →
Charlotte E. Ray graduated from Howard University School of Law, becoming the first African American woman to earn a law degree in the United States.... Continue →
John W. Menard became the first Black man to speak on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, defending his right to represent Louisiana’s... Continue →
The United States Congress adopted the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, prohibiting the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the... Continue →
The Dominican Republic declared its independence from Haiti on February 27, 1844, ending 22 years of Haitian rule. Though complex in its racial and... Continue →
Maria W. Stewart, a free Black woman, became the first American-born woman to speak publicly to a mixed audience of men and women, Black and white.... Continue →
Prince Hall, a prominent Revolutionary War veteran and the founder of African American Freemasonry, is believed to have been born on this date.... Continue →
Willi Smith, a pioneering African American fashion designer, was born on this day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He co-founded the influential label... Continue →
African American inventor Richard Spikes patented an early version of the automatic gear shift, a key innovation in automotive technology. His... Continue →
Nigerian computer scientist Philip Emeagwali was awarded the prestigious Gordon Bell Prize—often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of... Continue →
Cornelius Gunter, lead singer of the legendary R&B group The Coasters, was shot and killed in Las Vegas, Nevada. Gunter joined The Coasters in... Continue →
Michael Jackson made history by winning eight Grammy Awards in one night, the most ever at the time, for his groundbreaking album Thriller. The album... Continue →
Eddie Anderson, best known for his role as "Rochester" on The Jack Benny Program, passed away on this day. Anderson was one of the first Black actors... Continue →
On this day, Sergeant Cornelius F. Adjetey was shot and killed by colonial police while leading a peaceful protest of ex-servicemen in Accra,... Continue →
The acclaimed opera Porgy and Bess opened on Broadway featuring African American performers Anne Brown and Todd Duncan in the lead roles. Their... Continue →
A violent race riot erupted in Detroit, Michigan, over the integration of the Sojourner Truth Homes, a federal housing project intended for Black... Continue →
The 1940 United States Census reported a total population of 131,669,275, including 12,865,518 Black Americans—making up 9.8% of the national... Continue →
On this day, the "Exodus of 1879" began, marking the first major migration of Southern Black Americans after Reconstruction. Fleeing political... Continue →
The U.S. Congress passed the Second Enforcement Act, also known as the Civil Rights Act of 1871. This legislation gave federal officers the authority... Continue →
The Arkansas legislature passed a law requiring all free Black people in the state to either leave Arkansas or face enslavement. This oppressive... Continue →
In a groundbreaking decision, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed legislation allowing the enlistment of enslaved men into the Continental Army.... Continue →
A violent slave revolt took place in Newton, Long Island (present-day Elmhurst, Queens, New York), resulting in the deaths of seven white colonists.... Continue →
Elias Neau, a French Huguenot and religious reformer, opened a school for Black students in New York City. Despite laws and social barriers against... Continue →
National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (the Kerner Commission) said white racism was the fundamental cause of the riots in American cities.... Continue →
Juanita Hall, a celebrated singer and actress, passed away on this day. She was best known for her role as Bloody Mary in the Broadway musical South... Continue →
Hattie McDaniel made history by becoming the first African American to win an Academy Award. She received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for... Continue →
The Alabama State Board of Education expelled nine students from Alabama State College for participating in sit-in demonstrations protesting... Continue →
Shauntay Hinton, representing the District of Columbia, was crowned Miss USA in 2002. She became the seventh Black woman to win the title, breaking... Continue →
The New York Times published an article titled "Nubian Monarchy Called Oldest", highlighting the findings of archaeologist Bruce Williams at Qustul,... Continue →
In response to public outcry over the “Civil Disturbance Information Collection Plan,” the U.S. Department of Defense announced it would limit... Continue →
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 307 to 116 to expel Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. of New York, the first Black congressman from the state.... Continue →
The Emancipation Centennial protest began on March 1, 1963, in Greenwood, Mississippi, with a major voter registration campaign. Organized by civil... Continue →
On this day, Carl T. Rowan was appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Finland, becoming one of the first African Americans to serve in such a high-level... Continue →
U.S. Air Force Captain Edward J. Dwight Jr. was selected for the fourth class of Aerospace Research Pilots at Edwards Air Force Base, making him the... Continue →
Beginning on March 1, 1960, approximately 1,000 students from Alabama State College marched on the state capitol in Montgomery to protest racial... Continue →
Pope John XXIII elevated Bishop Laurian Rugambwa of Tanganyika (modern-day Tanzania) to the College of Cardinals, making him the first Black cardinal... Continue →
Montgomery police broke up a peaceful protest on the Alabama State College campus, arresting thirty-five students, a teacher, and her husband. The... Continue →
In response to the growing student-led sit-in movement across the South, police in Tallahassee, Florida, used tear gas to disperse peaceful Black... Continue →
San Antonio, Texas, became the first major Southern city to peacefully integrate its lunch counters. This significant step toward desegregation came... Continue →
Following sustained sit-in movements led by Black students across the South, four national chain stores announced that lunch counters in... Continue →
The Associated Press reported that more than 1,000 Black Americans had been arrested across the South for participating in sit-in protests against... Continue →
Legendary boxer Joe Louis officially retired as the world heavyweight boxing champion after an unprecedented reign of eleven years and eight months.... Continue →
Sherman Hemsley, the iconic actor best known for his roles as George Jefferson in All in the Family and The Jeffersons, and as Deacon Ernest Frye in... Continue →
Merlie Evers-Williams, a future civil rights activist and the first woman to chair the NAACP, is born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The widow of Medgar... Continue →
Harry Belafonte, legendary singer, actor, and civil rights activist, was born in Harlem, New York. Known as the "King of Calypso" for popularizing... Continue →
The influential magazine Survey Graphic released a special issue titled Harlem, Mecca of the New Negro, capturing the energy of the Harlem... Continue →
Ralph Waldo Ellison, one of the most influential African American writers of the 20th century, was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His landmark... Continue →
Anna M. Mangin, an African American inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 470,005 for the pastry fork—a kitchen tool designed to make mixing dough... Continue →
The U.S. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1875, granting African Americans the legal right to equal treatment in public accommodations such as... Continue →
J. Milton Turner was appointed as U.S. Minister Resident to Liberia, becoming the first Black diplomat formally accredited to an African country.... Continue →
On this day, Rebecca Lee (later Crumpler) graduated from the New England Female Medical College, becoming the first African American woman in the... Continue →
Blanche Kelso Bruce was born into slavery in Prince Edward County, Virginia. He would go on to make history as the first Black man to serve a full... Continue →
Pennsylvania became the first U.S. state to pass a law abolishing slavery with the enactment of the Gradual Abolition Act. This pioneering... Continue →
The British colonial government, unable to defeat the Maroons—communities of formerly enslaved Africans who had escaped and formed independent... Continue →
On this dated in 1867, Howard University, in Washington, D. C. named for General Oliver O. Howard, was established.
On this day in 1962, "Wilt the Stilt" Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single basketball game-a professional record that still stands today. He... Continue →
Martin Luther King, Jr. announced plans for Poor People's Campaign in Washington. He said he would lead a massive civil disobedience campaign in the... Continue →
The Mary McLeod Bethune commemorative stamp is issued by the U.S. Postal Service as the eighth stamp in its Black Heritage USA series.
On March 6, 1857, the Dred Scott decision of the Supreme Court denied Blacks U.S. citizenship and denied the power of Congress to restrict slavery in... Continue →
First cadets graduated from flying school at Tuskegee.
Alexander Thomas Augusta, first African American faculty member of an American medical school, Howard University, is born free
White firemen of the Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railroad struck to protest the hiring of Black firemen.
Through the 12th - three thousand delegates and five thousand observers attended the first Black political convention in Gary, Indiana. The NAACP and... Continue →
Through 12th Manifesto denouncing Supreme Court ruling on segregation in public schools issued by one hundred Southern senators and representatives.
At the 12th Annual Grammy Awards, The Fifth Dimension—a racially integrated pop-soul group featuring African American vocalists—won Record of the... Continue →
Soul legend Otis Redding posthumously received a gold record for his iconic single “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” The award came just... Continue →
On this day, Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun premiered at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City, starring Sidney Poitier and... Continue →
Comedian and television star Flip Wilson received the International Broadcasting Man of the Year Award, recognizing his groundbreaking impact on... Continue →
Bobby McFerrin, an innovative vocalist, composer, and conductor, was born on this day. Best known for his global hit “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,”... Continue →
Dr. Reginald Weir became the first Black athlete to compete in the U.S. Indoor Lawn Tennis Association Championship. His participation marked a... Continue →
Rev. Ralph David Abernathy was born in Linden, Alabama. A close aide to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Abernathy co-founded the Southern Christian... Continue →
On this day, Frederick Douglass was named president of the Freedmen’s Bank, an institution originally established to help newly emancipated African... Continue →
Charles Sumner, a leading abolitionist and U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, died on this day. A fierce advocate for racial equality during and after... Continue →
On this day, twelve Black laborers in New Orleans were brutally attacked by a white mob. The violence, fueled by post-Reconstruction racial tensions... Continue →
The Confederate Congress, meeting in Montgomery, Alabama, adopted the Confederate Constitution, explicitly protecting slavery. The document... Continue →
Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean with a significant population of African and Afro-descendant heritage, achieved independence from... Continue →
On this day, Malcolm X publicly announced his departure from the Nation of Islam, citing growing ideological differences and disillusionment with the... Continue →
Playwright Charles Fuller was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his powerful play A Soldier’s Play. The work explores racism within the... Continue →
Darryl Strawberry, a legendary Major League Baseball outfielder, was born on this day in Los Angeles, California. Known for his powerful swing and... Continue →
Charlie "Bird" Parker, a pioneering alto saxophonist and one of the founding fathers of bebop, died on this day in New York City at the age of 34.... Continue →
On this day, New York became the first U.S. state to establish a Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC), aimed at combating racial and religious... Continue →
Virginia Hamilton was born on this day in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She would go on to become one of the most celebrated writers of juvenile and young... Continue →
Andrew Young, a key figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He would go on to become a close aide to Dr.... Continue →
Dorothy Irene Height was born on this day. A tireless advocate for civil rights and women's rights, she served for decades as the president of the... Continue →
On this day, Benjamin Banneker, a self-taught Black mathematician, astronomer, and surveyor, was commissioned alongside Pierre Charles L’Enfant to... Continue →
Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a Haitian-born fur trader of African and French descent, established a permanent settlement near the mouth of the... Continue →
On this day, John E. Lee became the first African American to be commissioned as an officer in the South Carolina National Guard since... Continue →
On this day, Maurice Bishop led the New Jewel Movement in a bloodless coup that overthrew the Grenadian government, making him the new Prime... Continue →
Col. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the legendary leader of the Tuskegee Airmen, assumed command of Lockbourne Air Force Base in Ohio. This marked a historic... Continue →
The Atlanta Daily World, founded by William A. Scott III, began publication on this day, becoming the first Black daily newspaper in the United... Continue →
James Rhoden, a prominent African American sculptor known for his abstract and figurative works, was born on this day. Rhoden’s art often explored... Continue →
In response to rising violence and intimidation by the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction, the Arkansas legislature passed a landmark anti-Klan law... Continue →
In a significant shift in federal policy during the Civil War, the U.S. Congress passed an act forbidding Union military personnel from assisting in... Continue →
On March 12, 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis signed legislation permitting the enlistment of enslaved African Americans as soldiers in... Continue →
Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a Black French-speaking trader of African descent, established the first permanent settlement at “Shikaakwa” (later... Continue →
Quincy Jones was born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago’s South Side. He discovered his love for music in elementary school and experimented with... Continue →
Eli Whitney received a U.S. patent for the cotton gin, a machine that revolutionized cotton processing by efficiently separating cotton fibers from... Continue →
William Jennings Jefferson was born in Lake Providence, Louisiana. In 1990, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first... Continue →
The U.S. Army established its first training camp for Black officers in Des Moines, Iowa. This historic move came amid mounting pressure from African... Continue →
In response to the Pennsylvania Reform Convention of 1837, which denied Black men the right to vote, African Americans in Philadelphia held a large... Continue →
The NAACP launched one of its first coordinated legal challenges against educational segregation by filing a lawsuit on behalf of Thomas Hocutt, a... Continue →
Beginning in mid-March 1980, a wave of racially motivated violence tied to Ku Klux Klan activity broke out across several U.S. states, including... Continue →
Leon H. Washington founded the Los Angeles Sentinel, which would grow to become one of the most influential African American newspapers in the... Continue →
Max Yergan, a pioneering missionary and YMCA secretary, received the Spingarn Medal for his outstanding work in South Africa. His efforts in... Continue →
On this date, the Fifty-fifth U.S. Congress (1897–1899) convened with only one Black representative: George H. White of North Carolina. He was the... Continue →
Lester Young, the iconic tenor saxophonist known for his smooth tone and laid-back style, died in New York City at the age of 49. A key figure in the... Continue →
Freedom’s Journal, the first African American-owned and operated newspaper in the United States, was published in New York City. Founded by Samuel... Continue →
Over 267,000 Black and Puerto Rican students boycotted New York City public schools in a powerful follow-up to the February boycott. The protest... Continue →
On this day, Frederick McKinley Jones—an African-American inventor who passed in 1961—was posthumously honored for his groundbreaking... Continue →
On this day, Thomas L. Jennings was formally recognized for his groundbreaking achievement as the first African American to receive a U.S. patent. In... Continue →
On this day, the United States Post Office issued a commemorative stamp honoring Dr. Percy Lavon Julian (1899–1975), a pioneering African American... Continue →
Rebel troops led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila captured the strategic city of Kisangani during the First Congo War, marking a major turning point in the... Continue →
Hiram R. Revels, the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate, delivered his historic first speech opposing the readmission of Georgia to... Continue →
Jackie Roosevelt Robinson made his professional baseball debut with the Montreal Royals in Daytona Beach, Florida — at the ballpark that would... Continue →
Norbert Rillieux, a pioneering chemical engineer, inventor, and Egyptologist, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. A child of Creole heritage and the... Continue →
On this day, Maurice Ashley made history by becoming the first Black International Grandmaster in chess. Born in Jamaica and raised in Brooklyn,... Continue →
On this day, Jacob Lawrence became the first visual artist to receive the NAACP’s prestigious Spingarn Medal, awarded for "eminence among American... Continue →
West Virginia State College was established in Institute, West Virginia, as a land-grant institution for Black students under the Second Morrill Act... Continue →
Aaron Anderson, an African American landsman in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for his bravery during an operation aboard the USS... Continue →
On this day, George Monroe (1834–1886) was posthumously honored for his contributions as one of the few Black stagecoach drivers of the famed Pony... Continue →
The USS Jesse L. Brown was launched as the first U.S. naval ship named in honor of an African American naval officer. Jesse L. Brown was a pioneering... Continue →
Vanessa L. Williams was born in Millwood, New York. She would go on to make history as the first Black woman crowned Miss America in 1983. Despite... Continue →
Irene Cara, acclaimed actress, singer, and songwriter, was born in New York City. She rose to international fame with her performances in Fame (1980)... Continue →
Wilson Pickett, a pioneering R&B and soul singer, was born in Prattville, Alabama. Known for hits like “In the Midnight Hour,” “Mustang... Continue →
Charley Pride, one of the most successful Black country music artists in history, was born in Sledge, Mississippi. Pride broke racial barriers in the... Continue →
Born in Lula, Mississippi, Unita Blackwell rose from humble beginnings as the daughter of sharecroppers to become a pivotal figure in the civil... Continue →
President Theodore Roosevelt appointed a special committee to investigate political unrest and governance issues in Liberia, a nation founded by... Continue →
On this day, 200 Black Americans departed from Savannah, Georgia, to Liberia in West Africa. Motivated by a desire for self-determination and freedom... Continue →
The Forty-sixth Congress convened with Blanche K. Bruce of Mississippi serving as the only Black U.S. Senator. Bruce, a formerly enslaved man, was... Continue →
Ralph Waldo Tyler, journalist and civil servant, was born—likely in Ohio—as the oldest of 12 children. Tyler became one of the most influential... Continue →
On this day, students at Howard University seized the administration building in protest, demanding a more Black-oriented curriculum and greater say... Continue →
William Tucker, believed to be the first African child born in the English colonies, was born and baptized in Jamestown, Virginia. His parents,... Continue →
James B. Parsons made history as the first African American to serve as chief judge of a federal court, the U.S. District Court for the Northern... Continue →
Langston Hughes, the celebrated poet and playwright of the Harlem Renaissance, founded the New Negro Theater in Los Angeles, California. The theater... Continue →
Ornette Coleman, the revolutionary alto saxophonist and composer, was born in Fort Worth, Texas. A key figure in the development of free jazz,... Continue →
Nathaniel "Nat King" Cole was born in Montgomery, Alabama. A groundbreaking jazz pianist and smooth-voiced singer, Cole became one of the first Black... Continue →
Jan Ernst Matzeliger, a Black inventor from Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana (now Suriname), received a patent for his revolutionary shoe-lasting machine on... Continue →
African American inventor T. J. Boyd was granted a U.S. patent for an innovative apparatus designed to quickly detach horses from carriages. His... Continue →
Congressman Thaddeus Stevens introduced a resolution urging enforcement of land redistribution under what would later become the Second Confiscation... Continue →
Gabriel de la Concepción Valdés, also known as "Plácido," was born in Matanzas, Cuba. A poet of African descent, Plácido became renowned for his... Continue →
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin was published in Boston, quickly becoming a bestseller and a powerful tool in the... Continue →
Black students at the University of Michigan, supported by faculty and allies, launched a campus-wide strike demanding increased Black student... Continue →
Spike Lee, a pioneering African American filmmaker, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Known for his provocative and socially conscious films, such as Do... Continue →
Dr. Ralph Bunche was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role as chief United Nations mediator in the 1949 armistice negotiations that ended the... Continue →
Ota Benga, a Congolese man who had been exhibited in the Bronx Zoo’s Monkey House in 1906 alongside primates, died by suicide. Benga, a Mbuti man,... Continue →
Born Rosetta Nubin in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, Sister Rosetta Tharpe would become a pioneering gospel singer and electric guitarist whose influence... Continue →
Allan Rohan Crite was born in North Plainfield, New Jersey. Raised in Boston’s South End, his artistic journey began at age six when his mother... Continue →
On this day, the Mississippi legislature denied adequate funding to Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College, one of the first Black land-grant... Continue →
Martin R. Delany published The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States, the first major work... Continue →
Led by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., thousands of civil rights activists began a 54-mile march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to demand equal... Continue →
On March 21, 1990, Namibia officially gained independence from South African rule after decades of colonialism and occupation. The historic event... Continue →
Walter White, former executive secretary of the NAACP, passed away at age 61 in New York City. A key figure in the civil rights movement, White led... Continue →
On this day, San Antonio, Texas became the first major Southern city to voluntarily integrate its lunch counters. The peaceful agreement between... Continue →
In Sharpeville, South Africa, during a peaceful protest against apartheid pass laws, white South African police opened fire on unarmed Black... Continue →
James Baskett became the second African American to receive an Academy Award when he was honored with a Special Oscar for his performance as Uncle... Continue →
Alonzo Pietro, a Black navigator from Spain, is believed to have joined Christopher Columbus's expedition that would lead to the European "discovery"... Continue →
State troopers were mobilized to suppress a student rebellion at Cheyney State College (now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania), one of the nation's... Continue →
George Benson, a Grammy Award-winning guitarist and singer, was born on this day in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Known for blending jazz, soul, and pop... Continue →
Morgan Smith, an African American Shakespearean actor, died in Sheffield, England. He had emigrated from the United States to England in 1866, where... Continue →
Jamaican-born activist Marcus Garvey arrived in the United States on March 23, 1916, laying the groundwork for one of the most influential Black... Continue →
Patricia Roberts Harris, the first African American woman to serve in a U.S. presidential cabinet, died in Washington, D.C. A groundbreaking diplomat... Continue →
On this day, Rev. Walter Fauntroy, a former aide to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., became the first non-voting congressional delegate from the District... Continue →
Moses Malone, one of the most dominant centers in professional basketball history, was born in Petersburg, Virginia. Nicknamed “The Mailman” for... Continue →
Walter Rodney, a Guyanese historian, political activist, and author of the seminal work How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, was born on this day. A... Continue →
Z. Alexander Looby, a pioneering civil rights attorney and the first African American to serve on the Nashville City Council, passed away on this... Continue →
Dorothy Irene Height was born in Richmond, Virginia. A towering figure in the civil rights and women’s rights movements, Height served as president... Continue →
On March 24, 1837, Black men in Canada were officially granted the right to vote. This milestone followed the abolition of slavery in the British... Continue →
After four days and 54 miles, the Selma to Montgomery March concluded as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., alongside John Lewis, Coretta Scott King, and... Continue →
Debi Thomas, who would go on to become the first African American to win a medal at the Winter Olympics, was born on this day in Poughkeepsie, New... Continue →
Aretha Franklin was born in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of renowned Black minister Rev. C.L. Franklin. Raised in a deeply spiritual and musical... Continue →
Ida B. Wells-Barnett (July 16, 1862 – March 25, 1931), a fearless anti-lynching crusader, journalist, and suffragist, passed away on this day. Born... Continue →
Nine African American teenagers, known as the Scottsboro Boys, were falsely accused of raping two white women in Alabama. Despite weak evidence, they... Continue →
The American Liberian Commission, appointed by President William H. Taft, issued a report recommending financial aid to Liberia and the establishment... Continue →
Samori Touré, founder of the Wassoulou (Wasulu) Empire in West Africa, signed the Treaty of Bisandugu with French colonial forces. Intended as a... Continue →
On this day, a group of citizens in Kentucky filed a formal petition challenging the violent acts of the Ku Klux Klan. Amid growing Klan terror... Continue →
Thomas J. Martin, an African American inventor, was awarded a U.S. patent for an early version of the fire extinguisher. His invention improved fire... Continue →
In one of the earliest armed uprisings against British colonial authority, both Black and white indentured servants and enslaved people joined... Continue →
The Reverend Emmanuel Cleaver made history by becoming the first African American mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. A civil rights activist and United... Continue →
Augusta Savage, a trailblazing African American sculptor of the Harlem Renaissance, passed away on this day. Known for her work celebrating Black... Continue →
Teddy Pendergrass, one of the most distinctive voices in soul and R&B music, was born on this day in Kingstree, South Carolina. Rising to fame as the... Continue →
Diana Ross, legendary singer and founding member of The Supremes, was born in Detroit, Michigan. Under her leadership, The Supremes became Motown's... Continue →
President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed William H. Hastie as the first African American federal judge. Hastie was named Judge of the Federal... Continue →
Dr. James A. Harris, a pioneering African American nuclear chemist, was born on this day. During his tenure at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Harris... Continue →
Bishop George Alexander McGuire was a pioneering Black religious leader and founder of the African Orthodox Church. A staunch advocate for racial... Continue →
William H. Lewis became the first African American appointed as Assistant Attorney General of the United States. A Harvard-educated lawyer and former... Continue →
Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, died at age 71. A visionary religious leader and former enslaved man, Allen... Continue →
On this day, Halle Berry made history by becoming the first Black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. She earned the Oscar for her... Continue →
Over 1,000 students at Howard University staged a sit-in and protest demanding greater emphasis on African American history and culture in the... Continue →
Though not widely publicized at the time, this laid the groundwork for institutional efforts to preserve and document African American life and... Continue →
Johnnie Cochran, who would later rise to national prominence during the O.J. Simpson trial, was appointed to the bench, becoming one of the... Continue →
Though the independence was declared in 1957, Ghana officially became a republic on this date, with Nkrumah sworn in as the first president — a... Continue →
Hill’s solo debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill swept multiple categories at the NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding Album. The project... Continue →
On this day, Bill Russell was named head coach of the Boston Celtics, making history as the first Black head coach in the NBA and in major American... Continue →
Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, former president of Morehouse College and a towering figure in American education and the civil rights movement, passed... Continue →
Fleeta Drumgo and John Clutchette, two of the surviving Soledad Brothers, were acquitted by an all-white jury of charges that they had murdered a... Continue →
A peaceful protest march in Memphis, Tennessee, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in support of striking Black sanitation workers, was interrupted by... Continue →
Ronnie Ray Smith, an American track and field sprinter, was born in Los Angeles, California. He rose to prominence in the 1960s as part of the... Continue →
On this day, celebrated Harlem Renaissance poet Countee Cullen received the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa award for poetry while a student at New York... Continue →
Ed Wilson, an award-winning African American sculptor known for his powerful figurative works and commitment to social themes, was born on March 28,... Continue →
On this day, British colonial officials demanded the sacred Golden Stool of the Ashanti—a symbol of the Ashanti people's soul and sovereignty. The... Continue →
Earl Campbell, one of the greatest power running backs in NFL history, was born in Tyler, Texas. Known as the "Tyler Rose," Campbell won the Heisman... Continue →
On this day, the United Nations resumed a humanitarian aid program to feed over two million Angolans after the Angolan government lifted a... Continue →
Dr. Eric Williams, the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, died in Port of Spain at the age of 79. A pivotal figure in Caribbean politics... Continue →
In protest of poor campus conditions and lack of institutional support, Black students at Bowie State College (now Bowie State University) seized the... Continue →
Barthélemy Boganda, the founding father and first President of the Central African Republic, died in a mysterious plane crash. A former Catholic... Continue →
Walt Frazier, one of basketball’s most iconic figures, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Known for his dazzling style off the court—complete with... Continue →
Pearl Bailey, an acclaimed singer and actress known for her sultry voice and charismatic stage presence, was born in Newport News, Virginia. Rising... Continue →
Inventor W.J. Ballow was granted U.S. Patent No. 601,422 for a “Combined Hatrack and Table.” This innovative design blended functionality and... Continue →
The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, guaranteeing that the right to vote could not be denied based on "race, color, or previous... Continue →
The National Urban League presented a groundbreaking one-hour national radio program titled “The Negro and National Defense” on the CBS network.... Continue →
On this day, legendary bandleader Cab Calloway recorded Minnie the Moocher, a jazz classic known for its infectious "Hi-De-Ho" chorus. The song... Continue →
Renowned author Toni Morrison was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel Beloved, a haunting and powerful portrayal of slavery’s... Continue →
Jesse Owens, the legendary track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, died at age 66 in Tucson, Arizona. Owens’... Continue →
On March 31, 1960, eighteen students were suspended by Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after organizing a boycott of classes in... Continue →
Laurian Rugambwa of Tanzania was appointed by Pope John XXIII as the first Black Roman Catholic Cardinal. His appointment marked a significant step... Continue →
Labor leader and civil rights activist A. Philip Randolph testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee, demanding an end to segregation and... Continue →
President Herbert Hoover nominated Judge John J. Parker of North Carolina to the U.S. Supreme Court. The NAACP launched a national campaign opposing... Continue →
On this day, U.S. Navy Seaman Alphonse Gerandy displayed extraordinary bravery aboard the USS Petrel by risking his life to save fellow crewmen... Continue →
Jack Johnson, the first Black man to win the world heavyweight boxing title, was born in Galveston, Texas. He became champion in 1908 after defeating... Continue →
Henry Ossian Flipper was born into slavery on March 31, 1856, in Thomasville, Georgia. He would go on to become the first African American to... Continue →
The United States recorded a population of 23,191,876 in the 1850 census. Notably, this was the first federal census to include every individual in a... Continue →
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rejected Charles Sumner's argument in Roberts v. City of Boston, a lawsuit filed on behalf of Sarah Roberts,... Continue →
Olaudah Equiano, a formerly enslaved African who became a prominent abolitionist and author, died in London. His autobiography, The Interesting... Continue →
A series of fires and rumors of a planned slave uprising in New York City led to mass hysteria in the spring of 1741. Fueled by racial tensions and... Continue →
Marvin Gaye dies in his parents Los Angeles home. Marvin attacked his father for verbally abusing his mother. His father responded by shooting his... Continue →
The First World Festival of Black Arts (FESTAC) was held in Dakar, Senegal, from April 1 to April 24, 1966. Initiated by President Léopold Sédar... Continue →
Oscar Micheaux, the first major African-American feature filmmaker, died on this day in 1951. A prolific writer, director, and producer, Micheaux... Continue →
Dr. Charles R. Drew, a groundbreaking African American surgeon and medical researcher, died at age 45 in an automobile accident near Burlington,... Continue →
Empress Zewditu of Ethiopia, the first and only reigning female monarch of modern Ethiopia, died on this day in 1930. She ruled from 1916 to 1930,... Continue →
On this day, Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College formally affiliated, creating a new cooperative entity known as Atlanta... Continue →
Scott Joplin, a pioneering composer and pianist, died in New York City. Known as the "King of Ragtime," Joplin was instrumental in shaping American... Continue →
Clara McBride Hale was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Known lovingly as "Mother Hale," she later founded Hale House in Harlem, New York—a safe... Continue →
Hampton University was founded on April 1, 1868, in Hampton, Virginia, as Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, a school dedicated to the... Continue →
In the wake of the Civil War, Black citizens in Tuscumbia, Alabama, voted in a municipal election for the first time. Although this marked a... Continue →
On this day, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned the wrongful conviction of Lenell Geter, a Black aerospace engineer who had been falsely... Continue →
Coach John Thompson of Georgetown University made history by becoming the first Black head coach to win the NCAA men’s basketball championship.... Continue →
Marvin Gaye is born in Washington, D.C. A legendary soul singer and songwriter, he would sign with Motown Records in 1962 and launch a 22-year career... Continue →
World-renowned African American cowboy Willie "Bill" Pickett died in Ponca City, Oklahoma, from injuries sustained after being kicked in the head by... Continue →
Charles White was born on April 2, 1918, in Chicago, Illinois. A masterful draftsman and painter, White began his professional career creating murals... Continue →
On this day, Black soldiers of the Union Army’s Twenty-Fifth Corps were among the first to enter the Confederate stronghold of Petersburg,... Continue →
John Mercer Langston was elected clerk of Brownhelm Township in Ohio, making him one of the first African Americans ever elected to public office in... Continue →
On this day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final speech, I've Been to the Mountaintop, at Bishop Charles J. Mason Temple in Memphis,... Continue →
Inventor H.H. Reynolds was granted U.S. Patent No. 275,271 for a Window Ventilator for Railroad Cars. This innovative design improved airflow and... Continue →
After a series of defeats in 1861 and 1862, pressure from Congress increased on President Abraham Lincoln to enlist African Americans as soldiers in... Continue →
Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) launched a major anti-segregation campaign in Birmingham, Alabama, one... Continue →
In response to a Black-led boycott of downtown Birmingham stores during the civil rights movement, the Birmingham City Commission voted to withhold... Continue →
Eddie Murphy was born in Brooklyn, New York. Rising to fame on Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s, Murphy became one of the most influential... Continue →
Carter G. Woodson, the pioneering historian and educator known as the “Father of Black History,” died at the age of 74 in Washington, D.C.... Continue →
In an 8–1 decision in Smith v. Allwright, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to bar Black citizens from voting in Texas... Continue →
Ras Tafari Makonnen was formally proclaimed Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, marking the beginning of a transformative reign. A symbol of... Continue →
The Savings Bank of the Order of True Reformers opened its doors in Richmond, Virginia, becoming the first Black-owned and operated bank in the... Continue →
Gertrude "Ma" Rainey was born in Columbus, Georgia. Widely celebrated as the "Mother of the Blues," she began performing at the Columbus Opera House... Continue →
A. B. Blackburn, an African American inventor, received U.S. Patent #380,420 for his invention of the spring seat for chairs. This innovation... Continue →
On this day, the Fifth Massachusetts Colored Cavalry and units of the Twenty-Fifth Corps—composed largely of Black soldiers—were among the first... Continue →
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the iconic civil rights leader and advocate for nonviolent resistance, was assassinated by a white sniper while standing... Continue →
Adam Clayton Powell Jr., influential congressman and civil rights leader, died at the age of 63 in Miami. As the first African American elected to... Continue →
Senegal officially gained independence from France on April 4, 1960, marking the end of colonial rule and the beginning of sovereign nationhood.... Continue →
Speaking before the Overseas Press Club in New York City, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. publicly announced his opposition to the Vietnam War.... Continue →
Richard Dean Parsons was born in Brooklyn, New York. He became the first African American to lead a major non-minority U.S. savings institution when... Continue →
Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri. Raised in both St. Louis and Stamps, Arkansas, she became one of the most... Continue →
Born McKinley Morganfield in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, Muddy Waters would go on to become one of the most influential blues musicians of the 20th... Continue →
FBI documents released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed the existence of COINTELPRO, a covert government program used in the 1960s to... Continue →
Robert Smalls was born on April 5, 1839, in Beaufort, South Carolina, into the brutal institution of slavery. His mother, Lydia Polite, was enslaved... Continue →
Sarah Vaughan, one of the most celebrated jazz vocalists of the 20th century, passed away at the age of 66. Known as "The Divine One," Vaughan's... Continue →
On this day, Gertrude Downing was granted a patent for her innovative corner cleaner attachment, designed to improve vacuum cleaning efficiency by... Continue →
Colin Luther Powell, the first African American U.S. Secretary of State, was born on this day in Harlem, New York. A four-star general in the U.S.... Continue →
Booker Taliaferro Washington was born on this day in Hale's Ford, Virginia. Born into slavery, he would become one of the most influential African... Continue →
Charles W. Follis, known as "The Black Cyclone," passed away on this day. He was the first African American to play professional football in the... Continue →
On this day, African American explorer Matthew Henson became one of the first people to reach the North Pole, arriving nearly 45 minutes ahead of... Continue →
Billy Dee Williams, iconic African American actor, was born in New York City. He rose to fame with roles in films such as Mahogany and gained global... Continue →
The first trial of the Scottsboro Nine—nine Black teenagers falsely accused of raping two white women on a freight train—began in Scottsboro,... Continue →
On this day, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany, officially entering the United States into World War I. At the same... Continue →
Ebenezer Don Carlos Bassett, then Principal of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia, was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant as U.S.... Continue →
On this day, Dred Scott and his wife Harriet filed a lawsuit against Irene Emerson in St. Louis, Missouri, seeking their freedom. The Scotts argued... Continue →
James Augustine Healy, the first known Black Roman Catholic bishop in the United States, was born near Macon, Georgia. He was the son of an Irish... Continue →
James Beckwourth was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, to a white slaveowner and an enslaved Black woman. As a teenager, he moved to St. Louis and... Continue →
On May 6, 1967, approximately 400 students at Cheyney State College (now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania), the nation’s oldest historically... Continue →
The United States issued its first postage stamp honoring an African American—Booker T. Washington. As an educator, author, and founder of Tuskegee... Continue →
The Dunghutti Aboriginal people of New South Wales reached a historic agreement with the Australian government, securing the first successful claim... Continue →
Anthony "Tony" Dorsett, legendary NFL running back and Pro Football Hall of Famer, was born in Rochester, Pennsylvania. A standout at the University... Continue →
Frederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard, one of the most influential jazz trumpeters of the 20th century, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Known for... Continue →
William Monroe Trotter, a pioneering Black journalist, civil rights activist, and co-founder of the Boston Guardian newspaper, died at age 62 in... Continue →
Legendary jazz and blues singer Billie Holiday was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Known for her deeply emotional voice and haunting delivery, Holiday... Continue →
William Monroe Trotter, a pioneering African American journalist and civil rights activist, was born on this day in Chillicothe, Ohio. A Harvard... Continue →
Johnson C. Smith University was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina, as Biddle Memorial Institute. Established by the Presbyterian Church to educate... Continue →
On this day, a group of 27 enslaved Africans in New York City launched a rebellion against brutal conditions and oppression. The revolt began with... Continue →
Joseph Nathan Oliver, better known as King Oliver or Joe Oliver, was an American jazz cornet player and bandleader. He was particularly recognized... Continue →
On April 8, 1920, American Jazz Singer Carmen McRae was born. After winning an amateur contest at Harlem's legendary Appolllo Theatre in her home... Continue →
In a historic moment at Atlanta Stadium, Henry “Hank” Aaron hit his 715th career home run, surpassing Babe Ruth’s long-standing Major League... Continue →
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America released This Far By Faith: An African American Resource for Worship, a landmark hymnal and liturgical... Continue →
On this day, Percy Julian and George Washington Carver became the first African American inventors inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame,... Continue →
In Wrightsville, Georgia, state troopers were deployed to quell racial disturbances sparked by long-standing tensions over police brutality, voter... Continue →
On this day, 16-year-old Lawrence Bradford Jr. of New York City made history as the first African American page appointed to the United States... Continue →
On this day, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was officially organized during a meeting at Shaw University in Raleigh, North... Continue →
Christopher Darden was born on April 8, 1956. A prominent attorney, he gained national recognition as a prosecuting lawyer in the O.J. Simpson murder... Continue →
Ruth Gaines-Shelton was born on April 8, 1872, in Glasgow, Missouri. A trailblazing African American playwright, she is best known for her comedic... Continue →
The U.S. Congress passed the Civil Rights Bill of 1866, overriding President Andrew Johnson’s veto. This landmark legislation granted citizenship... Continue →
Josephine Baker, the legendary African American performer, French Resistance agent, and civil rights activist, died in Paris at the age of 68.... Continue →
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was laid to rest following funeral services at Ebenezer Baptist Church and a public memorial at Morehouse College in... Continue →
Juanita Hall made history as the first African American to win a Tony Award, receiving the honor for her portrayal of Bloody Mary in the Broadway... Continue →
After being denied the opportunity to perform at Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution due to her race, world-renowned... Continue →
Dr. Nathan Hare was born in Slick, Oklahoma. A trailblazing educator, sociologist, and publisher, Hare became known as the "father of Black Studies"... Continue →
Paule Marshall, acclaimed African American novelist and essayist, was born in Brooklyn, New York. Her work, including the celebrated novel Brown... Continue →
Paul Bustill Robeson was born in Princeton, New Jersey. A brilliant scholar and All-American football player at Rutgers University, Robeson graduated... Continue →
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Florence Beatrice Price became the first African American woman to have a symphony performed by a major U.S.... Continue →
On this day, the American Anti-Slavery Society officially disbanded in Boston, declaring its mission complete following the passage of the 15th... Continue →
Nine Black regiments from General John Hawkins’s division played a decisive role in breaching Confederate defenses at Fort Blakely, Alabama. Their... Continue →
Just days after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the U.S. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Also known as the Fair... Continue →
Jasmine Guy, acclaimed actress, dancer, and director, was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She rose to fame for her iconic role as Whitley Gilbert on... Continue →
Nana Annor Adjaye, a respected Ghanaian statesman and Pan-Africanist, passed away in Western Nzima, Ghana. A prominent advocate for African unity and... Continue →
Johnnie Tillmon Blackston (born Johnnie Lee Percy) was born in Scott, Arkansas, on April 10, 1926. She became a pioneering welfare rights activist... Continue →
Richard Allen was elected and ordained as the first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Philadelphia. This marked the formal... Continue →
On this day, Idaho became the 47th U.S. state to officially recognize January 15th as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, aligning with the federal holiday... Continue →
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History officially opened its new facility in Detroit, Michigan, becoming the largest museum of its... Continue →
Willie D. Burton made history by becoming the first African American to win an Academy Award for sound. He received the Oscar for Best Sound for his... Continue →
Benjamin L. Hooks, a Memphis lawyer, Baptist minister, and civil rights advocate, became the first African American appointed to the Federal... Continue →
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968—commonly known as the Fair Housing Act—outlawing discrimination in the sale,... Continue →
After being excluded from Congress amid allegations of misconduct, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was re-elected by Harlem voters with 86% of the vote. This... Continue →
On this day, Emmett Ashford made history by becoming the first African American to umpire a Major League Baseball game. Officiating the season opener... Continue →
Legendary singer Nat “King” Cole was violently attacked by a group of white men while performing on stage at the Birmingham Municipal Auditorium... Continue →
Following the death of civil rights leader Walter White, Roy Wilkins was elected executive secretary of the NAACP. Wilkins would go on to serve as a... Continue →
Jackie Robinson signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers, officially becoming the first Black player in Major League Baseball’s modern era. His... Continue →
Tony Brown, an influential television journalist, author, and commentator, was born on this day. Best known as the longtime host of Tony Brown’s... Continue →
Percy Julian, a pioneering African American chemist, was born in Montgomery, Alabama. Despite facing racial barriers, he earned degrees from DePauw,... Continue →
Spelman College opened in Atlanta, Georgia, as a seminary for Black women, originally founded by Sophia Packard and Harriet Giles with support from... Continue →
In his final public speech, President Abraham Lincoln proposed limited Black suffrage—specifically for educated African Americans and Black Union... Continue →
On this day, Richard Allen was named the first bishop of the newly formed African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Founded by several independent... Continue →
Sugar Ray Robinson, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, passed away at the age of 67. A five-time world middleweight champion... Continue →
Joe Louis, one of the greatest heavyweight boxing champions in history, passed away at the age of 66. Known as the “Brown Bomber,” Louis held the... Continue →
Liberian President William R. Tolbert Jr. and twenty-seven government officials were assassinated during a military coup led by Master Sergeant... Continue →
Legendary opera soprano Leontyne Price was awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Italy's highest civilian honor. Celebrated for her... Continue →
Josephine Baker, the legendary African American entertainer, French Resistance agent, and civil rights activist, passed away in Paris at the age of... Continue →
Emmett Ashford made history as the first African American umpire in Major League Baseball when he officiated his first game in the American League.... Continue →
In a speech delivered on this day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. publicly criticized the Vietnam War, describing it as “rapidly degenerating into a... Continue →
Herbie Hancock, the groundbreaking jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader, was born in Chicago, Illinois. A child prodigy who played with the Chicago... Continue →
Lionel Hampton, legendary jazz musician and bandleader, was born on April 12, 1913. Renowned for introducing the vibraphone into jazz, Hampton... Continue →
Sir Grantley Herbert Adams, a pioneering political leader and advocate for Caribbean self-governance, was born in Barbados on... Continue →
Black students at Boston University occupied the administration building to demand the creation of Afro-American history courses and the admission of... Continue →
In response to escalating violence by the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction, the North Carolina legislature passed an Anti-Klan Law on April 12,... Continue →
During the American Civil War, Confederate forces under General Nathan Bedford Forrest captured Fort Pillow in Tennessee. Following the fort’s... Continue →
Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, marking the start of the American Civil War. While not directly... Continue →
Richard Harvey Cain was born on this day in Greenbrier County, Virginia (now West Virginia). A prominent African Methodist Episcopal (AME) bishop,... Continue →
Richard Allen and Absalom Jones established the Free African Society in Philadelphia, one of the earliest Black mutual aid organizations in the... Continue →
President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Andrew F. Brimmer, a distinguished economist and former University of Pennsylvania professor, to serve on the... Continue →
On April 13, 1997, Tiger Woods made history by winning the 61st Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. At just 21 years old, he... Continue →
On this day, Sidney Poitier became the first African American man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, for his role as Homer Smith in Lilies of... Continue →
Al Green, one of the most iconic voices in rhythm and blues, was born in Forest City, Arkansas. Rising to fame in the 1970s with hits like "Let's... Continue →
Nella Larsen, a pioneering writer of the Harlem Renaissance, was born in Chicago, Illinois. Known for her novels Quicksand (1928) and Passing (1929),... Continue →
On Easter Sunday in Grant Parish, Louisiana, a violent white supremacist mob attacked and killed more than 60 Black men during a dispute over local... Continue →
On Palm Sunday, April 13, 1669, an African American man named Emmanuel was baptized in a Lutheran congregation in New York, marking the first... Continue →
On this day, Tiger Woods captured his third Masters title at Augusta National Golf Club, finishing three strokes ahead of Retief Goosen. This victory... Continue →
Members of Columbia University's Student Afro-American Society (SAS) seized the Columbia College admissions office to protest the university’s lack... Continue →
James Hutton Brew, often called the "Pioneer of West African Journalism," died on this day in 1915. A lawyer, politician, and journalist from the... Continue →
In a pivotal decision on April 14, 1873, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Slaughterhouse Cases that the Fourteenth Amendment only protected... Continue →
South Carolina voters approved a new state constitution by a wide margin—70,758 to 27,228—and elected a new slate of state officers, including... Continue →
On the evening of April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was shot by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at Ford’s... Continue →
The first abolitionist society in the United States, the Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage, was organized in... Continue →
Jackie Robinson made his historic debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern... Continue →
At the All-African People’s Conference held in Accra, Ghana, April 15 was declared African Freedom Day. This landmark event, attended by... Continue →
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, began public hearings to investigate human rights... Continue →
Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns won the World Middleweight Title, becoming the first Black boxer in history to claim world titles in five different weight... Continue →
On April 15, 1980, Zimbabwe officially gained its independence from British colonial rule, ending decades of white minority governance under the name... Continue →
Thomas W. Turner, founder of the Federation of Colored Catholics and a charter member of the NAACP, passed away at the age of 101. Turner was a... Continue →
On this day, young Black activists gathered at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, and formally established the Student Nonviolent... Continue →
Norma Merrick Sklarek was born on this day in Harlem, New York. She became the first African American woman licensed as an architect in the United... Continue →
Harold Washington was born on this day in Chicago, Illinois. He would go on to become the city’s first African American mayor, elected in 1983.... Continue →
Elizabeth Catlett, a renowned African American lithographer and sculptor, was born in Washington, D.C. She became the first woman to teach sculpture... Continue →
Asa Philip Randolph was born in Crescent City, Florida. He would go on to become one of the most influential labor and civil rights leaders in... Continue →
Booker T. Washington became the first African American to receive an honorary degree from Harvard University. The degree recognized his leadership in... Continue →
President Abraham Lincoln died after being shot the previous evening by John Wilkes Booth. His death came just days after the end of the Civil War... Continue →
On this day, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 troops to suppress the Southern rebellion at the outset of the Civil War. However, the... Continue →
The California State Legislature adopted the California Fugitive Slave Law, introduced by Senator Henry A. Crabb. This law empowered slaveholders to... Continue →
On April 16, 1868, Louisiana voters approved a groundbreaking new state constitution that became a major milestone during the Reconstruction era.... Continue →
On April 16, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, officially ending slavery in the U.S.... Continue →
On April 16, 1994, acclaimed author Ralph Ellison passed away at the age of 80. Ellison is best known for his groundbreaking 1952 novel Invisible... Continue →
On April 16, 1990, just two months after his release from 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela was honored at the Nelson Mandela: An International... Continue →
On April 16, 1973, Lelia Foley was elected mayor of Taft, Oklahoma, becoming the first African American woman to hold such a position in the United... Continue →
On April 16, 1965, Major General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force, becoming the... Continue →
On April 16, 1962, Archbishop Joseph Rummel of New Orleans excommunicated three prominent white segregationists for their ongoing resistance to the... Continue →
On April 16, 1947, basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was born as Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. in New York City. A dominant force from high... Continue →
On April 16, 1929, Roy Hamilton was born in Leesburg, Georgia. Known for his powerful baritone voice and passionate delivery, Hamilton rose to fame... Continue →
On April 16, 1924, jazz innovator Don Redman made history as the first musician to record scat singing. While performing with Fletcher Henderson’s... Continue →
On April 16, 1869, Ebenezer Don Carlos Bassett was appointed as the U.S. Minister Resident (Consul-General) to Haiti, making him the first African... Continue →
On April 17, 1990, legendary playwright August Wilson was awarded his second Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his acclaimed play The Piano Lesson. Part... Continue →
On April 17, 1990, Rev. Ralph David Abernathy—close friend, confidant, and co-strategist to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—died of heart failure at... Continue →
On April 17, 1872, William Monroe Trotter—an uncompromising voice for Black equality—was born in Boston, Massachusetts. A Harvard graduate and... Continue →
On April 17, 1823, Mifflin Wistar Gibbs was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A visionary jurist, publisher, and diplomat, Gibbs made history in... Continue →
On April 17, 1758, Francis Williams—an Afro-Caribbean scholar, educator, and poet—published a collection of Latin poetry that demonstrated the... Continue →
Nicholas Biddle becomes the first African American in uniform to be wounded in the Civil War. Nicholas (Nick) Biddle, did odd jobs around town, and... Continue →
On April 18, 1983, Alice Walker made history as the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, awarded for her... Continue →
On April 18, 1989, Zimbabwe marked the 9th anniversary of its independence from British colonial rule. The country gained official independence on... Continue →
On April 18, 1980, Zimbabwe officially declared its independence from British colonial rule after nearly a century of foreign domination. Formerly... Continue →
On April 18, 1980, reggae icon Robert Nesta Marley—better known as Bob Marley—performed at Zimbabwe’s official Independence Day celebration in... Continue →
On April 18, 1977, author Alex Haley was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his groundbreaking book Roots: The Saga of an American Family. Blending oral... Continue →
On April 18, 1976, Dr. Percy Lavon Julian passed away at age 76, leaving behind a remarkable scientific legacy. A pioneering African American... Continue →
On April 18, 1966, NBA legend Bill Russell was named head coach of the Boston Celtics, making him the first Black head coach in major U.S.... Continue →
On April 18, 1955, James B. Parsons was appointed chief judge of the Federal District Court in Chicago, making history as the first African American... Continue →
On April 18, 1955, the Bandung Conference opened in Bandung, Indonesia, bringing together leaders from 29 African and Asian nations. Known as the... Continue →
On April 18, 1941, Dr. Robert C. Weaver was appointed as director of the Negro Manpower section within the Office of Production Management (OPM),... Continue →
On April 18, 1941, New York City bus companies agreed to hire Black drivers and mechanics following a powerful four-week boycott organized by Black... Continue →
On April 18, 1877, six African American men—W.H. Smith, Benjamin Carr, Jerry Allsap, the Reverend Simon Roundtree, Jeff Lenze, and William... Continue →
On April 18, 1864, the First Kansas Colored Volunteers fought with valor against overwhelming Confederate forces at the Battle of Poison Spring in... Continue →
On April 18, 1861, Nicholas Biddle, an elderly African American who served as an aide to the Washington Artillery of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was... Continue →
On April 18, 1818, General Andrew Jackson led U.S. troops in a decisive battle at Suwanee, Florida, marking the end of the First Seminole War.... Continue →
On April 19, 1989, Sierra Leone marked the 18th anniversary of its transition to a republic. Originally gaining independence from British colonial... Continue →
Max Robinson (1939-1988) overcame racial barriers in the media industry when he became the first African-American television anchor in Washington,... Continue →
On April 19, 1960, a landmark study by the National Education Association (NEA) revealed that more than 30,000 Black teachers and principals had lost... Continue →
On April 19, 2002, commemorations across the United States honored the role of African American soldiers in the American War of Independence,... Continue →
On April 19, 1977, author and historian Alex Haley received a special Pulitzer Prize for his groundbreaking work “Roots: The Saga of an American... Continue →
On April 19, 1971, Reverend Walter E. Fauntroy was sworn in as the first elected Congressional delegate from the District of Columbia since... Continue →
On April 19, 1960, Major General Frederic E. Davidson made history by assuming command of the Eighth Infantry Division in West Germany, becoming the... Continue →
On April 19, 1960, civil rights attorney Z. Alexander Looby's Nashville home was destroyed by a dynamite bomb in retaliation for his legal defense of... Continue →
On April 19, 1910, the National Urban League was officially founded in New York City. The organization emerged from the merger of three groups: the... Continue →
On April 19, 1866, thousands of African American citizens in Washington, D.C. held a monumental celebration marking the abolition of slavery in the... Continue →
On April 19, 1837, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania was established as the Institute for Colored Youth, making it the first Historically Black... Continue →
On April 19, 1775, the first shots of the American Revolutionary War were fired at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Among the colonial Minutemen... Continue →
On April 19, 1971, Sierra Leone officially became a republic, marking a significant step in its post-colonial evolution. The West African nation had... Continue →
On April 20, 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education that busing students was a... Continue →
On April 20, 1990, Oakland, California hosted the first-ever Bay Area Black Filmworks Festival, a landmark three-day event sponsored by the Black... Continue →
On April 20, 1909, Lionel Hampton was born in Louisville, Kentucky. A virtuoso vibraphonist, drummer, pianist, and bandleader, Hampton became one of... Continue →
On April 20, 1909, E. Frederic Morrow was born in Hackensack, New Jersey. A graduate of Rutgers University and later a vice president at Bank of... Continue →
On April 20, 1899, Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was born in Washington, D.C. Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in... Continue →
On April 20, 1877, federal troops were withdrawn from public buildings in New Orleans, marking one of the final acts in the collapse of... Continue →
On April 20, 1871, the U.S. Congress passed the Third Enforcement Act, also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, in response to widespread racial terrorism... Continue →
On April 20, 1853, Harriet Tubman began actively leading enslaved people to freedom as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. After escaping... Continue →
On April 21, 1986, in just his second NBA season, Michael Jordan delivered one of the most iconic performances in basketball history by scoring 63... Continue →
On April 21, 2003, the legendary singer, pianist, and civil rights activist Nina Simone passed away at the age of 70 in Carry-le-Rouet, near... Continue →
On April 21, 1997, Kenyan long-distance runner Lameck Aguta won the 101st running of the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:10:34. His victory... Continue →
On April 21, 1974, Lee Elder made history by becoming the first African American golfer to qualify for the prestigious Masters Tournament. Held... Continue →
On April 21, 1966, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, made a historic state visit to Kingston, Jamaica, and was greeted by... Continue →
On April 21, 1966, U.S. Army Private First Class Milton L. Olive III was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for extraordinary... Continue →
On April 21, 1898, the United States declared war on Spain, marking the beginning of the Spanish-American War—and with it, the mobilization of... Continue →
On April 21, 1892, Black longshoremen in St. Louis, Missouri, organized a labor strike demanding higher wages and better working conditions. At the... Continue →
On April 21, 1878, the ship Azor departed Charleston, South Carolina, carrying 206 Black Americans seeking a new life in Liberia. Sponsored by the... Continue →
Charles Mingus Jr. Bio Civil Rights Activist, Pianist, Guitarist, Songwriter (1922–1979) Quick Facts Name : Charles Mingus Occupation : Civil... Continue →
On April 22, 1981, Brailsford Reese Brazeal, a pioneering African American economist and longtime dean of Morehouse College, passed away at the age... Continue →
On April 22, 1981, the Joint Center for Political Studies reported a major milestone in Black political representation: 2,991 Black Americans held... Continue →
On April 22, 1978, reggae legend Bob Marley hosted the historic One Love Peace Concert at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. Taking place... Continue →
On April 22, 1970, thousands of students at Yale University joined a growing national movement to protest in support of the Black Panther Party. The... Continue →
On April 22, 1964, students at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, staged a bold sit-in by occupying the administration building to protest... Continue →
On April 22, 1964, the opening day of the New York World’s Fair was met with mass civil rights demonstrations. In a bold protest against racial... Continue →
On April 22, 1950, Charles Hamilton Houston passed away at age 54 in Washington, D.C. Often referred to as “The Man Who Killed Jim Crow,” Houston... Continue →
On April 22, 1919, S.H. Love—a World War I veteran born in 1893 in Colt, Arkansas—was granted a U.S. patent for an improvement to military... Continue →
On April 22, 1692, Mary Black, an enslaved Black woman in Salem, Massachusetts, was accused of witchcraft during the infamous Salem Witch Trials.... Continue →
On April 22, 1966, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I made a historic visit to Jamaica, marking a turning point for the global Rastafari movement.... Continue →
Art Tatum was a jazz pianist and virtuoso who was nearly blind. He is acknowledged by many to be one of the greatest pianists of all time,... Continue →
Some of the most complex and dissonant harmonies can be found in the repertoire of pianist and composer Thelonious Monk, one of the most important... Continue →
American jazz trumpet player, singer, composer and bandleader, Gillespie was very significant in the development of bebop and modern jazz. His... Continue →
Max Roach is considered to be one of the greatest drummers in history, and was a renowned bebop pioneer. He is, along with a select few, essentially... Continue →
“Lady Day” was perhaps the most exceptional popular music singer of the 20th century. She wrote few songs, but when she sang, she took on a deep,... Continue →
John Coltrane is virtually synonymous with the word “cool.” At the forefront of hard bop, Coltrane, a composer and saxophone virtuoso, made... Continue →
On April 23, 1971, a coalition of Black and white students at Columbia University occupied five buildings on campus, effectively shutting down... Continue →
On April 23, 1971, William V.S. Tubman, the 19th President of Liberia, died while still in office after 27 years of leadership—the longest... Continue →
On April 23, 1955, the United States Supreme Court refused to review a lower court ruling that upheld the legality of racial segregation in... Continue →
On April 23, 1954, rookie outfielder Henry "Hank" Aaron hit... Continue →
On April 23, 1951, more than 450 Black students at Robert Russa Moton High School in Prince Edward County, Virginia, staged a courageous walkout to... Continue →
On April 23, 1913, the National Urban League was officially established in New York City through the merger of three organizations focused on... Continue →
On April 23, 1872, Charlotte E. Ray made history by becoming the first African American woman licensed to practice law in the United States. A... Continue →
On April 23, 1856, Granville T. Woods was born in Columbus, Ohio. Often called “The Black Edison,” Woods would go on to become one of the most... Continue →
On April 24, 1950, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) was officially founded to provide financial support to historically Black colleges and... Continue →
On April 24, 1972, James M. Rodger Jr. became the first African American to be honored as the National Teacher of the Year during a White House... Continue →
On April 24, 1972, Robert Wedgeworth was named the first African American Executive Director of the American Library Association (ALA). A trailblazer... Continue →
On April 24, 1886, Augustus Tolton was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in Rome, becoming the first publicly recognized Black Catholic priest in the... Continue →
On April 24, 1884, a group of African American physicians gathered in Atlanta, Georgia, to organize what would become the National Medical... Continue →
On April 24, 1867, African American residents of Richmond, Virginia, organized one of the earliest documented mass transit protests in U.S. history.... Continue →
On April 24, 1867, the Ku Klux Klan held its first national meeting at the Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1865 by... Continue →
On April 25, 1944, Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, president of Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University), published an open letter in the Pittsburgh... Continue →
On April 25, 1990, legendary jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon died of kidney failure in Philadelphia at the age of 67. Known for his towering stature... Continue →
On April 25, 1972, Major General Frederick E. Davidson became the first African American to command a U.S. Army division. He took leadership of the... Continue →
On April 25, 1963, interracial groups of Freedom Riders continued their courageous journeys through the Deep South to test compliance with U.S.... Continue →
On April 25, 1960, a federal court in Memphis issued a consent judgment that struck down discriminatory voter suppression practices in Fayette... Continue →
On April 25, 1950, Charles “Chuck” Cooper made history as the first African American basketball player ever drafted by a National Basketball... Continue →
On April 25, 1947, Jackie Robinson officially became the first Black player in modern Major League Baseball history when he joined the Brooklyn... Continue →
On April 25, 1918, Ella Fitzgerald—later hailed as the “First Lady of Song”—was born in Newport News, Virginia. Known for her unmatched vocal... Continue →
On April 26, 1898, inventor J.A. Joyce was granted U.S. Patent No. 602,038 for an innovative ore bucket design used in mining operations. His... Continue →
On April 26, 1994, South Africa held its first all-race democratic elections, marking the official end of apartheid and a monumental shift toward... Continue →
On April 26, 1991, Maryann Bishop Coffey made history as the first woman and the first African American to be named co-chair of the National... Continue →
On April 26, 1984, the world lost a jazz titan when William "Count" Basie passed away at the age of 79. Born in Red Bank, New Jersey, in 1904, Basie... Continue →
On April 26, 1968, Black students at Columbia University in New York City took over Hamilton Hall in protest of the university’s ties to military... Continue →
On April 26, 1886, Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, known as the “Mother of the Blues,” was born in Columbus, Georgia. With a powerful voice and... Continue →
On April 26, 1886, William Levi Dawson was born in Albany, Georgia. A graduate of Fisk University and Northwestern University Law School, Dawson went... Continue →
On April 26, 1844, African American mountain man and explorer Jim Beckwourth discovered a lower-elevation pass through the Sierra Nevada... Continue →
On April 26, 1785, John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), to a French naval officer and an African Caribbean mother.... Continue →
Coretta Scott is born in Marion, Ala. She will marry Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1953 and be an integral part of his civil rights activities. After... Continue →
On April 27, 1964, the Republic of Tanganyika and the People's Republic of Zanzibar united to form the United Republic of Tanzania. This historic... Continue →
On April 27, 1961, Sierra Leone officially gained independence from British colonial rule, becoming a sovereign nation under Prime Minister Sir... Continue →
On April 27, 1972, Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president and a towering figure in African liberation movements, died at the age of 62 while in... Continue →
On April 27, 1960, the Republic of Togo gained full independence from French colonial rule, becoming the first West African nation to achieve... Continue →
On April 27, 1903, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a devastating blow to Black civil rights by upholding Alabama’s constitutional amendments that... Continue →
On April 27, 1903, W.E.B. Du Bois published The Souls of Black Folk, a groundbreaking collection of essays that reshaped the national dialogue on... Continue →
On April 27, 1903, Maggie Lena Walker made history by becoming the first Black woman in the United States to charter and serve as president of a... Continue →
By April 27, 1903, reports had confirmed that 84 African Americans had been lynched in the United States within that year alone—making 1903 one of... Continue →
On April 27, 1883, Hubert Henry Harrison was born in St. Croix, then part of the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands). A brilliant... Continue →
On April 28, 1967, the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the New York State Athletic Commission stripped Muhammad Ali of his world heavyweight title... Continue →
On April 28, 1999, African American inventor George Toliver was awarded U.S. Patent No. 5,897,270 for a novel design of a ship’s propeller that... Continue →
On April 28, 1992, a group of young, disillusioned soldiers staged a coup d’état in Freetown, Sierra Leone, overthrowing the government of... Continue →
On April 28, 1983, two trailblazing African American women, Alice Walker and Gloria Naylor, were honored with American Book Awards for fiction—an... Continue →
On April 28, 1971, Samuel L. Gravely Jr. made history as the first African American to achieve the rank of Admiral in the United States Navy. Born in... Continue →
On April 28, 1967, Mrs. Dorothy I. Height—then known formally as Mrs. Robert W. Claytor—was elected as the first Black president of the national... Continue →
On April 28, 1957, W. Robert Ming—a prominent civil rights attorney and World War II veteran from Chicago—was elected chairman of the American... Continue →
On April 28, 1941, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Congressman Arthur W. Mitchell, the first African American Democrat elected to Congress,... Continue →
On April 28, 1924, Don Redman made history as the first recorded musician to use the oboe in a jazz solo. A child prodigy and multi-instrumentalist,... Continue →
On April 29, 1968, the Poor People's Campaign officially began when Dr. Ralph Abernathy, who succeeded Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as president of the... Continue →
On April 29, 1948, Willi Smith—one of the most influential Black designers in American fashion history—was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... Continue →
On April 29, 1899, Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was born in Washington, D.C. Over the next five decades, Ellington would become one of the most... Continue →
On April 29, 2015, Calvin Peete, the most successful Black golfer on the PGA Tour before Tiger Woods, passed away at the age of 71. Despite picking... Continue →
On April 29, 1992, the city of Los Angeles exploded in unrest following the acquittal of four white LAPD officers charged in the brutal videotaped... Continue →
On April 29, 1981, a grand jury in Buffalo, New York indicted U.S. Army Pvt. Joseph G. Christopher on charges related to a string of racially... Continue →
On April 29, 1945, acclaimed author Richard Wright made literary history when his memoir Black Boy reached No. 1 on the National Best Seller Book... Continue →
On April 29, 1922, Parren James Mitchell was born in Baltimore, Maryland. A decorated World War II veteran, Mitchell became a trailblazing civil... Continue →
On April 30, 1992, The Cosby Show aired its final original episode, concluding an eight-season run that changed American television. The sitcom,... Continue →
On April 30, 1983, Robert C. Maynard made history by becoming the first African American to gain controlling interest in a major metropolitan daily... Continue →
On April 30, 1961, Isiah Lord Thomas III was born in Chicago, Illinois. The youngest of nine children raised by a single mother on the city’s West... Continue →
On April 30, 1900, African American railroad worker and engine wiper Wallace Saunders composed the original verses of “Casey Jones,” a ballad... Continue →
On April 30, 1864, six African American infantry regiments played a pivotal role in the Battle of Jenkins’ Ferry, a brutal Civil War clash in... Continue →
On April 30, 1863, Sarah Thompson Garnet made history by becoming the first African American woman principal in the New York City public school... Continue →
On April 30, 1828, Shaka kaSenzangakhona, the formidable founder of the Zulu Kingdom, was assassinated by his half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana.... Continue →
On April 30, 711 AD, General Tariq ibn Ziyad, a Nafza Berber commander, led approximately 7,000 troops across the Strait of Gibraltar from North... Continue →
On May 1, 1981, Dr. Clarence A. Bacote, a pioneering African American historian and political scientist, passed away in Atlanta at the age of 75. A... Continue →
On May 1, 1950, poet Gwendolyn Brooks made history as the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize. She received the prestigious award in... Continue →
Born May 1, 1930, in St. Louis, Missouri, Grace Bumbry broke numerous racial barriers in the world of opera. Trained in both Europe and the U.S., she... Continue →
Though not African American, Judy Collins, born May 1, 1941, played an important supporting role in the Civil Rights Movement through her music. As a... Continue →
On May 1, 1969, Fred Hampton, the charismatic leader of the Illinois Black Panther Party, gave a passionate speech at the University of Illinois,... Continue →
On May 1, 1866, just after the Civil War, Fisk University was founded in Nashville, Tennessee by the American Missionary Association. Created to... Continue →
On May 1, 1967, the United States entered what would become one of the most explosive summers of civil unrest in the nation's history. Between May 1... Continue →
On May 1, 1950, Gwendolyn Brooks made history as the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize. She received the award for her book of poetry... Continue →
On May 1, 1948, U.S. Senator Glenn H. Taylor of Idaho—then running as the Progressive Party's vice-presidential candidate alongside Henry... Continue →
On May 1, 1946, William H. Hastie was confirmed as the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, making history as the first African American to serve as... Continue →
On May 1, 1946, Emma Clarissa Williams, a Black educator, church leader, and activist, was named the American Mother of the Year by the American... Continue →
On May 1, 1941, civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph issued a bold call for 100,000 Black Americans to march on Washington, D.C., in protest of... Continue →
On May 1, 1930, Marion Walter Jacobs—known to the world as Little Walter—was born in Marksville, Louisiana. A revolutionary harmonica player and... Continue →
On May 1, 1924, Evelyn Boyd Granville was born in Washington, D.C. She would go on to become one of the first African American women to earn a Ph.D.... Continue →
On May 1, 1902, African American jockey Jimmy Winkfield rode Alan-a-Dale to victory, claiming his second straight win at the Kentucky Derby.... Continue →
On May 1, 1867, Howard University officially opened its doors in Washington, D.C. Named after Union General Oliver O. Howard, a key figure in the... Continue →
On May 1, 1867, the Reconstruction era entered a pivotal phase as General Philip H. Sheridan ordered the registration of voters in Louisiana, marking... Continue →
On May 1, 1866, one of the most violent racial attacks of the Reconstruction era erupted in Memphis, Tennessee. Over a three-day period, white... Continue →
On May 1, 1863, the Confederate Congress passed a chilling resolution declaring that Black Union soldiers and their white officers would not be... Continue →
On May 1, 1884, Moses Fleetwood Walker took the field for the Toledo Blue Stockings, becoming the first known African American to play Major League... Continue →
On May 1, 1905, W.E.B. Du Bois and a group of Black intellectuals laid the groundwork for what would become the Niagara Movement—an early civil... Continue →
Russell Atkins, born May 1, 1923, in Cleveland, Ohio, became a pioneering voice in Black experimental poetry. A composer, dramatist, and founder of... Continue →
On May 1, 1992, Los Angeles erupted into widespread unrest following the acquittal of four white police officers who had brutally beaten Rodney King,... Continue →
On May 1, 2003, Annette Gordon-Reed received the Pulitzer Prize for her book Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy, a work that... Continue →
In the wake of the Civil War’s end, on May 1, 1865, over 10,000 people, many of them formerly enslaved, gathered at a former Confederate prison... Continue →
On May 1, 1950, Kwame Nkrumah led the Convention People's Party (CPP) in launching the “Positive Action” campaign against British colonial rule... Continue →
May 1, 1960 marked the first celebration of International Workers’ Day in Nigeria as it approached full independence from Britain (officially... Continue →
While the infamous Haymarket Affair occurred in Chicago on May 1, 1886, less known is the support it garnered among Black Caribbean labor thinkers,... Continue →
On May 1, 1994, just days after its first multiracial democratic elections, South Africa celebrated its most symbolic Workers’ Day in modern... Continue →
On May 1, 1968, just a month after Dr. King’s assassination, the Poor People’s Campaign officially launched with thousands of activists arriving... Continue →
Though assassinated in February 1965, Malcolm X’s final writings and speeches had a profound impact on African labor leaders who gathered on May 1... Continue →
Under the socialist-leaning People’s Revolutionary Government, led by Maurice Bishop, Grenada declared May 1 a public holiday in 1978 to honor... Continue →
In May 1935, a group of prominent African and Caribbean intellectuals, including C.L.R. James and George Padmore, met in London during May Day... Continue →
On May 1, 1979, Brazil saw one of its largest labor protests under the military dictatorship, and Afro-Brazilian workers played a prominent role. For... Continue →
While Haiti officially declared its independence from France on January 1, 1804, May 1, 1804 marks the day Jean-Jacques Dessalines publicly... Continue →
On May 2, 1920, the first official game of the Negro National League (NNL) was played, marking a historic moment in African American sports history.... Continue →
On May 2, 2002, during a televised panel and later documented in academic publications, historians emphasized a striking truth: the American... Continue →
On May 2, 1992, the city of Los Angeles began the massive cleanup and rebuilding process following five days of unrest sparked by the acquittal of... Continue →
On May 2, 1968, Reverend Ralph Abernathy officially launched the Poor People’s Campaign with a march on Washington, D.C., just one month after the... Continue →
On May 2, 1963, more than 2,500 African American children, teenagers, and a few white allies were arrested in Birmingham, Alabama, during a mass... Continue →
On May 2, 1870, William J. Seymour was born in Centerville, Louisiana. The son of formerly enslaved parents, Seymour would rise to become one of the... Continue →
On May 2, 1845, Macon Bolling Allen became the first African American licensed to practice law in Massachusetts. A year earlier, in 1844, Allen had... Continue →
On May 2, 1844, Elijah McCoy was born in Colchester, Ontario, to formerly enslaved parents who escaped through the Underground Railroad. A brilliant... Continue →
On May 2, 1803, Denmark Vesey, a formerly enslaved man, purchased his freedom with $600 he had won through a local lottery. While this event occurred... Continue →
On May 2, 1803, Toussaint Louverture, the brilliant leader of the Haitian Revolution, died in a French prison in Fort-de-Joux. Louverture had been... Continue →
On May 2, 1994, just days before officially becoming South Africa’s first Black president, Nelson Mandela cast his ballot in the country's first... Continue →
On May 2, 1984, Michael Jackson embarked on a major tour in Japan, marking one of the earliest large-scale performances by a Black American... Continue →
On May 2, 1863, Black Union soldiers fighting under General David Hunter faced deadly resistance in the South during early Civil War skirmishes.... Continue →
On May 2, 1973, President Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) formally advanced his policy of “Authenticité,” a... Continue →
On May 2, 2005, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf officially launched her campaign for the presidency of Liberia. A Harvard-educated economist and long-time... Continue →
On May 2, 1969, civil rights activist James Forman interrupted a service at Riverside Church in Detroit to deliver the “Black Manifesto,”... Continue →
On May 2, 2000, the BBC launched “Black Britain,” a landmark program focused on the lives, struggles, and triumphs of Black communities in the... Continue →
On May 2, 1948, future Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah launched the Accra Evening News, a revolutionary newspaper that became the mouthpiece of the... Continue →
On May 2, 1872, the Freedmen’s Bureau oversaw the completion of a school for African Americans in Galveston, Texas, furthering its mission to... Continue →
On May 2, 1983, Alice Walker was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel The Color Purple, making her the first African American woman... Continue →
On May 2, 1943, the Tuskegee Airmen—America’s first Black military aviators—began deploying for overseas combat operations during World War II.... Continue →
On May 2, 1974, after a high-profile trial, Black activist and scholar Angela Davis was acquitted of all charges related to a 1970 courtroom... Continue →
On May 2, 1865, just weeks after the Civil War ended, Congressman Thaddeus Stevens delivered a fiery speech demanding full citizenship and suffrage... Continue →
On May 2, 1930, theologian and mystic Howard Thurman was appointed Dean of Rankin Chapel at Howard University. As one of the most influential Black... Continue →
On May 2, 1895, Booker T. Washington hosted a major conference at Tuskegee Institute, bringing together Black educators, farmers, and business... Continue →
Macon Bolling Allen, first African American lawyer admitted to the bar, passed examination at Worchester, Massachusetts. Macon B. Allen was the... Continue →
On May 2, 1967, more than 100 Black students at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, seized the Bursar’s (Finance) Office in a bold... Continue →
On May 2, 1948, the United States Supreme Court issued a landmark civil rights ruling in Shelley v. Kraemer, declaring that courts could not enforce... Continue →
From May 1 to May 3, 1866, one of the earliest post–Civil War race massacres occurred in Memphis, Tennessee. White mobs—including police officers... Continue →
James Brown, one of the most influential figures in American music, was born on May 3, 1933, in Barnwell, South Carolina. Brown helped pioneer soul,... Continue →
On May 3, 1960, the U.S. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1960, aiming to address racial discrimination in voting. Building on the earlier... Continue →
On May 3, 1978, the National Urban League, under Vernon Jordan's leadership, organized a major March on Washington to demand economic opportunities... Continue →
On May 3, 1963, during the Birmingham Campaign in Alabama, hundreds of young Black protesters faced fire hoses and police dogs under Bull Connor’s... Continue →
John Brown, a white abolitionist who would become a fierce ally to Black freedom fighters, was born on May 3, 1808, in Connecticut. Though... Continue →
On May 3, 1980, musician and cultural advocate Kenny Gamble met with political leaders to push for the official recognition of June as Black Music... Continue →
Elmer A. Carter, a groundbreaking social worker and civil rights leader, passed away on May 3, 1949. He was the first African American to head a New... Continue →
Although the official opening was May 23, the previews for Shuffle Along—the groundbreaking all-Black Broadway musical—began on May 3, 1921.... Continue →
Septima Clark was born on May 3, 1898, in Charleston, South Carolina. A pioneering educator and activist, she understood that literacy and education... Continue →
Elijah McCoy, born in Colchester, Ontario, to formerly enslaved parents, became one of the most prolific inventors in North America. His... Continue →
After decades of anti-colonial struggle against Portuguese rule and a long civil war, Angola was officially admitted as a full member of the United... Continue →
Although Jomo Kenyatta died in August, May 3, 1978, marked an important national day of mourning declared in his honor by many African states.... Continue →
On May 3, 1948, Jamaica officially celebrated its first national Labor Day to honor the critical role of workers, particularly Black laborers who... Continue →
On May 3, 1791, Toussaint Louverture achieved his first significant military victory against French forces in what would become the Haitian... Continue →
Zakaria Mohieddin, a key figure in Egypt's 1952 revolution that ended monarchy rule, died on May 3, 1969. Though not as globally recognized as Gamal... Continue →
On May 3, 1960, the foundations of what would become the Nigeria Labour Congress were laid, unifying various labor movements under a common banner.... Continue →
Though the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in Chibok, Nigeria, occurred on April 14, the #BringBackOurGirls movement reached peak global... Continue →
On May 3, 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a powerful speech in London condemning apartheid in South Africa and linking it to racial... Continue →
On May 3, 1948, Kwame Nkrumah, galvanized by the recent Accra Riots and the failure of colonial reforms, began organizing the political movement that... Continue →
On May 4, 1897, inventor J.H. Smith, an African American innovator, was awarded U.S. Patent No. 581,785 for a rotary lawn sprinkler. Smith's... Continue →
On May 3, 1896, African American cowboy Bill Pickett became widely recognized as the inventor of bulldogging—a daring rodeo technique where a rider... Continue →
On May 4, 1961, thirteen courageous civil rights activists—seven Black and six white—departed Washington, D.C., on Greyhound and Trailways buses... Continue →
On May 4, 1891, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams founded Provident Hospital and Training School in Chicago, Illinois—the first interracial hospital in the... Continue →
On May 4, 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant launched the Overland Campaign by crossing the Rapidan River, initiating a fierce and prolonged duel with... Continue →
Robert S. Abbott was founded The Chicago Defender with an initial investment of 25 cents. The Defender, which was once heralded as "The World's... Continue →
On May 5, 1975, Hank Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth’s long-standing record for career runs batted in (RBIs), marking another historic milestone in his... Continue →
On May 5, 1969, Moneta Sleet Jr. made history as the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize for journalism. He earned the award for his... Continue →
On May 5, 1865, Adam Clayton Powell Sr. was born in Franklin County, Virginia. The son of formerly enslaved parents, Powell would rise to become a... Continue →
President Eisenhower signed Civil Rights Act of 1960. The Civil Rights Act of 1960 (Pub.L. 86–449, 74 Stat. 89, enacted May 6, 1960) was a United... Continue →
On May 5, 1886, African American inventor M.A. Cherry was granted a U.S. patent for an improved design of the tricycle. His innovation featured a... Continue →
On May 5, 1985, Gladys Merritt Ross, an influential African American educator and co-founder of the Phi Delta Kappa sorority for Black women... Continue →
On May 6, 1931, baseball icon Willie Howard Mays Jr. was born in Westfield, Alabama. Widely regarded as one of the greatest all-around players in... Continue →
On May 6, 1812, Martin Robison Delany was born free in Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia). A visionary intellectual, physician, and one of... Continue →
On May 6, 1787, African Lodge No. 459 was officially organized in Boston under the leadership of Prince Hall, a free Black man and prominent... Continue →
On May 7, 1878, Joseph Richard Winters, an African American inventor and abolitionist, was granted a U.S. Patent number 203,517 for a wagon-mounted... Continue →
On May 7, 1976, William H. Hastie was inaugurated as the first Black governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, marking a pivotal moment in U.S.... Continue →
On May 7, 1885, Dr. John E. W. Thompson—an African American graduate of Yale University Medical School—was appointed U.S. Minister Resident and... Continue →
On May 7, 1867, African American demonstrators in New Orleans staged a powerful “ride-in” protest to challenge segregation on the city’s... Continue →
On May 7, 1800, Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable—recognized as the "Father of Chicago"—sold all his property along the Chicago River for $1,200 and... Continue →
On May 8, 1925, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) was officially organized, becoming the first major African American labor union in the... Continue →
On May 8, 1945 — the same day World War II officially ended in Europe — a peaceful demonstration in the Algerian town of Sétif turned into a... Continue →
On May 8, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered the removal of the federalized Arkansas National Guard from Central High School in Little... Continue →
On May 8, 1945, Nazi Germany officially surrendered to the Allied Forces, marking Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) and the end of World War II in... Continue →
On May 8, 1932, heavyweight boxing legend Charles "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas. Known for his intimidating presence and... Continue →
On May 8, 1915, Bishop Henry McNeal Turner passed away at the age of 82. A towering figure in 19th-century Black leadership, Turner was the first... Continue →
On May 8, 1910, Mary Lou Williams was born as Mary Elfrieda Scruggs in Atlanta, Georgia. A child prodigy on the piano, she would grow into one of the... Continue →
On May 8, 1876, Truganini, a Nuenonne woman of the Palawa people and one of the most well-known Aboriginal Tasmanians, died in Hobart at the age of... Continue →
On May 8, 1858, two major milestones in Black history and the fight against slavery occurred. In Chatham, Ontario, radical abolitionist John Brown... Continue →
On May 9, 1750, The South Carolina Gazette reported that an enslaved African man named Caesar, known for his expertise in herbal medicine, was... Continue →
On May 9, 1977, Dr. Mabel Murphy Smythe was confirmed as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon, becoming one of the few African... Continue →
On May 9, 1974, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee began historic impeachment hearings to determine whether to recommend the removal of President... Continue →
On May 9, 1952, pioneering African American actor Canada Lee died in New York City at the age of 45. A former boxer turned acclaimed actor, Lee broke... Continue →
On May 9, 1919, celebrated African American composer and military bandleader James Reese Europe was tragically killed in Boston by a fellow band... Continue →
On May 9, 1867, Sojourner Truth—abolitionist, feminist, and former enslaved woman—delivered a stirring speech at the First Annual Meeting of the... Continue →
On May 9, 1862, Union General David Hunter issued General Order No. 11, declaring the emancipation of all enslaved people in Georgia, Florida, and... Continue →
On May 9, 1800, John Brown was born in Torrington, Connecticut. Though not Black himself, Brown became one of the most radical and committed white... Continue →
On May 10, 1950, baseball legend Jackie Robinson made history once again — this time off the field — by becoming the first African American to... Continue →
On May 10, 1994, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was inaugurated as the first Black and democratically elected President of South Africa. Held at the Union... Continue →
On May 10, 1963, Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, a key leader in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), announced a partial victory in the... Continue →
On May 10, 1962, Southern School News reported that 246,988 Black students—just 7.6% of the Black public school population—were attending... Continue →
On May 10, 1951, civil rights attorney and educator Z. Alexander Looby was elected to the Nashville City Council, becoming one of the first Black... Continue →
On May 10, 1919, a violent race riot broke out in Charleston, South Carolina, when a confrontation between white U.S. Navy sailors and Black... Continue →
On May 10, 1837, Pinckney Benton Stewart (P.B.S.) Pinchback was born in Macon, Georgia. Born to a formerly enslaved woman and a wealthy white... Continue →
On May 10, 1775, Black patriots stood alongside colonial militias in the first major offensive action of the American Revolutionary War—the capture... Continue →
On May 10, 1652, John Johnson, a free Black man in colonial Virginia, was officially granted 550 acres of land in Northampton County. The land was... Continue →
On May 10, 1933, Louis Farrakhan (born Louis Eugene Walcott) was born in The Bronx, New York. A classically trained violinist and former calypso... Continue →
On May 10, 1981, Hoyt W. Fuller, a prominent literary critic and editor, passed away at the age of 57 in Atlanta, Georgia. Fuller was a pioneering... Continue →
On May 11, 1968, nine caravans of poor Americans arrived in Washington, D.C., marking the first phase of the Poor People’s Campaign, a multiracial... Continue →
On May 11, 1965, Black citizens in Norfolk, Virginia, organized a mass meeting to demand equal rights and full access to the ballot. This gathering... Continue →
On May 11, 1934, Sierra Leonean artist Asadata Dafora premiered his groundbreaking opera-dance drama Kykunkor (The Witch Woman) at the Little Theater... Continue →
On May 12, 1958, a pivotal summit of leading African American civil rights figures was convened in Washington, D.C. The gathering aimed to accelerate... Continue →
On May 12, 1970, a race riot broke out in Augusta, Georgia, following the death of 16-year-old Charles Oatman, a Black teenager who died under... Continue →
On May 12, 1967, fiery orator and activist H. Rap Brown was named chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), succeeding... Continue →
On May 12, 1951, Oscar Stanton De Priest, a pioneering African American politician, passed away at the age of 80 in Chicago. Elected in 1928, De... Continue →
On May 12, 1940, Al Jarreau—one of the most versatile and beloved jazz vocalists of all time—was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Known for his... Continue →
On the night of May 12, 1862, as darkness fell over Charleston Harbor, the white Confederate officers of the steamer Planter had left to attend a... Continue →
On May 13, 1914, Joseph Louis Barrow—later known to the world as Joe Louis—was born in Lafayette, Alabama. Rising from humble beginnings, Louis... Continue →
On May 13, 1976, Sir Douglas Nicholls was appointed Governor of South Australia, making history as the first Aboriginal person to hold a vice-regal... Continue →
On May 13, 1969, Charles Evers made history in Fayette, Mississippi by becoming the first Black mayor elected in a racially integrated town in the... Continue →
On May 13, 1950, music icon Stevie Wonder was born as Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan. Blind since shortly after birth, Wonder became... Continue →
On May 13, 1865, more than a month after General Lee's surrender at Appomattox, the Sixty-second U.S. Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) joined two white... Continue →
On May 13, 1862, Robert Smalls—a 23-year-old enslaved Black man—led one of the most daring escapes of the Civil War. Along with 12 fellow... Continue →
On May 13, 1985, the Philadelphia Police Department dropped a bomb on the headquarters of MOVE, a Black liberation group, during a standoff in the... Continue →
John B. Mclendon becomes first African American American Basketball Association (ABA) head coach and the first African American professional head... Continue →
Birthday of Academy Award winning actress Halle Berry.
In the early hours of May 14, 1970, officers from the Jackson Police Department and Mississippi Highway Patrol opened fire on a women’s dormitory... Continue →
On May 14, 1963, 22-year-old Arthur Ashe made history as the first African American selected for the U.S. Davis Cup tennis team. His groundbreaking... Continue →
On May 14, 1961—Mother’s Day—the first group of interracial Freedom Riders traveling through the Deep South were violently attacked by white... Continue →
On May 14, 1959, Sidney Bechet, the groundbreaking soprano saxophonist and clarinetist, passed away in Paris at the age of 62. A New Orleans native... Continue →
Born on May 14, 1913, Clara Stanton Jones would go on to break historic barriers in library science and public service. In 1970, she became the first... Continue →
On May 14, 1890, Rosa Jinsey Young was born in Rosebud, Alabama. The daughter of a Methodist circuit rider, Young became one of Alabama’s most... Continue →
On May 14, 1885, Joseph “King” Oliver was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. A legendary cornet player, bandleader, and composer, Oliver played a... Continue →
On May 14, 1885, African American jockey Erskine Henderson claimed victory at the 11th Kentucky Derby, riding a horse named Joe Cotton. The horse was... Continue →
On May 14, 1867, a Black political mass meeting in Mobile, Alabama, ended in violence when a white mob attacked attendees, leading to a deadly riot.... Continue →
On May 14, 1804, the Lewis and Clark Expedition officially began its journey to explore the vast, uncharted lands of the Louisiana Purchase. Among... Continue →
On May 15, 1946, Camilla Ella Williams made her historic debut as Cio-Cio San in Madam Butterfly with the New York City Opera, becoming the first... Continue →
On May 15, 1957, André-Marie Mbida made history by becoming the first Prime Minister of Cameroon, then still under French colonial rule. As the... Continue →
On May 15, 1942, the 93rd Infantry Division was officially activated, becoming the first African American infantry division formed during World War... Continue →
On May 15, 1923, The Chip Woman’s Fortune by Willis Richardson made history as the first dramatic work by an African American playwright to be... Continue →
On May 15, 1918, during World War I, African American soldiers Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts of the 369th Infantry Regiment—known as the Harlem... Continue →
On May 15, 1795, John Marrant was ordained as a Methodist minister in London, England, becoming one of the first Black missionaries in North America... Continue →
On May 16, 1929, John Conyers Jr. was born in Highland Park, Michigan. Conyers would go on to become a towering figure in American politics, serving... Continue →
On this day, legendary performer Sammy Davis Jr. passed away in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 64. Born in Harlem, Davis rose to fame as a... Continue →
On this day, Asa Philip Randolph—an iconic labor leader and civil rights pioneer—passed away at age 90 in New York City. Randolph was... Continue →
On this day, Janet Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, as the youngest member of the iconic Jackson family. Beginning her career in television, she... Continue →
On this day, Stokely Carmichael was named chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), marking a shift toward more radical Black... Continue →
On May 16, 1930, Betty Carter, the legendary American jazz singer known for her improvisational genius and fearless vocal style, was born in Flint,... Continue →
On May 16, 1868, the U.S. Senate narrowly failed to convict President Andrew Johnson during his impeachment trial. The vote on Article 11 resulted in... Continue →
On May 17, 1988, Dr. Patricia E. Bath, a pioneering ophthalmologist and inventor, was awarded U.S. Patent No. 4,744,360 for her invention of the... Continue →
On this day, rebel leader Laurent-Désiré Kabila seized power in Zaire, ending the 37-year dictatorship of Mobutu Sese Seko. Upon taking control,... Continue →
A major race riot erupted in the Liberty City neighborhood of Miami, Florida, following the acquittal of four white police officers who were charged... Continue →
On May 17, 1969, Reverend Thomas Kilgore Jr., pastor of Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles, was elected president of the American Baptist... Continue →
On May 17, 1957, the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom took place in Washington, D.C., marking the largest civil rights demonstration in the United... Continue →
Equipped with speed, skill, and charisma, Sugar Ray Leonard would become one of the most celebrated boxers in history. Rising to prominence after... Continue →
On this day, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, declaring racial segregation in public schools... Continue →
On May 17, 1915, the National Baptist Convention was officially chartered in the United States. As one of the oldest and largest African American... Continue →
On this day in 1909, white firemen working for the Georgia Railroad went on strike to protest the employment of Black firemen. The strike highlighted... Continue →
On this day in 1881, renowned abolitionist and statesman Frederick Douglass was appointed Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia by President... Continue →
On this day, African American jockey Oliver Lewis won the first-ever Kentucky Derby riding the horse Aristides. Out of the 15 jockeys who competed,... Continue →
On May 17, 1864, Rachel Boone, once enslaved by descendants of frontiersman Daniel Boone, escaped to a Union Army camp near Miami, Missouri. There,... Continue →
Ernie Davis, an American football halfback at Syracuse University and the first African-American athlete to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961, dies... Continue →
On this day, President Rutherford B. Hayes appointed Frederick Douglass as the U.S. Marshal for the District of Columbia, making him the first Black... Continue →
On this day, President Richard Nixon formally rejected a list of sixty demands put forth by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), which had been... Continue →
Ernie Davis, the star running back from Syracuse University and the first Black player to win the Heisman Trophy (1961), tragically passed away from... Continue →
On May 18, 1960, Yannick Noah was born in Sedan, France. He would go on to become one of France’s greatest tennis players, winning 39 professional... Continue →
Mary McLeod Bethune, one of the most influential educators and civil rights leaders in American history, died on this day at age 79 in Daytona Beach,... Continue →
Reginald Martinez Jackson is born in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. Known to the world as Reggie Jackson, he will rise to fame as a legendary Major League... Continue →
On this day, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered its landmark decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, upholding the constitutionality of racial segregation... Continue →
On May 17, 1848, William Alexander Leidesdorff, one of the first prominent Black entrepreneurs and diplomats in early California history, died at the... Continue →
On May 19, 1965, Patricia Roberts Harris was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg, making her the... Continue →
On this day, Willy T. Ribbs made history as the first African American driver to qualify for the prestigious Indianapolis 500. Ribbs' achievement... Continue →
On May 19, 1968—Malcolm X's birthday and just weeks after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—The Last Poets were formed in Marcus... Continue →
On this day, the iconic and boundary-breaking artist Grace Jones was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica. Known for her bold fashion, powerful stage... Continue →
Lorraine Hansberry was born in Chicago on this day in 1930. She would go on to become a trailblazing playwright, best known for A Raisin in the Sun,... Continue →
On May 19, 1925, Malcolm X was born as Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother, Louise Norton Little, was a homemaker who cared for their large... Continue →
On May 19, 1878, Blanche Kelso Bruce was appointed Register of the U.S. Treasury, becoming the first African American to have his signature appear on... Continue →
On this day, Marvelous Marvin Hagler was born in Newark, New Jersey. Hagler rose to become the undisputed middleweight boxing champion of the world... Continue →
A Pentagon report released on this day revealed that Black Americans made up 11 percent of U.S. soldiers serving in Southeast Asia. It also disclosed... Continue →
On this day, a violent mob attacked the Freedom Riders in Montgomery, Alabama, as they protested segregation in interstate travel. The brutality of... Continue →
Actor and entertainer Lawrence Tero, famously known as Mr. T, was born in Chicago, Illinois. Best known for his tough-guy persona, gold chains, and... Continue →
On May 20, 1910, Benjamin “Scatman” Crothers was born in Terre Haute, Indiana. With a career spanning over five decades, Crothers became an... Continue →
At the Republican National Convention held in Chicago on May 20, 1868, Ulysses S. Grant was officially nominated for the presidency. More... Continue →
On this day in 1743, Pierre-Dominique Toussaint Louverture was born in Saint-Domingue, the French colony that would later become Haiti. Though slave... Continue →
On this day in 1971, the National Guard was mobilized to suppress a riot in Chattanooga, Tennessee, following rising racial tensions. The unrest led... Continue →
On this day, Blanche Kelso Bruce of Mississippi made history as the first Black man to serve a full term in the United States Senate, and the first... Continue →
On this day, Christopher J. Perry—pioneering Black journalist, entrepreneur, and advocate for racial equality—passed away. In 1884, he founded... Continue →
On May 21, 1975, Lowell W. Perry was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), following his... Continue →
On May 21, 1970, the National Guard was mobilized to respond to escalating protests at Ohio State University. Both Black and white students united in... Continue →
Police and National Guardsmen opened fire on student demonstrators at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina. The... Continue →
On May 21, 1961, Alabama Governor John Patterson declared martial law in Montgomery in response to escalating violence surrounding the Freedom... Continue →
On this day, Mary Jane Patterson became the first African American woman in the United States to earn a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree. She received... Continue →
On May 21, 1833, Oberlin College in Ohio took a groundbreaking step toward educational equality by enrolling Black students in its academic programs.... Continue →
On this day in 1959, Benjamin O. Davis Jr. was promoted to brigadier general, becoming the first African American general in the U.S. Air Force. A... Continue →
In a 2002 interview, legendary singer Chaka Khan revealed how deeply she was influenced by Aretha Franklin early in her career. Back in 1969, while... Continue →
On May 22, 1967, Langston Hughes—renowned poet, playwright, and central figure of the Harlem Renaissance—passed away in New York City at the age... Continue →
On this day, Bill Cosby made history as the first African American to win the Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series. He earned the honor for... Continue →
Amid escalating violence against Freedom Riders in the South, U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy ordered 200 additional U.S. Marshals to... Continue →
Claude McKay, a pioneering poet and novelist of the Harlem Renaissance, dies at age 58. Known for works like Home to Harlem—the first best-selling... Continue →
On May 22, 1940, Bernard Shaw was born in Chicago, Illinois. A pioneering African American journalist, Shaw became CNN’s chief anchor and was a key... Continue →
On May 22, 1863, the U.S. War Department established the Bureau of Colored Troops to manage the recruitment, organization, and service of African... Continue →
On this day in 1871, African American inventor Landrow Bell was granted a U.S. patent Patent #115,153 for an innovative locomotive smoke stack... Continue →
On May 23, 1953, Dr. Rufus E. Clement, then president of Atlanta University, was elected to the Atlanta Board of Education, becoming the first... Continue →
Reggae icon and cultural revolutionary Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley was honored with a state funeral in Jamaica following his death at age 36. The... Continue →
Neville Bonner, a respected Aboriginal leader and president of the One People of Australia League, was selected to fill a Senate vacancy, becoming... Continue →
Shuffle Along, the groundbreaking musical featuring an all-Black cast and creative team, premiered at the 63rd Street Music Hall in New York City.... Continue →
On May 23, 1920, the Methodist Episcopal Church, during its general conference in Des Moines, Iowa, elected its first two Black bishops: Matthew W.... Continue →
On May 23, 1878, attorney John Henry Smyth was appointed as U.S. Minister to Liberia. A prominent African American diplomat and advocate for civil... Continue →
On this day in 1951, the Municipal Court of Appeals for Washington, D.C. ruled racial segregation illegal, marking a significant local victory in the... Continue →
After a brutal 30-year struggle, Eritrea officially declared independence from Ethiopia on May 24, 1993. The conflict, which began in 1961, was one... Continue →
On this day in 1991, Hal McRae was named manager of the Kansas City Royals, becoming one of only two African-American managers in Major League... Continue →
On May 24, 1966, legendary soprano Leontyne Price made history by opening the Metropolitan Opera's season in New York City. She performed the title... Continue →
Twenty-seven Freedom Riders were arrested in Jackson, Mississippi, for challenging segregation in interstate bus travel. By June 12, the Hinds County... Continue →
On May 24, 1954, Dr. Peter Murray Marshall was installed as president of the New York County Medical Society, becoming the first African American to... Continue →
Patricia Louise Holte is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She will rise to international fame under the name Patti LaBelle, becoming one of the... Continue →
On May 24, 1910, Walter M. Hard, a young Black barber and inventor, patented a mechanical device that significantly improved the reliability of... Continue →
On this day in 1887, Elijah McCoy, a prolific African American inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 363,529 for a Lubricator for Steam-Engine Safety... Continue →
At Wilson’s Wharf Landing on the James River in Virginia, the First and Tenth Regiments of the United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) heroically... Continue →
On May 24, 1861, Union Major General Benjamin F. Butler declared that enslaved people who escaped to Union lines would be considered “contraband of... Continue →
On this day, abolitionist John Brown led an anti-slavery militia in a violent raid on a pro-slavery settlement near Pottawatomie Creek in Franklin... Continue →
On this day, Anthony Burns, a celebrated fugitive slave, was arrested by United States Deputy Marshals in Boston under the Fugitive Slave Act. His... Continue →
On May 25, legendary jazz musician Miles Davis was born. As a trumpeter, bandleader, and composer, Davis revolutionized American music by pioneering... Continue →
On May 25, 1986, approximately 30 million people across 76 countries participated in pop singer Bob Geldof's "Race Against Time." This global relay... Continue →
On May 25, 1971, Jo Etha Collier, a young Black woman and high school student, was tragically killed in Drew, Mississippi, by a bullet fired from a... Continue →
On this day, Jamaica Kincaid was born in St. John's, Antigua. A celebrated novelist and essayist, Kincaid would go on to write powerful works such as... Continue →
Leslie Uggams, the award-winning singer and actress known for breaking racial barriers in entertainment, was born in New York City. She made her... Continue →
On this day in 1943, Henrietta Bradberry was granted U.S. Patent No. 2,320,027 for her invention of the “Bed Rack.” This innovative device could... Continue →
On this day in 1943, a violent riot broke out at the Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company in Mobile, Alabama, after twelve Black workers were... Continue →
On this day, James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens, while representing Ohio State University in a Big Ten track-and-field meet held at the University of... Continue →
On this day, Madame C.J. Walker, the pioneering African American entrepreneur and philanthropist, passed away at the age of 52 in... Continue →
Tap dancer Luther Robinson—better known as Bill "Bojangles" Robinson—was born in Richmond, Virginia. Renowned for his innovative footwork and... Continue →
At the National Black Economic Development Conference in Detroit, civil rights activist James Forman presented the "Black Manifesto," demanding $500... Continue →
On May 25, 1961, the Freedom Ride Coordinating Committee was established in Atlanta, Georgia. This coalition of civil rights... Continue →
On this day in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Pamala Suzette Grier was born. Known as Pam Grier, she rose to fame in the 1970s as one of the most... Continue →
On May 26, 1943, President Edwin Barclay of Liberia became the first African head of state to pay an official visit to a U.S. president at the White... Continue →
Aleksandr Sergeevich Pushkin was born in Moscow on May 26, 1799. Of African descent through his great-grandfather Abram Petrovich Gannibal—an... Continue →
On this day, Doris “Dorie” Miller, a Messman Third Class in the United States Navy, was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions during the... Continue →
On this day in 1975, Ezzard Charles, former world heavyweight boxing champion, died at the age of 53 in Chicago. Known as the "Cincinnati Cobra,"... Continue →
In a landmark referendum, over 90% of white Australians voted in favor of two constitutional amendments—one of which allowed Aboriginal Australians... Continue →
On May 27, 1958, Ernest Green became the first African American student to graduate from Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. As a member of... Continue →
Louis Gossett Jr. was born in Brooklyn, New York. A trailblazer in American cinema, Gossett made history by becoming the first African American male... Continue →
Tensions exploded in East St. Louis, Illinois, when a race riot broke out amid growing hostility toward African American workers who had migrated... Continue →
In one of the earliest major Civil War battles involving Black troops, the First and Third Louisiana Native Guards—composed of free Black... Continue →
The Louisiana Colored Volunteers led an assault on Confederate breastworks at Port Hudson, marking the first major battle in which African American... Continue →
On May 30, 1965, Vivian Malone became the first Black student to graduate from the University of Alabama. Her graduation marked a historic victory... Continue →
On this day, Gladys Knight—known as the "Empress of Soul"—was born in Atlanta, Georgia. A seven-time Grammy Award winner, she rose to fame as the... Continue →
Mary Lou Williams, born Mary Elfrieda Scruggs on May 8, 1910, in Atlanta, Georgia, passed away on May 28, 1981, at the age of 71 in Durham, North... Continue →
On May 28, 1940, Betty Shabazz—civil rights advocate, educator, and the widow of Malcolm X—was born in Detroit, Michigan. A powerful figure in... Continue →
On this day in 1973, Thomas J. "Tom" Bradley was elected as the 38th Mayor of Los Angeles, becoming the first and only African-American to hold the... Continue →
Frederick M. Jones, a prolific African American inventor, was granted a patent for a two-cycle gasoline engine on May 29, 1945 (U.S. Patent No.... Continue →
On May 29, 1980, Vernon E. Jordan Jr., then President of the National Urban League, was critically injured in an assassination attempt in Fort Wayne,... Continue →
On May 29, 1914, Henry Ransom Cecil McBay was born in Mexia, Texas. A brilliant chemist and influential educator, McBay earned his Bachelor of... Continue →
On this day, President Andrew Johnson unveiled his plan for Reconstruction after the Civil War. His program required former Confederate states to... Continue →
At the Ohio Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Sojourner Truth, a formerly enslaved abolitionist and women's rights advocate, delivered her powerful... Continue →
On this day in 1943, Gale Eugene Sayers was born in Wichita, Kansas. Nicknamed "The Kansas Comet", Sayers would go on to become one of the most... Continue →
On May 30, 1971, baseball legend Willie Mays scored his 1,950th career run, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players in Major... Continue →
Sparked by the arrest of two Florida A&M University students who refused to give up their seats on a segregated bus, the Tallahassee Bus Boycott... Continue →
On this day in 1903, Countee Cullen was born. Raised in a Methodist parsonage, Cullen found his voice early, beginning to write poetry at age... Continue →
The U.S. Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, repealing the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and allowing settlers in those territories to determine... Continue →
On this day, a house slave revealed the details of Denmark Vesey's planned uprising to white authorities, leading to the unraveling of one of the... Continue →
On May 31, 1955, The Supreme Court ruled in what became known as "Brown II,” that the task of carrying out school desegregation was delegated to... Continue →
On this day, the biracial government of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia proclaimed independence from the United Kingdom. However, the move was not internationally... Continue →
On May 31, 1961, U.S. District Judge Irving Kaufman ordered the Board of Education of New Rochelle, New York, to integrate its public schools. This... Continue →
?Patricia Roberts Harris, born on May 31, 1924, in Mattoon, Illinois, was a trailblazing American politician, diplomat, and legal scholar. She holds... Continue →
On May 31, 1921, one of the most devastating acts of racial violence in American history began in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma—widely... Continue →
On May 31, 1909, approximately 300 Black and white activists gathered at the United Charities Building in New York City for the first official... Continue →
On this day, General Samuel C. Armstrong recommended Booker T. Washington to become the founding principal of the Tuskegee Normal School for Colored... Continue →
On this day in 1870, the United States Congress passed the first Enforcement Act, a landmark piece of legislation aimed at protecting the civil and... Continue →
South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth after an absence of 33 years.
Sojourner Truth leaves New York and begins career as an antislavery activist.
The 5th National Negro Convention meets in Philadelphia and urged African Americans to abandon the use of terms "African" and "colored" when... Continue →
On this date in 1973 - WGPR is given a permit and becomes the 1ST television station owned by African Americans.
On this date in 1966 approximately 2,400 persons attended White House Conference on Civil Rights.
On this date in 1921 - a race riot occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A white mob started the Tulsa race riot, attacking residents and businesses of the... Continue →
On this date in 1868 a constitutional convention convened in Austin. The ninety delegates consisted of eighty whites and ten blacks.
On this date in 1864, Solomon George Washington Dill, poor white ally of Black Republicans was assassinated in his home by white terrorists. Dill had... Continue →
On this date in 1864, the Florida General Assembly (nineteen Blacks, fifty-seven whites) met in Tallahassee.
James A. Healy, first African American Roman Catholic Bishop, consecrated in the cathedral at Portland, Maine.
Kenneth Irvine Chenault is an American business executive. Chenault has been the CEO and Chairman of American Express since 2001and is the third... Continue →
On this date in 1967 - A Race riot in the Roxbury section of Boston, Massachusetts. Roxbury was a predominantly Black section of the city, which was... Continue →
On this day ion 1943, the Ninety-ninth Pursuit Squadron flew P-40 Warhawks over the Mediterranean Sea for their first combat mission, strafing enemy... Continue →
ON this day in 1899, Black Americans observed day of fasting and prayer called by National Afro-American Council to protest lynching and racial... Continue →
On this day in 1875, James Augustine Healy, the first African American Roman Catholic Bishop, born in Macon, Georgia.
On this day 1868 - John Hope was born on this day in Augusta, Georgia. John Hope was an African American educator and political activist, the first... Continue →
On this day in 1854 - Fugitive slave Anthony Burns was returned to the South from Boston. In 1854, Burns took steps to find freedom. While working in... Continue →
On this date in 1834, the Fifth National Black convention met in New York with 50 delegates from eight states.
Wesley A. Brown becomes first African American graduate of Annapolis Naval Academy.
On this day in 1942, Curtis Mayfield was born in Chicago, Illinois, where he quickly absorbed the music of that area, which consisted of the local... Continue →
On this day in 1919, Liberty Life Insurance Company (Chicago), the first old-line legal reserve company organized by Blacks in the North,... Continue →
On this day in 1906, Entertainer Josephine Baker was born. At the age of sixteen, she starred in the musical Shuffle Along. Her vibrant and humorous... Continue →
On this day in 1877, Roland Hayes, the first African American to give a recital in Boston's Symphony Hall, was born.
ON this date in 1871, Miles Vandehurst Lynk, founder of the first African American medical journal and organizer of the National Medical Association,... Continue →
On this day in 1854, Anthony Burns, a fugitive slave, was arrested in Boston. His master refused an offer of $1200 made by Boston citizens for his... Continue →
On this day in 1833, Fourth national Black convention met in Philadelphia with sixty-two delegates from eight states. Abraham D. Shadd of... Continue →
Baltimore Orioles Manager Frank Robinson names Assistant General Manager on this date. Robinson was the third African American to become an... Continue →
On this day in 1989, Four African Americans win Tony Awards for Black and Blue
On this day in 1973, Arna Bontemps (72), writer and educator, passed away in Nashville, Tennessee.
On this day in 1972, Angela Davis was acquitted by white jury in San Jose, California, of charges stemming from a 1970 courtroom shoot-out.
On this day in 1946, Mississippi Valley State University was founded in Itta Bena, Mississippi.
On this day in 1922, Samuel L. Gravely was born. Samuel Gravely was appointed captain of the Navy Destroyer Escort, U.S.S. Falgout, the first African... Continue →
On this day in 1832, the Third National Black convention met in Philadelphia with twenty-nine delegates from eight states. Henry Sipkins of New York... Continue →
Doris A. Davis, of Compton California, becomes the first African-American woman mayor of a metropolitan city in the United States.
Federal Court Rules that racial segregation on Montgomery City buses violated Constitution.
On this day in 1973, Cardiss R. Collins of Chicago was elected to Congress. She succeeded her late husband.
On this date in 1969, there a Race riot occurred in Hartford, Connecticut.
On this day in 1955, Martin Luther King Jr. is awarded his doctorate from Boston University.
ON this date in 1950, U.S. Supreme Court undermined the legal foundations of segregation in three landmark cases, Sweatt v. Painter, McLaurin v.... Continue →
On this day 1945, Olympic track and field star John Carlos born in New York City. John Carlos would become famous at the 1968 Olympic Summer Games... Continue →
On this day in 1940, the American Negro Theater was organized by Frederick O'Neal and Abram Hill.
On this day in 1894, G.W. Murray patents Fertilizer Distributor Patent No. 520,889
On this day in 1894, G.W. Murray patents Cotton Chopper, Patent No. 520,888.
On thus day in 1894, G.W. Murray patents Planter, Patent No. 520,887
On this day in 1872, the Republican National Convention met in Philadelphia with substantial Black representation from Southern States. For the first... Continue →
On this day in 1783, Oliver Cromwell, soldier in the Revolutionary War, receives an honorable discharge and the Badge of Merit from George Washington... Continue →
Mae C. Jemison, M. D. was chosen by NASA to begin training as a space shuttle astronaut on this date.
On this day in 1977, Joseph Lawson Howze installed as bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi.
On this day in 1966, James Meredith wounded by white sniper as he walked along U.S. Highway 51 near Hernando, Mississippi, on second day of 220-mile... Continue →
On this day in 1950, Frank Petersen enlisted in the Navy. At the age of 20, he was the first Afro-American to be named a naval aviator in the Marine... Continue →
On this day in 1939, Children's Advocate Marian Wright Edelman was born.
On this day in 1869, Dillard University chartered in New Orleans, Louisiana.
On this day in 1863, at the Battle of Milken's Bend a Negro soldier takes his former master prisoner.
On this day in 1831, the Second National Black convention met in Philadelphia. There were fifteen delegates from five states.
On this day in 1790, Jean Baptist Pointe Desable, a French speaking Santo Domingo native, becomes the first permanent resident and thus founder of... Continue →
Respecting Negro demand, the New York Times announces that the "N" in the word "Negro" and "Negress" would be capitalized in its pages. The New York... Continue →
On this day in 1987, Lloyd Richards wins a Tony as best director for the August Wilson play Fences. The play also wins Tony's for best play, best... Continue →
On this date in 1958, Composer, musician and singer Prince Rogers Nelson born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
On this day in 1943, Born Yolande Cornelia Giovanni, Jr. on June 7, 1943 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Nikki Giovanni became a leading poet of the Black... Continue →
On this date in 1917, Pulitzer Prize winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks was born in Topeka, Kansas.
On this day in 1868, Marie Laveau, the "Queen of the Voodoo," was dethroned because of old age. Believed to be born in New Orleans in 1794 and died... Continue →
On this day in 1863, Three regiments and small detachment of white troops repulsed division of Texans in hand-to-hand battle at Milliken's Bend,... Continue →
Legendary Pitcher Satchel Paige dies in Kansas City, Missouri. Satchel was an American Negro league baseball and Major League Baseball pitcher who... Continue →
On this day in 1968, James Earl Ray, alleged assassin of Martin Luther King Jr., captured at London airport.
On this day in 1953, King, Sr., performs the marriage ceremony of King, Jr., and Coretta Scott at the Scott home near Marion, Alabama.
Oliver W. Hill elected to Richmond, Virginia, City Council becoming the first African American to do so since Reconstruction.
On this day in 1989, Congressman John Conyers D-Michigan announced a call for a reparations study.
On this day in 1939, R&B singer Johnny Ace was born John Marshall Alexander, Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee. His major hits include "My Song" and... Continue →
Heavy Weight Boxer Jack Johnson dies on this date.
Oscar Award Winning Actress Hattie McDanial born on this date.
African Methodist Episcopal Church founder Richard Allen was born on this date. Allen was born a slave near Philadelphia.
On this day in 1964, the U.S. Senate imposed cloture for first time on a civil rights measure, ending Southern Filibuster by a vote of 71-29. Civil... Continue →
On this day in 1941, Marcus Garvey (52) died in London, England.
On this day in 1910, Rhythm & blues singer Howlin' Wolf is born Chester Arthur Burnett in West Point, Mississippi. His most popular and influential... Continue →
On this day in 1899, the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks founded in Cincinnati.
On this day in 1854, James Augustine Healy, first Black American Roman Catholic bishop, ordained a priest in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris.
Nelson Mandela was sentenced to Life imprisonment for allegedly attempting to sabotage the White South African government.
United States Congressman Charles Rangel born on this date
On this day in 1967, there was a Race riot in Tampa, Florida. The National Guard was mobilized.
On this day in 1963, Vivian Malone and James Hood, accompanied by U.S. Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach attempt to register at the... Continue →
On this day in 1963, President Kennedy told nation in radio-TV address that segregation was morally wrong and that it was "time to act in the... Continue →
On this day in 1991, Natalie Cole's album, Unforgettable is released.
The National Black MBA Assciation is incorporated.
Medgar W. Evers , NAACP field secretary in Mississippi, assassinated in front of his Jackson home by a segregationist.
ON this date in 1904, Negro Baseball League player, William Hendrick "Bill" Foster was born. was an American left-handed pitcher in baseball's Negro... Continue →
ON this day in 1991, Michael Jordan lead Chicago Bulls in win over L.A. Lakers in five games to capture his first NBA Championship.
On this day in 1967, U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Virginia law banning inter-racial marriage was unconstitutional.
On this day in 1967, a Race riot occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio. Three hundred persons were arrested, and the National Guard was mobilized.
On this day in 1963, Civil rights groups demonstrated at Harlem construction sites to Protest discrimination in building trades unions.... Continue →
IN this day in 1886, the Georgia State Supreme Court sustained the will of the late David Dickson, thus making Amanda Eubanks, the daughter of a... Continue →
The first known monument erected by African Americans to honor one of our heroes is dedicated to Richard Allen in Philadelphia's Fairmont park.
On this day in 1840, the World's Anti-Slavery Convention convenes in London, England.
Thurgood Marshall, United States Solicitor General, name to the Supreme Court by President Johnson. Marshall was confirmed by the Senate on August... Continue →
On thus day in 1990, Bernadette Locke becomes the first female on-court coach when she is named assistant coach of the University of Kentucky men's... Continue →
On this day in 1937, Eleanor Holmes (later Eleanor Norton) is born in Washington, DC. A graduate of the Yale University School of Law, Norton will... Continue →
On this day in 1910, William D. Crum (1859-1912), a South Carolina physician, appointed minister to Liberia.
On this day in 1868, Ex-slave Oscar J. Dunn becomes lieutenant governor of Louisiana. It is the highest executive office held by an African American... Continue →
Congressman William Gray elected Democratic Whip of the House of Representatives, the highest ranking position ever held by a African American in... Continue →
Cheryl Adrienne Brown wins Miss Iowa pageant and becomes the first African American to compete in the Miss America beauty pageant.
On this day in 1971, Justice Department filed suit against the St. Louis suburb of Black Jack, charging the community with illegally using municipal... Continue →
On this day in 1952, Dr. Harold D. West is named President of Meharry Medical College
On this day in 1946, Marla Gibbs, television personality, born
On this day in 1941, John Edgar Wideman, Rhodes scholar, writer, born
On this day in 1939, The Ethel Waters Show, a variety special appears on NBC. It is the first time an African American appears on television
Henry O. Flipper receives degree at West Point and becomes the first African American graduate.
On this day in 1971, Vernon E. Jordan Jr., former executive director of the United Negro College Fund, appointed executive director of the National... Continue →
On this day in 1968, Ellen Holly becomes the first African American on daytime television as Carla on One Life to Live.
On this day in 1921, Erroll Garner born in Pittsburgh,PA
On this day in 1921, Bessie Coleman attended the "...Ecole d'Aviation des Freres Caudron at Le Crotoy in Somme for a 10 month flight training course.... Continue →
On this day in 1864, Grant outwitted Lee by shifting campaign from Cold Harbor to Petersburg. Surprise attack by Gen. W.F. ("Baldy") Smith succeeded... Continue →
On this day in 1864, Congress passed bill equalizing pay, arms, equipment and medical services of Black troops.
Tiger Woods wins U. S. Open Gold Tournament.
United States Supreme Court rules that the suspension of Clayton Powel Jr. from the House of Representatives was unconstitutional.
ON this day in 1812,the United States declared war on Britain War. Although the U.S. Army did not enlist African Americans after the Revolutionary... Continue →
ON this day in 1976, Hector Petersen, a 13 year old Soweto schoolboy is the first to die in what will become the "Children's Crusade", the first... Continue →
On this day in 1975, Adam Wade hosts the Nationally televised game show Musical Chairs. He is the first African American game show host.
On this day in 1970, Kenneth A Gibson elected the first African American mayor of Newark. In 1976, he will be elected the first African American... Continue →
On this day in 1943, Race riot, Beaumont, Texas. Two killed.
On this day in 1964, Siege of Petersburg and Richmond began. Thirty-two Black infantry regiments and Black cavalry regiments were involved in siege.... Continue →
Tuskegee Boycott began. African American's boycotted city stores in protest against act of state legislature that deprived them of municipal votes... Continue →
On this date in 1775, Peter Salem a free slave and a private in Captain Simon Edgel's company at the battle of Bunker Hill, was the first military... Continue →
On this date in 1972, Frank Wills, Washington security guard, foiled break-in at offices of Democratic National Committee in first event of the... Continue →
On this date in 1948, Actress Phylicia Rashad was born in Houston, Texas.
ON this date in 1937, Journalist Robert Clyve Maynard, owner, editor and publisher of "The Oakland Tribune," was born in the borough of Brooklyn, NY.
On this date in 1928, Blues singer, "the Godfather of Soul," James Brown was born in Pulaski, Tennessee.
On this date in 1897, William Frank Powell, New Jersey educator, named minister to Haiti.
ON this date in 1871, Author, lyricist, poet and educator James Weldon Johnson, also the first Black executive of the NAACP, is born in Jacksonville,... Continue →
On this date in 1862, Congress authorized President Lincoln to accept blacks in Union Army.
On this date in 1775, Blacks soldiers fought at Battle of Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. Among the heroes of the battle were Peter Salem and Salem... Continue →
Supreme Court banned racial discrimination in sale and rental of housing.
Slavery Abolished in United States territories in congress.
On this date in 1942, the U.S. Navy commissions its first black officer, Harvard University medical student Bernard Whitfield Robinson.
ON this date in 1966, Samuel Nabrit is the first African American to serve on the Atomic Energy Commission
On this date in 1963, Three thousand Black students boycotted Boston public schools as protest against de facto segregation.
ON this date in 1953, Egypt becomes a republic after the forced abdication of King Farouk I.
On this date in 1941, President Roosevelt conferred with A. Philip Randolph and other leaders of the March on Washington movement and urged them to... Continue →
On this date in 1941, Tuskegee scientist George Washington Carver was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree by the University of Rochester.
Albert W. dent, president of Dillard University, elected president of National Health Council.
ON this date in 1991, City Auditor Wellington Webb is elected mayor of Denver, Colo. He is the first African American to hold the post.
Muhammad Ali convicted in Houston, Texas in federal court for violating Selective Service Act by refusing induction into the armed services. Ali was... Continue →
National Congress of Racial Equality organized
United States Supreme Court (Guinn v United States) said "Grandfather Clause" in the Oklahoma and Maryland constitutions violated the 15th Amendment.
Marcus Garvey sentenced to five years in prison after his conviction on charges of using the mail to defraud.
On June 21, 2001, legendary blues musician John Lee Hooker passed away at the age of 83. Hooker was one of the most influential blues artists of all... Continue →
Richard Nixon signed bill extending Voting Rights Act of 1965 to 1975.
Joe Louis defeated James J. Barddock for heavyweight boxing championship.
Ezzard Charles defeats Jersey Joe Walcott for the world heavy weight championship.
Wilma Glodean Rudolph, the first African American women to with three gold medals, was born on this dated in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Maynard Jackson, three term mayor of Atlanta, dies at the age of 65.
Mary Mcleod Bethune , founder-president of Bethune-Cookman College, named Director of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration. Mary was... Continue →
John R. Lynch, former congressman from Mississippi, elected temporary chairmen of Republican convention and becomes the first African American to... Continue →
On June 25, 1968, Lincoln Alexander was elected as the Member of Parliament for Hamilton West, making history as the first Black Canadian to serve in... Continue →
Isaiah Dorman dies at battle to Little Bighorn under the leadership of Colonel George Custer.
The U.S. Congress passed the Mann Act, also known as the White-Slave Traffic Act, on June 25, 1910. Though the law aimed to combat human trafficking... Continue →
Prince Edward County, Virginia, Board of Supervisors abandoned school system to prevent integration.
James Weldon Johnson dies of injuries received in an automobile accident near his summer home in Wiscosset, Maine.
W. E. B. DuBois resigns from his position at the NAACP in a disagreement over policy and racial strategy.
Frederick Jones invents the ticket dispensing machine, patent #2163754.
United States Supreme Court Thurgood Marshall announces his retirement.
Freedman's Bank closed. African American depositors had some $3 million in the bank. The Freedman's Bank had an imposing headquarters in... Continue →
The NAACP annual report said the unemployment of "urban blacks in 1971 was worse than at anytime since the great depression of the thirties." The... Continue →
Louisiana legislature met in New Orleans. The temporary chairman of the house was African American Representative, R. H. Isabelle. Oscar J.... Continue →
Major Robert H. Lawrence Jr. named First African American astronaut. Major Lawrence was killed during a training flight on December 8, 1967.
Actress -Singer Lena Horne was born in Brooklyn, New York.
Kenneth Gibson, Mayor of Newark, became the first African American president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Olympic track and field star Carl Lewis was born in Willingboro, New Jersey.
On this date in 1889, it was reported that 94 Black individuals had been lynched in the United States during that year. This was part of the broader... Continue →
On this date in 2001, the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 was amended in 1998 to include a provision that denied federal financial aid to students... Continue →
On this date in 1991, Clarence Thomas was nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court by President George H.W. Bush to replace retiring Justice Thurgood... Continue →
On this date in 1987, or the first time in U.S. history, three African American women were serving simultaneously as presidents of four-year colleges... Continue →
On this date in 1960, Somalia officially gained independence and was formed as a sovereign nation. This date marks the unification of British... Continue →
On this date in 1924, Roland Hayes, a pioneering African American tenor, was named a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Born in 1887 in a... Continue →
On this date in 1917, The East St. Louis Race Riot of July 1-3, 1917, was one of the deadliest episodes of racial violence in U.S. history. It was... Continue →
On this date in 1899, Thomas A. Dorsey, known as the Father of Gospel Music, was born, in Villa Rica, Georgia. Originally a blues musician, Dorsey... Continue →
On this date in 1898, during the Spanish-American War, the Tenth Cavalry, a regiment of the famed Buffalo Soldiers, played a crucial role in the... Continue →
On this date in 1893, Walter Francis White was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He was a prominent civil rights activist, writer, and leader of the NAACP... Continue →
On this date in 1889, Frederick Douglass was appointed as the U.S. Minister Resident and Consul General to Haiti by President Benjamin Harrison.... Continue →
On this date in 1873, Henry Ossian Flipper became the first African American cadet to be admitted to the United States Military Academy at West... Continue →
On this date in 1870, James Webster Smith became the first Black cadet to enter the United States Military Academy at West Point. However, he faced... Continue →
On this date in 1868, the North Carolina legislature convened with a historic composition: 21 Black legislators and 149 white legislators. This was a... Continue →
On this date in 1863, the Kingdom of the Netherlands officially abolished slavery in its colonies, including Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean islands... Continue →
The Clotilda was the last recorded slave ship to bring enslaved Africans to the United States, arriving illegally in Mobile Bay, Alabama, in July... Continue →
On this date in 1925, Medgar Evers was born, in Decatur, Mississippi. He was a civil rights activist and World War II veteran who played a crucial... Continue →
On this date, Thurgood Marshall was born, in Baltimore, Maryland. He made history as the first African American Supreme Court Justice, serving from... Continue →
On this date, Elijah McCoy was granted a patent for the steam engine lubricator (U.S. Patent No. 129,843). This device automatically lubricated steam... Continue →
On this date in 2001, Robert Tools became the first person to receive the AbioCor, a self-contained artificial heart, at Jewish Hospital in... Continue →
On this date in 1961, Bishop Robert Clarence Lawson passed away. He was the founder of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith... Continue →
On this date in 1946, Anthony Overton, an influential African American entrepreneur, banker, and publisher, passed away. Overton was best known for... Continue →
On this date in 1943, Lt. Charles B. Hall, a member of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, became the first Black pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft... Continue →
On this date in 1937, Walter F. White was honored by the NAACP in New York City for his significant contributions to civil rights. As the Executive... Continue →
On this date in 1935, Ed Bullins was born. He was a groundbreaking playwright and a major figure in the Black Arts Movement, known for his works that... Continue →
On this date, President James A. Garfield was shot at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C. by Charles J. Guiteau, a... Continue →
On this date in 1822, Denmark Vesey, a formerly enslaved man and skilled carpenter, was hanged in Charleston, South Carolina, after being accused of... Continue →
On this date, Vermont made history on July 2, 1777, by becoming the first American colony to abolish slavery in its state constitution. This was a... Continue →
On this date, a Black enslaved woman was acquitted of sorcery during the infamous Salem Witch Trials in colonial Massachusetts. While many were... Continue →
On this date in 1941, Cab Calloway and his orchestra recorded the famous jazz standard "St. James Infirmary Blues". This song, originally a... Continue →
On this date in 1904, Dr. Charles Drew, born in Washington, D.C., made groundbreaking contributions to the field of medicine. He attended McGill... Continue →
On this date in 1775, Prince Hall founded Africa Lodge No. 1 in Boston, Massachusetts, marking a pivotal moment in history as it became the first... Continue →
On this date in 1983, Calvin Smith of the United States became the fastest man alive, setting a new 100m world record with a time of 9.93 seconds... Continue →
On this date in 1966, Moises Alou was born. He is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder, known for his successful career playing for teams... Continue →
On this date in 1966, race riots broke out in Omaha, Nebraska, amid growing racial tensions in the city. The unrest was part of a broader wave of... Continue →
On this date in 1962, Jackie Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential figures in... Continue →
On this date in 1956, Montel Williams was born. He is an American television personality, actor, and former Navy officer, best known for hosting the... Continue →
On this date in 1953, Harry Belafonte made history by appearing on the cover of Ebony magazine alongside actress Janet Leigh and film star Tony... Continue →
On this date in 1940, Fontella Bass was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She was an iconic American singer known for her powerful voice and contributions... Continue →
On this date in 1936, John Hope, who was the president of Atlanta University, was honored in New York City by the NAACP (National Association for the... Continue →
On this date in 1929, David Lynch, a legendary member of the iconic Platters, was born. He became a key figure in the group, which is known for its... Continue →
On this date in 1848, slavery was abolished in the Danish West Indies, now known as the U.S. Virgin Islands. This historic event was marked by a... Continue →
On this date in 2002, Four Star General Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the first African American general in the United States Air Force, passed away at age... Continue →
On this date in 1900, Louis Armstrong, known as "Satchmo," was born, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He would go on to become one of the most influential... Continue →
On this date in 1881, the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute (now Tuskegee University) was established in Tuskegee, Alabama. This institution,... Continue →
On this date in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted, marking the United States' formal declaration of independence from Great Britain.... Continue →
On this date in 1999, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) celebrated Caribbean Integration with a focus on strengthening regional cooperation and... Continue →
On this date in 1991, the National Civil Rights Museum officially opened at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, marking a significant moment in... Continue →
On this date in 1972, during its National Convention, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) adopted an emergency... Continue →
On this date in 1970, Asbury Park, New Jersey, was the site of significant rioting, with over one hundred people injured. The unrest was fueled by... Continue →
On this date in 1963, Marian Anderson, the renowned African American contralto, and Ralph Bunche, the distinguished diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize... Continue →
On this date in 1910, Jack Johnson, the first Black heavyweight boxing champion, made history by successfully defending his title against Jim "The... Continue →
On this date in 1881, Booker T. Washington officially opened Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Alabama. Washington, an influential... Continue →
On this date in 1876, Edward Mitchell Bannister, an acclaimed African American painter, was awarded the gold medal for his painting "Under the Oaks"... Continue →
On this date in 1875, a violent and tragic event occurred in Vicksburg, Mississippi, where White Democrats targeted and killed several Black... Continue →
On this date in 1868, the Georgia legislature convened in Atlanta following the end of the Civil War and during the Reconstruction period. This was a... Continue →
On this date in 1861, Thaddeus Stevens, a prominent American politician and leader of the Radical Republicans during the Civil War, delivered a... Continue →
On this date in 1845, Mary Edmonia Lewis, also known as Wildfire Lewis, was born. She was a groundbreaking sculptor of African-American and Native... Continue →
On this date in 1827, New York State officially abolished slavery, making it one of the last northern states to do so. The decision came after years... Continue →
On this date in 1975, Arthur Ashe made history by winning Wimbledon in an unforgettable moment for tennis and sports history. Ashe defeated Jimmy... Continue →
On this date in 1975, racial disturbances erupted in Miami, Florida, as tensions between African American communities and law enforcement escalated.... Continue →
On this date in 1966, the National Guard was mobilized in Omaha, Nebraska, following the third consecutive night of violent rioting. The unrest began... Continue →
On this date in 1899, Anna Arnold Hedgeman was born. She made history as the first woman to serve in the cabinet of a New York City mayor. Hedgeman... Continue →
On this date in 1892, Andrew Beard, an African American inventor, was granted Patent No. 478,271 for his rotary engine design. His invention aimed to... Continue →
On this date in 1971, Henry Sampson, an African American inventor, received a patent for his work related to the cellular phone. He is credited with... Continue →
On this date in 2002, Serena Williams made history by defeating her sister Venus Williams in the Wimbledon Women's Singles Final. Serena won the... Continue →
On this date in 1971, the legendary jazz musician Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong passed away at the age of 69. Armstrong, one of the most influential... Continue →
On this date in 1964, Malawi officially proclaimed its independence from British colonial rule. The country, which was previously known as the... Continue →
On this date in 1957, Althea Gibson made history by becoming the first African American to win a Wimbledon singles title. She defeated Darlene Hard... Continue →
On this date in 1931, Della Reese was born Delorese Patricia in Detroit, Michigan. She became an iconic jazz vocalist, actress, and television... Continue →
On this date in 1869, Dr. J.D. Harris, an African American physician, ran for lieutenant governor of Virginia on the Republican ticket. Despite his... Continue →
On this date in 1868, the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution was officially ratified. This amendment is one of the most significant in... Continue →
On this date in 1854, the South Carolina General Assembly met at Janney's Hall in Columbia, marking a historic moment. This session included 85 Black... Continue →
On this date in 1853, William Wells Brown published Clotel; or, The President's Daughter, which is widely regarded as the first novel written by an... Continue →
On this date in 1853, the National Black Convention took place in Rochester, New York, with 140 delegates from nine states. This significant... Continue →
On this date in 1906, Satchel Paige, one of baseball's greatest pitchers, was born. His incredible talent and career in the Negro Leagues made him a... Continue →
On this date in 1972, Lisa Leslie was born in Compton, California. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest women's basketball players of all... Continue →
On this date in 1940, Aubrey F. Lowe, a prominent financial analyst from Suffolk, Virginia, was born. His contributions to the field of finance are... Continue →
ON this date in 1915, Margaret Walker, the famous American writer, was born in Birmingham, Alabama. She is best known for her novel "Jubilee", which... Continue →
On this date in 2001, Venus Williams defended her Wimbledon title, winning her second consecutive championship by defeating Justine Henin in the... Continue →
On this date in 1965, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) officially elected Roy Wilkins as its new Executive... Continue →
On this date in 1943, Faye Wattleton was born. She is a notable activist, nurse, and the first African American president of Planned Parenthood.... Continue →
On this date in 1914, Billy Eckstine was born, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was a groundbreaking jazz and pop singer, bandleader, and musician... Continue →
On this date in 1876, the Hamburg Massacre took place in Hamburg, South Carolina, when a white supremacist mob attacked a group of Black Republican... Continue →
On this date in 1870, Governor William Woods Holden of North Carolina declared Caswell County in a state of insurrection due to violent resistance... Continue →
On this date in 1805, Bill Richmond, the son of formerly enslaved parents, made history as the first African American to gain recognition as a... Continue →
On this date in 1868, Francis L. Cardozo was installed as Secretary of State of South Carolina, making him the first Black person to hold a statewide... Continue →
On this date in 1979, Dr. Walter E. Massey was appointed as the director of Argonne National Laboratory, making him the first African American to... Continue →
On this date in 1955, E. Frederic Morrow became the first Black person to hold an executive position in the White House. He served as an... Continue →
On this date in 1927, Attorney William T. Francis was appointed U.S. Minister to Liberia by President Calvin Coolidge. This was a significant... Continue →
On this date in 1901, Jester Hairston was born. He was an American composer, songwriter, choral conductor, and actor. He is best known for his work... Continue →
On this date in 1863, the siege of Port Hudson was a significant moment in the Civil War. After a long and grueling siege that lasted from May 22 to... Continue →
On this date in 1972 Democratic National Convention opened, in Miami Beach, Florida. It was a historic convention, with Black delegates making up 15%... Continue →
On this date in 1962, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested during a protest in Albany, Georgia, as part of the Albany Movement, a campaign to end... Continue →
On this date in 1910, First Black heavyweight champion, Jack Johnson successfully defended his heavy weight title against former champion James "The... Continue →
ON this date in 1943, Arthur Ashe was born in Richmond, Virginia. He became a legendary tennis player, known for being the first Black man to win... Continue →
On this date in 1941, Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton, one of the most influential early jazz pianists and composers, passed away, at the age of 56 in... Continue →
On this date in 1927, David Norman Dinkins was born. He later became a prominent American politician and served as the 106th Mayor of New York City... Continue →
On this date in 1893, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, a pioneering African American surgeon, performed the first successful open-heart surgeries. James... Continue →
On this date in 1891, African American jockey William "Monk" Overton achieved a remarkable feat by winning six consecutive horse races at Washington... Continue →
On this date in 1875, Mary McLeod Bethune was born in Mayesville, South Carolina. She was a pioneering educator, civil rights leader, and founder of... Continue →
On this date in 1818, Cyrus Tiffany: African American heroism was not daunted by Captain Oliver H. Perry's opinion of African American sailors. An... Continue →
On this date in 1775, Horatio Gates, serving as George Washington's adjutant general, issued an order prohibiting Black men—both free and... Continue →
Arthur Ashe was born on July 10, 1943, in Richmond, Virginia. He broke numerous racial barriers in tennis, becoming the first Black man to win the... Continue →
ON this date in 1915, Mifflin Wistar Gibbs, an important figure in the African American community, died. Gibbs was born in 1823 in Philadelphia, and... Continue →
On this date in 1954, the first White Citizens’ Council (WCC) was established in Indianola, Mississippi. This organization was created by white... Continue →
On this date in 1905, W.E.B. Du Bois and a group of like-minded African American activists founded the Niagara Movement. This was a significant civil... Continue →
On this date in 1925, Mattiwilda Dobbs was born. She was an influential African American soprano opera singer, known for breaking barriers in the... Continue →
On this date in 1766, Olaudah Equiano, an African man who had been enslaved, purchased his freedom. Equiano had been born in what is now Nigeria,... Continue →
On this date in 1949, F.M. Jones was granted Patent No. 2,475,841 for an air conditioning unit. This patent was for an invention relating to a... Continue →
On this date in 1980, John W. Davis dies at the age of 92 in Englewood, New Jersey. John W. Davis was a notable civil rights activist and an... Continue →
On this date in 1967, racial violence erupted in Newark, New Jersey, marking one of the most significant riots during the period of civil unrest in... Continue →
On this date in 1966, the city of Chicago experienced a race riot that was part of a larger wave of unrest in American cities during the 1960s. The... Continue →
On this date in 1963, the National Guard was deployed to impose limited martial law in Cambridge, Maryland, following violent clashes between... Continue →
On this date in 1951, Governor Adlai Stevenson of Illinois called out the National Guard to restore order in Cicero, Illinois, following violent... Continue →
On this date in 1949, Patent No. 2475842, was granted to F. M. Jones for a starter generator. This patent relates to a device that functions both as... Continue →
On this date in 1937, Bill Cosby was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He became widely known as a comedian, actor, and producer, particularly for... Continue →
On this date in 1936, Rose McClendon, an influential African-American actress and founder of the Negro People's Theatre, passed away. McClendon was a... Continue →
On this date in 1926, Beah Richards, born Beulah Elizabeth Richardson in Vicksburg, Mississippi, was an acclaimed American actress, poet, playwright,... Continue →
On this date in 1887, Mound Bayou was founded, by Isaiah Montgomery and his fellow freedmen. Isaiah Montgomery was a key figure in the establishment... Continue →
On this date in 1972, during the Democratic National Convention in Miami Beach, Florida, Shirley Chisholm made history by becoming the first African... Continue →
On this date in 1972, the Bureau of Census report from this date, highlighted several significant socio-economic disparities between Black and white... Continue →
On this date in 1965, Thurgood Marshall was appointed as the first Black solicitor general of the United States. He served as Solicitor General under... Continue →
On this date in 1919, during the "Red Summer" of 1919 was a period of intense racial violence and unrest in the United States, where race riots broke... Continue →
On this date in 1868, the Alabama Legislature convened in Montgomery, marking a significant moment in American history. This was the first... Continue →
On this date in 1868, Oscar J. Dunn, a former slave, formally installed as lieutenant governor of Louisiana, the highest elective officer held to... Continue →
On this date in 1863, the New York Draft Riots of 1863 were a violent and tragic expression of racial and class tensions. The riots erupted due to... Continue →
On this date in 1863, the "Enrollment Act" (mandatory draft) takes effect, with exemption for the wealthy, which led to summer draft riots in New... Continue →
On this date in 1863, during the Civil War era in the United States, a violent mob of white rioters destroyed the Colored Orphan Asylum in New York... Continue →
On this date in 1787, the Continental Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance, which effectively excluded slavery from the Northwest Territory. This... Continue →
On this date in 1951, the George Washington Carver National Monument, located in Joplin, Missouri, was established to honor the life and legacy of... Continue →
On this date in 1914, Marcus Garvey’s return to Jamaica marked the beginning of a transformative period for both him and the global Black... Continue →
On this date in 1948, during the Democratic National Convention, the Alabama and Mississippi delegations walked out in protest after the adoption of... Continue →
On this date in 1941, Maulana Karenga, originally named Ronald Everett, was born. He is best known as the founder of Kwanzaa, a week-long celebration... Continue →
On this date in 1940, Peggy Jones, also known as Lady Bo, was indeed a trailblazer as Bo Diddley's original girl guitar player. She made a... Continue →
On this date in 1891, inventor J. Standard (sometimes referred to as John Standard) was awarded a patent US455891A for his non-electrical... Continue →
On this date in 1885, Sara E. Goode was awarded a patent 322,177 for the cabinet bed. The cabinet bed was an innovative piece of furniture designed... Continue →
On this date in 1822, Philadelphia opened its public schools for Black children, which was a significant moment in American history. This move marked... Continue →
On this date in 1970, James McGhee made history as the first African American mayor of Dayton, Ohio. His election was a significant milestone in the... Continue →
On this date in 1929, Francis Bebey was born, was a Cameroonian musician, guitarist, and author. He is well-known for his contributions to African... Continue →
On this date in 1869, A.J. Hayne, a Black captain of the Arkansas militia, was assassinated in Marion, Arkansas. His death occurred in the context of... Continue →
On this date in 1864, General Andrew Jackson Smith, commanding a Union force of around 14,000 men, including a brigade of African American troops,... Continue →
On this date in 1822, first African American woman to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, born. Violette A. Johnson made history on July 16,... Continue →
On this date in 1991, Miles Davis, one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time, was named a Knight in the French Legion of Honor. This... Continue →
On this date in 1977, Janelle Penny Commissiong of Trinidad and Tobago made history by becoming the first Black woman to win the Miss Universe title.... Continue →
On this date in 1936, the movie The Green Pastures premiered in New York City. The film, directed by Marc Connelly, is based on the 1929 play of the... Continue →
On this date in 1934, Donald Payne, who became the first African American congressman from New Jersey, was born. He served as a member of the U.S.... Continue →
On this date in 1862, Ida B. Wells Barnett, a pioneering African American journalist, educator, and civil rights activist was born. She is best known... Continue →
On this date in 1959, Billie Holiday, the iconic American jazz and blues singer, passed away. She died from heart failure due to cirrhosis of the... Continue →
On this date in 1981, the Atlanta child murders case took a significant turn when Wayne Williams was indicted for the murders of two adult men,... Continue →
On this date in 1967, John Coltrane, one of the most influential and innovative jazz musicians in history, passed away at the age of 40. His... Continue →
On this date in 1967, the race riot in Cairo, Illinois, was a significant event in the Civil Rights Movement. Tensions between the African American... Continue →
On this date in 1935, Diahnn Carroll a celebrated American actress, singer, and model was born. She gained widespread fame for her groundbreaking... Continue →
On this date in 1944, the Port Chicago Naval Magazine in California exploded. The explosion was a significant event during World War II. It occurred... Continue →
On this date in 1942, Muhammad Ali, originally named Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., was born, in Louisville, Kentucky. He became one of the most famous... Continue →
On this date in 1911, Frank Snowden, a pioneering scholar on the history of Black people in ancient times, was indeed born. His work focused on... Continue →
On this date in 1888, Miriam E. Benjamin, an African American school teacher, was granted a Patent number 386,289 for her invention, which was a... Continue →
The Battle of Honey Springs, fought on July 17, 1863, was a significant engagement during the American Civil War. Union forces, including the First... Continue →
On July 17, 1862, Congress passed the Second Confiscation Act, which was an important step toward granting freedom to enslaved African Americans... Continue →
On July 17, 1794, Richard Allen founded the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Philadelphia. This church became one of the first... Continue →
On July 17, 1794, Absalom Jones and his followers dedicated the African Church of St. Thomas in Philadelphia. This church was notable for being one... Continue →
On this date 1899, L.C. Bailey was granted U.S. Patent #620,286 for the invention of the folding bed. This design allowed the bed to be conveniently... Continue →
On this date in 1918, Nelson Mandela was born, in the village of Mvezo, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. He would go on to become one of... Continue →
On this date in 1964, a race riot broke out in Harlem, New York, which later spread to the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn. This was a... Continue →
On this date in 1863, the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was one of the first official African American regiments in the... Continue →
On this date in 1863, Sergeant William H. Carney of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry became the first African American to be awarded the Congressional... Continue →
Lemuel Haynes was indeed a remarkable figure in American history. Born on July 18, 1753, in West Hartford, Connecticut, Haynes is recognized as the... Continue →
On July 19, 1941, the first U.S. Army flying school for Black cadets was dedicated at the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama. This was a significant... Continue →
On July 19, 1967, more than 1,000 people gathered in Newark, New Jersey, for the first Black Power Conference. This event was a pivotal moment in the... Continue →
On July 19, 1979, President Jimmy Carter announced the resignation of Joseph A. Califano Jr. as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) and... Continue →
The Durham Riot of 1967 occurred in Durham, North Carolina, and was part of a larger wave of civil unrest that took place in U.S. cities during the... Continue →
On July 19, 1966, Governor James A. Rhodes of Ohio declared a State of Emergency due to severe civil unrest in the city of Cleveland. This... Continue →
On July 19, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order that led to the establishment of the Fair Employment Practices Committee... Continue →
On July 19, 1925, the legendary entertainer Josephine Baker made her Paris debut at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in the revue La Revue Nègre.... Continue →
On July 19, 1913, the Tri-State Dental Association was formed as a professional organization for African American dentists in the U.S. It served as... Continue →
On July 19-20, 1848, Frederick Douglass attended the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women’s rights convention in the United States. He was a... Continue →
On July 19, 1967, a riot broke out in Memphis, Tennessee, as part of the broader civil unrest occurring across the United States during the late... Continue →
On July 20, 1950, during the Korean War, the 24th Infantry Regiment, an all-Black unit of the U.S. Army, achieved the first U.S. victory in Korea.... Continue →
On this date in July, Mary Church Terrell was a prominent African American activist who played a pivotal role in advancing civil rights and women's... Continue →
On this date in 1939, Jane M. Bolin was appointed as the first African American female judge in the United States on July 22, 1939. She was appointed... Continue →
On July 20, 1967, more than a thousand people gathered in Newark, New Jersey, for the first Black Power Conference. This event was a significant... Continue →
On this date in 1962, ,more than 160 activists jailed after demonstration in Albany. By August 1962, the number of arrests had nearly reached 1,000,... Continue →
On this date in 1951,Private First Class (PFC) William H. Thompson was the first African American to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor during... Continue →
On July 21, 1950, during the Korean War, the U.S. 24th Infantry Regiment, composed primarily of African American soldiers, successfully recaptured... Continue →
On July 21, 1896, the National Federation of Afro-American Women and the Colored Women's League merged to form the National Association of Colored... Continue →
On this date in 1864, the first daily Black newspaper, The New Orleans Tribune, is published in English and French. The New Orleans Tribune was the... Continue →
On July 22, 1963, Floyd Patterson faced Sonny Liston in a highly anticipated rematch for the World Heavyweight Championship. Patterson, who had... Continue →
On this date in 2001, Whitman Mayo, an American actor best known for his role as Grady Wilson on the TV sitcom Sanford and Son, passed away on July... Continue →
On July 22, 1939, Jane Matilda Bolin made history by becoming the first African American woman to be appointed as a judge in the United States. She... Continue →
On July 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln read the preliminary version of the Emancipation Proclamation to his Cabinet. This was a pivotal moment... Continue →
On July 22, 1848, President Abraham Lincoln presented a draft of the Emancipation Proclamation to his cabinet, though it would take a few more years... Continue →
On July 22, 1848, Lester Walton was appointed as the U.S. Minister to Liberia on July 22, 1848. His appointment came during the presidency of James... Continue →
Jackie Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 23, 1962. He was the first African American player to be honored with this... Continue →
On July 23, 1984, Vanessa Williams, who was the first African American to win the title of Miss America in 1983, resigned from her crown. The... Continue →
On July 23, 1968, Cleveland, Ohio, experienced significant racial unrest that came to be known as the "Hough Riots" (sometimes referred to as the... Continue →
The Detroit riot of 1967 was a major event in U.S. history, marking a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. It started with a police raid at... Continue →
The Progressive Party convention held in Philadelphia on July 23, 1948, was a significant event in American political history. It was at this... Continue →
Louis Tompkins Wright, born on July 23, 1924, was a prominent physician and one of the first African American physicians to make significant... Continue →
The Pan-African Congress held its first major meeting in London on July 23, 1900. It was a significant event in the early history of the Pan-African... Continue →
On July 23, 1868, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, which granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the... Continue →
Kenneth Bancroft Clark was born on July 24, 1914, and he went on to become a pioneering African American psychologist. Clark is best known for his... Continue →
The Cambridge riot in Maryland on July 24, 1967, was a significant event in the Civil Rights Movement, sparked by racial tensions between... Continue →
Mary Church Terrell, a prominent African American activist and educator, passed away on July 24, 1954. She made history as one of the first Black... Continue →
Billy Taylor, the renowned jazz musician, was born on July 24, 1921, in Greenville, North Carolina. He became a significant figure in jazz, known for... Continue →
The Washington, D.C. Race Riot of July 1919 was one of the many racial disturbances that occurred during the summer of 1919, which became known as... Continue →
Ira Aldridge, born on July 24, 1904, was a pioneering African American actor. He became one of the first black actors to gain prominence in Europe,... Continue →
The New Orleans race riot of 1900 occurred on July 24, 1900, as part of a period of heightened racial tension in the United States, especially in the... Continue →
Charles S. Johnson, born on July 24, 1893, was a prominent African American sociologist, educator, and civil rights leader. He is perhaps... Continue →
On July 24, 1866, Congress passed a resolution readmitting Tennessee to the Union following the Civil War. Tennessee had been the first state to... Continue →
Ira Frederick Aldridge, an African American Shakespearean actor, was born on July 24, 1807. He became one of the most celebrated actors of... Continue →
Alexandre Dumas was born on July 24, 1802, in Villers-Cotterêts, France to a Haitian mulatto, Thomas Alexandre Dumas, and Marie Labouret Dumas, a... Continue →
Anthony Johnson's story is an important part of early colonial history in the United States. Anthony Johnson, originally brought to Virginia... Continue →
The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, where Blacks were used in experiments with syphilis, admitted to by US government officials, 1972
On July 24, 2002, Black Enterprise publisher Earl G. Graves, along with basketball legend Magic Johnson, signed an agreement to purchase Pepsi-Cola... Continue →
On July 24, 1992, General Colin Powell, who was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time, dedicated the Buffalo Soldiers Monument at... Continue →
On July 25, 1991, Dennis Hightower was appointed as the president of Disney Consumer Products for the Europe and Middle East regions. Hightower had a... Continue →
On July 25, 1972, the U.S. government admitted to the existence of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, a medical study that began in 1932. In this... Continue →
The Moore's Ford Lynching occurred on July 25, 1946, in Walton County, Georgia. It was a horrific and racially charged event in which two African... Continue →
On July 25, 1943, the SS Leonard Roy Harmon was launched in Quincy, Massachusetts. It was a significant moment in history as it was the first warship... Continue →
The Liberty Life Insurance Company was founded on July 25, 1921. It was a prominent life insurance company that played an important role in the... Continue →
Garrett T. Morgan is widely recognized for his significant contribution to safety with the invention of the gas mask. On July 25, 1916, he famously... Continue →
On July 26, 1926, Carter G. Woodson was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP. Woodson, known as the "Father of Black History," received the... Continue →
On July 26, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981, mandating the desegregation of the United States Armed Forces. The order... Continue →
July 26, 1847, marks the day Liberia declared its independence, becoming the first independent republic in Africa. The country had been founded by... Continue →
On July 26, 1948, President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order No. 9981, which desegregated the United States Armed Forces. This historic... Continue →
On July 26, 1926, the National Bar Association (NBA) was incorporated. It is the largest and oldest network of predominantly African American... Continue →
The race riot that occurred in Philadelphia on July 26, 1918, was part of a wave of racial tensions and violence in the U.S. during that time. It was... Continue →
Spottiswood W. Robinson, born on July 26, 1916, was an American educator and innovator in the field of education. He was particularly influential in... Continue →
On July 26, 1865, Patrick Francis Healy became the first African American to be awarded a Ph.D. He earned his doctorate in philosophy from the... Continue →
Frederick Douglass was indeed a key figure in the first Women's Rights Convention held in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. While he is best known for... Continue →
On July 26, 1847, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, the first native-born President of Liberia, declared the country an independent republic. Liberia, founded... Continue →
The story of Garcia and Fort Negro is a fascinating chapter in American history. After the War of 1812, a group of African Americans,... Continue →
On July 27, 1968, a riot erupted in Gary, Indiana, amid the racial and social tensions that marked the late 1960s in the United States. The unrest... Continue →
On July 27, 1962, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was jailed in Albany, Georgia, during the Albany Movement, a civil rights campaign aimed at... Continue →
The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 was a significant and tragic event in American history. It was part of the larger "Red Summer" of 1919, during which... Continue →
On July 26, 1847, freed African American slaves in Liberia declared their independence from the American Colonization Society and established... Continue →
Alexandre Dumas fils (1824–1895) was a French writer and playwright, best known for his novel La Dame aux Camélias (The Lady of the Camellias),... Continue →
On July 27, 1816, Fort Blount—more commonly known as Negro Fort—on the Apalachicola River in Florida was attacked by U.S. forces and their Creek... Continue →
The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified on July 28, 1868, meaning it officially became law on that date. It granted citizenship to... Continue →
On July 28, 1917, thousands of Black Americans participated in the Silent Protest Parade in New York City, marching down Fifth Avenue to protest... Continue →
On July 28, 1915, U.S. Marines landed in Haiti, beginning an occupation that lasted until 1934. This intervention was primarily driven by U.S.... Continue →
On July 28, 1918, the National Liberty Congress of Colored Americans, which was held in Washington, D.C., made a significant request to... Continue →
Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr. was selected by NASA in January 1990 and officially became an astronaut in July 1991. He was qualified for the mission... Continue →
The Hartford riots of 1970 occurred in the aftermath of racial tensions and community frustrations in the city. They were sparked by a combination of... Continue →
The National Association of Negro Musicians (NAMM) played a crucial role in promoting African American musicians and artists. The first convention in... Continue →
Chester Himes, born on July 29, 1909, was an influential African American crime novelist known for his hard-boiled detective novels. His works often... Continue →
The First National Convention of Black Women was held on July 29, 1885, in Chicago, Illinois. It was a significant event in the history of African... Continue →
George Dixon, the Canadian-born boxer, was indeed born on July 29, 1870. He was a notable figure in the history of boxing, especially famous for his... Continue →
On July 30, 1822, James Varick was consecrated as the first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion Church). This was a... Continue →
Louis Lomax, the influential African American journalist and author, passed away on July 30, 1970. He was known for his groundbreaking work in the... Continue →
The Milwaukee riot took place from July 30 to August 3, 1967, during a time of racial tension across the United States. The riot was sparked by an... Continue →
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1944, not July 30, 1945. He represented Harlem, New York, becoming the... Continue →
Buddy Guy was born on July 30, 1936, in Lettsworth, Louisiana. He is often considered one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time and is a key... Continue →
White Democrats, led by police, attacked a convention of Black and white Republicans in New Orleans. More than 40 persons were killed, and at least... Continue →
On July 30, 1866, Edward G. Walker and Charles L. Mitchell made history by becoming the first African Americans to sit in the legislature of an... Continue →
On July 30, 1864, during the American Civil War, the Union forces attempted a major assault by exploding a mine beneath the Confederate lines near... Continue →
President Abraham Lincoln issued the "eye-for-eye" order on July 30, 1863, during the Civil War as part of his efforts to address the treatment of... Continue →
The Amistad mutiny is a famous and significant event in American history. On July 30, 1839, a group of enslaved Africans aboard the Spanish slave... Continue →
On July 31, 1960, Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam, publicly advocated for the creation of a separate, autonomous state for African... Continue →
On July 31, 1981, Arnette R. Hubbard made history by becoming the first woman president of the National Bar Association (NBA). This was a significant... Continue →
On July 31, 1969, the Louisiana National Guard was mobilized in response to racial disturbances in Baton Rouge. These disturbances stemmed from... Continue →
Laurence Fishburne was born on July 31, 1961, in Augusta, Georgia. He began his acting career at a young age and quickly gained recognition. By 11,... Continue →
Whitney Young was born on July 31, 1921, in Lincoln Ridge, Kentucky. He was a prominent African American civil rights leader and the... Continue →
Patrick Francis Healy, S.J., was a trailblazer, not only as the first Black man to earn a Ph.D. but also as the first Black president of Georgetown... Continue →
Benjamin E. Mays, often hailed as "the greatest school master of his generation," was appointed president of Morehouse College on August 1, 1940. His... Continue →
On this date in 1933, Former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Ronald H Brown was appointed head of the Department of Commerce by... Continue →
On August 1, 1993, Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee made history by becoming the first Black woman to serve as the dean of a U.S. medical school when she assumed... Continue →
On August 1, 1979, James Patterson Lyke was installed as an auxiliary bishop of the Cleveland Diocese in the Roman Catholic Church. He was a member... Continue →
On August 1, 1964, Arthur Ashe made history by becoming the first Black player selected for the U.S. Davis Cup team. His achievement was a... Continue →
On August 1, 1961, Whitney Young Jr. was appointed as the executive director of the National Urban League (NUL). His leadership helped transform the... Continue →
on August 1, 1960, Dahomey (now known as Benin) officially gained its independence from France. This was part of a broader wave of independence... Continue →
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1944, becoming the first African American to represent New York in... Continue →
On August 1, 1943, a race riot erupted in Harlem, New York City, following rising tensions between African Americans and the police. The riot was... Continue →
Ronald H. Brown, born on August 1, 1941, was an American politician and businessman. He is perhaps best known for serving as the Secretary of... Continue →
Geoffrey Holder, a renowned actor, dancer, choreographer, and artist, was born on August 1, 1930, in Port of Spain, Trinidad, in the British West... Continue →
On August 1, 1925, the National Bar Association (NBA) was incorporated in Des Moines, Iowa. It was founded by a group of African American lawyers and... Continue →
On August 1, 1920, the National Convention of Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) was held in New York City. This event... Continue →
August 1, 1838, marks a significant moment in history—the official abolition of slavery in the British Caribbean. This day, known as Emancipation... Continue →
Benjamin E. Mays was actually born on August 1, 1894 in Ninety Six, South Carolina. He was a prominent African American minister, educator, scholar,... Continue →
On August 1, 1879, Mary Eliza Mahoney became the first African American woman to graduate from a nursing program in the United States. She completed... Continue →
Charles Clinton Spaulding was born on August 1, 1874. He was a prominent African American businessman and one of the most influential figures in... Continue →
On August 1, 1869, Augustus Nathaniel Lushington made history as the first African American to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) degree.... Continue →
On August 1, 1868, Governor Henry C. Warmoth of Louisiana called for federal military intervention in the state, highlighting a severe... Continue →
On August 1, 1867, Tennessee became the first Southern state to grant African American men the right to vote. This significant development occurred... Continue →
On August 1, 1867, General Philip H. Sheridan, who was overseeing the Reconstruction efforts in Louisiana, dismissed the New Orleans Board of... Continue →
On August 1, 1834, the Slavery Abolition Act came into effect, officially ending slavery throughout the British Empire. This legislation was... Continue →
The arrival of the first Africans at Jamestown in 1619 is often considered the beginning of the history of Black America. These individuals were... Continue →
On August 2, 1966, the Charles R. Drew Postgraduate Medical School was chartered in Los Angeles. It was later renamed Charles R. Drew University of... Continue →
Jewell Jackson McCabe, born on August 2, 1945, is an American civil rights activist, community leader, and philanthropist. She is known for her... Continue →
Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns made history on August 2, 1980, when he won the WBA Welterweight title by defeating Pipino Cuevas. This victory was a... Continue →
The race riot in Jersey City, New Jersey, on August 2, 1964, was part of a wave of racial tensions and unrest that occurred across the United States... Continue →
On August 2, 1982, Jackie Robinson was honored by the U.S. Postal Service with a commemorative stamp. The stamp featured an image of Robinson, who... Continue →
On August 2, 1951, First Lieutenant Vernon Baker became the first African American to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean... Continue →
James Baldwin, one of the most important American writers and social critics, was born on August 2, 1924, in Harlem, New York. His works tackled... Continue →
On August 2, 1920, Marcus Garvey, the prominent Jamaican political leader, orator, and activist, presented his "Back to Africa" program during the... Continue →
On August 2, 1920, William Leidesdorff, a businessman and one of the early pioneers in California, launched the first steamboat in San... Continue →
The Atlanta Daily World, founded on August 3, 1928, by William A. Scott III, holds a significant place in history as the first Black daily newspaper... Continue →
On August 3, 1865, the provisional governor of Florida, William Marvin, issued a proclamation that officially abolished slavery in the state. This... Continue →
On August 3, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War, African American soldier James Armistead Lafayette played a pivotal role in... Continue →
The Congress of African Peoples (CAP) convention, held in Atlanta on August 3, 1970, was a significant event in the history of African American... Continue →
On August 3, 1957, Archibald J. Carey, a prominent Chicago minister and attorney, made history by being appointed as the first Black chairman of the... Continue →
Calvin Coolidge became the 30th president of the United States on August 3, 1923, after the sudden death of President Warren G. Harding. Coolidge was... Continue →
On August 4, 1897, Henry Rucker was appointed as the Collector of Internal Revenue for Georgia by President William McKinley. This was a significant... Continue →
On August 4, 1885, William C. Carter patented an umbrella stand, a simple yet practical design to hold umbrellas, typically in an upright position.... Continue →
On August 4, 1964, the bodies of three civil rights workers—James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner—were discovered in an earthen dam... Continue →
On August 4, 1953, a Black family moved into the Trumbull Park Homes, a public housing project in the South Deering neighborhood of Chicago. This... Continue →
On August 4, 1936, John "Long John" Woodruff won the Olympic gold medal in the 800-meter run at the Berlin Olympics. He was just 21 years old and a... Continue →
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, a pioneering African American surgeon, passed away on August 4, 1931. He is best known for performing one of the first... Continue →
On August 4, 1901, Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He became one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time, known for... Continue →
George Washington Williams was a remarkable figure in American history. Born in 1849, he was a soldier, lawyer, historian, and politician.... Continue →
Robert Purvis was born on August 4, 1810. He was a prominent abolitionist, philanthropist, and activist for African American rights. Often... Continue →
On August 5, 1984, Evelyn Ashford won the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter sprint at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She clocked an impressive... Continue →
On August 5, 1968, Senator Edward Brooke was named temporary chairman of the Republican National Convention in Miami, Florida. Edward Brooke was the... Continue →
On August 5, 1966, during the Chicago Freedom Movement (also known as the Chicago Open Housing Movement), Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was pelted with... Continue →
On August 5, 1962, Nelson Mandela was arrested by the South African authorities. He had been on the run for over a year, during which he was actively... Continue →
Patrick Ewing, one of the greatest basketball players of his era, was born on August 5, 1962, in Kingston, Jamaica. Ewing is best known for his... Continue →
James Cone, born on August 5, 1938, was a prominent theologian, best known for his work in Black Liberation Theology. He was a significant figure in... Continue →
James Augustine Healy, an American Roman Catholic bishop, passed away on August 5, 1900. He was the first African American to be ordained a priest in... Continue →
On August 5, 1892, Harriet Tubman was granted a pension by the U.S. Congress for her services during the Civil War. Tubman, famous for her... Continue →
John Lawson was a notable African American sailor who served as a gunner on the USS Hartford, Admiral David Farragut's flagship during the Battle of... Continue →
On August 5, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln reversed a policy that had been implemented earlier during the Civil War regarding the distribution of... Continue →
On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law, a landmark piece of federal legislation aimed at eliminating... Continue →
On August 6, 1989, Congressman George Thomas "Mickey" Leland tragically died in a plane crash in Ethiopia. He was aboard a cargo plane that crashed... Continue →
Sir Alexander Bustamante, Jamaica's first prime minister, passed away on August 6, 1967. He was a key figure in Jamaica's struggle for independence... Continue →
On August 6, 1962, Jamaica gained independence from the United Kingdom. This day marked a significant turning point in the country's history, as... Continue →
On August 6, 1941, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and involved a violent altercation between Black and white soldiers, resulting in the... Continue →
In 1870, Tennessee saw significant political shifts, marked by the suppression of Black voters and political violence aimed at maintaining... Continue →
On August 6, 1861, the First Confiscation Act was signed into law in the United States. This law was an important step in the fight against slavery,... Continue →
On August 6, 1795, Absalom Jones was ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Church, making him the first African American to hold this position... Continue →
The courthouse shoot-out on August 7, 1970, refers to an event in the United States that occurred in New York City. The incident involved a violent... Continue →
The courthouse shootout on August 7, 1970, was a significant and tragic event in U.S. history. It occurred at the Marin County Courthouse in San... Continue →
On August 7, 1966, a race riot broke out in Lansing, Michigan, which was part of a larger wave of racial unrest across the United States during the... Continue →
On August 7, 1960, Black and white students in Atlanta staged kneel-in demonstrations at segregated churches as part of the Civil Rights Movement.... Continue →
Charles H. Mahoney was confirmed by the Senate on August 7, 1954, as the first African American U.S. delegate to the United Nations. His appointment... Continue →
On August 7, 1948, Alice Coachman made history by becoming the first African American woman to win an Olympic gold medal. She achieved this feat in... Continue →
Rahsaan Roland Kirk was born on August 7, 1936. He was an innovative and multi-talented jazz musician known for his ability to play multiple wind... Continue →
Abebe Bikila was actually born on August 7, 1932. He became famous for winning the 1960 Olympic marathon in Rome while running barefoot, becoming the... Continue →
On the night of August 7, 1930, James Cameron’s life took a dramatic and traumatic turn. As a teenager, he and two other young Black men—Thomas... Continue →
Ralph J. Bunche was an influential diplomat, political scientist, and civil rights advocate. Born on August 7, 1904, in Detroit, Michigan, he played... Continue →
1893 was a particularly brutal year for racial violence in the United States, with at least 118 reported lynchings of Black individuals. Lynching was... Continue →
On August 7, 1893, Black longshoremen in Galveston, Texas, went on strike to demand higher wages and better working conditions. This strike... Continue →
On August 7, 1893, the Fifty-third Congress of the United States convened. During this session, George W. Murray, a Black congressman from South... Continue →
Ira Aldridge, the renowned African American actor, passed away on August 7, 1867. He was celebrated for his groundbreaking work in theater,... Continue →
On August 4, 1968, a riot broke out in Miami, Florida, during the Republican National Convention being held in nearby Miami Beach. The unrest was... Continue →
On August 4, 1989, Congressman George Thomas "Mickey" Leland tragically died in a plane crash. He was a U.S. Representative from Texas, known... Continue →
Julian Dixon, an American politician, was born on August 8, 1934. He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California,... Continue →
Benny Carter, born on August 8, 1907, was an influential American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was one of the... Continue →
Matthew A. Henson was born on August 8, 1866. He was an African American explorer who is best known for being one of the first people to... Continue →
On August 8, 1805, the African Baptist Church was organized in Boston, Massachusetts. This church played an important role in the religious and... Continue →
The Boston African Society was established on August 8, 1796, by a group of free African Americans in Boston. It was founded with 44 members... Continue →
On August 8, 1987, Reginald Lewis, an African American businessman, acquired Beatrice Foods Company for $985 million. This acquisition was one of the... Continue →
On August 8, 1936, Jesse Owens made history at the Berlin Olympics by winning four gold medals in track and field. This remarkable achievement... Continue →
On August 9, 1995, the United Nations declared this day as the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, not August 8. The day is... Continue →
Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, a celebrated American jazz alto saxophonist, passed away on August 8, 1975, not August 9. His death was a great loss to... Continue →
Whitney Houston was born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, as you mentioned. She rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, earning critical... Continue →
On August 9, 1961, James B. Parsons made history by becoming the first African American to be appointed to a federal district court in the... Continue →
The Jacksonville race riot occurred on August 9, 1960, in Jacksonville, Florida, following a series of sit-in demonstrations that had taken place... Continue →
Robert N.C. Nix was born on August 9, 1905. He was an important figure in American history, notably serving as the first African American to be... Continue →
On August 9, 1848, the Free Soil Party was officially organized at a convention in Buffalo, New York. This party emerged from the growing... Continue →
On August 10, 1981, a significant boycott organized by PUSH (People United to Save Humanity), a civil rights organization led by the Reverend Jesse... Continue →
Patti Austin, the American singer known for her work in R&B, jazz, and pop, was born on August 10, 1948. She has had a successful career,... Continue →
On August 10, 1944, a significant race riot occurred in Athens, Alabama, during a period of heightened racial tensions in the United States. This... Continue →
on August 10, 1894, George Washington Murray, an African American inventor and politician, read into the Congressional Record a list of 92 patents... Continue →
Clarence C. White, an American composer and violinist, indeed passed away on August 10, 1880. He was known for his work in the late 19th century and... Continue →
The specific incident took place in Canaan, New Hampshire, in August 1835. A mob of white citizens, driven by racial animus, forcibly removed... Continue →
On August 10, 1827, a race riot occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio, a significant event in the city's history. The riot was triggered by rising racial... Continue →
On August 11, 1965, the U.S. Senate confirmed Thurgood Marshall's nomination as the U.S. Solicitor General. Marshall became the first African... Continue →
The Watts Riots, also known as the Watts Rebellion, started on August 11, 1965, in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. The riots were... Continue →
The race riot in Paterson, New Jersey, on August 11, 1964, was part of a series of racial disturbances that erupted across the United States... Continue →
On August 11, 1949, Peter Marray Marshall of New York was appointed to the American Medical Association's (AMA) House of Delegates. The AMA's House... Continue →
Carl Thomas Rowan was born on August 11, 1925, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was a prominent American journalist, author, and civil rights advocate.... Continue →
Alex Haley, the author of the groundbreaking book Roots: The Saga of an American Family, was born on August 11, 1921, in Ithaca, New York. His work,... Continue →
J. Rosamond Johnson was an influential American composer, singer, and actor, born on August 11, 1873. He is best known for co-composing the music for... Continue →
Thaddeus Stevens, a prominent U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania, passed away on August 11, 1868. He was a key figure in the Radical... Continue →
On August 11, 1820, the African Methodist Zion Church and the Asbury African Methodist Church of New York City established their own separate African... Continue →
Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell was born on August 12, 1923. She was a pioneering model, businesswoman, and advocate for diversity in the fashion and beauty... Continue →
The Mississippi Plan of 1890 was a strategy used by white lawmakers in Mississippi to disenfranchise Black voters through legal and constitutional... Continue →
August Wilson's play The Piano Lesson wins the Pulitzer Prize for drama. It was his second Pulitzer, following Fences, which won in 1987. Wilson was... Continue →
On August 12, 1977, Stephen Biko, the leader of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa, was arrested at a police roadblock under the... Continue →
On August 12, 1965, a race riot erupted on the West Side of Chicago, following tensions related to civil rights, police brutality, and economic... Continue →
On August 12, 1965, Jonathan Myrick Daniels, an Episcopal seminarian from Massachusetts, was murdered in Hayneville, Alabama, by Tom Coleman, a white... Continue →
On August 12, 1964, a race riot erupted in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as part of a wave of racial unrest that swept across the United States during the... Continue →
On August 12, 1922, the home of Frederick Douglass, known as Cedar Hill, was officially designated a national shrine in Washington, D.C. This... Continue →
Lillian Evans, the world-famous opera star and founder of the National Negro Opera Company, was indeed a remarkable figure in American music history.... Continue →
On August 12, 1890, the Mississippi Constitutional Convention began. This convention was convened to draft a new state constitution, largely in... Continue →
On August 13, 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the Government Contract Compliance Committee. This committee was created to ensure... Continue →
Kathleen Battle, the celebrated operatic soprano, was born on August 13, 1948, in Portsmouth, Ohio. She is known for her stunning voice and has won... Continue →
Charles Edward Anderson, born on August 13, 1919, was an influential American meteorologist. He is particularly known for his pioneering work in... Continue →
On August 13, 1906, an incident known as the Brownsville Raid occurred in Brownsville, Texas, involving a group of African American soldiers from the... Continue →
On August 13, 1892, the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper published its first issue. Founded by John H. Murphy Sr., it quickly became one of the most... Continue →
On August 13, 1881, Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, established the first African American nursing school. This was a significant moment in... Continue →
Halle Berry was born on August 14, 1966, in Cleveland, Ohio. She's a renowned actress, known for her roles in films such as Monster's Ball, Die... Continue →
On August 14, 1970, the City University of New York (CUNY) implemented an open admissions policy, marking a significant shift in higher... Continue →
Magic Johnson, born on August 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan, is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Known for his... Continue →
Rebecca J. Cole was an important figure in American history, making significant strides as one of the first African American women to become a... Continue →
Dr. Herman Branson was an American physicist and chemist, born on August 14, 1914. He made significant contributions to the fields of molecular... Continue →
On August 14, 1908, Springfield, Illinois, experienced a devastating race riot that profoundly impacted the African American community and the... Continue →
Yes, August 14, 1883, marks the birth of Ernest E. Just, an influential biologist known for his groundbreaking work in cell biology, particularly in... Continue →
On August 14, 1876, Prairie View State University (now Prairie View A&M University) was founded. Located in Prairie View, Texas, it is the... Continue →
On August 14, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln met with a group of Black leaders at the White House. This meeting was part of his ongoing exploration... Continue →
Congresswoman Maxine Waters was born on August 15, 1938, in St. Louis, Missouri. She is known for being a long-serving U.S. Representative from... Continue →
Andrew Young, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, resigned on August 15, 1979, under pressure from President Jimmy Carter's administration.... Continue →
On August 15, 1975, Joanne Little was acquitted of murder charges after being accused of killing a North Carolina jailer. Little, a 20-year-old... Continue →
The race riot in Dixmoor, a suburb of Chicago, occurred on August 15, 1964. It was sparked by racial tensions between African American residents and... Continue →
The burning of Shady Grove Baptist Church in Leesburg, Georgia, on August 15, 1962, was a significant event in the Civil Rights era. The church,... Continue →
On August 15, 1931, Richard B. Harrison was awarded the Spingarn Medal for his outstanding portrayal of the character "The Lawd" in the play The... Continue →
On August 15, 1931, Roy Wilkins joined the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) as assistant secretary. He would go on... Continue →
Oscar Peterson, one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, was born on August 15, 1925, in Montreal, Canada. He was renowned for his virtuosic... Continue →
On August 15, 1843, the National Black Convention convened in Buffalo, New York, with around seventy delegates from twelve different states. The... Continue →
On August 15, 1824, the first group of freed American slaves, known as the "American Colonization Society" (ACS), established Liberia as a colony.... Continue →
George was born on August 15, 1817, in historic Frederick County, Virginia. His father was a slave and his mother a woman of English descent. When... Continue →
Angela Bassett, the acclaimed American actress, was born on August 16, 1958. She is known for her powerful performances in both film and television,... Continue →
Charles H. Wesley, an influential African American historian, passed away on August 16, 1987. He was renowned for his contributions to the study of... Continue →
On August 16, 1972, Rev. Philip A. Potter, a Black Methodist minister from Dominica, was appointed as the General Secretary of the World Council of... Continue →
On August 16, 1970, Angela Davis, the political activist and scholar, was named in a federal arrest warrant in connection with her involvement in a... Continue →
On August 16, 1963, artist and graphic designer Charles White became the first Black artist to design a U.S. postage stamp. He created the stamp to... Continue →
On August 16, 1938, Robert Johnson, the legendary blues singer and guitarist, died under mysterious circumstances. His death has been the subject of... Continue →
Louis Lomax, an influential African American author, journalist, and television personality, was born on August 16, 1922. He is best known for his... Continue →
On August 16, 1890, Alexander Clark was named the U.S. Minister to Liberia. This appointment marked a significant moment in history, as Clark became... Continue →
Pearl Bailey, the renowned jazz singer and actress, passed away on August 17, 1990. She was known for her powerful voice, charismatic stage presence,... Continue →
On August 17, 1984, Roberto Clemente became the second baseball player to be featured on a U.S. postage stamp. The stamp was part of the U.S. Postal... Continue →
Marcus Garvey was born on August 17, 1887, in St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica. He became one of the most influential leaders in the history of the Black... Continue →
Rafer Johnson, the American decathlete, was born on August 18, 1935, in Hillsboro, Texas. He is best known for his remarkable career in track and... Continue →
On August 18, 1976, Vice Admiral Samuel L. Garvely Jr. assumed command of the U.S. Third Fleet. The Third Fleet is a major fleet of the U.S. Navy,... Continue →
On August 18, 1964, South Africa was officially banned from the Olympic Games. This decision came after the International Olympic Committee (IOC)... Continue →
On August 18, 1963, James Meredith became the first African American to be admitted to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). This milestone was a... Continue →
Roberto Clemente, one of baseball's most legendary players, was indeed born on August 18, 1934, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He became an iconic figure... Continue →
On August 18, 1989, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a leading anti-apartheid activist in South Africa, defied apartheid laws by delivering a sermon in... Continue →
On August 18, 1963, youth members of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Council in Oklahoma City began a series... Continue →
On August 19, 1958, a series of sit-ins took place at lunch counters in Oklahoma City, marking a significant event in the Civil Rights Movement. This... Continue →
On August 19, 1954, Ralph J. Bunche was named Undersecretary-General of the United Nations. Bunche was an influential African American diplomat and a... Continue →
On August 19, 1950, Edith Sampson made history as the first African American woman to be appointed as a representative to the United Nations. She was... Continue →
Charles F. Bolden Jr. was born on August 19, 1946, in Columbia, South Carolina. He is a former NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Marine Corps major... Continue →
On August 19, 1926, Theodore "Tiger" Flowers successfully defended his world middleweight title by defeating former champion Harry Greb in a 15-round... Continue →
On August 19, 1791, Benjamin Banneker, a self-taught African American mathematician, astronomer, and writer, wrote a powerful letter to Thomas... Continue →
Isaac Hayes was born on August 20, 1942, in Covington, Tennessee. He was a legendary soul singer, songwriter, composer, and producer, best known for... Continue →
The first National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF) concluded on August 20, 1989, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded by the late Larry Leon... Continue →
On August 20, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act (EOA) into law as part of his War on Poverty initiative. This... Continue →
On August 20, 1944, Dr. Charles R. Drew was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his pioneering work in blood plasma preservation and storage.... Continue →
Anna Lucasta opened on Broadway on August 20, 1944, at the Mansfield Theatre (now the Brooks Atkinson Theatre). The play, written by Philip Yordan,... Continue →
The SS Frederick Douglass was a Liberty ship named in honor of the famous abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass. Liberty ships were... Continue →
William Herbert Gray III, also known as Bill Gray, was born on August 20, 1941. He was a prominent American politician, pastor, and advocate for... Continue →
On August 20, 1939, the National Negro Bowling Association (NNBA) was officially organized in Detroit, Michigan, as a response to racial segregation... Continue →
Wilberforce University was established on August 20, 1856, in Ohio. It is the first private historically Black college and university (HBCU) in the... Continue →
The First National Negro Convention was held on August 20, 1830, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This event was a significant moment in African... Continue →
On August 20, 1619, a significant event occurred in American history when the first recorded Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, aboard a Dutch... Continue →
Inventor, AP Abourne was awarded patent 194,287 for refining coconut oil, 1877
Wilt Chamberlain, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, was born on August 21, 1936, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is widely known... Continue →
Robert Tools made a groundbreaking contribution by being the first person to have a self-contained artificial heart implanted. His surgery, which... Continue →
On August 21, 1972, the Republican National Convention opened in Miami Beach, Florida. The convention was significant because it was the first time... Continue →
On August 21, 1943, Major Charity Adams Earley became the first Black woman to be promoted to the rank of major in the Women's Army Corps (WAC)... Continue →
Melvin Van Peebles, born on August 21, 1932, was a highly influential American filmmaker, playwright, and novelist. He is often celebrated for his... Continue →
The Fourth Pan-African Congress met in New York City from August 21 to 28, 1927. It was a significant event in the history of Pan-Africanism,... Continue →
William "Count" Basie, a legendary jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader, was born on August 21, 1904, in Red Bank, New Jersey. He became one of the... Continue →
On August 21, 1831, Nat Turner led one of the most significant slave revolts in U.S. history. Known as Nat Turner's Rebellion, the event took place... Continue →
Black Panther Party Co-founder Huey P. Newton was gunned down by a member of the Black Guerilla Family drug ring.
Huey P. Newton, the co-founder of the Black Panther Party, was tragically shot and killed on August 22, 1989, in Oakland, California. He was 47 years... Continue →
On August 22, 1979, two hundred Black leaders met in New York for a significant gathering known as the National Black Political Convention. This... Continue →
Jomo Kenyatta, the first President of Kenya, passed away on August 22, 1978, at the age of 83. He played a pivotal role in the country's struggle for... Continue →
John Lee Hooker was indeed a legendary figure in the blues genre. Born on August 22, 1917, in Clarkdale, Mississippi, his distinctive style became a... Continue →
Fisk University, founded in 1865 and officially incorporated on August 22, 1867, is one of the oldest historically Black colleges and universities... Continue →
On August 22, 1844, a significant event took place in Boston when a mass meeting of African Americans gathered to protest the segregation of public... Continue →
At the National Convention of Colored Citizens in Buffalo, New York, in 1843. Henry Highland Garnett, a prominent abolitionist, made a... Continue →
The Haitian Revolution began on August 22, 1791, when enslaved people in the northern part of the colony of Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti)... Continue →
On August 22, 1791, Benjamin Banneker, a renowned mathematician, astronomer, and surveyor, played a significant role in the surveying of the District... Continue →
On August 23, 1900, the National Negro Business League (NNBL) was founded in Boston by Booker T. Washington. The League's primary goal was to promote... Continue →
Philip Emeagwali, a Nigerian-American inventor, was born on August 23, 1954, in Akure, Nigeria. He is known for his groundbreaking work in... Continue →
The Houston race riot of 1917 took place from August 23 to 30, 1917, in Houston, Texas. It was a violent conflict between Black residents,... Continue →
On August 23, 1908, Martha Minerva Franklin led 52 African American nurses in founding the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN) in... Continue →
James Stone was an African American who fought in the Civil War, and there are records suggesting that he was one of the first Black soldiers to... Continue →
On this date inn 1826, Edward A. Jones received B.A. degree from Amherst College.
John Brown Russwurm's graduation from Bowdoin College in 1826 is indeed a significant milestone in American education, as he is often credited as the... Continue →
Jean-Baptiste Lislet-Geoffrey was an important figure in the history of science and a trailblazer in the French Academy of Sciences. On August 23,... Continue →
Jean Baptiste Lislet-Geoffroy was born on August 23, 1755, in France. He was a notable French geographer and cartographer, particularly recognized... Continue →
John V. DeGrasse was indeed admitted to the Massachusetts Medical Society on August 24, 1854. The Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) is one of the... Continue →
On August 24, 1950, Edith Sampson, a Chicago attorney, made history as the first Black representative (alternate delegate) in the U.S. delegation to... Continue →
The National Emigration Convention held on August 24, 1854, in Cleveland, was an important gathering of African American leaders and activists who... Continue →
On August 25, 1886, the American National Baptist Convention (ANBC) was organized. It was a significant event in African American religious history,... Continue →
James M. Nabrit Jr. was indeed appointed as an ambassador to the United Nations on August 25, 1961. He was an important figure in civil rights and... Continue →
Althea Gibson, the groundbreaking tennis player who became the first African American to win a Wimbledon singles title, was born on August 25, 1927.... Continue →
On August 25, 1925, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) was organized at a mass meeting held at the Elks Hall in Harlem. A. Philip... Continue →
1886 was a tragic year in the history of racial violence in the United States, particularly against African Americans. The 74 reported lynchings of... Continue →
Kentucky State College (now known as Kentucky State University) was founded on August 25, 1886. It was established as a historically black college... Continue →
On August 25, 1886, some six hundred delegates organized the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in the United States. The AFL was a federation of... Continue →
On August 25, 1862, during the Civil War, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton authorized Major General Rufus Saxton to enlist and arm up to 5,000... Continue →
Lucy Terry, an African-American woman, wrote "Bars Fight" in 1746, making it the earliest known poem written by an African-American. The poem was... Continue →
Branford Marsalis, born on August 26, 1960, is a legendary jazz saxophonist. He comes from a musical family, with his father, Ellis Marsalis Jr.,... Continue →
Valerie Simpson, born on August 26, 1946, is a celebrated American singer, songwriter, and producer, best known as half of the musical duo Ashford... Continue →
On August 26, 1943, Congressman William L. Dawson of Chicago was recommended as the Democratic Party's vice-presidential candidate. At that time,... Continue →
Katherine G. Johnson was a pioneering mathematician and aerospace technologist whose work at NASA was crucial in the success of several space... Continue →
George Washington, founder of the town of Centerville (later Centralia), Washington in 1875, dies
Hale Woodruff, born on August 26, 1900, was an influential African American artist and educator. He is best known for his role in founding the... Continue →
On August 26, 1874, a horrific event took place in Tennessee where sixteen African Americans were lynched. This was part of a larger pattern of... Continue →
W.E.B. Du Bois was a trailblazer in the fight for civil rights, education, and social justice. His contributions to both the academic world and the... Continue →
On August 27, 1998, civil rights marchers gathered in Washington D.C. to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King's historic "I Have a... Continue →
On August 27, 1991, a Florida circuit court judge ordered the liquidation of Central Life Insurance Company, the last surviving African American... Continue →
On August 27, 1989, Chuck Berry performed "Johnny B. Goode" for NASA engineers and scientists in celebration of Voyager 2's encounter with Neptune.... Continue →
Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia passed away on August 27, 1975, under mysterious circumstances, though many regard his reign as one of significant... Continue →
On August 27, 1949, Paul Robeson, the renowned African American singer, actor, and civil rights activist, was scheduled to perform at the Lakeland... Continue →
On August 28, 1963, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place in Washington, D.C. This historic event is best known for Dr. Martin... Continue →
On August 28, 1988, Beah Richards won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series for her role as Mama Joe in Frank's... Continue →
Rev. Channing E. Phillips made history on August 28, 1968, when he became the first Black person to be nominated for president by a major U.S.... Continue →
On August 28, 1966, the National Guard was mobilized in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to protect civil rights marchers protesting against racial segregation.... Continue →
On August 28, 1964, a race riot erupted in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This was part of a larger wave of racial unrest in the 1960s, fueled by... Continue →
On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.... Continue →
Lola Falana, a talented dancer, singer, and actress, was born on August 28, 1942. She gained fame in the 1960s and 1970s, becoming one of the most... Continue →
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place on August 28, 1963. It was a historic event in the Civil Rights Movement, where over 250,000... Continue →
On August 28, 1962, a significant event occurred during the Civil Rights Movement. Seventy-five ministers and laymen, both Black and white, were... Continue →
Emmett Till's kidnapping and lynching on August 28, 1955, in Money, Mississippi, is a tragic and pivotal moment in American history. Emmett, a... Continue →
On August 28, 1949, Paul Robeson, the renowned African American singer, actor, and civil rights activist, was scheduled to perform at a picnic in... Continue →
The Second Pan-African Congress met in London from August 28 to September 1, 1921. It was an important event in the Pan-African movement, bringing... Continue →
Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. His groundbreaking contributions to music, dance, and pop culture... Continue →
On August 29, 1979, the Mutual Black Network (MBN) was launched, becoming the first completely Black-owned radio network in the world. It was founded... Continue →
On August 29, 1970, a significant and tragic event occurred in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during a confrontation between the police and the Black... Continue →
On August 29, 1962, Mal Goode made history by becoming the first African American television news commentator. He began working with ABC, where he... Continue →
The Civil Rights Act of 1957 was a landmark piece of legislation, though its impact was somewhat limited at the time. It was primarily designed to... Continue →
Dinah Washington, the legendary American singer, was born on August 29, 1924, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She became one of the most influential and... Continue →
Charlie Parker, the legendary jazz saxophonist, was born on August 29, 1920. He's often considered one of the most influential figures in the... Continue →
E. Franklin Frazier, born on August 29, 1894, was a renowned African American sociologist. He is best known for his work on the sociology of race,... Continue →
On August 30, 1983, Lt. Col. Guion S. Bluford Jr. made history as the first African American astronaut to go to space. He flew aboard the Space... Continue →
On August 30, 1969, the National Guard was mobilized in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to control racial disturbances that erupted during a period of... Continue →
The race riot in Michigan on August 30, 1966, is often referred to as the Detroit Rebellion or Detroit Riot, which was a significant racial conflict.... Continue →
On August 30, 1966, Constance Baker Motley was confirmed as a U.S. district judge, making her the first Black woman to serve on the federal bench.... Continue →
On August 30, 1956, a white mob in Mansfield, Texas, attempted to prevent the enrollment of Black students at Mansfield High School. This occurred... Continue →
Carrie Saxon Perry, born on August 30, 1931, in Hartford, Connecticut, made history as the first African American woman to serve as mayor of a major... Continue →
Roy Wilkins, born on August 30, 1901, was an influential American civil rights leader and the second Executive Director of the NAACP (National... Continue →
On August 30, 1881, W.S. Campbell patented the self-setting animal trap, which is patent number 246,369. This innovation made it easier for people to... Continue →
On August 30, 1854, during the American Civil War, Union General John C. Fremont, who was commanding the Department of the West, issued a... Continue →
The 1843 Liberty Party Convention in Buffalo marked an important moment in the participation of Black Americans in the political process. This was a... Continue →
On August 30, 1838, Mirror of Freedom, the first African American magazine, was published. It was a short-lived but significant publication, aimed at... Continue →
On August 30, 1800, a storm indeed forced the suspension of an attack on Richmond, Virginia. This event is associated with Gabriel's Rebellion, an... Continue →
Lionel Hampton, the legendary jazz vibraphonist, passed away on August 31, 2002, at the age of 94. He was one of the pioneering figures in the... Continue →
On August 31, 1979, President Jimmy Carter nominated Donald McHenry to succeed Andrew Young as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations... Continue →
On August 31, 1970, Lonnie McLucas, a member of the Black Panther Party, was convicted in New Haven, Connecticut, of conspiracy to murder Alex... Continue →
On August 31, 1962, Trinidad and Tobago became an independent nation, separating from British colonial rule. This marked a significant moment in the... Continue →
Eldridge Cleaver was born on August 31, 1935. He was a prominent civil rights activist, writer, and political thinker, best known for his role in the... Continue →
Frank Robinson was indeed born on August 31, 1935, in Beaumont, Texas. He made a huge impact on the sport of baseball, both as a player and as a... Continue →
thel Waters, the legendary American singer and actress, passed away on September 1, 1977. She was known for her contributions to jazz, blues, and... Continue →
Gen. Daniel ("Chappie") James Jr. promoted to rank of four-star general and named commander-in-chief of the North American Air Defense Command.
On October 1, 1945, noted R&B singer and songwriter, Donny Hathaway was born in Chicago, Illinois. Before his death, he often teamed up with... Continue →
On this date in 1875, White Democrats attacked Republicans at Yazoo City, Mississippi. One white and three Blacks were killed.
The first Black person to graduate from Harvard Dental School is Robert T Freeman on this date in 1867.
On September 1, 1975, General Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. was promoted to the rank of four-star general. This historic promotion made him the first... Continue →
On September 1, 1875, a violent incident occurred in Yazoo City, Mississippi, where white Democrats attacked Republicans. This was during the period... Continue →
On September 1, 1867, Robert Tanner Freeman became the first Black person to graduate from Harvard Dental School. He was a trailblazer in dental... Continue →
On September 2, 1966, Frank Robinson was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the American League. Robinson had an incredible season that year,... Continue →
On September 2, 1884, John Parker was granted U.S. Patent #304,552 for a "Follower-Screw for Tobacco Presses." This patent was for an innovative... Continue →
On September 2, 1975, the first Black Justice of the Florida Supreme Court, Justice Joseph W. Hatchett, was sworn in. He made history as the first... Continue →
On September 2, 1956, the Tennessee National Guard was sent to Clinton, Tennessee, to restore order after protests erupted over the integration of... Continue →
On September 2, 1945, during World War II, the United States had a significant number of African Americans who served in the armed forces. A total of... Continue →
On September 2, 1945, World War II officially ended with the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.... Continue →
James Forten was born on September 2, 1766, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a prominent African American abolitionist, inventor, and... Continue →
Billy Preston, often referred to as the "Fifth Beatle" due to his work with The Beatles, was born on September 2, 1946, in Houston, Texas. He was an... Continue →
On September 2, 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman occupied Atlanta, marking a significant moment in the American Civil War. This strategic... Continue →
Jonathan A. Rodgers became president of CBS's television stations division on September 3, 1990. He was tasked with overseeing CBS's... Continue →
On September 3, 1970, representatives from 27 African nations gathered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for the first Congress of African People (CAP).... Continue →
On September 3, 1919, the Lincoln Motion Picture Company released its first feature-length film, The Realization of a Negro's Ambition. The film was... Continue →
On September 3, 1918, during World War I, five soldiers from the British Army were hanged for desertion. The soldiers were executed for abandoning... Continue →
Charles Hamilton Houston was born on September 3, 1895. He was a prominent African American lawyer and civil rights activist who played a pivotal... Continue →
On September 3, 1891, John Stephens Durham was appointed as the minister to Haiti. He served as a U.S. diplomat during the presidency of Benjamin... Continue →
On September 3, 1891, cotton pickers in the United States, particularly in the South, organized a union and went on strike. This marked a significant... Continue →
On September 3, 1868, the Georgia legislature expelled 28 Black representatives from the lower house after they were deemed ineligible to hold... Continue →
On September 3, 1865, the Freedmen's Bureau, established by Congress in 1865 to aid formerly enslaved African Americans in the South, was ordered to... Continue →
September 3, 1838, is a significant day in history as it marks the day Frederick Douglass, the renowned abolitionist, and writer, escaped from... Continue →
On September 3, 1783, Richard Allen, who would later become the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, purchased his freedom. Born... Continue →
eyoncé Knowles was born on September 4, 1981. She's an incredibly talented singer, songwriter, and actress, known for being a part of Destiny's... Continue →
On this date in 1963, Katherine Dunham (1909-2006). With the "Aida" production in 1963, Katherine Dunham becomes the first Black choreographer for... Continue →
Damon Wayans, the comedian and television actor, was born on September 4, 1960. He is best known for his work on shows like In Living Color and My... Continue →
On September 4, 1957, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus deployed the National Guard to prevent nine Black students from entering Central High School in... Continue →
On September 4, 1949, a concert by Paul Robeson in Peekskill, New York, was disrupted by a violent mob, preventing the performance from taking place.... Continue →
On September 4, 1923, George Washington Carver, the renowned agricultural scientist and educator, received the Spingarn Medal. The medal, awarded by... Continue →
The Clinton Massacre took place on September 4, 1875, in Clinton, Mississippi. It was a violent event that occurred during the Reconstruction era,... Continue →
On September 4, 1865, Bowie State College (now known as Bowie State University) was established in Bowie, Maryland. It is one of the oldest... Continue →
Louis Latimer was born on September 4, 1848, in Chelsea, Massachusetts. He was an African American inventor and engineer, best known for his work on... Continue →
On September 4, 1781, a group of settlers, including Black settlers, founded the city of Los Angeles, California. The settlement was established... Continue →
On September 5, 1899, J. Ross was granted U.S. Patent No. 632,539 for a Bailing Press. This device was an important innovation in the field of... Continue →
Leopold Sedar Senghor, a prominent poet and politician, was elected as the first President of Senegal on September 5, 1960. He played a key role in... Continue →
On this date in 1916, Novelist Frank Garvin Yerby, winner of the O. Henry short story award winner, born on this date. He was the first African... Continue →
George Washington Murray, born near Rembert, South Carolina, on September 22, 1853, was a prominent African American figure in the late 19th... Continue →
Our Nig: Or, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black was published on September 5, 1859. Written by Harriet E. Wilson, it is considered the first... Continue →
John W. Cromwell was born on September 5, 1846. He was an important figure in American history, particularly known for his work as a writer,... Continue →
on September 5, 1804, Absalom Jones was ordained as the first African American priest in the Episcopal Church. This was a significant moment in... Continue →
Rafer Johnson won the Olympic decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics on September 6, 1960. This victory was a major achievement in his career, as he... Continue →
On September 6, 1988, Lee Roy Young made history by becoming the first African American to be inducted into the Texas Rangers, which is one of the... Continue →
Foxy Brown, born Inga DeCarlo Fung Marchand on September 6, 1978, is a Trinidadian-American rapper. She became well-known in the late 1990s for her... Continue →
Macy Gray, the American singer, songwriter, and actress, was born on September 6, 1969, in Canton, Ohio. She became widely known for her unique raspy... Continue →
On September 6, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Walter E. Washington as the commissioner and "unofficial" mayor of Washington, D.C. This... Continue →
The race riot in Atlanta on September 6, 1966, was a significant event during the Civil Rights Movement. It occurred when racial tensions,... Continue →
Leander Jay Shaw Jr. was born on September 6, 1930. He was an important figure in the history of the Florida judicial system, serving as the Chief... Continue →
The Atlanta Life Insurance Company was established on September 6, 1905. It was founded by Alonzo Herndon, an African American entrepreneur, and... Continue →
On this date in 1892, George "Little Chocolate" Dixon defeats Jack Skelly in New Orleans to win the world featherweight title. While some African... Continue →
On September 6, 1876, a race riot occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. This was a period... Continue →
On this date in 1865, Thaddeus Stevens, powerful U.S. congressman, urged confiscation of estates of Confederate leaders and the distribution of land... Continue →
On this date in 1848, the National Black Convention met in Cleveland with some seventy delegates. Frederick Douglass was elected president of the... Continue →
On September 6, 1865, Thaddeus Stevens, a prominent Republican congressman and a leading advocate for radical Reconstruction, did indeed propose the... Continue →
On September 6, 1848, the National Black Convention was held in Cleveland, Ohio. This gathering was an important event in the history of the... Continue →
John Brown Russwurm made history as one of the first African Americans to graduate from college in the United States. He graduated from Bowdoin... Continue →
On September 6, 1781, Jordan Freeman, an African American soldier, is recorded as having died after killing Major William Montgomery during the... Continue →
On this date in 1968, the Kingdom of Swaziland was founded.
The start of Integration for MD public schools, and Washington DC public school, 1954
On this day in 1957, Ghana becomes a free self-governing nation. This country will be the first of the British Commonwealth of Nations to be... Continue →
O this date in 1930,tenor saxophonist Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins, a powerful force in American jazz, was born.
On this date in 1859, Co-organizer of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, John Merrick was born.
Tennis champion, Althea Gibson, becomes the first Black athlete to win a US national tennis championship, 1957
On this date in 1981, Roy Wilkins (80), longtime executive director of the NAACP, in New York passes away.
On this date in 1965, Actress Dorothy Danridge (41) dies in Hollywood.
On this date in 1925, prominent Detroit Doctor Ossian Sweet, arrested on murder charges after shots were fired into a mob in front of the Sweet home... Continue →
On this date in 1875, Mississippi Governor Ames requested federal troops to protect Black voters. Attorney General Edward Pierrepont refused the... Continue →
Arthur Ashe became the first winner of the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, defeating Tom Okker of the Netherlands at Forest Hills Stadium, New York.
On this date in 1800, Zion AME Church dedicated in New York City.
On this date in 1981, Vernon E. Jordan resigned as president of the National Urban League and announced plans to join a Washington law firm. He was... Continue →
On this date in 1979, Robert Guillaume wins an Emmy for best actor in a comedy series for Soap
On this date in 1962, Two churches burned near Sasser, Georgia. Black leaders asked the president to stop the "Nazi-like reign of terror in southwest... Continue →
On this date in 1957, Nashville's new Hattie Cotton Elementary School with enrollment of 1 Black and 388 whites virtually destroyed by dynamite... Continue →
On this date in 1957, Rev. F.L. Shuttlesworth mobbed when he attempted to enroll his daughters in "white" Birmingham school.
On this date in 1957, the first civil rights bill to pass Congress since reconstruction was passed by President Eisenhower, 1957
On this date in 1934, Poet Sonia Sanchez was born Wilsonia Benita Driver in Birmingham, Alabama.
On this date in 1915, the father of Black history, Carter G Woodson, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) . The... Continue →
On this date in 1908, Writer Richard Wright, author of "Native Son" and "Black Boy" was born.
On this date in 1884, John R Lynch Presides over Republican National Convention
On this date in 1817, Captain Paul Cuffe (58), entrepreneur and activist, dies in Westport, Massachusetts.
On this date in 1823, Alexander Lucius Twilight, born free in Vermont, was the first African-American person known to have earned a bachelor's degree... Continue →
On this date in 1816, Kentucky abolitionist and founder of Berea College, John Gregg Fee was born.
On this date in 1806, Abolitionist Sarah Mapps Douglass was born
Early in the Morning on this date in 1739, a Slave rebellion in Stono, South Carolina, was led by a rebel named Jemmy. Early on the morning of... Continue →
Death of Mordecai Johnson (86), first Black president of Howard University, in Washington.
On this day in 1973, a commemorative stamp was issued by the U.S. Postal Service to honor Henry Ossawa Tanner, the first African American artist... Continue →
on this day in 1965, Father Divine, born George Baker, dies in Philadelphia.
On this date in 1962, Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black vacated an order of a lower court, ruling that the University of Mississippi had to admit... Continue →
On this date in 1961, Jomo Kenyatta returns to Kenya from exile to lead his country.
on this date in 1930, Charles E. Mitchell, certified public accountant and banker from West Virginia, named minister to Liberia.
On this date in 1913, George W. Buckner, a physician from Indiana, named minister to Liberia.
On this date in 1916, Cleveland Call established by Cleveland inventor Garrett Morgan and later merged with the Cleveland Post in 1929 to become the... Continue →
On this date in 1847, John Roy Lynch, served in the 43rd, 44th, and 47th Congresses representing the State of Mississippi as a Republican, born. He... Continue →
On this date in 1977, Quincy Jones wins an Emmy for musical composition for the miniseries Roots. It is one of nine Emmy's for the series.
On this date in 1974, Haile Selassie I is deposed from the Ethiopian throne.
On September 11, 1959, Duke Ellington, the legendary jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader, was awarded the prestigious Spingarn Medal by the NAACP... Continue →
On September 11, 1962, a tragic incident occurred during voter registration efforts in the American South, particularly in Mississippi. This event... Continue →
Joseph Harrison Jackson (September 11, 1900 – August 18, 1990) was a prominent African American pastor and leader within the National Baptist... Continue →
Charles Evers, born on September 11, 1923, was an influential American civil rights leader and the brother of Medgar Evers, who was also an important... Continue →
On September 11, 1885, Moses A. Hopkins was appointed as the U.S. Minister to Liberia by President Grover Cleveland. Hopkins was an African American... Continue →
On September 11, 1851, the Christiana Riot (also known as the Christiana Resistance) took place in Christiana, Pennsylvania. This event was a... Continue →
A reference from the Pennsylvania Gazette on September 11, 1740, is considered one of the earliest documented mentions of an African American... Continue →
On September 11, 1977, Quincy Jones won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or Special for his work on the... Continue →
On September 11, 1974, Haile Selassie I, the last Emperor of Ethiopia, was deposed after a military coup led by the Derg, a Marxist-Leninist... Continue →
Dr. Mae Jemison became the first African-American woman in space when she launched from the Kennedy Center to join Spacelab J, a joint U.S.-Japanese... Continue →
On this date in 1986, the National Council of Negro Women sponsors its first Black Family Reunion at the National Mall in Washington.
On this date in 1974, Eugene A. Marino, SSJ, is consecrated at the first African American auxiliary bishop in the U.S. He was assigned to Washington,... Continue →
On this date in 1974, Haile Selassie deposed by military leaders after fifty-eight years as the ruling monarch of Ethiopia.
On this date in 1956, Black students entered Clay, Ky., elementary school under National Guard protection. They were barred from the school on... Continue →
On this date in 1952, Floyd Patterson's first professional fight took place. He was the first to hold the world heavyweight championship twice.
On this date in 1947, First Black baseball player in the major leagues, Jackie Robinson, named National League Rookie of the Year.
On this date in 1935, Sculptor Richard H. Hunt who soon became known as one of the "most gifted and assured artist working in the direct open form... Continue →
On this date in 1913, James Cleveland Owens, better known as Jesse Owens, winner of four gold medals at the Summer Olympic Games in Berlin, was born
On this date in 1998, Andre Braugher wins Emmy for Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role on Homicide: Life on the Street.
ON this date in 1996, the talented and controversial rapper and actor Tupac Shakur dies in Las Vegas at the age of 25 a few days after sustaining 4... Continue →
On this date in 1981, Isabel Sanford wins an Emmy award as best comedic actress for The Jeffersons
On this date in 1972, Two Blacks, Johnny Ford of Tuskegee and A.J. Cooper of Prichard elected mayors in Alabama.
On this date in 1971, Fifteen hundred troopers and officers stormed the Attica Prison. Thirty-two convicts and ten guards were killed. Investigation... Continue →
On this date in 1962, Mississippi Governor Ross R. Barnett defied the federal government in impassioned speech on statewide radio-television hookup,... Continue →
On this date in 1962, President Kennedy denounced the burning of churches in Georgia and supported voter registration drive in the South.
On this date in 1948, Tony Award winning Broadway singer Nell Carter was born.
On this date in 1886, Philosopher and first Black Rhodes Scholar, Alain L. Locke was born.
On this date in 1881, Louis Howard Latimer patents his electric lamp with a carbon filament.
On this date in 1867, Gen. E.R.S. Canby ordered South Carolina courts to impanel Blacks jurors.
On this date in 1663, the First serious slave conspiracy in colonial America. Plot of white servants and slaves in Gloucester County, Va., was... Continue →
On this date in 1967, Track star Michael Johnson was born today
US Cabinet member, Constance Baker Motley was born, 1921
On this date in 1940, Blacks were allowed to enter all branches of the US Military Service, when President Franklin D Roosevelt signs Selective... Continue →
On this date in 1874, White Democrats seized statehouse in Louisiana coup d'etat. President Grant ordered the revolutionaries to disperse, and the... Continue →
Inmates seized Attica State Correctional Facility (N.Y.) and held several guards hostage. They issued a list of demands which included coverage by... Continue →
On this date in 1987, the famous boxer Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns becomes the first Black man to win boxing titles in five different weight classes.
On this date in 1978, Muhammad Ali, was the first black prizefight to gross more than a five-million dollars gate in the bout at the Louisiana... Continue →
On this date in 1969, Large-scale racial disorders were reported in Hartford, Connecticut. Five hundred were arrested and scores were injured.
On this date in 1964, Rev. K.L. Buford and Dr. Stanley Smith were elected to Tuskegee City Council and became first Black elected officials in... Continue →
On this date in 1963, Four Black girls killed in bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham.
ON this date in 1945, Jessye Norman, one the worlds most respected opera singers was born. Jessye was known for her stage presence, vocal range, and... Continue →
ON this date in 1943, Actor and activist, Paul Robeson, portrays Othello for the 296th time at New York City's Shubert Theater.
On this date in 1923, Governor said Oklahoma was in a "state of Virtual rebellion and insurrection" because of KKK activities. Martial Law was... Continue →
On this date in 1898, the National Afro-American Council was founded in Rochester, New York. Bishop Alexander Walters of the AME Zion Church was... Continue →
On this date in 1895, D.D.Palmer the founder of Chiropractic adjusted Harvey Lillard an African America in Davenport Iowa. Mr. Lilllard was deaf and... Continue →
On this date in 1876, White terrorists attacked Republicans in Ellenton, South Carolina. Two whites and thirty-nine Blacks were killed.
On this date in 1852, Inventor Jan E. Matzeliger was born in Dutch Guyana and immigrated to the US in 1878. He patented a shoe lasting machine in... Continue →
On this date in 1830, Philadelphia held the First National Negro Convention.
On this date in 1791, Jonathan Edwards Jr. (1745-1801) preached a strong anti-slavery sermon before "the Connecticut Society for the Promotion of... Continue →
Keenan Ivory Wayans's In Living Color wins an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series.
On this dated in 1989, Debbye Turner is crowned Miss America. She is the third African American to win the crown since the inception of the pageant... Continue →
On this date in 1971, Six Klansmen arrested in connection with the bombing of ten school buses in Pontiac, Michigan.
ON this date in 1937, Negro Baseball League player, Orlando Cepeda was born.
On this dated in 1933, Emperor Jones, starring Paul Robeson as Brutus Jones is released by United Artists. It is Robeson's first starring movie role... Continue →
ON this date in 1928, more than 3000 African Americans died when Lake Okeechobee flooded Western Palm Beach County, Florida, with a 10-15 foot tidal... Continue →
On this date in 1925, blues singer Ripley "B.B." King was born in Itta Benna, Mississipi.
On this dated in 1889, in Sanford, Florida of Claude A. Barnett founder of the Associated Negro Press, the first and only Black news wire services in... Continue →
On this dated in 1848, the French abolish slavery in all there territories.
On this date in 1787, U.S. Constitution approved at Philadelphia convention with three clauses protecting slavery.
On this date in 1991, ground is broken for the Harold Washington wing of the DuSable Museum in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by artist and poet Margaret... Continue →
On this date in 1983, Vanessa Williams crowned Miss America. Vanessa Williams was the 1st African American Miss America to be crowned.
On this date in 1973,Illinois becomes the first state to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a holiday.
On this date in 1970, The Flip Wilson Show premieres on NBC. It is the first prime time variety show starring an African American male since the Nat... Continue →
ON this date in 1968, Julia premieres on NBC with Diahann Carroll in the title role. It is the first modern television show to star an African... Continue →
On this date in 1962, Fourth Black church burned near Dawson, Georgia. Three white men later admitted burning the church. They were sentenced to... Continue →
On this date in 1861, it was the First day of school for freedmen founded at Fortress Monroe, Va., with a Black teacher, Mary Peake.
Jada Pinkett Smith, actress, born on this date
On this date in 1990, Atlanta, Ga., led by Mayor Maynard H. Jackson, is selected as the site of the XXV Olympiad Summer Games.
On this date in 1980, Cosmonaut Arnold Tamayo, a Cuban, becomes the first black sent on a mission in space. Arnold Tamayo, along with Soviet... Continue →
On this dated in 1948, Ralph J. Bunche confirmed by United Nations Security Council as acting UN mediator in Palestine.
On this date in 1945, One thousand white students walked out of three, Gary, Ind. schools to protest integration. There were similar disturbances in... Continue →
On this date in 1919, Fritz Pollard becomes the first black to play Professional football for a major team, the Akron Indians. Pollard was also the... Continue →
On this date in 1895, Booker T. Washington delivers the Atlanta Exposition Address at a business convention. Due to his view points, many dubbed his... Continue →
On this date in 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Law.
First issue of Emerge magazine goes on sale.
On this date in 1989, Gordon Parks' film The Learning Tree is registered in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. It joins other... Continue →
On this date in 1981, more than 300,000 demonstrators from labor and civil rights organizations protested the social policies of the Reagan... Continue →
On this date in 1956, theFirst international conference of Black writes and artists met at the Sorbonne in Paris.
On this date in 1941, Singer Otis Redding born in Dawson, GA
On this date in 1931, Brook Benton, holder of 16 gold records including "A Rainy Night in Georgia", was born
On this date in 1881, Booker T. Washington opens Tuskegee Institute in Alabama
On this date in 1868, White Democrats attacked demonstrators, who were marching from Albany to Camilla, Ga., and killed nine Blacks. Several whites... Continue →
Alfre Woodard wins an Emmy for outstanding guest performance in the dramatic series L.A. Law. It is her second Emmy award, her first having been for... Continue →
On this date in 1984, The Cosby Show premieres on NBC.
On this date in 1962, Governor Barnett personally denied James H. Meredith admission to the University of Mississippi.
On this date in 1958, Martin Luther King Jr. stabbed in chest by a deranged Black woman while he was autographing books in a Harlem department store.... Continue →
On this date in 1885, Pianist Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
On this date in 1847, William A. Leidesdorf elected to San Francisco town council receiving the third highest vote. Leidesdorf, who was one of the... Continue →
On this date in 1830, the First Negro Convention of Free Men agreed to start their boycott on slave-produced goods.
On this date in 1830, the First National Black convention met at Philadelphia's Bethel AME church and elected Richard Allen president. Thirty-eight... Continue →
On this date in 1664, Maryland enacted first anti-amalgamation law to prevent widespread intermarriage of English women and Black men. Other colonies... Continue →
Inventor, FW Leslie, patents the envelope seal, 1891
On this date in 1989, General Colin Powell named Chairman of the joint Chiefs of Staff.
On this date in 1966, National Guard mobilized to stop rioting in Dayton, Ohio.
On this date in 1961, Southern Regional Council announced that Sit-in movement had effected twenty states and more than one hundred cities in... Continue →
On this date in 1947, Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter said he would excommunicate St. Louis Catholics who continued to protest integration of parochial... Continue →
On this date in 1872, John Henry Conyers of South Carolina became the first Black student at Annapolis Naval Academy. He later resigned.
On this date in 1832, Maria W. Stewart (1803-1879) addresses the New England Anti-Slavery Society meeting in Boston's Franklin Hall on the evils of... Continue →
On this date in 1814, Blacks fight in the land and water battles of the War of 1812. A large number of Black sailors fought with Matthew Perry and... Continue →
On this date in 1814, Andrew Jackson issued Proclamation at Mobile, Ala., urging free Blacks "to rally around the standard of the eagle" in the War... Continue →
Sprinter Florence Griffith-Joyner, winner of 3 gold and a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics, dies. She was 38.
On this date in 1961, Interstate Commerce Commission issued regulation prohibiting segregation on interstate buses and in terminal facilities.
On this date in 1954, actress Shari Belafonte, daughter of singer Harry Belafonte, born in New York City.
On this date in 1905, a race riot in Atlanta occurred and ten Blacks and two whites killed. Martial law proclaimed.
On this dated in 1863, the First Black person to Serve on the DC board of education, Mary Church Terrell was born.
On this date in 1862, President Lincoln, in preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, warned South that he would free slaves in all states in rebellion... Continue →
Lou Brock stole a record of 935th bases and became the all-time major league record holder.
On this date in 1951, President Kennedy named Thurgood Marshall to U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
On this date in 1954, Playwright George C. Wolfe was born
On this date in 1930, Blind composer, singer and musician Ray Charles Robinson born in Albany, Georgia.
ON this date in 1926, Innovative and famed jazz musician, John Coltrane was born.
On this dated in 1884, Judy W. Reed patents dough kneader and roller, Patent No. 305,474
Executive Order 11246 enforces affirmative action for the first time Issued by President Johnson, the executive order requires government contractors... Continue →
On this date in 1986, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone said the United States "intelligence levels are lower than those in Japan because of... Continue →
On this date in 1977, John T. Walker installed as the first Black bishop of the Episcopal diocese of Washington.
On this date in 1962, U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Board of Higher Education of Mississippi to admit Meredith to the university or be held... Continue →
On this date in 1957, President Eisenhower ordered federal troops to Little Rock, Ark., to prevent interference with school integration at Central... Continue →
On this date in 1957, Soldiers of 101st Airborne Division escorted nine Black students to Central High school.
On this date in 1954, Patrick Kelly, first and only American fashion designer admitted to an exclusive organization of French fashion designers, was... Continue →
On this dated in 1953, Take a Giant Step, drama by playwright Louis Peterson, opened on Broadway.
On this date in 1935, World Heavyweight Champion, Joe Louis, becomes the first Black boxer to draw a million dollar gate. 88,000 fans paid out... Continue →
On this dated in 1931, Representative Cardiss Robertson Collins, elected the U.S. House of Representatives was born
On this date in 1894, Sociologist and author Edward Franklin Frazier was born on this day. During his lofe time Frazier published 8 books, 89... Continue →
On this date in 1883, National Black convention met in Louisville, Kentucky.
On this date in 1825, Author Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was born. In 1859, she became the first black woman to publish a short story. Her only... Continue →
Barbara W Hancock becomes the first Black woman named a White House fellow, 1974
On this date in 1991, Spencer Williams's 1942 movie Blood of Jesus is among the third group of 25 films added to the Library of Congress's National... Continue →
ON thi sdate in 1962, A Black church was destroyed by fire in Macon, Georgia. This was the eighth church burned in Georgia since August 15.
On this date in 1962, Governor Barnett again defied court orders and personally denied Meredith admission to the University.
On this date in 1962, Sonny Liston knocks out Floyd Patterson in the first round to become the world heavyweight boxing champion
ON this date in 1886, Peter "The Black Prince" Jackson wins the Australian heavyweight title, becoming the very first Black man to win a national... Continue →
On this date in 1861, The Secretary of the Navy authorizes the enlistment of African Americans in the Union Navy. The enlistees could achieve no rank... Continue →
Tennis sensation Serena Williams born on this date.
On this date in 1968, The Studio Museum of Harlem opens in NYC
On this date in 1962, Mississippi barred Meredith for the third time. Lt. Gov. Paul Johnson and a blockade of state patrolmen turned back Meredith... Continue →
On this date in 1962, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., becomes the first African American member of the Federal Trade Commission. He was also appointed a... Continue →
On this date in 1957, an order alerting regular army units for possible riot duty in other Southern cities canceled by Army Secretary Wilbur M.... Continue →
On this date in 1937, Singer Bessie Smith dies of injuries sustained in an automobile accident near Clarksdale, Mississippi.
On this dated in 1929, Biochemist Ida Stephens Owens was born. Owens received a PhD. in Biology-Physiology from Duke University in 1967. At the... Continue →
On this dated in 1907, The People's Savings Bank is incorporated in Philadelphia by former African American congressman George H. White of North... Continue →
On this date in 1899, William Levi Dawson, composer and arranger of music, was born in Anniston, Alabama. Among his songs are, "I Couldn't Hear... Continue →
On this dated in 1867, Business and civic leader, Maggie L Walker was born.
School integration began in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Md., public schools.
On this date in 1967, Washington D.C.'s Anacostia Museum dedicated to informing the community of contributions by African Americans to U.S.... Continue →
On this date in 1966, the National Guard was mobilizing in San Francisco.
On this date in 1950, Ezzard Charles defeated Joe Louis in heavyweight championship fight in New York City.
On this date in 1950, Charles H. Houston awarded the Spingarn Medal posthumously for his pioneering work in developing the NAACP legal campaign.
On this date in 1940, Black leaders protested discrimination in the armed forces and war industries at a White House meeting with President Roosevelt.
On this date in 1915, Xavier University, the first Black Catholic college in the US, opens in New Orleans.
On this date in 1912, The first blues song, William Christopher Handy publishes Memphis Blues, 1912
On this date in 1877, John Mercer Langston named minister of Haiti.
ON this date in 1876, Edward Mitchell Bannister wins a bronze medal for his painting Under the Oaks at the American Centennial Exposition, in... Continue →
On this date in 1875, Branch Normal College opens in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Branch Normal College was a segregated unit of the state university, the... Continue →
On this date in 1867, Louisiana voters endorsed constitutional convention and elected delegates in first election under Reconstruction acts. The vote... Continue →
On this date in 1862, First Louisiana Native Guards, the first Black regiment to receive official recognition, mustered into army. Regiment was... Continue →
On this date in 1827, Hiram R. Revels, first Black U.S. senator, was born free in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis died in Santa Monica, California from complications following a stroke. He was 65.
On this date in 1986, Shirley Ajayi was the first African American given a part on a television show as a psychic! The show lasted for about one... Continue →
On this date in 1961, Purlie Victorious, a farce by playwright Ossie Davis, opened on Broadway. This stage play was written by and stars Ossie Davis... Continue →
Mabel Fairbanks, 85, the first black women to be inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame died following a long illness. Fairbanks coached... Continue →
Mike Powell broke the world long jump world record when he jumped 8.95 meters at a meet in Tokyo. The previous mark-8.90 meters-was set by Bob Beamon... Continue →
Virgie M. Ammons of Eglon, West Virginia "Inside the fireplace chimney is a device called a "Damper". The damper is opened and closed to allow smoke... Continue →
Black Panther party founded in Oakland, California by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale.
On this date in 1991, Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell, art historian, becomes dean of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
On this date in 1962, Some twelve thousand federal soldiers restored order on the University of Mississippi campus. James H. Meredith, escorted by... Continue →
On this date in 1962, Joe Black becomes the first black pitcher to win a World Series game. The Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 4-2. Black was... Continue →
On this date in 1952, Juanita James was born. She is a writer, who has been coined, "The gatekeeper of prose."
On this date in 1951, The Twenty-fourth Infantry Regiment, last of all-Black units military units authorized by Congress in 1866, deactivated in... Continue →
Donny Hathaway, the legendary R&B singer and songwriter, was born on September 1, 1945. Known for his soulful voice and heartfelt performances,... Continue →
Thurgood Marshall is sworn in, and becomes the first Black Supreme Court Justice.
William Tecumseh Sherman occupied Atlanta. In series of battles around Chaffin's Farm in suburb of Richmond, Black troops captured entrenchments at... Continue →
ON this date in 1989, Jump Start premieres in 40 newspapers in the U.S. It is created by 26 year old Robb Armstrong, the youngest African American to... Continue →
ON this date in 1986, the U.S. Senate overrides President Ronald Reagan's veto of legislation imposing economic sanctions in South Africa.
On this date in 1986, President Ronald Reagan appointed Edward J. Perkins ambassador to South Africa.
On this date in 1935, Robert H Lawrence (Named the first Black astronaut), was born on this date.
Ex-football star O.J. Simpson is cleared today of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
ON this date in 1979, artist Charles White (61) dies in Los Angeles.
On this date in 1974, Frank Robinson named manager of the Cleveland Indians and became the first Black manager in the major leagues.
On this day in 1956, Nat King Cole was the first black performer to host his own tv show.
ON this date in 1949, the First Black radio station, WERD, begins operating in Atlanta, Georgia.
ON this day in 1941, Singer Chubby Checker was born. Born Ernest Evans, in Philadelphia. Checker was best known for "The Twist" a hit song that soon... Continue →
On this date in 1935, Ethiopia, one of the only two independent African nations at the time, was invaded by Facist Italy under Benito Mussolini. The... Continue →
ON this date in 1904, Mary McLeod Bethune opened Daytona Normal and Industrial School in Daytona Beach, Florida. In 1923 the school merged with... Continue →
On this date in 1856, Timothy ("T.") Thomas Fortune was born on this day.
On this date in 1974, Professional baseball player, Frank Robinson,becomes the manager of the Cleveland Indians and the first Black manager of a... Continue →
Elgin Baylor announces his retirement from the Los Angeles Lakers. After 14 years in the NBA, Baylor had scored 23,149 points, the third highest in... Continue →
On this date in 1996, Congress passed a bill authorizing the creation of 500,000 Black Revolutionary War Patriots Commemorative coins.
On this date in 1988, the Martin L. King, Jr. Federal Building is dedicated in Atlanta, Ga. It is the first federal building in the nation to bear... Continue →
ON this date in 1982, Rayford Logan, educator, historian, author, dies
On this date in 1969, Howard N. Lee and Charles Evers are elected the first African American mayors of Chapel Hill, N.C. and Fayette, Miss.,... Continue →
On this date in 1864, the New Orleans Tribune, the first black daily newspaper, was founded by Dr. Louis C. Roudanez. The newspaper, published in... Continue →
On this date in 1864, National Black convention met in Syracuse, New York.
ON this date in 1966, The Kingdom of Lesotho declared its independence
Congresswoman, Yvonne Burke, born, 1932.
On this day in 1777, African Americans Replaced Reluctant Whites as, losses on the field of battle and rising White desertions reduced the... Continue →
On this date in 1872, Educator, Booker T Washington, leaves Malden, West VA to enter Hampton Institute.
On this date in 1869, the First Reconstruction legislature (27 Blacks, 150 whites) met in Richmond, Virginia.
On this date in 1867, Monroe Baker, a well-to-do Black businessman, named mayor of St. Martin, Louisiana, two years after the end of slavery. Monroe... Continue →
On this date in 1971, John A. Wilkinson's marriage to Lorraine Mary Turner was the first legalized interracial marriage in North Carolina. Wilkinson... Continue →
On this date in 1895, W.D. Davis patented an improved riding saddle. Davis invented his saddle while serving as a buffalo soldier, African American... Continue →
On this date in 1871, Fisk Jubilee Singers began first national tour.
ON this date in 1868, Black state convention at Macon, Georgia, protested expulsion of Black politicians from Georgia legislature.
ON this date in 1847, National Black convention met in Troy, N.Y., with more than 60 delegates from nine states. Nathan Johnson of Massachusetts was... Continue →
Writer, Toni Morrison, awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, 1993
On this date in 1988,Jazz and ballad singer Billy Daniels dies in Los Angeles.
On this date in 1934, Playwright Imamu Amiri Baraka born Everett LeRoi Jones in Newark, New Jersey.
ON this date in 1931, Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu born.
ON this date in 1897, Elijah Poole, aka The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, born
On this date in 1891, Archibald John Motley, painter, born
On this date in 1890, Humphrey H. Reynolds, patents Safety Gate for Bridges, Patent No. 437,937
On this date in 1888, Sargent C. Johnson, pioneering artist of the Harlem Renaissance , known for his wood, cast stone, and ceramic sculptures, born
On this date in 1873, Henry E. Hayne, secretary of state, accepted as the first student of color at the University of South Carolina medical school.... Continue →
ON this date in 1821, William Still, Chronicler of The Underground Railroad Records, was born.
Police officers and Blacks exchanged sniper fire on Chicago's West Side. One youth was killed and nine policemen were injured.
On this date in 1941, Activist and 1988 candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, Rev Jesse Jackson, born in Greenville, Sounth Carolina.
On this date in 1775, Council of general officers decided to bar slaves and free Blacks from Continental Army.
ON this date in 1991, Korean store owner shoots and kills teenager Latasha Harlins in the back of the head. Despite widespread protests, the store... Continue →
On this date in 1984, W Wilson Goode becomes the 1st African American mayor of Philadelphia
On this date in 1940, the White House released a statement which said that government "policy is not to intermingle colored and white enlisted... Continue →
ON this date in 1888, Obadiah. B. Clare, patents Trestle, Patent# 390,753
ON this date in 1823, Mary Ann Shadd, publisher of Canada's first antislavery newspaper, The Provincial Freeman and the first woman in North American... Continue →
On this date in 1806, Mathematician Benjamin Banneker (74) dies, in Ellicott's Mills, Maryland.
Jazz pianist Theolonius Monk is born in Rocky Mount, NC. He was only one of 3 jazz musicians ever featured on the cover of Time magazine.
Inventor Isaac R.Johnson patented his frame of a bicycle which can be separated or folded to store in the trunk of a car or other small places. This... Continue →
ON this date in 1978, Congressman Ralph H. Metcalfe (68) dies in Chicago.
On this date in 1966, The Black Panther Party Founded October 10, 1966 Oakland, California by Huey P. Newton annd Bobby Seale
On this date in 1961, Otis M. Smith appointed to Michigan Supreme Court. Otis M. Smith Scholarship
On this date in 1935, Porgy and Bess premieres in New York City
On this date in 1901, Frederick Douglass Patterson, veterinarian and founder of the United Negro College Fund, born
On this date in 1874, South Carolina Republicans carried election with reduced margin. Republican tickets was composed of four whites and four... Continue →
On this date in 1863, The first exclusively Black parish in the United States was Saint Francis Xavier Church in Baltimore, Maryland. It was... Continue →
On this date in 1972, Prison uprising, Washington, D.C., jail.
On this date in 1939, the NAACP organizes the Education Fund and Legal Defense.
ON this date in 1898, C.O. Bailiff patented the shampoo headrest. Patent #US612008 A
On this date in 1887, the elevator as well as safety devices for elevators where invented by Alexander Miles, Patent # 371,207
On this date in 1865, Jamaican national hero, Paul Bogle, leads a successful protest march to the Morant Bay Courthouse.
Basketball legend, Wilt Chamberlain, died today at age 63.
Richard ("Dick") Gregory was born on this day.
On this date in 1814, General Jackson Reneges On His Promise: General Jackson, on order to prepare to meet Packenham, the British General, in the... Continue →
ON this date in 1972, 46 Black and white sailors injured in race riot on the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk of North Vietnam.
On this date in 1945, Jesse James Payne was lynched in Madison County, Florida.
Nightclub comedian and actor Nipsey Russell born in Buffalo, New York.
ON this date in 1980, an unprovoked slayings of six Blacks in Buffalo, New York, triggered demands for national investigation. Spingarn Medal awarded... Continue →
ON this date in 1970, Angela Davis arrested in New York City and charged with unlawful flight to avoid persecution for her alleged role in California... Continue →
On this date in 1926, First Black naval aviator, Jesse Leroy Brown was born.
ON this date in 1919, a Race riot occurred in , Elaine, Phillips County, Arkansas. Five whites and 25 to 50 Blacks reported killed. 76 Blacks were... Continue →
O this date in 1914, Garrett T Morgan patents the gas mask. Patent #US1113675 A
On this date in 1902, Noted poet, Arna W Bontemps was born.
On thus date in 1901, First Black delegate to United Nations, Edith Sampson was born.
On this day, Martin Luther King Jr became the youngest man ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
On this date in 1999, the governor of Pennsylvania, Thomas Ride, signs the death warrant for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Mumia is charged with the early... Continue →
ON this date in 1999, Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere dies at the age of 77 from leukemia. Nyerere was lauded as one of the greatest... Continue →
ON this date in 1971, Two killed in Memphis racial disturbances.
On this date in 1969, a race riot occurred in Springfield, Massachusetts.
On this date in 1958, the District of Columbia Bar Association votes to accept African Americans as members.
On this date in 1916, Sophomore tackle Paul Robeson is excluded from the Rutgers football team when Washington and Lee University refused to play... Continue →
On this date in 1902, William Boyd Allison Davis, a leading social anthropologist and educator, challenged the cultural bias of standardized... Continue →
On this date in 1864, The first African American daily newspaper, the New Orleans Tribune is published in both French and English.
On this date in 1834, Harry Blair patents his corn-planting machine. The planter resembled a wheelbarrow, with a compartment to hold the seed and... Continue →
Judge Clarence Thomas is confirmed as the 106th associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, its second African American.
On this date in 1974, National Guard mobilized to restore order in Boston school busing crisis.
On this date in 1969, Wyomia Tyus becomes the first person to win a gold medal in the 100 meter race in two consecutive Olympic games.
ON this date in 1949, William Hastie nominated for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. He was the first Black to sit on the court.
ON this date in 1890, Alabama Penny Savings Bank organized in Birmingham.
ON this date in 1883, U.S. Supreme Court declared Civil Rights Act of 1875 unconstitutional.
On this date in 1877, the Forty-fifth Congress (1877-79) convened. One U.S. senator, Blanche K. Bruce, Mississippi. Three U.S. congressmen: Richard... Continue →
On this date in 1859, John Brown whom was an abolitionist took direct action to free slaves by force. He led a raid on Harpers Ferry, in mid-October... Continue →
Nation of Islam's Minister Louis Farrakhan called over one million black men together in Washington DC for "A Day of Atonement and Reconciliation".... Continue →
On this date in 1984, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Awarded Nobel Peace Prize, African activist.
On this date in 1973, Maynard Jackson elected mayor of Atlanta.
ON this date in 1968, John Carlos and Tommie Smith staged Black Power demonstration on victory stand after winning 200-meter event at Olympics in... Continue →
ON this date in 1940, Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr. named the first Black general in the regular army.
On this date in 1922, Leon Howard Sullivan was born on this day.
On this date in 1917, Fannie Lou Hamer was born.
On this date in 1901, Booker T. Washington dined at the White House with President Roosevelt and was criticized in the South.
On this date in 1895, National Medical Association founded in Atlanta.
On this date in 1876, Race riot, Cainhoy, South Carolina. Five whites and one Black killed.
On this date in 1872, South Carolina Republicans carried election with a ticket of four whites and four Blacks: Richard H. Gleaves, lieutenant... Continue →
ON this date in 1859, John Brown attacked Harpers Ferry, Virginia, with thirteen white men and five Blacks. Two of the five Blacks were killed, two... Continue →
On this date in 1855, more than one hundred delegates from six states held a Black convention in Philadelphia. John Mercer Langston, one of the first... Continue →
On this date in 1849, George Washington Williams, the first major Black historian, born in Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania.
ON this date in 1849, Charles L. Reason named professor of belles-lettres and French at Central College, McGrawville, New York. William G. Allen and... Continue →
ON this date in 1849, Avery College established in Allegheny, Pennsylvania.
Author Lerone Bennett, Jr. was born on this day.
On this date in 1969, Dr. Clifton R. Wharton Jr. elected president of Michigan State University and became the first Black to head a major,... Continue →
On this date in 1956, Mae C. Jemison was born the youngest of three children of Charlie and Dorothy Jemison, a maintenance worker and schoolteacher.... Continue →
On this date in 1888, Capital Savings Bank of Washington, D.C., the first Black bank, opened in Washington, D.C. The Savings Bank of the Order of... Continue →
On this date in 1871, President Grant suspended the writ of habeas corpus and declared martial law in nine South Carolina counties affected by Klan... Continue →
On this date in 1817, Samuel Ringgold Ward, minister, abolitionist, author, born on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
On this date in 1787, Prince Hall submitted, to the State Legislature of Boston, Massachusetts, a petition asking for equal educational rights. His... Continue →
On this date in 1720, Jupiter Hammon, a writer and self-educated Calvinist, who was born a slave. Hammon is believed to be the first black poet... Continue →
On this date in 1926, Rock and roll innovator Charles "Chuck" Edward Berry born in San Jose, California, and later taken to St. Louis Missouri, where... Continue →
World long jump was beat by Bob Beamon, record at 29 ft, 2.5 in at the Mexico City Olympics
On this date in 1951, Novelist, editor, and educator Terry McMillan was born on this day. Ms. McMillan will reach acclaim for her books "Mama",... Continue →
On this date in 1948, Born Paulette Williams, she graduated from Barnard College in 1970, and later earned an MA from the University of Southern... Continue →
ON this date in 1945, Actor, singer, athlete and activist, Paul Robeson, receives Spingarn Medal, 1945
Martin Luther King Jr. arrested in Atlanta sit-in and ordered to serve four months in the Georgia State Prison for violating a probated traffic... Continue →
On this date in 1983, Grenada's U.S. educated Prime Minister Maurice Bishop killed in a military coup.
ON this date in 1960, John F. Kennedy, Democratic presidential candidate, called Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr. and expressed his concern about the... Continue →
On this date in 1943, Theater Guild presentation of Othello opened at Shubert Theater with Paul Robeson in title role. Production ran for 296... Continue →
On this date in 1936, Johnetta Betsch Cole was born on this day.
On this date in 1870, First Blacks elected to the House of Representatives. Black Republicans won three of the four congressional seats in South... Continue →
On this date in 1870, Republicans swept South Carolina elections with a ticket of six whites and two Blacks: Alonzo Ransier, lieutenant governor;... Continue →
On this date in 1859, Co-founder of Virginia State College, Byrd Prillerman, born.
Sixty leading Southern Blacks issued "Durham Manifesto" calling for fundamental changes in race relations after a Durham, North Carolina, meeting.
Born October 20, 1904 in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, Enolia Pettigen McMillan became the first female president of the National Association for the... Continue →
On this date in 1898, North Carolina Mutual and Provident Insurance Company founded by John Merrick and associates in Durham, North Carolina as the... Continue →
Patent # 4,618,380 George E. Alcorn (Reston, VA) patents method of fabricating an imaging X-ray spectrometer.
ON this date in 1994, Dexter Scott King, youngest son of Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King, is named head of Southern Christian Leadership... Continue →
On this date in 1994, Charles Edward Anderson the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in Meteorology; dies. In 1960, Charles Edward Anderson... Continue →
On this date in 1989, Bertram M. Lee and Peter C.B. Bynoe sign an agreement to purchase the National Basketball Association's Denver Nuggets for $54... Continue →
On this date in 1980, Valerie Thomas invented the illusion transmitter. Patent #US4229761.
On this date in 1979, The Black Fashion Museum is opened in Harlem by Lois Alexander to highlight the achievements and contributions of African... Continue →
On this date in 1950, The first NBA Black Assistant Coach and first Black chief scout, Earl Lloyd, becomes the first Black person to play in an NBA... Continue →
On this date in 1917, Dizzy Gillespie, trumpeter & pioneer of 'behop' jazz was born.
On this date in 1872, John H Conyers becomes the first African American to enter the US Naval Academy.
On this date in 1865, Jamaican national hero, George William Gordon, is unfairly arrested and sentenced to death.
Birthday of Bobby Seale in Dallas, TX, co-founder and former chairman of the Black Panther Party.
ON this date in 1963, some 225,000 students boycotted Chicago schools in Freedom Day protest of de facto segregation.
On this date in 1955, the first black post office open, Atlanta Georgia.
ON this date in 1953, Clarence S. Green becomes the first African-American certified in neurological surgery.
On this date in 1950, Charles Cooper joins the NBA and becomes one of the first Blacks to play in an NBA game.
On this date in 1950, Nat Clifton joins the NBA and becomes one of the first Blacks to play in an NBA game.
On this date in 1906, 3000 blacks demonstrated and rioted in Philadelphia to protest a theatrical presentation of Thomas Dixon's The Clansman. 62... Continue →
NAACP petition on racism, "An Appeal to the World," presented to United Nations at Lake Success.
ON this date in 1940, in Tres Coracoes, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, generally known as Pelé, is born.
On this date in 1911, Three organizations the Committee for Improving the Industrial Conditions of Negroes in New York, the Committee on Urban... Continue →
On this date in 1775, Continental Congress approved resolution barring African Americans from the army. Although, throughout the war, Washington, the... Continue →
Death of Jack Roosevelt ("Jackie") Robinson (53), first Black in major leagues in twentieth century, in Stamford, Connecticut.
On this date in 1994, William Jefferson Clinton presented her with the Charles Frankel Award from the National Endowment for the Humanities
On this date in 1948, Rep. Kweisi Mfume who was born Frizzell Gray in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1996 Mfume became president of the NAACP.
Ot this date in 1935, the first Black-authored play to become a long-run Broadway hit, Langston Hughes' "Mulatto" opens, 1935
On this date in 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia. American Blacks held mass meetings of protest and raised funds for the Ethiopian defenders.
On this date in 1923, Department of Labor said some 500,000 Blacks had left the South in the preceding twelve months.
On this date in 1892, In New Orleans, 25,000 Black workers strike.
Evander Holyfield knocks out James "Buster" Douglas in the third round to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion.
On this date in 1988, two units of the Ku Klux Klan and eleven individuals are ordered to pay $ 1 million to African Americans who were attacked... Continue →
On this date in 1976, Gov. George Wallace granted a full pardon to Clarence ("Willie") Norris, the last known survivor of the nine Scottsboro Boys... Continue →
On this date in 1958, ten thousand students, led by Jackie Robinson, Harry Belfonte and A. Phillip Randolph, participated in the Youth March for... Continue →
On this date in 1940, Committee on the Participation of Negroes in the National Defense Program met with President Roosevelt.
On this date in 1940, Benjamin O Davis becomes the first Black general in US Army.
ON this date in 1925, Emmett W. Chappelle was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He received a Bachelor of Science in 1950 from the University of California,... Continue →
On this date in 1915, Attorney James L. Curtis named minister of Liberia.
On this date in 1892, Lincoln F. Brown patents Bridle bit. Patent No. 484,994
Gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson, born, 1911
On this date in 1977, Dr. Clifford R. Wharton Jr. named chancellor of the State University of New York.
ON this date in 1934, at a New York City conference, representatives of the NAACP and the American Fund for Public Service planned a coordinated... Continue →
On this date in 1921, Solomon Porter Hood named minister to Liberia.
On this date in 1876, President sent federal troops to South Carolina.
On this date in 1868, White terrorists killed several Blacks in St. Bernard Parish, near New Orleans.
On this dated in 1868, B.F. Randolph, state senator and chairman of the state Republic party, assassinated in daylight at Hodges Depot in Abbevile,... Continue →
On this dated in 1806, Benjamin Banneker, inventor and scientist, dies at the age of 74. In 1753, he borrowed a pocket watch from a well-to-do... Continue →
On this date in 1749, British Parliament legalizes slavery in the colony known now as the state of Georgia.
Ruby Dee (Born Ruby Ann Wallace) was born on this day.
On this dated in 1981, Andrew Young, Former UN Ambassador, elected mayor of Atlanta.
On this date in 1978, President Carter signed Hawkins-Humphrey full employment bill.
On this date in 1960, Martin Luther King Jr. released on bond from the Georgia State Prison in Reidsville. Political observers said the Kennedy call... Continue →
On this date in 1954, B.O. Davis Jr. became the first Black general in the U.S. Air Force.
On this date in 1891, P. B. Downing's Street Letter Mail Box patented. Patent No. 462,096 and a patent #462,093 for the mailbox (letterbox).
On this date in 1981, Edward M. McIntrye elected first Black mayor of Augusta, Georgia.
On this date in 1914, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity incorporated,founded at Howard University.
On this date in 1862, First Kansas Colored Volunteers repulsed and drove off superior force of rebels at Island Mound, Missouri. This was the first... Continue →
On this date in 1798, Founder of The Underground Railroad, Levi Coffin was born.
Muhammad Ali regains world heavyweight boxing title.
On this date in 1994, Pearl Primus dies. Primus, who founded her own dance company in 1946, was best known for her "primitive" dances. She was famed... Continue →
On this date in 1981, William O. Walker (85), publisher of the Cleveland Call and Post newspaper, dies. In 1932, Walker became the publisher and... Continue →
On this date in 1969, U.S. Supreme Court said school systems must end segregation "at once" and "operate now and hereafter only unitary schools." In... Continue →
On this date in 1947, President's Committee on Civil Rights condemned racial injustices in America when ity published the formal report, "To Secure... Continue →
On this date in 1945, Actress Melba Moore was born in New York city.
On this date in 1929, the stock market collapsed bringing on the beginning of the Great Depression. By 1937, 26 percent of Black males were... Continue →
On this date in 1924, Dixie to Broadway, "the first real revue by Negroes," opened at Broadhurst Theater, New York City, with Florence Mills in... Continue →
On this date in 1923, Runnin' Wild opened at Colonial Theater, Broadway. Miller and Lyles Productions introduced Charleston to New York and the... Continue →
BET Holdings, Inc. the parent company of Black Entertainment Television sells 4.2 million shares of stock in an initial public offering on the NYSE,... Continue →
On this date in 1989, Frank Mingo, one of the pioneering advertising executives who specialized in targeting African American consumers, dies. He... Continue →
On this date in 1979, Richard Arrington was elected the first Black mayor of Birmingham, Alabama.
On this date in 1976, Reverend Joseph H. Evans elected president of the United Church of Christ.
On this dated in 1974, Muhammad Ali defeated George Foreman for heavyweight boxing title in Zaire.
On this date in 1966, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale students at a California college create the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.
On this dated in 1954, Defense Department announced elimination of all segregated regiments in the armed forces.
On this date in 1831, Nat Turner is captured after his role in the Slave Revolt that took place in Southampton county, Virginia on August 21, 1831.
W.F. Burr patents Switching device Oct.31,1899 Patent # 636,197
On this dated in 1969, a Race riot occurred in Jacksonville, Florida.
On this date in 1945, Educator, Booker T Washington, inducted into the Hall of Fame for Great Americans.
On this dated in 1900, Actor and singer, Ethel Waters was born.
On this date in 1893, Football player, William Henry Lewis, named All-American.
On this dated in 1820, The "Emancipator," the first anti-slavery magazine, was issued monthly from April 30 to October 31, 1820. It was edited and... Continue →
Jet magazine founded by John H. Johnson, publisher of Ebony magazine.
On this date in 1796, an African Free School opened in New York. It was the the first school for Blacks in America opened. The African Free School... Continue →
On this date in 1995, South Africans voted in their first all-race local government elections, completing the destruction of the apartheid system.
On this date in 1964, Dr. Charles S. Johnson became the first Black president of Fisk University.
On this date in 1942, John H. Johnson published first issue of Negro Digest.
On this date in 1927, Dancer and singer Florence Mills (32) dies in New York City.
ON this dated in 1910, Activist, WEB Dubois, begins publication of the NAACP monthly magazine, Crisis.
ON this date in 1898, C. W. Allen Self-leveling table. Patent No.613,436
On this date in 1989, Renowned attorney Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander dies in Philadelphia.
President Ronald Reagan signs law designating the third Monday in January Martin Luther King Jr Day, in 1983
On this date in 1976, Jimmy Carter, former governor of Georgia, elected president with strong support from Black voters.
On this date in 1976, Seventeen Black congressmen reelected.
On this date in 1954, Spingarn Medal presented to Dr. Theodore K. Lawles for his research on skin-related diseases.
On this date in 1954, Charles C. Diggs Jr. of Detroit elected Michigan's first Black congressman.
On this dated in 1930, upon the death of the Ethiopian Empress Zawditu, Haile Selassie was crowned emperor of Ethiopia.
On this dated in 1903, Business and civic leader, Maggie L Walker, opens the St Luke Penny Savings Bank in Richmond, Virginia.
On this date in 1893, Daniel A. Payne died. The sixth bishop of the American Methodist Episcopal Church, Payne was the first African American... Continue →
On this date in 1889 Menelik II was crowned Negusa-Nagast (King of Kings) of Abysinnia, Ethiopia. By 1899 Abysinnia had extended as far as Kenya in... Continue →
On this dated in 1880, Republican James A. Garfield elected president.
On this date in 1875, Democrats suppressed Black vote by fraud and violence and carried Mississippi election. "The Mississippi Plan" staged riots,... Continue →
Carol Mosely Braun, a Democrat from Illinois, becomes the 1st African American woman elected to the United States Senate.
On this dated in 1983, Jesse Jackson announces his candidacy for the office of President of the US.
On this date in 1981, Thurman L Milnet was elected mayor of Hartford CT, 1981
On this date in 1981, Coleman Young reelected mayor of Detroit. Thurman L. Milner elected mayor of Hartford, Connecticut. James Chase elected mayor... Continue →
On this date in 1979, Klansmen fired on an anti-Klan rally in Greensboro, N.C., and killed five persons.
On this date in 1974, Harold Ford elected congressman from TN.
On this date in 1970, Twelve Blacks elected to the Ninety-second Congress, including five new congressmen: Ralph H. Metcalfe (Ill.), George Collins... Continue →
On this dated in 1970, Wilson Riles elected superintendent of Public instruction in California. Richard Austin elected secretary of state in Michigan.
On this date in 1964, A.W. Willis, Jr., was elected to the General Assembly making him the first black to hold this position.
On this date in 1964, John Conyers Jr. elected to House of Representatives from Detroit.
On this date in 1949, boxer Larry Holmes who began his career around age 13 was born. He would win the heavyweight title in 1970 and defend it some... Continue →
On this date in 1945, Spingarn Medal presented to Paul Robeson "for his outstanding achievement in the theater, on the concert stage, and in the... Continue →
ON this date in 1945, Irving C. Mollison, a Chicago Republican, sworn in as U.S. Customs Court judge in New York City.
On this date in 1942, William L. Dawson elected to Congress from Chicago.
On this date in 1920, Emperor Jones opened at the Provincetown Theater with Charles Gilpin in the title role.
On this date in 1896, Republican William McKinley defeated Democratic candidate William J. Bryan in presidential race.
On this date in 1896, South Carolina State College established.
On this date in 1896, J. H. Hunter Portable Weighing Scales. Patent No. 570,533
On this date in 1883, A political coup and a race riot occurred. White conservatives in Danville, Virginia, seized control of the local government,... Continue →
On this date in 1874, James Theodore Holly, a Black American who emigrated to Haiti in 1861, elected bishop of Haiti. He was consecrated in a... Continue →
On this date in 1868, First Black elected to Congress John W. Menard, defeated a white candidate, 5,107 to 2,833, in an election in Louisiana's... Continue →
Bill and Camille Cosby gave an unprecedented gift of $20 million to Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.
Birthday of musician Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. Combs had early training working for record companies before setting off on his own with Bad Boy... Continue →
On this date in 1868, Arkansas Governor Powell Clayton declared martial law in ten counties and mobilized the state militia due to a Ku Klux Klan... Continue →
On this date in 1997, in a low-turnout election on this day, Chuck E. Burris defeated the incumbent, Pat Wheeler, by 278 votes to 260; a third... Continue →
On this date in 1988, the Martin L. King, Jr, federal Building is dedicated in Atlanta, Ga. It is the first federal building in the nation to bear... Continue →
On this date in 1981, Zena Garrison becomes the 1st African American player to win the junior singles tennis championship at Wimbledon, England
On this date in 1978, William Howard Jr., elected president of the National Council of Churches.
On this date in 1969, Howard N. Lee and Charles Evers are elected the first African American mayors of Chapel Hill, N.C. and Fayette, Miss.,... Continue →
ON this date in 1958, World renowned opera singer, Shirley Verrett, makes her debut in New York City, 1958
On this date in 1953, Hulan Jack was elected first Black Borough President of Manhattan, NYC.
On this date in 1949, Berlinda Tolbert played Jenny Willis, Lionel Jefferson's girlfriend, on the long running comedy "The Jefferson."
On this date in 1884, Grover Cleveland won election and became the first Democratic president of the United States since the Civil War.
On this date in 1879, T. Elkins puts patents on the refrigerating apparatus. U.S. patent #221,222
On this date in 1874, Democrats swept off-years elections, winning a majority in the House of Representatives.
On this date in 1872, Three Blacks elected to major offices in Louisiana elections: C.C Antoine, lieutenant governor; P.G. Deslonde, secretary of... Continue →
On this date in 1872, P.B.S. Pinchback was elected congressman at large. Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback (May 10, 1837 – December 21, 1921) was... Continue →
On this date in 1872, Fourth Black official, Treasurer Antoine Dubuclet, won elections in 1870 and 1874.
On this date in 1750, Jean-Baptist-Point Du Sable was a black pioneer, trader and founder of the settlement that later became the city of Chicago.
On November 4, 1980, four African American politicians were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. They officially took office on January 3,... Continue →
Shirley Chisholm, a New York Democrat, is the 1st African American woman elected to Congress.
On this date in 1986, The governor of Arizona refuses to recognize Dr Martin Luther King Jr's birthday as a national holiday.
On this date in 1974, George Brown was elected Lt Governor of Colorado, becoming one of the first two Black Lt Governors in the USA.
ON this date in 1974, Harold Ford of Memphis elected to House of Representatives.
On this date in 1974, Spingarn Medal awarded Damon J. Keith "in tribute to his steadfast defense of constitutional principles as revealed in a series... Continue →
On this date in 1974, State Sen. Mervyn M. Dymally elected lieutenant governor of California. State Sen. Georgia L. Brown elected lieutenant governor... Continue →
On this date in 1974, Walter E. Washington, became the first elected mayor of Washington, D.C., in the twentieth century.
On this date in 1970, National Guard mobilized in Henderson, N.C., due to riots.
On this date in 1968, Shirley Chisholm becomes first Black woman to be elected to Congress, representing Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, NYC.
On this date in 1968, a record number of Black congressmen and the first Black woman representative were elected to Congress. The nine Black... Continue →
On this dated in 1956, pianist Art Tatum (46) dies in Los Angeles, California.
On this date in 1935, Maryland Court of Appeals ordered the University of Maryland to admit Donald Murray.
ON this date in 1917, U.S. Supreme Court decision (Buchanan v. Warley) struck down Louisville, Ky., ordinance which required Blacks and whites to... Continue →
ON this date in 1917, Emmett J. Scott, former secretary to Booker T. Washington, was appointed special assistant to the Secretary of War. His role... Continue →
On this date in 1912, Woodrow Wilson elected president.
On this date in 1867, First Reconstruction constitutional convention (eighteen Blacks, ninety whites) opened in Montgomery, Alabama.
On this date in 1862, Frazier A Boutelle is commissioned as second lieutenant in the Fifth New York Calvary.
On this date in 1836, Theo Wright becomes the first Black person to get a Theology Degree in the US.
Thomas Bradley was elected mayor of Los Angeles at a time when Blacks represented only 15 percent of the Los Angeles electorate, becoming one of the... Continue →
On this date in 1990, Sharon Pratt Dixon (now Kelly) was elected mayor of Washington, D.C., making this a first for a woman of any race.
On this date in 1976, Benjamin Hooks, Federal Communications Commission member, named to succeed Roy Wilkins as executive director of the NAACP.
On this date in 1973, Coleman Young was elected mayor of Detroit, becoming one of the first two Black mayors of city's with over a million citizens.
On this date in 1973, Spingarn Medal presented to Wilson C. Riles, superintendent of public instruction, California, "in recognition of the stature... Continue →
ON this date in 1973, Marcus A. Foster, superintendent of schools in Oakland, Calif., killed in ambush after Board of Education meeting. Two members... Continue →
In one voting day, ninety-seven Blacks were elected to state legislatures, seven were elected to mayor, and four hundred to local governments in the... Continue →
On this date in 1962, Edward W. Brooke elected attorney general of Massachusetts. Gerald Lamb elected treasurer of Connecticut. Otis M. Smith elected... Continue →
ON this date in 1928, Oscar DePriest elected to Seventy-first Congress from Illinois' First Congressional District (Chicago). He was the first... Continue →
ON this date in 1928, the Atlanta Daily World founded by W.A. Scott Jr. The newspaper became a daily in 1933.
On this date in 1928, Spingarn Medal presented to Charles W. Chestnutt, the first Black to receive widespread critical recognition as a novelist. He... Continue →
ON this date in 1920, James Weldon Johnson became the first Black executive secretary of the NAACP.
On this date in 1920, Spingarn Medal awarded to W.E.B. Du Bois for "the founding and calling of the Pan African Congress."
On this date in 1906, President Roosevelt ordered discharge of three companies of Twenty-fifth Regiment for alleged involvement in the Brownsville... Continue →
On this date in 1901, Juanita Long Hall was born in Keyport, New Jersey, and died February 29, 1968, in Bayshore, New York. This singer, actress, and... Continue →
On this date in 1900, Republican William McKinley defeated William Bryan in presidential elections.
On this date in 1900, James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson composed "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing."
On this date in 1888, Republican Benjamin Harrison elected president.
On this date in 1884, Novelist and dramatist, William Wells Brown, dies.
On this date in 1868, Jonathan Gibbs, minister and educator, appointed secretary of state by the Florida governor.
On this date in 1860, Abraham Lincoln elected president.
On this date in 1858, Samuel E. Cornish died. Samuel Cornish was an American Presbyterian minister, abolitionist, publisher, and journalist. He was a... Continue →
ON this date in 1746, Absalom Jones rose from slavery in Sussex, Delaware to become the first black Episcopal priest and principal founder of St.... Continue →
On November 6, 1934, Arthur W. Mitchell defeated incumbent Oscar De Priest in Chicago's First Congressional District election, becoming the first... Continue →
On November 7, 1989, David Dinkins was elected as the first African American mayor of New York City. Prior to his mayoralty, Dinkins served as... Continue →
Carl Stokes was elected mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. Stokes was sworn in on November 13 becoming the first African American to lead a major U.S.... Continue →
Supreme Court in Baltimore case banned segregation in public recreational facilities. The Interstate Commerce Commission banned segregation on... Continue →
The Black Student Movement (BSM) was established at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to address issues of Black student... Continue →
On November 7, 1989, Lawrence Douglas Wilder was elected governor of Virginia, becoming the first African American to be elected as governor of a... Continue →
On November 7, 1978, five African American politicians were elected to the U.S. Congress, marking a significant moment in Black political... Continue →
November 7, 1978, marked a significant political upset in the U.S., particularly affecting two prominent Black politicians: ? Mervyn Dymally... Continue →
On November 7, 1972, Barbara Jordan was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first African American woman from a Southern state... Continue →
On November 7, 1970, race riots erupted in Daytona Beach, Florida, reflecting the intense racial tensions prevalent in the United States during that... Continue →
1967 was a year of intense civil unrest in the United States, marked by numerous racial uprisings and protests against racial injustice, economic... Continue →
On November 7, 1967, Edward W. Brooke was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his outstanding public service. Who Was Edward W. Brooke? ... Continue →
On November 7, 1963, Elston Howard made history by becoming the first African American player to win the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP)... Continue →
On November 7, 1934, Arthur Wergs Mitchell made history by defeating Oscar DePriest in a Chicago election, becoming the first Black Democratic... Continue →
On November 7, 1916, Colonel Charles Young was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his outstanding military service and leadership in... Continue →
1916 was a particularly violent year in American history regarding racial violence and lynching. While the exact number of lynchings that occurred on... Continue →
On November 7, 1916, incumbent President Woodrow Wilson was re-elected, narrowly defeating Republican nominee Charles Evans Hughes. Wilson secured... Continue →
On November 7, 1909, the Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver were organized in Mobile, Alabama, by four Josephite priests and three Catholic... Continue →
On November 7, 1876, Meharry Medical College was founded as the medical department of Central Tennessee College in Nashville, Tennessee. It became... Continue →
On November 7, 1876, the U.S. presidential election between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel J. Tilden ended in dispute and... Continue →
On November 7, 1876, Edward Alexander Bouchet made history by earning a Ph.D. in physics from Yale University, becoming the first African American to... Continue →
On November 7, 1876, Edward Mitchell Bannister became the first Black artist to receive wide critical acclaim when he was awarded a first-prize medal... Continue →
One of the most successful slave revolts in U.S. history took place aboard the Creole, a ship transporting over 130 enslaved people from... Continue →
On November 7, 1837, Elijah Parish Lovejoy, an abolitionist journalist and newspaper editor, was murdered by a pro-slavery mob in Alton,... Continue →
On November 7, 1775, Lord Dunmore's Proclamation was issued, marking a significant moment in Black history during the American Revolution. ? Lord... Continue →
On November 8, 1933, Esther Rolle was born in Pompano Beach, Florida. She became a pioneering actress, best known for her role as Florida Evans on... Continue →
Edward W. Brooke Elected to the U.S. Senate On November 8, 1966, Edward W. Brooke, a Republican from Massachusetts, made history by becoming: ... Continue →
On November 8, 1966, John H. Johnson, the founder of Ebony and Jet magazines, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP. The medal was given to him... Continue →
On November 8, 1960, Otis M. Smith made history by being elected Auditor General of Michigan, making him the first African American chosen in... Continue →
On November 8, 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy defeated Vice President Richard M. Nixon in one of the closest presidential elections in U.S. history.... Continue →
Award-winning actress Alfre Woodard was born on November 8, 1953, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. With a career spanning decades, she is known for her powerful... Continue →
On November 8, 1938, Crystal Bird Fauset made history by becoming the first African American woman elected to a state legislature in the United... Continue →
On November 8, 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected as the 32nd President of the United States, defeating incumbent President Herbert Hoover in a... Continue →
On November 8, 1932, Robert Russa Moton, the second president of Tuskegee Institute, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP. Who was... Continue →
In Wilmington, North Carolina, a violent white mob—led by prominent white citizens, including politicians and businessmen—carried out a violent... Continue →
The year 1892 marked one of the deadliest years for racial violence in the United States, with 161 recorded lynchings of Black Americans by... Continue →
On November 8, 1892, Grover Cleveland, a Democrat, was elected as the 24th President of the United States, defeating the incumbent Republican... Continue →
On November 8, 1878, Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He became the first African American world cycling... Continue →
On November 8, 1870, former Confederate General John C. Brown, a Democrat, was elected Governor of Tennessee, defeating Republican candidate William... Continue →
On this day, William Monroe Trotter, a Harvard-educated activist and newspaper editor, co-founded The Guardian in Boston, Massachusetts. The paper... Continue →
Mark Althavean Andrews, better known by his stage name Sisqó, was born on this day in Baltimore, Maryland. Sisqó is an American R&B singer,... Continue →
Benjamin Banneker was born on this day in Ellicott Mills, Maryland, to a free African American woman and a formerly enslaved father. Despite having... Continue →
Roger Arliner Young, a pioneering African American scientist, died on this day in 1964. She was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in... Continue →
William L. Dawson, a trailblazing African American politician, passed away on this day in 1970. He represented Chicago, Illinois in the U.S. House of... Continue →
On this day, Mattiwilda Dobbs became the first African American to sing a romantic lead role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She starred... Continue →
On this day, Howard University College of Medicine officially opened in Washington, D.C., with eight students and five faculty members. Among the... Continue →
Dorothy Dandridge, groundbreaking actress, singer, and dancer, was born on this day in Cleveland, Ohio. She became the first African American woman... Continue →
Arkansas Governor Powell Clayton declared martial law in ten counties due to widespread racial violence perpetrated by the Ku Klux Klan during the... Continue →
On this day, Charlie Sifford made history by winning the Long Beach Open, becoming the first African American golfer to win a significant... Continue →
On this day, Andrew T. Hatcher made history as the first African American associate press secretary to a U.S. president, serving under President John... Continue →
While traveling near Marion, Arkansas, soul singer Sam Cooke, gospel great Lou Rawls, and a young Bobby Womack were involved in a serious automobile... Continue →
After being captured for leading the Southampton, Virginia slave rebellion, Nat Turner was interviewed in jail by Thomas R. Gray, a Baltimore lawyer.... Continue →
Carmen McRae, a celebrated American jazz singer, pianist, and composer, died on November 10, 1994, at the age of 74. Known for her distinctive... Continue →
On this day, a white supremacist mob violently overthrew the multiracial, elected government of Wilmington, North Carolina, in what is now recognized... Continue →
On this day, the National Benefit Life Insurance Company was organized in Washington, D.C. by Samuel W. Rutherford. At a time when most mainstream... Continue →
George Henry White, an outspoken Republican and the last African American Congressman of the Reconstruction era, represented North Carolina’s... Continue →
On November 10, 1891, prolific African American inventor Granville T. Woods was granted a patent for an electric railway system. Known as the... Continue →
The African Union Society of Newport, Rhode Island was formally established on November 10, 1780, making it the first documented Black mutual aid... Continue →
Ken Saro-Wiwa, a Nigerian author, environmentalist, and human rights activist, was executed by the Nigerian military regime along with eight other... Continue →
Dr. George R. Carruthers, an African American physicist and inventor, was granted a patent for the Image Converter, a device that helped detect... Continue →
The Civil Rights Memorial, designed by renowned artist Maya Lin, was dedicated in Montgomery, Alabama to honor the memory of 40 individuals who died... Continue →
The Bethune Museum and Archives was founded on this day as the first institution in the United States dedicated to African American women's history.... Continue →
After centuries of Portuguese colonial rule, Angola declared its independence on November 11, 1975. The independence movement was led by liberation... Continue →
On this day, Louis Armstrong recorded the first of his legendary Hot Five and later Hot Seven recordings in Chicago. These sessions are widely... Continue →
Xavier University of Louisiana, the only historically Black Roman Catholic university in the United States, was founded on this day in New Orleans.... Continue →
James Weldon Johnson, a distinguished author, diplomat, and civil rights leader, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP in 1925 for his... Continue →
On this day, the armistice was signed, ending World War I. Official U.S. military records show that approximately 370,000 African American soldiers... Continue →
D. McCree, an African American inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 440,322 for a portable fire escape. His design focused on improving public... Continue →
Nat Turner, an enslaved preacher and leader of one of the most significant slave rebellions in American history, was executed by hanging in... Continue →
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded on November 12, 1922, at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, by seven African American... Continue →
Wilma Glodean Rudolph, Olympic gold medalist and trailblazing sprinter, died at the age of 54 in her home in Nashville, Tennessee. Overcoming... Continue →
Alexander P. Haley, acclaimed author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his unparalleled... Continue →
On November 12, 1977, Ernest Nathan "Dutch" Morial was elected as the first African-American mayor of New Orleans, marking a significant milestone in... Continue →
On this day, South Africa was suspended from participating in the United Nations General Assembly due to its apartheid policies, which... Continue →
Sammy Sosa, one of Major League Baseball’s most electrifying sluggers, was born on this day in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic. Over his... Continue →
Mary Cardwell Dawson, a trailblazing African American music educator and opera singer, founded the National Negro Opera Company (NNOC) in Pittsburgh,... Continue →
On this day, the 1900 Paris Exposition (Exposition Universelle) officially closed. Among the 6,916 American exhibitors was Henry Ossawa Tanner, a... Continue →
On this date, William Edmondson was born in Nashville, Tennessee (not 1863, but 1874). He became the first African American artist to have a solo... Continue →
In the early months of the American Revolutionary War, General George Washington, under pressure from Southern slaveholding interests, issued an... Continue →
At just 20 years old, Dwight “Doc” Gooden, pitcher for the New York Mets, won the Cy Young Award, becoming the youngest pitcher in Major League... Continue →
Carl B. Stokes made history by becoming the first African American elected mayor of a major U.S. city when he won the Cleveland mayoral election on... Continue →
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s decision declaring segregation on Montgomery, Alabama city buses unconstitutional. This landmark... Continue →
Caryn Elaine Johnson, later known as Whoopi Goldberg, was born in New York City on this day. She began performing at the age of eight with New... Continue →
On this day, Janet Collins made history by becoming the first African American prima ballerina to perform with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in New... Continue →
In a pivotal civil rights decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Hansberry v. Lee, a case involving racially restrictive housing covenants in... Continue →
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, a pioneering African American surgeon, became the first Black physician elected as a charter member of the American College... Continue →
A.C. Richardson, an African American inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 529,311 for a casket lowering device. This innovation provided a safer and... Continue →
On this day in Warsaw, New York, the Liberty Party—the first political party in the United States founded explicitly to oppose slavery—was... Continue →
On this day, Lydia D. Holmes, an African American inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 2,529,828 for her innovative design of educational wooden... Continue →
On this day, U.S. Marshals escorted four six-year-old Black girls—Leona Tate, Tessie Prevost, and Gail Etienne—into McDonogh 19 Elementary... Continue →
William Levi Dawson’s Symphony No. 1: Negro Folk Symphony premiered at Carnegie Hall on this date, performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra under... Continue →
Booker T. Washington, one of the most prominent African American leaders of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, died at age 59 in Tuskegee,... Continue →
On this day, the Liberty Party—the first political party in the United States dedicated solely to the abolition of slavery—held its founding... Continue →
Mother Mathilda Beasley, born Mathilda Taylor on November 14, 1832, in New Orleans, Louisiana, was a pioneering African American educator and the... Continue →
On this day, the United States Golf Association (USGA) adopted a new policy that prohibited clubs from discriminating on the basis of race or gender... Continue →
Granville T. Woods, a prolific African American inventor known as "the Black Edison," was granted a patent for his Synchronous Multiplex Railway... Continue →
On this day, Henry Ossawa Tanner, renowned African American painter, was posthumously elected to full membership in the National Academy of... Continue →
Richard Allen, founder and first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, compiled and published the first hymnal by a Black... Continue →
A report released by the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith revealed a significant increase in Ku Klux Klan activity across the United... Continue →
On this day, Rosa L. Parks received the Spingarn Medal, the NAACP’s highest honor, in recognition of her pivotal role in sparking the Montgomery... Continue →
Sir W. Arthur Lewis, a professor at Princeton University, was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, becoming the first Black person... Continue →
Arthur Dorrington became the first Black athlete to sign a professional hockey contract when he joined the Atlantic City Sea Gulls of the Eastern... Continue →
On this day, Roland Hayes, one of the first internationally acclaimed African American tenors, began his fifth American tour with a concert at New... Continue →
Lyda A. Newman, an African American inventor and women’s rights activist in New York City, was granted U.S. Patent No. 614,335 for an innovative... Continue →
Langston University was established in Langston, Oklahoma, as a land-grant institution under the Morrill Act of 1890. It is Oklahoma’s only... Continue →
John Mercer Langston, a prominent abolitionist, educator, and politician, died at the age of 67 in Washington, D.C. He was the first African American... Continue →
On November 15, 1884, the Berlin Conference convened in Berlin, Germany, under the leadership of German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Representatives... Continue →
Lisa Bonet, an American actress, was born on November 16, 1967, in San Francisco, California, to a Jewish mother and a Black father. She rose to fame... Continue →
On this day, Agbani Darego of Nigeria was crowned Miss World 2001 in Sun City, South Africa. She made history as the first Black African woman to win... Continue →
On November 16, 1972, a tragic incident unfolded at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Student protests concerning the university's... Continue →
On this day, Dwight Gooden, one of baseball’s most electrifying pitchers, was born in Tampa, Florida. Known as “Doc” or “Dr. K,” Gooden... Continue →
Zina Garrison was born in Houston, Texas, on this day. She would go on to become one of the most accomplished African American tennis players in... Continue →
William Christopher Handy, known as the Father of the Blues, was born on this day in Florence, Alabama. A classically trained musician and composer,... Continue →
Richard T. Greener, the first African American graduate of Harvard University (Class of 1870), was appointed professor of metaphysics and logic at... Continue →
In the 1873 Mississippi state election, African Americans achieved unprecedented political success during the Reconstruction era. Alexander K. Davis... Continue →
On this day, Paul Cuffe, a wealthy African American and Wampanoag businessman, along with other free Black men in Massachusetts, petitioned the state... Continue →
Andrew Young, a prominent civil rights leader and close associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives... Continue →
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., becoming the first international fraternal... Continue →
On this day, WHMM-TV (now known as WHUT-TV), located on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., became the first African American-owned... Continue →
On November 7, 1972, incumbent President Richard Nixon was re-elected in a landslide victory over Democratic Senator George McGovern, carrying 49 out... Continue →
In a major milestone for Black political representation, sixteen African Americans were elected to the U.S. Congress—the largest number to date at... Continue →
George Latimer, an escaped enslaved man, was captured in Boston, Massachusetts, after fleeing from Virginia with his pregnant wife. His arrest led to... Continue →
David Adkins, known professionally as Sinbad, was born on this day in Benton Harbor, Michigan. A natural entertainer from a young age, Sinbad rose to... Continue →
On November 18, 1993, South Africa’s Black and white leaders approved a new interim constitution, marking a historic step toward ending apartheid... Continue →
On this day, Wally "Famous" Amos, founder of Famous Amos Cookies, donated his signature Panama hat and embroidered shirt to the Smithsonian... Continue →
Over 900 people, most of them African American, died in a mass murder-suicide at the People’s Temple Agricultural Project (commonly known as... Continue →
Andrew J. Young, civil rights leader, diplomat, and politician, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP in 1978. The Spingarn Medal is the... Continue →
Robert Edward Chambliss, a former member of the Ku Klux Klan, was convicted of first-degree murder for his role in the 1963 bombing of the 16th... Continue →
On this day, Howard Thurman was born in Daytona Beach, Florida. A theologian, philosopher, and civil rights leader, Thurman became one of the most... Continue →
Sojourner Truth, born Isabella Baumfree in Swartekill, Ulster County, New York, was born into slavery but became one of America’s most powerful... Continue →
On this day, Roy Campanella, star catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the National League for the third time in... Continue →
On this day, the citizens of South Carolina voted in favor of holding a constitutional convention as part of the Reconstruction process following the... Continue →
Dominique Dawes, three-time Olympian and trailblazing gymnast, is born in Silver Spring, Maryland. Nicknamed "Awesome Dawesome," she would go on to... Continue →
President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 11063, prohibiting discrimination in the sale, leasing, or rental of properties owned or operated by... Continue →
Robert C. Weaver, an economist, government official, and civil rights advocate, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his leadership in the... Continue →
On November 20, 1939, Morgan State College officially became a public institution when the state of Maryland purchased it to provide more... Continue →
On this day, Garrett T. Morgan, a Black American inventor and entrepreneur, was granted U.S. Patent No. 1,475,024 for his innovative three-position... Continue →
On November 20, 1922, Louisiana Governor John M. Parker met with President Warren G. Harding to discuss escalating violence perpetrated by the Ku... Continue →
Mary Burnett Talbert, a prominent educator, activist, and former president of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), was awarded the... Continue →
African Americans in South Carolina held a Colored People's Convention at Zion Presbyterian Church in Charleston to demand equal rights, universal... Continue →
Ten members of the First Congregational Society of Washington, D.C. gathered for a missionary meeting and resolved to establish a seminary to train... Continue →
Jennifer Josephine Hosten of Grenada made history by becoming the first Black woman and the first Caribbean woman to win the Miss World title. She... Continue →
By this date in 1922, at least 51 African Americans had been reported lynched across the United States during that year alone. These acts of racial... Continue →
S.H. Love, an African American inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 1,936,515 for an improved vending machine. His design allowed for better control... Continue →
Randall Robinson (founder of TransAfrica), Walter Fauntroy (congressional delegate), and Mary Frances Berry (U.S. Civil Rights Commissioner) were... Continue →
On November 21, 1918, Henry Beard Delany was consecrated as the Suffragan Bishop for Colored Work in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina,... Continue →
Shaw University, located in Raleigh, North Carolina, was founded on this day by Henry Martin Tupper, a Union Army chaplain. It holds the distinction... Continue →
On this day in 1654, Richard Johnson, a free Black man, was granted 100 acres of land in Northampton County, Virginia, as a reward for importing two... Continue →
On this date, Wallace D. Fard Muhammad began teaching in Detroit, Michigan, marking the founding of the Nation of Islam (NOI). He taught a unique... Continue →
Colonel Frederick D. Gregory, a U.S. Air Force pilot and NASA astronaut, became the first African American to command a space mission when he led... Continue →
On this day, George Branham III made history by becoming the first African American to win a title on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA)... Continue →
President John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was assassinated at age 46. While not African American himself, JFK played a... Continue →
Guion S. Bluford Jr. was born on November 22, 1942, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A decorated Air Force pilot, aerospace engineer, and NASA... Continue →
Alrutheus Ambush Taylor, a pioneering African American historian and educator, was born on this day in Washington, D.C. Taylor was instrumental in... Continue →
Timothy Thomas Fortune, a pioneering African American journalist and civil rights leader, founded the New York Freeman on this day. The publication... Continue →
Christopher J. Perry founded The Philadelphia Tribune, which would become the oldest continuously published African American newspaper in the United... Continue →
Oscar J. Dunn, the first African American elected as Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana (and the highest-ranking Black elected official in U.S. history... Continue →
On November 22, 1865, the Mississippi legislature passed one of the first sets of Black Codes in the post-Civil War South. These laws severely... Continue →
On this day, 1,000 Black activists from 25 states gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to officially establish the National Black Independent... Continue →
On this day, the Alice Freeman Palmer Institute in Sedalia, North Carolina, founded by educator and activist Charlotte Hawkins Brown, was officially... Continue →
On this day, Henry Watson Furniss, a respected African American physician from Indiana, was appointed U.S. Minister to Haiti, becoming one of the... Continue →
On this date, reports indicated that 57 African Americans had been lynched in 1905 in the United States. Lynching was a brutal and widespread form of... Continue →
Andrew Jackson Beard, an African American inventor and former slave, was granted a patent on November 23, 1897, for an improved version of the... Continue →
John Lee Love, an African American inventor, received U.S. Patent No. 594,114 for his design of a portable pencil sharpener. Known as the "Love... Continue →
The Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1867 convened at the Mechanics Institute in New Orleans, with a groundbreaking delegation of forty-nine... Continue →
August Wilson’s powerful play, The Piano Lesson, was awarded the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play, part of Wilson’s acclaimed Pittsburgh... Continue →
Shortly after the Civil War, on November 24, 1865, Mississippi became the first former Confederate state to pass the so-called Black Codes. These... Continue →
On November 24, 1971, a significant prison rebellion erupted at Rahway State Prison (now known as East Jersey State Prison) in New Jersey. The unrest... Continue →
Southern University was officially established in Louisiana on November 24, 1880, by the state legislature as a public institution for the education... Continue →
On this day, more than 150 delegates from Baptist churches across eleven U.S. states gathered in Montgomery, Alabama, to organize the Baptist Foreign... Continue →
Stephen Atkins Swails (1832–1900) was a notable African American figure during the Reconstruction era. After serving with distinction in the 54th... Continue →
On November 24, 1874, Robert Brown Elliott, a distinguished African American politician and orator, was elected Speaker of the South Carolina House... Continue →
Scott Joplin, a pioneering African American composer and pianist, was born in Texarkana, Texas. Widely known as the “King of Ragtime,” Joplin... Continue →
Melanie Thornton, an American pop and Eurodance singer best known as the lead vocalist of the group La Bouche, tragically died in a plane crash on... Continue →
On November 25, 1955, the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) issued an order banning racial segregation on interstate buses and in bus terminals,... Continue →
Ralph J. Bunche, diplomat and scholar, received the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP for his distinguished service as a United Nations mediator in the... Continue →
On this day, the St. Louis chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) initiated a sit-in campaign to challenge and end racial segregation in... Continue →
Luther "Bill" Robinson, famously known as Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, passed away at the age of 71. A pioneering African American tap dancer, Robinson... Continue →
After a landmark legal battle in the United States, 35 survivors of the Amistad revolt departed from New York aboard the ship Gentleman to return to... Continue →
Tina Turner, born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, was born on November 26, 1939 (not November 25, 1941). Known as the “Queen of Rock... Continue →
On this day, the National Negro Medical Association of Physicians, Dentists, and Pharmacists was established in Atlanta, Georgia, during the Cotton... Continue →
Benjamin O. Davis Sr., the first African American to achieve the rank of general in the U.S. Army, died at age 93 in Chicago. Commissioned as an... Continue →
Charles Gordone became the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play No Place to Be Somebody, a powerful work about... Continue →
On this day, William Henry Lewis was appointed Assistant Attorney General of the United States by President William Howard Taft, becoming the first... Continue →
Sojourner Truth, renowned abolitionist, women’s rights advocate, and powerful orator, died on this day in Battle Creek, Michigan, at approximately... Continue →
On this day, the South Carolina General Assembly convened in Columbia and marked a major milestone during the Reconstruction era: Stephen A.... Continue →
On this day, Macon B. Allen was elected judge of the Inferior Court of Charleston, becoming the first African American to hold a major judicial... Continue →
Jaleel White, American actor and writer, was born in Culver City, California. He rose to fame portraying the beloved and iconic character Steve Urkel... Continue →
Robin Givens, an American actress and model, was born on this day in New York City. She rose to fame in the late 1980s for her role as Darlene... Continue →
On this day, federal troops withdrew from Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, after nearly two months of protecting the Little Rock Nine... Continue →
Dorothy Height was elected as the fourth national president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) in November 1957. She served in this role... Continue →
Mickey Leland, a Democratic Representative from Texas, was born on this day in Lubbock, Texas. A passionate advocate for the poor and... Continue →
Jimi Hendrix, one of the most influential and celebrated rock musicians of all time, was born in Seattle, Washington. Known for his groundbreaking... Continue →
Marjorie Joyner, an African American inventor and businesswoman, was granted U.S. Patent No. 1,693,515 for her invention of the permanent wave... Continue →
After a landmark legal battle in the United States, the formerly enslaved Africans who had taken control of the Spanish schooner La Amistad set sail... Continue →
Coleman A. Young, the first African American mayor of Detroit, passed away on this day at age 79 due to respiratory failure caused by advanced... Continue →
Ernie Davis, a standout running back from Syracuse University, made history by becoming the first African American to win the prestigious Heisman... Continue →
Richard Nathaniel Wright, acclaimed American author of Native Son and Black Boy, died in Paris, France, at the age of 52. Wright was a trailblazing... Continue →
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, one of the most influential tap dancers in American history, passed away on this day in New York City at the age of 71.... Continue →
Berry Gordy Jr. was born in Detroit, Michigan on November 28, 1929. He would go on to found Motown Records in 1959, a groundbreaking Black-owned... Continue →
The Ku Klux Klan trials began in the Federal District Court in Columbia, South Carolina, marking one of the earliest large-scale federal attempts to... Continue →
James Robinson, an enslaved African American who became a decorated soldier in the Revolutionary War, was born on this day in 1753. He fought... Continue →
Adam Clayton Powell Jr., a groundbreaking politician, minister, and civil rights activist, was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He became the first... Continue →
During a wave of civil rights activism across the South, Freedom Riders were violently attacked by a white mob at the bus station in McComb,... Continue →
Alice Childress, a pioneering playwright, actress, and novelist, became the first African American woman to win an Obie Award for Off-Broadway... Continue →
Pearl Primus, born in Trinidad and raised in New York City, was a groundbreaking dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist. She is celebrated for... Continue →
On this date, the Continental Congress moved to officially allow the enlistment of Black men—both free and enslaved—into the American Army during... Continue →
On this day, John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement in England, baptized the first two known Black converts to Methodism. This event marked a... Continue →
Robert Tools, the first human to receive the AbioCor fully self-contained artificial heart, died at age 59 due to multiple organ failure after... Continue →
Coleman A. Young, the first African American mayor of Detroit, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP “in recognition of his singular... Continue →
Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale, students at Merritt College in Oakland, California, founded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. The... Continue →
On this day, Judith Jamison made her debut with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, marking the beginning of a legendary career in modern dance.... Continue →
Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress, was born in Brooklyn, New York, to immigrant parents from Barbados... Continue →
Gordon Parks, born on this day in Fort Scott, Kansas, became a groundbreaking photographer, filmmaker, writer, and humanitarian. He was the first... Continue →
Samuel Raymond Scottron, an African American inventor and businessman, received a U.S. patent for a curtain rod (Patent No. 481,720). Scottron held... Continue →
Alexander P. Ashbourne, an African American inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 170,460 for a biscuit cutter. His invention automated the process... Continue →
?James D. Lynch was elected as Mississippi's Secretary of State in 1869, becoming the first African American to hold this position in the state. He... Continue →
On this day, Rosa Parks, a 42-year-old Black seamstress and NAACP member, refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in... Continue →
In a message to Congress, President Abraham Lincoln proposed using federal bonds to compensate states that voluntarily abolished slavery by the year... Continue →
On this day, Pearl Stewart became the first African American woman to serve as editor of a major metropolitan daily newspaper—the Oakland Tribune,... Continue →
James Baldwin, born August 2, 1924, in Harlem, New York, passed away on this day in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France. A brilliant novelist, essayist, and... Continue →
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III, one of the most influential comedians of all time, was born in Peoria, Illinois. Raised primarily by his... Continue →
Louis Allen Rawls, known as Lou Rawls, was born in Chicago on this day. A three-time Grammy Award-winning singer, Rawls rose to fame in the 1950s and... Continue →
Minnie Evans, a self-taught African American folk artist, was born on December 1, 1892, in Long Creek, North Carolina. Known for her vivid, dreamlike... Continue →
Jonathan Jasper Wright, the first African American to serve on a state supreme court in the United States, resigned from the South Carolina Supreme... Continue →
On December 1, 1874, T. J. Byrd was granted U.S. Patent No. 157,370 for an improvement in car couplings, a device crucial for connecting railroad... Continue →
The 43rd Congress (1873–1875) convened with a historic number of seven African American representatives, all elected during the Reconstruction... Continue →
Mifflin Wistar Gibbs, an accomplished lawyer, publisher, and civil rights advocate, was elected city judge in Little Rock, Arkansas, becoming the... Continue →
?In 1873, several historically significant educational institutions were established, each playing a pivotal role in advancing education for African... Continue →
In a message to Congress, President Abraham Lincoln recommended using federal bonds to compensate any state that voluntarily abolished slavery before... Continue →
On this date, the First Continental Congress enacted the Continental Association, a trade boycott against Great Britain in response to the Coercive... Continue →
On this day, Massachusetts became the first English colony in North America to give statutory recognition to slavery with the passage of the Body of... Continue →
Alvin Ailey, the visionary African American dancer and choreographer who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958, died at age 58. For... Continue →
On December 2, 1975, Archie Griffin, the standout running back from Ohio State University, made history by becoming the first—and so far... Continue →
While the exact date when Maya Angelou was invited to compose a poem for President Bill Clinton's inauguration isn't publicly documented, she... Continue →
Andre Ware, quarterback for the University of Houston, made history by becoming the first African American quarterback to win the prestigious Heisman... Continue →
Marie Van Brittan Brown, a Black American inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 3,482,037 for her invention of the first home security system.... Continue →
On this day, Dial Press published Judas, My Brother, a novel by Frank Yerby, one of the first Black American authors to gain international acclaim... Continue →
On this day, Roland Hayes, a groundbreaking African American tenor, became the first Black soloist to perform at Boston's Symphony Hall to widespread... Continue →
Charles C. Diggs Jr. was born on December 2, 1922, in Detroit, Michigan. He became the first African American elected to Congress from Michigan,... Continue →
Henry Armstrong, born Henry Jackson Jr., would go on to become the only boxer in history to simultaneously hold world titles in three weight... Continue →
The 54th Congress of the United States (1895–1897) convened on this day with George W. Murray of South Carolina serving as the only African... Continue →
The 52nd Congress of the United States convened with only one African American representative: Henry P. Cheatham of North Carolina. A Republican and... Continue →
On this date, reports confirmed that 113 African Americans had been lynched in the United States during the year 1891 alone. This horrifying figure... Continue →
The institutions you mentioned—North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (North Carolina A&T), Delaware State University, and... Continue →
On December 2, 1891, Charles Harris Wesley was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He became a distinguished historian, educator, minister, and author,... Continue →
On this day, Granville T. Woods, often called the “Black Edison,” was granted a patent for his improved telephone transmitter. This device... Continue →
Radical white abolitionist John Brown was executed by hanging after his failed raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry in October 1859. His goal... Continue →
On this day, Frederick Douglass, in collaboration with Martin R. Delany, published the first issue of The North Star in Rochester, New York. The... Continue →
On this day, Thomas "Hitman" Hearns defeated Wilfred Benítez to win the WBC Junior Middleweight (Super Welterweight) title. With this victory,... Continue →
On December 3, 1964, J. Raymond Jones was elected leader of New York City's Democratic organization, Tammany Hall, becoming the first African... Continue →
Roy Wilkins, executive secretary of the NAACP, was awarded the prestigious Spingarn Medal for his lifelong dedication to civil rights and his... Continue →
On this day, the Independence Bank of Chicago was officially organized, becoming one of the largest Black-owned banks in the United States. Founded... Continue →
On this day, President Harry S. Truman established a presidential committee to monitor and enforce compliance with anti-discrimination provisions in... Continue →
Ralph Gardner-Chavis, born in Cleveland, Ohio, was a pioneering African American chemist whose research played a crucial role in the development of... Continue →
Helen Gray Edmonds was born in Lawrenceville, Virginia. She went on to become a distinguished educator, historian, and civic leader. Edmonds was the... Continue →
The 48th U.S. Congress (1883–1885) convened with two Black representatives: James E. O’Hara of North Carolina Robert Smalls... Continue →
On this day, the Virginia Constitutional Convention convened in Richmond as part of Reconstruction efforts following the Civil War. For the first... Continue →
On this day, John S. Rock—a lawyer, physician, and abolitionist—passed away. In 1865, he made history as the first African American admitted to... Continue →
On this date in 1865, Selection of the first Inter-racial jury is formed.
The Twenty-Fifth Corps was officially established within the Union Army of the James, becoming the largest all-Black unit in the history of the U.S.... Continue →
On this day, the Society of Colored People in Baltimore began keeping records in a notebook that continued until September 7, 1845. This group is... Continue →
Fred Hampton and Mark Clark, leaders of the Black Panther Party, were killed during a pre-dawn raid by the Chicago Police Department, coordinated... Continue →
On this date, journalist Emmett J. Scott published early reports highlighting the growing movement of African Americans from the rural South to the... Continue →
Moneta Sleet Jr., a photographer for Ebony magazine, became the first African American man and the first African American photographer to win a... Continue →
Clarence M. Mitchell Jr., director of the NAACP Washington Bureau, received the Spingarn Medal for the pivotal role he played in the enactment of... Continue →
Anthony Overton, a pioneering African American businessman, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his outstanding achievements in business.... Continue →
On this day, Duke Ellington and his band began their legendary residency at the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York. This engagement catapulted Ellington... Continue →
On this day, the modern Ku Klux Klan was officially chartered by the Fulton County Superior Court in Georgia. This marked the formal rebirth of the... Continue →
On this day, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) organized nationwide protests against the film The Birth of a... Continue →
Founded in Harlem, The Amsterdam News became one of the most influential African American newspapers in the United States. It served as a critical... Continue →
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men, was founded at Cornell... Continue →
On this day, the South Carolina Constitutional Convention adopted a new state constitution designed to systematically suppress Black voting rights.... Continue →
The American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS) was officially organized in Philadelphia by prominent abolitionists including William Lloyd Garrison, Arthur... Continue →
Prince Hall, a pioneering African American abolitionist and founder of Prince Hall Freemasonry, died in Boston on this day in 1807. Born in the... Continue →
On this day, General George Washington delivered his emotional farewell address to his officers of the Continental Army at Fraunces Tavern in New... Continue →
Marcus Allen, a standout running back from the University of Southern California (USC), won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first player in NCAA... Continue →
Johnny Rodgers, a standout wingback for the University of Nebraska, was awarded the Heisman Trophy on December 5, 1972, becoming the first wide... Continue →
On this day, Alexandre Dumas, the renowned French author of African descent, passed away at the age of 68. Dumas is best known for his literary... Continue →
On this day, New York City became the first city in the United States to enact legislation prohibiting racial and religious discrimination in private... Continue →
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. received the Spingarn Medal, the highest honor awarded by the NAACP, for his outstanding leadership during the Montgomery... Continue →
Carl Murphy, publisher of the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his outstanding contributions as a... Continue →
In response to Rosa Parks’ arrest for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger, the Montgomery Bus Boycott was launched on this day. That... Continue →
President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9808, establishing the President’s Committee on Civil Rights. This was the first national... Continue →
On this date in 1946, Spingarn Medal presented to Thurgood Marshall, director of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, "for his distinguished... Continue →
In response to post–World War II racial violence, including lynchings and mob attacks on Black veterans and civilians, President Harry S. Truman... Continue →
On this day, educator and civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) in New York City. The... Continue →
On this day, renowned Harlem Renaissance poet and playwright Langston Hughes saw his play Mulatto open at the Vanderbilt Theatre on Broadway. The... Continue →
The Swing Era officially took off around this time, with the commercial success of big bands transforming the American music scene. The mid-1930s... Continue →
Mary McLeod Bethune, renowned educator and civil rights leader, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for her outstanding achievements in... Continue →
Reverend James Cleveland was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 5, 1932. Known as the "King of Gospel Music," he first sang gospel under the... Continue →
Richard Wayne Penniman, known to the world as Little Richard, was born on December 5, 1932, in Macon, Georgia. A pioneer of rock and roll, Little... Continue →
Charity Adams Earley was born in Kittrell, North Carolina. In 1942, she became the first African American woman to be commissioned as an officer in... Continue →
Elbert Frank Cox was born in Evansville, Indiana on this day. In 1925, he made history by becoming the first African American in the world to receive... Continue →
The 47th Congress (1881–1883) convened with two African American Representatives: Robert Smalls of South Carolina, a formerly enslaved man... Continue →
Alexandre Dumas, the renowned French novelist and playwright, died on this day in 1870. Born in 1802, Dumas was of Afro-Caribbean descent—his... Continue →
Bill Pickett was born in Travis County, Texas, on this day. Though only 5'7" and 145 pounds, he became one of the most legendary figures of the... Continue →
Sarah Gorham, born on December 5, 1832, became the first woman appointed by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church as a missionary to a foreign... Continue →
Phillis Wheatley, the first African American to publish a book of poetry, died in poverty at the age of 31 in Boston. Enslaved as a child and brought... Continue →
Salem Poor, a formerly enslaved Black man and soldier in the American Revolutionary War, was recognized by 14 officers for his extraordinary bravery... Continue →
On or around December 6, 1849, Harriet Tubman escaped enslavement in Dorchester County, Maryland. Risking her life, she later returned to the South... Continue →
William Stanley Braithwaite was born in Boston, Massachusetts. A poet, literary critic, and editor, Braithwaite played a pivotal role in shaping... Continue →
On this day, Lee P. Brown made history by being elected the first African American mayor of Houston, Texas. A former police chief and federal "drug... Continue →
Eddie Robinson, legendary head coach of Grambling State University, coached his final football game on this day. Over a remarkable 57-year career... Continue →
Grace Bumbry, a renowned American opera singer, was celebrated for her exceptional talent and significant contributions to the world of classical... Continue →
On this day, Lewis Franklin Powell Jr. was confirmed as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. His nomination faced opposition from civil... Continue →
Frantz Fanon, the Martinican-born psychiatrist, philosopher, revolutionary, and author, passed away from leukemia at age 36. He is best known for his... Continue →
?On December 6, 1960, in Tucson, Arizona, approximately 500 store owners signed pledges committing to nondiscrimination practices. This collective... Continue →
Huddie William Ledbetter, famously known as Lead Belly, passed away on this day in 1949 at the age of 61. A master of the 12-string guitar, Lead... Continue →
Dr. Theodore K. Lawless was born on December 6, 1892, in Thibodaux, Louisiana. He became a renowned dermatologist, medical researcher, and... Continue →
Sergeant Thomas Shaw, a member of the 9th Cavalry Regiment—one of the original Buffalo Soldier units—was awarded the Medal of Honor for his... Continue →
The 44th Congress of the United States (1875–1877) convened with a historic high of eight African American members, the largest number during the... Continue →
Pinckney Benton Stewart (P.B.S.) Pinchback was elected president pro tempore of the Louisiana State Senate on this day in 1871, and shortly after... Continue →
The first National Black Labor Convention convened in Washington, D.C., bringing together African American workers and leaders from across the... Continue →
On December 6, 1869, James H. Harris of North Carolina was elected President of the National Convention of Colored Men, a significant assembly... Continue →
On this day, Tougaloo College was established in Tougaloo, Mississippi, by the American Missionary Association. It became a center for African... Continue →
Billy Sims, star running back for the University of Oklahoma, was awarded the Heisman Trophy on this day, becoming one of the few African American... Continue →
In 1982, John E. Jacob succeeded Vernon E. Jordan Jr. as president of the National Urban League, a historic civil rights organization focused on... Continue →
On December 7, 1972, the Rev. W. Sterling Cary was unanimously elected as the first Black president of the National Council of Churches (NCC), the... Continue →
Reginald F. Lewis, a trailblazer in law and business, was born on this day in Baltimore, Maryland. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School... Continue →
On the same day as the Pearl Harbor attack, Lester B. Granger was named executive director of the National Urban League, becoming a leading figure in... Continue →
The NAACP presented the prestigious Spingarn Medal to novelist Richard Wright for his groundbreaking contributions to American literature. He was... Continue →
Doris “Dorie” Miller, a mess attendant from Waco, Texas, displayed extraordinary bravery during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor while serving... Continue →
Comer Cottrell, born on this day in Mobile, Alabama, would go on to become a pioneering entrepreneur and influential figure in American business. In... Continue →
Sir Milton Margai was born on this day in Gbangbatoke, Sierra Leone. A trained medical doctor and respected statesman, Margai became the first Prime... Continue →
The year 1885 was marked by the lynching of 74 Black individuals in the United States. However, there is no specific record of 74 Black individuals... Continue →
The 49th Congress (1885–1887) convened on December 7, 1885, with two African American representatives serving: James E. O’Hara of North... Continue →
In Vicksburg, Mississippi, white Democrats orchestrated a violent coup against the legally elected Reconstruction government. Tensions had been... Continue →
On this day, William B. Gibbs Jr., a Black teacher and principal in Montgomery County, Maryland, filed Gibbs v. Board of Education, challenging... Continue →
On this day, Kurt L. Schmoke was inaugurated as the first African American mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. A Rhodes Scholar and Yale Law graduate,... Continue →
U.S. Representative George W. Collins of Illinois died in a plane crash near Chicago Midway Airport at age 47. Collins had served in Congress since... Continue →
On this day, journalist and publisher Louis E. Martin founded the Michigan Chronicle, an African American newspaper based in Detroit. The paper... Continue →
On this day, John Hope was posthumously awarded the Spingarn Medal, the NAACP’s highest honor, recognizing outstanding achievement by an African... Continue →
On this day, the NAACP filed its first lawsuit in a landmark campaign to equalize the salaries of Black and white teachers in the segregated South.... Continue →
Clerow “Flip” Wilson was born on this day in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was the tenth of 24 children, with 18 siblings surviving into adulthood.... Continue →
Sammy Davis Jr., legendary African American singer, dancer, actor, and comedian, was born in Harlem, New York. A child prodigy who began performing... Continue →
Henry Hugh Proctor was born in Fayette County, Tennessee. He became a prominent African American minister, educator, and writer, known for his work... Continue →
President Abraham Lincoln issued his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, offering a full pardon and restoration of property (except for... Continue →
On this day, Lucy Ann Stanton made history by becoming the first African American woman to complete a college-level course of study. She graduated... Continue →
On December 9, 1995, Kweisi Mfume, then a Democratic Congressman from Maryland, was unanimously elected as the President and Chief Executive Officer... Continue →
Craig Washington, a Democratic state legislator, won a special election to represent Texas’ 18th Congressional District, succeeding the late Mickey... Continue →
Tony Dorsett, star running back for the University of Pittsburgh, was awarded the Heisman Trophy as the most outstanding player in college football.... Continue →
Ralph J. Bunche, diplomat, scholar, and the first African American to receive the Nobel Peace Prize (1950), passed away at age 67 in New York City.... Continue →
Bill Pickett, a legendary African American cowboy, was posthumously inducted into the National Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame on December 9, 1971. Born in... Continue →
On this day, Tanganyika, a territory in East Africa, gained independence from British colonial rule. It became a sovereign nation with Julius Nyerere... Continue →
On this day, Jack L. Cooper, the first African American radio broadcaster, launched "Search for Missing Persons," a public service program aimed at... Continue →
Andrew “Rube” Foster, founder of the Negro National League (NNL) and a legendary figure in Black baseball, died on this day in 1930. Foster was... Continue →
Redd Foxx, born John Elroy Sanford in St. Louis, Missouri, was an iconic comedian and actor known for his quick wit, edgy stand-up routines, and... Continue →
Roy DeCarava, pioneering African American photographer, was born in New York City. He became the first African American photographer to receive a... Continue →
On this day, Pinckney Benton Stewart (P.B.S.) Pinchback became the Governor of Louisiana, making him the first African American to serve as governor... Continue →
The Georgia Constitutional Convention of 1867 began in Atlanta, with 33 Black delegates and 137 white delegates participating. This marked a... Continue →
St. Martin de Porres, a Peruvian of African and Indigenous descent, was born in Lima, Peru, and became the first Black saint of the Americas. Known... Continue →
On this day, Pamela McAllister Johnson broke barriers by becoming the first Black woman to serve as publisher of a mainstream daily newspaper, the... Continue →
On this date in 1950, Ralph J. Bunche, director of the UN Trusteeship division and former professor of political science at Howard University,... Continue →
On this day, William H. Rehnquist was confirmed as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. His confirmation faced strong opposition from... Continue →
Soul singer Otis Redding, known for hits like “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay”, tragically died at age 26 when his plane crashed into Lake... Continue →
On this day, legendary boxer Sugar Ray Robinson officially retired from boxing, ending a storied career that redefined the sport. Robinson amassed... Continue →
On this day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, for his nonviolent struggle against racial segregation and... Continue →
On December 10, 1864, the 5th and 6th United States Colored Cavalry (USCC) Regiments commenced their participation in Stoneman's Raid into... Continue →
Edwin C. Berry, one of the most successful Black entrepreneurs of his era, was born on this day in Oberlin, Ohio. In 1892, he built the Hotel Berry,... Continue →
Norbert Rillieux, a free-born Black inventor and chemical engineer from New Orleans, patented his multiple-effect evaporator under vacuum on this... Continue →
George Rogers, star running back from the University of South Carolina, was awarded the Heisman Trophy, becoming the second Black athlete to win the... Continue →
On this day, iconic soul singer Sam Cooke died at age 33 in Los Angeles, California. According to reports, he was shot and killed by Bertha Franklin,... Continue →
Langston Hughes’ gospel musical Black Nativity premiered Off-Broadway at the 89th Street Theatre in New York City. One of the first plays written... Continue →
The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the convictions of sixteen African American students who had been arrested for participating in a peaceful lunch... Continue →
Lewis H. Latimer, an accomplished African American inventor and engineer, died on this day in Flushing, New York. He began his career as a draftsman... Continue →
Blues singer Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton was born in Ariton, Alabama. A powerhouse vocalist and songwriter, she is best known for her 1952 hit... Continue →
On this day, Joe "King" Oliver, a pioneering jazz cornetist and bandleader, left New Orleans and moved to Chicago, marking a key moment in the Great... Continue →
On this day, 13 African American soldiers of the 24th Infantry Regiment were executed by hanging at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, without the chance to... Continue →
Harry T. Burleigh, a pioneering African American composer, arranger, and baritone soloist, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP. Burleigh is... Continue →
John E. Bush, born into slavery, rose to become a respected teacher, real estate developer, and civic leader in Arkansas. In 1898, he was appointed... Continue →
On this day, Pinckney Benton Stewart (P.B.S.) Pinchback became the first African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state—Louisiana. He... Continue →
On this day, Willie L. Brown Jr., a longtime California political powerhouse and former Speaker of the California State Assembly, defeated incumbent... Continue →
The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) was founded on December 12, 1975, in Washington, D.C., by 44 journalists dedicated to... Continue →
On this day, Kenya officially gained independence from British colonial rule, ending decades of struggle. Jomo Kenyatta, a key leader in the... Continue →
Civil rights activist Medgar Evers was posthumously awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his courageous work in the fight against racial... Continue →
More than 700 demonstrators, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., were arrested in Albany, Georgia, during five mass marches to city hall protesting... Continue →
Dionne Warwick, one of the most-charted female vocalists of all time, was born in East Orange, New Jersey. Known for her smooth vocals and... Continue →
On December 12, 1938, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a pivotal decision in Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada, marking a significant step toward... Continue →
Vincent Smith, an acclaimed African American painter and printmaker, was born in Brooklyn, New York. His work is celebrated for its vivid... Continue →
Joe Williams, acclaimed American jazz vocalist, was born in Cordele, Georgia. Renowned for his smooth baritone voice, Williams rose to fame in the... Continue →
Boxing legend Henry Armstrong was born on this day in 1912. In 1938, Armstrong made history by becoming the first boxer to simultaneously hold world... Continue →
Josh Gibson, one of the greatest power hitters in baseball history, was born on this day in Buena Vista, Georgia. Known as the "Black Babe Ruth,"... Continue →
Dr. George F. Grant, an African American dentist, professor, and inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 638,920 for a wooden golf tee. A... Continue →
Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, born on this day in Paris, Tennessee, became the first African American president of Howard University, serving from 1926 to... Continue →
On this day, George H. Williams was appointed as the U.S. Attorney General by President Ulysses S. Grant. While Williams himself was not Black, his... Continue →
On this day, Joseph H. Rainey became the first African American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives for South Carolina. He was sworn in to... Continue →
Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham, born on April 18, 1904, in Durham, North Carolina, was a multifaceted African American entertainer renowned for his work as... Continue →
The Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) is the nation's longest-running voluntary school desegregation program. Established in... Continue →
On December 13, 1957, Daniel Ahmling Chapman Nyaho presented his credentials as Ghana's first Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the... Continue →
On December 26, 1944, Harriet Ida Pickens and Frances Eliza Wills became the first African American women commissioned as officers in the U.S. Navy's... Continue →
On this day, Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era, was traded from the Brooklyn Dodgers to... Continue →
Larry Doby, born on this day in Camden, South Carolina, would go on to become a trailblazer in Major League Baseball. On July 5, 1947, he became the... Continue →
Menelik II, the visionary emperor who modernized Ethiopia and defended its sovereignty, died on this day in 1913. His reign (1889–1913) was marked... Continue →
Archibald Lee Wright, later known as Archie Moore, was born in Benoit, Mississippi. A legendary figure in boxing, Moore would go on to win the World... Continue →
Ella Baker, one of the most influential yet unsung heroes of the American Civil Rights Movement, was born on this day. A tireless organizer and... Continue →
Under increasing pressure and facing troop shortages, General George Washington reversed a previous policy and allowed free Black men to enlist in... Continue →
Elston Howard, the first Black player to join the New York Yankees, passed away on this day in 1980. A standout catcher during the 1950s and 1960s,... Continue →
The San Francisco State College (now San Francisco State University) student strike of 1968–1969 was a pivotal moment in the history of American... Continue →
Entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. received the prestigious Spingarn Medal from the NAACP for his “superb and many-faceted talent” and his significant... Continue →
On December 14, 1963, the music world mourned the loss of Dinah Washington, a versatile and influential American singer renowned for her... Continue →
Stanley Crouch, born on December 14, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, was an influential American writer, jazz critic, and cultural commentator.... Continue →
On December 14, 1939, Ernie Davis was born in New Salem, Pennsylvania. He would go on to become a trailblazing figure in American football,... Continue →
Clark Terry was a trailblazing musician, best known for his work with Duke Ellington and Count Basie, and later as a member of the Tonight Show Band,... Continue →
John Mercer Langston, a pioneering lawyer, educator, and politician, was born on this day in Louisa County, Virginia. Born free in a slaveholding... Continue →
On this day, George Washington, the first President of the United States, died at his Mount Vernon estate. In his last will and testament, Washington... Continue →
On December 15, 2001, Rufus Thomas, the legendary R&B, soul, and funk singer renowned for hits like "Do the Funky Chicken" and "Walking the Dog,"... Continue →
William Augustus Hinton, a pioneering African American bacteriologist and pathologist, was born on this day. He is best known for developing the... Continue →
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, approximately 1,500 Black demonstrators gathered to protest segregation and racial injustice. In response, police used... Continue →
Kenneth B. Clark, a pioneering psychologist and educator, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his groundbreaking work on the... Continue →
The San Francisco Sun-Reporter is a prominent African American weekly newspaper serving the San Francisco community. Its origins trace back to 1944,... Continue →
Renowned jazz pianist, organist, composer, and entertainer Thomas W. “Fats” Waller died at age 39 in Kansas City, Missouri. A towering figure in... Continue →
In one of the decisive battles of the American Civil War, two brigades of United States Colored Troops (USCT) played a crucial role in defeating... Continue →
On December 15, 1896, Julia Terry Hammonds, an African American inventor from Lebanon, Illinois, was granted U.S. Patent No. 572,985 for her... Continue →
On this day, Maggie Lena Walker, a groundbreaking African American businesswoman and civic leader, passed away. Before her death, she served as... Continue →
On December 15, 1943, the Spingarn Medal was presented to William H. Hastie in recognition of his distinguished career as a jurist and his unwavering... Continue →
On December 15, 1934, William Taylor Burwell Williams was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his exceptional contributions to education.... Continue →
On December 16, 1973, during the final game of the regular season, Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson made NFL history by becoming the first... Continue →
On December 16, 1976, President-elect Jimmy Carter nominated Andrew Young to serve as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, making him... Continue →
On this day, the Booker T. Washington Memorial Half Dollar was officially issued by the United States Mint. It was the first U.S. coin to honor an... Continue →
John Edward Jacob, born on December 16, 1934, in Trout, Louisiana, and raised in Houston, Texas, was a prominent civil rights leader and advocate for... Continue →
On this day in 1933, Charles L. Blockson was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania. A renowned author, historian, and collector, Blockson became one of... Continue →
On December 16, 1875, William J. Whipper, a prominent African American lawyer and legislator, was elected as a circuit court judge in South Carolina... Continue →
Charles Caldwell, a formerly enslaved man who became a state senator and militia leader during Reconstruction, was assassinated in Clinton,... Continue →
On this day, three historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were founded or formally chartered: Alabama A&M University... Continue →
On December 15, 1875, South Carolina Governor Daniel H. Chamberlain took a significant stand against corruption within the state's judiciary. The... Continue →
On this day, the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church (CME) was officially organized in Jackson, Tennessee, by 41 freedmen and former slaves. The... Continue →
John Anthony Copeland Jr. and Shields Green, two Black men who joined abolitionist John Brown in his raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry,... Continue →
William Cooper Nell was born on this day in Boston, Massachusetts. Recognized by Carter G. Woodson as the first African American historian, Nell... Continue →
In December 1991, Michael Jordan was honored as Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, recognizing his exceptional achievements during the year.... Continue →
George and Noble Johnson founded the Lincoln Motion Picture Company, the first Black-owned film production company in the United States. Based in Los... Continue →
On December 17, 1975, baseball legend Henry "Hank" Aaron was honored with the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP. This prestigious award recognized his... Continue →
Noble Sissle, renowned jazz lyricist, bandleader, and playwright, died on this day in Tampa, Florida. He was best known for his groundbreaking... Continue →
On December 17, 1971, Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr. of Michigan resigned from his position as a delegate to the United Nations. This action was... Continue →
Marion Perkins, a self-taught African American sculptor from Chicago, died on this day in 1961. Born in 1908, Perkins worked as a newspaper vendor on... Continue →
Eddie Kendricks, future co-founder and falsetto lead singer of the legendary Motown group The Temptations, is born in Union Springs, Alabama. As part... Continue →
Art Neville was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He would go on to become a pioneering figure in funk and R&B music as a founding member of the... Continue →
On this day, the League of Nations officially granted South Africa a Class C mandate to administer South West Africa (present-day Namibia) following... Continue →
James P. Thomas, a formerly enslaved man who gained his freedom and became a prosperous entrepreneur, died on this day in 1913. After opening a... Continue →
Henry Adams was born enslaved in Forks of the Road, Louisiana. After gaining freedom, he became a Union Army soldier, political leader, and civil... Continue →
Deborah Sampson Gannett, born on December 17, 1760, in Plympton, Massachusetts, was a remarkable figure in American history. She is best known for... Continue →
On this day, Queen Nzinga (also spelled Nzingha or Njinga), the legendary ruler of Ndongo and Matamba in present-day Angola, passed away. Known as... Continue →
On December 18, 1989, the New York Film Critics Circle announced their annual awards, honoring Ernest R. Dickerson with the Best Cinematography award... Continue →
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, upheld the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066, which led to the internment of over 120,000 Japanese... Continue →
On December 18, 1996, the Oakland School Board in California made a groundbreaking decision by passing a resolution that recognized Ebonics, also... Continue →
On December 18, 1971, Reverend Jesse Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in Chicago. The organization was established to... Continue →
On December 18, 1971, the NAACP awarded the Spingarn Medal to Reverend Leon H. Sullivan in recognition of his outstanding leadership and... Continue →
Lori McNeil, born on December 18, 1963, in San Diego, California, is a former professional tennis player renowned for her achievements in both... Continue →
On December 18, 1917, Ossie Davis was born in Cogdell, Georgia. He emerged as a distinguished actor, director, writer, and civil rights activist,... Continue →
Benjamin O. Davis Sr., the first African American to become a General in the U.S. Army, was born in Washington, D.C. on this day. His military career... Continue →
On this day, the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution was officially ratified, formally abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude... Continue →
By the end of the Civil War, nearly one out of every four sailors in the Union Navy was Black. Out of 118,044 Union naval personnel, 29,511 were... Continue →
South Carolina became the first state to secede from the United States, declaring itself an independent commonwealth, which marked a major step... Continue →
Although this date precedes the U.S. Civil War (1861–1865), it's often cited in historical summaries to highlight the eventual scale of Black... Continue →
George Henry White, born on December 18, 1852, in Bladen County, North Carolina, was a prominent African American attorney, educator, and politician... Continue →
Carter Godwin Woodson was born in New Canton, Virginia. A pioneering African American historian, author, and educator, he is best known as the... Continue →
Cicely Tyson, the acclaimed American actress, was born on December 19, 1924, in Harlem, New York City. Raised by her parents, who were immigrants... Continue →
James Weldon Johnson, noted author, educator, lawyer, and civil rights leader, resigned from his role as executive secretary of the NAACP, a position... Continue →
Henry A. Hunt, a pioneering Black educator and agricultural leader, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his outstanding contributions to... Continue →
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, originally founded on January 13, 1913 at Howard University by 22 collegiate women, was officially incorporated on... Continue →
On this day, the Pittsburgh Courier, one of the most influential African American newspapers in U.S. history, was founded. Based in Pittsburgh,... Continue →
On this date, South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, was officially designated a state-supported land-grant institution for... Continue →
On this date, reports indicated that 67 African Americans were lynched in the United States during the year 1910. Lynching was a brutal form of... Continue →
The Norfolk Journal and Guide, a significant African American newspaper, was established in 1910 under the leadership of Plummer Bernard (P.B.) Young... Continue →
On this day, the Baltimore City Council passed the first city ordinance in the United States mandating racial segregation in housing, requiring that... Continue →
On December 19, 1891, Charles Randolph Uncles became the first African American priest ordained in the United States. Born on November 8, 1859, in... Continue →
The gubernatorial election in Georgia on December 19, 1871, was a pivotal event during the Reconstruction era, marked by significant political... Continue →
On December 20, 1988, Max Robinson, the first African American man to anchor a nightly network newscast, passed away at the age of 49 due to... Continue →
On December 20, 1983, Julius "Dr. J" Erving scored his 25,000th career point, becoming the ninth professional basketball player to reach this... Continue →
On December 20, 1981, the musical Dreamgirls premiered at Broadway's Imperial Theatre. The production ran for over three years, totaling 1,521... Continue →
On December 20, 1956, the African American community in Montgomery, Alabama, voted to end their 381-day bus boycott following the U.S. Supreme... Continue →
On this day, Paul Laurence Dunbar, one of the first influential Black poets in American literature, published his debut poetry collection, Oak and... Continue →
Jefferson Franklin Long of Macon, Georgia, became the first African American from Georgia elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He won a... Continue →
Robert H. Wood, born in 1844 to Susie Harris, an African American housekeeper, and Dr. Robert Wood, a white physician and former mayor of Natchez,... Continue →
Allen University Founded: 1870 Location: Columbia, South Carolina Wikipedia Background: Established by ministers of the... Continue →
On this day, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the United States, a key event leading to the American Civil War. The decision was... Continue →
On December 21, 1988, civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, alongside other prominent Black leaders, advocated for the adoption of the term... Continue →
Robert S. Duncanson, a pioneering African American landscape painter of the 19th century, faced significant health challenges in his later years. In... Continue →
On December 20, 1986, Michael Griffith, a 23-year-old Black man, was tragically killed in a racially motivated attack in the predominantly white... Continue →
On December 21, 1976, Patricia Roberts Harris was appointed as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by President-elect Jimmy Carter,... Continue →
On this day, legendary choreographer and dancer Alvin Ailey received the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP, “in recognition of his international... Continue →
The NAACP awarded the Spingarn Medal to Gordon B. Parks “in recognition of his unique creativity, as exemplified by his outstanding achievements as... Continue →
On December 21, 1972, Horace Mann Bond, an influential African American educator, historian, and college administrator, died. Bond was known for his... Continue →
On December 21, 1959, residents of Deerfield, Illinois, approved a referendum that effectively blocked plans for an interracial housing development.... Continue →
Florence Griffith Joyner, legendary American track and field athlete, was born in Los Angeles, California. Known as "Flo-Jo," she became iconic for... Continue →
The Spingarn Medal was awarded to Edward Kennedy ("Duke") Ellington, renowned composer, pianist, and jazz pioneer, in recognition of his outstanding... Continue →
Motown Records was established in Detroit, Michigan, by Berry Gordy Jr. Motown became one of the most influential record labels, significantly... Continue →
The Montgomery Bus Boycott officially ended after 381 days, making Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. national heroes. The U.S. Supreme Court... Continue →
Actor Samuel L. Jackson was born in Washington, D.C. Jackson began his acting career while attending Morehouse College and went on to star in over... Continue →
P.B.S. Pinchback, a major Reconstruction-era political leader and the first African American to serve as a U.S. state governor (Louisiana,... Continue →
The Negro Renaissance, later known as the Harlem Renaissance, marked a period of extraordinary creativity among Black artists and writers, coupled... Continue →
A year-end report released on this date revealed that 59 Black Americans were lynched in the United States during 1921. These extrajudicial killings,... Continue →
Actor Charles S. Gilpin received the NAACP's Spingarn Medal for his groundbreaking performance in the title role of The Emperor Jones by Eugene... Continue →
Josh Gibson, born in Buena Vista, Georgia, was one of the most powerful and legendary baseball players of his era. Often referred to as the "Black... Continue →
In response to escalating violence against Black citizens and Republicans during the Reconstruction era, President Ulysses S. Grant issued a... Continue →
South Carolina enacted one of the first sets of Black Codes following the Civil War, aiming "to regulate the relations of persons of color." These... Continue →
James Amos Porter, a pioneering African American art historian and artist, was born on this date in Baltimore, Maryland. Porter was instrumental in... Continue →
W.E.B. Du Bois, a pioneering sociologist, historian, and civil rights activist, was elected to the prestigious National Institute of Arts and... Continue →
Dr. Chancellor Williams, renowned historian and author of The Destruction of Black Civilization, was born. His influential work challenged mainstream... Continue →
Arthur Wergs Mitchell, born on December 22, 1883, near Lafayette, Alabama, was the first African American elected to the U.S. Congress as a Democrat.... Continue →
Charles Lenox Remond, a pioneering abolitionist and orator, died on this day in 1873. He was the first Black lecturer employed by the Massachusetts... Continue →
Alice H. Parker, an African American inventor, was granted a patent for a gas-powered central heating system that used natural gas to provide warmth... Continue →
Madame C.J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove in Delta, Louisiana, was born on this day. She would go on to found a successful Black hair-care business in... Continue →
On this day in 1863, Robert Blake, serving as a powder boy aboard the USS Marblehead, became the first Black American awarded the Naval Medal of... Continue →
Henry Highland Garnet, a minister, abolitionist, and diplomat, was born into slavery in Kent County, Maryland. He became a prominent figure in the... Continue →
On December 24, 1992, Mike Espy was confirmed as the first Black Secretary of Agriculture in U.S. history. Appointed by President-elect Bill Clinton,... Continue →
On this day, approximately five thousand African Americans departed Edgefield County, South Carolina, in what became known as the “Edgefield... Continue →
Tennessee initiated the modern Jim Crow era by enacting a law mandating segregated railroad cars, becoming the first state to formalize such racial... Continue →
The United Order of True Reformers, an African American fraternal organization, was officially established in Richmond, Virginia. Founded by William... Continue →
Octavia V. Rogers Albert, an African American author and former enslaved woman, was born. She is best known for her influential book The House of... Continue →
On Christmas Day in 1971, Rev. Jesse Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in Chicago. The organization aimed to improve... Continue →
Charles Caldwell, a formerly enslaved man and Reconstruction-era politician, was assassinated in Clinton, Mississippi. He had made history as the... Continue →
The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) announced that its national director, James Farmer, a key architect of the Civil Rights Movement and leader of... Continue →
Seaway National Bank of Chicago, one of the largest Black-owned banks in the United States, was established to serve the financial needs of the South... Continue →
On Christmas Day 1956, the home of Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, a key leader in the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement, was bombed by white... Continue →
Mabel Keaton Staupers received the NAACP's prestigious Spingarn Medal for her pioneering leadership in nursing and her tireless advocacy for racial... Continue →
Civil rights activists Harry T. Moore and his wife, Harriette, were killed by a bomb planted beneath their home in Mims, Florida. Harry T. Moore, the... Continue →
Bandleader and pioneering jazz singer, Cab Calloway became the first jazz vocalist to sell a million records, leaving a lasting impact on American... Continue →
Henry McKee Minton was born on this day in Columbia, South Carolina. A pioneering African American physician and pharmacist, Minton co-founded Sigma... Continue →
On Christmas Day 1865, three prominent historically Black universities were founded: Atlanta University (now part of Clark Atlanta University), Shaw... Continue →
Reports from across the American South indicated that many freedmen had left plantations, anticipating a general distribution of land. General Rufus... Continue →
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, the oldest historically Black university in the United States, was established as the Institute for Colored Youth... Continue →
Remond was one of the first African Americans employed as a lecturer by the antislavery movement. Known for his eloquence and passionate advocacy, he... Continue →
The Mirror of Liberty, the first African American magazine, was published in New York City by abolitionist David Ruggles. It served as a powerful... Continue →
During the Second Seminole War, a combined force of Seminole Indians and Black Seminoles was defeated by American troops at the Battle of Okeechobee... Continue →
Charles B. Ray was born in Falmouth, Massachusetts. He later enrolled at Wesleyan University in Connecticut but was forced to withdraw due to... Continue →
Considered the first published African American poet, Jupiter Hammon's work marked a significant moment in Black literary history. His deeply... Continue →
Kwanzaa, a week-long cultural holiday celebrating African-American heritage, unity, and culture, was first observed on this date. It was founded by... Continue →
Following the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, African Americans in Birmingham, Alabama, launched a campaign of mass resistance against... Continue →
Lonne Elder III was an influential American actor, playwright, and screenwriter, renowned for his contributions to African-American theater and film.... Continue →
DeFord Bailey, an influential African American harmonica player, was among the Grand Ole Opry's earliest and most celebrated performers. His first... Continue →
In Sydney, Australia, Jack Johnson defeated Tommy Burns to win the world heavyweight championship, becoming the first Black man to hold the title.... Continue →
By the end of 1908, records from anti-lynching activists and institutions like the Tuskegee Institute documented that 89 Black individuals were... Continue →
Jean Toomer, a pioneering African-American writer and the grandson of P.B.S. Pinchback—the first African-American governor of a U.S. state—was... Continue →
David Ruggles, often considered the first African American bookseller, died in Northampton, Massachusetts. He opened his bookstore in 1834 in New... Continue →
William and Ellen Craft escaped from slavery in Georgia in a daring journey. Ellen, who was light-skinned, disguised herself as a white male... Continue →
The second day of the first-ever Kwanzaa celebration honored Kujichagulia, meaning "self-determination" in Swahili. Kwanzaa, created by Dr. Maulana... Continue →
In a decisive ruling, Judge Devane declared that “every segregation act of every state or city is as dead as a doornail,” reinforcing the legal... Continue →
On this day, Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his outstanding conduct both on and off the baseball... Continue →
On this day in 1941, Dr. Charles Richard Drew, a trailblazing African American physician and researcher, established a pioneering blood bank in New... Continue →
John Amos was born in Newark, New Jersey. He gained prominence in the 1970s for his role in Good Times, where he portrayed a strong Black father... Continue →
With the support of his wife, Work went on to publish The Negro Year Book, an annual encyclopedia of African American achievement. In 1928, he... Continue →
Livingstone College and Biddle College (now Johnson C. Smith University) played the first recorded football game between African American colleges.... Continue →
William A. Harper, one of the most gifted African American artists of the early 20th century, was born in Ontario, Canada. A student of renowned... Continue →
Actor Denzel Washington was born on this day in Mount Vernon, NY. Washington will star in such films as "Malcolm X", "Glory", "Much Ado about... Continue →
Third Day of Kwanzaa - Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)On December 28, 1966, the third day of the first-ever Kwanzaa celebration honored... Continue →
Arthur B. Spingarn, a key figure in the early U.S. civil rights movement and one of the founders of the NAACP (National Association for the... Continue →
On this day, Karen Farmer broke racial barriers by becoming the first African American admitted to the Daughters of the American Revolution. She... Continue →
George H. White was the final Black member of Congress during the post-Reconstruction period, serving North Carolina’s 2nd congressional district... Continue →
The date December 28, 1918, is tied to a tragic and telling report in U.S. history. On that day, The Chicago Whip, a Black newspaper, reported that... Continue →
William Stanley Braithwaite, renowned poet, literary critic, and editor, received the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP for distinguished achievement in... Continue →
Hines revolutionized jazz piano with his innovative "trumpet-style" approach, influencing countless musicians and shaping the future of jazz. His... Continue →
On this day in 1897, inventor C. V. Rickey was granted U.S. Patent No. 596,427 for a fire escape bracket. This innovation contributed to safer... Continue →
Elizabeth Freeman, known as "Mumbet," dies. Born into slavery, she escaped after mistreatment and successfully sued for her freedom in Massachusetts.... Continue →
The American Colonization Society (ACS) was founded with the mission of resettling free African Americans to Africa, specifically to what would... Continue →
Robert C. Weaver, born on this day, became the first African American appointed to a U.S. presidential cabinet. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson... Continue →
On this day in 1845, Texas was admitted to the United States as the 28th state, entering the Union as a slave state. This move heightened tensions... Continue →
Thomas J. "Tom" Bradley was born on December 29, 1917, in Calvert, Texas. He moved with his family to Los Angeles around 1924, where he later... Continue →
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., a historically African American Greek-lettered sorority, was officially incorporated on this date in 1929. Founded on... Continue →
Two U.S. courts issued temporary injunctions to stop the eviction of approximately 700 Black sharecroppers in Haywood and Fayette counties,... Continue →
On this day in 1960, renowned poet and writer Langston Hughes was presented with the NAACP Spingarn Medal, honoring his outstanding achievements in... Continue →
The "Don't Buy Where You Can't Work" campaign began in Chicago with the picketing of chain stores on the South Side, demanding fair employment... Continue →
On this day, Mordecai Wyatt Johnson was honored with the prestigious Spingarn Medal by the NAACP, recognizing his significant contributions to... Continue →
On this day in 1928, Bo Diddley was born Ellas Bates on a small farm near McComb, Mississippi, in rural Pike County near the Louisiana border. Raised... Continue →
Dr. Miles V. Lynk, a pioneering African American physician, published The Medical and Surgical Observer, the first Black medical journal in the... Continue →
Josiah T. Walls, the first Black man elected to the U.S. Congress from Florida, was born on this day in 1842. Born into slavery in Virginia, Walls... Continue →
Donna Summer, the iconic "Queen of Disco," is born in Boston, Massachusetts. Rising to fame in the 1970s, she became a defining voice of the disco... Continue →
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) held its first nationally televised telethon, An Evening of Stars, which raised $14.1 million to support... Continue →
On this day in 1953, Hulan Jack was sworn in as the Borough President of Manhattan, becoming one of the first African Americans to hold such a... Continue →
On December 31, 1953, the NAACP awarded the Spingarn Medal to Paul R. Williams for his outstanding achievements in architecture. Williams broke... Continue →
On this day, Marian Anderson made her debut at Town Hall in New York City. Her performance was widely praised, with New York Times critic Howard... Continue →
Odetta Felious Gordon, known simply as Odetta, is born in Birmingham, Alabama. A powerful folk singer, guitarist, and civil rights activist, Odetta... Continue →
Sculptor and educator Selma Burke was born on this day in Mooresville, North Carolina. She gained national recognition after being commissioned to... Continue →
Annie Wealthy Holland, an influential African American educator, was born on this day. She is best known for founding the Parent Teacher Association... Continue →
Residents of Rochester, New York, joined Frederick Douglass in a solemn vigil on the eve of the Emancipation Proclamation. As midnight approached,... Continue →
Alarmed by the potential impact of the British Governor Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation—which offered freedom to enslaved people who joined British... Continue →
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