Dr. Ossain Sweet made headlines in the summer of 1925 after he successfully defended his home from an angry white mob in Detroit. The physician and ten of his brothers and friends all faced a pair of trials for killing a mob member but were acquitted by an all-white jury. Sweet was born on October […]
The hair and fashion industry can boast of several innovators, including Madame C.J. Walker, among others. Christina M. Jenkins is one of those great minds who is largely credited for creating the hair weaving process. Christina Mae Thomas was born Christmas Day in 1920, although there are conflicting dates regarding her day of birth. […]
Floyd Norman was the first Black animator hired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios, a legacy that will remain cemented in time. Norman is the subject of a new documentary that airs this weekend in Hollywood, and reveals little-known details about the animator’s private life. Norman was born June 22, 1935 in Santa Barbara, […]
The Watts Rebellion, often referred to as the Watts Riot, began this day in 1965. Until 1992, it was the largest such disturbance the city has ever seen and historians point to a longstanding tension between police and the Black community as the impetus. Marquette Frye, then 21, and his brother Ronald were driving in […]
Carrie Saxon Perry is the first Black woman mayor of a major New England city, achieving the historic mark in 1987 at the age of 56. The former Howard University and community activist used the largely ceremonial role as Hartford’s mayor to address issues such as crime, racial tension, and more. Perry was born in […]
This weekend in Houston, Texas, the army units known as the Buffalo Soldiers celebrated their 150th Anniversary. The Buffalo Soldiers, originally composed of former slaves and free men, were the first Black troops established during peacetime after the conclusion of the Civil War. On July 28,1866, the U.S. Army was reorganized for peacetime service a […]
During the opening ceremonies Monday at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, First Lady Michelle Obama mentioned in her speech that the White House was built by slaves. A growing number of skeptics attempted to discredit Mrs. Obama’s remarks, but the story has been verified several times over by historians in recent times. According to […]
Simone Biles became just the second woman in 40 years to win four consecutive national U.S. gymnastics titles, setting the stage for a potential gold medal haul at this year’s Summer Olympics. All eyes will be on Biles as she takes to the world stage in Rio, with some experts saying she could walk away […]
Bernie Worrell, an influential keyboardist who forged his sound while playing with George Clinton’s Parliament and Funkadelic bands, passed last Friday after battling stage four cancer. Mr. Worrell not only played with the legendary funk bands but toured with rock acts and more. Worrell was born April 19, 1944 in Long Branch, New Jersey. A […]
As the world continues to mourn the great Muhammad Ali, many are reflecting on the champ’s stellar boxing career. In his second to last fight, Ali fought Larry Holmes. Ali and Holmes, former training and sparring partners, met in the ring on October 2, 1980 in Las Vegas. It was reported that Holmes didn’t want […]
The NAACP annually awards the Spingarn Medal to individuals who have contributed greatly to the African-American community. On this day in 1920, scholar and activist W.E.B. Du Bois became the sixth recipient of the coveted award for his work with the Pan-African Congress. The Spingarn Medal was established in 1914 by then-Chairman J.E. Spingarn, and […]
In the three years that passed after the shocking assassination of Malcolm X, the Last Poets formed on May 19, the slain leader’s birthday, in 1968. The Original Last Poets consisted of Felipe Luciano, Gylan Kain and David Nelson, and gathered at the former Mount Morris Park, now known as Marcus Garvey Park in East […]
