On May 12, 1968, over 2,500 activists from Mississippi arrived by bus in Washington, D.C. for a gathering of mass protest that was planned to be long-term at the National Mall. An architect named John Wiebenson secured five acres around the Reflecting pool in Washington in order to build a small independent city with its […]
On display at the convention for the United Federation of Doll Clubs this year are African-American dolls that were made between 1850-1870. Twelve hundred collectors gathered in New Orleans to view the most unique doll collections in the world, including those belonging to former slaves. http://www.blackamericaweb.com/news/little-known-black-history-fact/little-known-black-history-fact-oldest-black-dolls
Riverside General Hospital (RGH) in Houston, Texas is the only remaining historically black hospital in the United States. Formerly known as the Houston Negro Hospital, the 1927 facility was the dream project of several black doctors. http://www.blackamericaweb.com/news/little-known-black-history-fact/little-known-black-history-fact-riverside-general-hospital
Nicodemus, Kansas is a small community in north central Kansas, named after an escaped slave who bought his way to freedom. On April 18, 1877, six freed slaves and one white man, W.R. Hill, formed the town council. They would recruit over 350 ex-slaves who came by train and foot to start the town. With […]
The Evening and the Morning Star was the name given to an early publication of the Latter Day Saints religion in 1832. The first editions of the paper, which was founded in Independence, Missouri by William W. Phelps, ran for one year before moving to Kirtland, Ohio. http://www.blackamericaweb.com/news/little-known-black-history-fact/little-known-black-history-fact-evening-and-morning-star
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a historically white organization for woman descendants of rebel patriots that served in the American Revolution. For centuries, black women were discouraged from joining the group. http://www.blackamericaweb.com/news/little-known-black-history-fact/little-known-black-history-fact-daughters-american-revolution
Maritza Correia was the first African-American (with Puerto Rican heritage) swimmer from the United States to set an American and world swimming record in the Olympics. Nicknamed the “Ritz,” Correia was diagnosed with scoliosis in 1988. At the suggestion of her physician, she began swimming at age 8 and never left the pool. http://www.blackamericaweb.com/news/little-known-black-history-fact/little-known-black-history-fact-maritza-correia
Doc McStuffins is the name of the newest animated TV star featured on Disney Junior. The “Doc” is the first black female lead character of an animated series on the channel. Created by Emmy Award winning Writer and Producer Chris Nee, (Blues Clues, Backyardigans, Little Bill), Doc McStuffins is an animal vet for fictional toys […]
African-American author Natasha Tretheway has been named Poet Laureate of the United States. The Pulitzer-Prize winner and Professor at Emory University is the first black to hold the honor since 1993. http://www.blackamericaweb.com/news/little-known-black-history-fact/little-known-black-history-fact-natasha-tretheway
Wendell Scott became the first African-American to obtain a NASCAR racing license in 1953. Now, decades after making history, Wendell Scott is the first black racecar driver on the ballot for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Scott will be on the 2013 ballot and fans can vote for him on NASCAR.com. http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/news/the_black_diaspora_news/39140
In 1968, Ellen Holly became the first African-American actress to integrate a daytime television soap opera. http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/news/the_black_diaspora_news/37309ellen holly,
written by @itsthecaptain The TV world truly wasn’t ready for a man like Arsenio Hall! Perhaps that was the gift and the curse of it all. Before Arsenio of course you were allowed on Jay Leno or Letterman…but obviously you were an entertainer being interviewed. Although being ridiculed for “being too proper” and having a […]
