The late James Farmer rose to prominence as one of the more visible civil rights leaders of his time. On this day in 1998, Farmer was honored by President Bill Clinton with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Martin Luther King Day, just three days after his birthday. Farmer was born January 12, 1920 in […]
Rosa Parks and her defiant act of refusing to give up her seat in December 1955 in Montgomery, Ala. helped push the Civil Rights Movement forward. Nine months before that incident however, Claudette Colvin stood up for her right to sit where she pleased on a segregated bus yet her story was cast aside. Colvin […]
Pioneering songwriter and producer Sylvia Moy has died in her home state of Michigan. Moy was the first woman to work as a producer for the legendary Motown Records and has been recognized for her talents behind the scene countless times. Her name might not be familiar to those outside the music industry, but her […]
Jackie Robinson’s historic barrier-breaking feat celebrated its 70th anniversary last week, but a pair of forgotten Black baseball players might have some right to Number 42’s historic claim. William Edward White and Moses Fleetwood Walker are credited as players who integrated the MLB many years before Robinson. Very little is known about White but what […]
Esther Afua Ocloo isn’t a widely known name in the world of business, but that might change this week thanks to a beautiful Google Doodle this week honoring her. The Ghanaian businesswoman and pioneer of micro-lending would have been 98 years old this past Tuesday, and her rise to the top is a truly inspiring […]
Leila Foley-Davis made history in 1973 after she became the first Black woman elected mayor in the United States. Her election predates the election of Doris A. Davis of Compton, Calif., who became the first Black woman mayor of a major metropolitan city later that year. Ms. Foley-Davis was born Lelia Kasenia Smith on November […]
This weekend marks the 70th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut in Major League Baseball, shattering the color barrier in a sport Blacks dominated in their own leagues. The Los Angeles Dodgers will erect a statue in honor of the late Hall Of Fame star, which will serve as a lasting reminder of Robinson’s baseball legacy. […]
The 1967 Race Riots of Detroit, also known as the 12th Street Riots, were among the most violent civil disturbances in United States history. A new film by Oscar Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, Detroit will examine the riots and one particularly disturbing incident involving the mysterious murder of three Black men at the Algiers Motel. The […]
Cherokee Bill was an outlaw who committed a series of violent crimes across the Indian Territory of the 19th Century, around what is now known as Oklahoma. Bill’s name grew in infamy after running with a crew of Black Indian outlaws and he was hanged for his crimes at the age of 20. Born February […]
The samurai has maintained an image of fierceness, mystery, and honor across the mediums of film and literature. While the samurai is a synonymous figure within Japanese culture, an upcoming film will turn its focus on Yasuke, who is said to be the first Black samurai. Historians have disagreed over Yasuke’s origin, but he was […]
COINTELPRO, short of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Program, was created by former director J. Edgar Hoover as a means to spy on and disrupt anti-American interests in the nation. The program’s invasive reach was ended on this day in 1976 after the release of the so-called “Levi Guidelines” from former Attorney General Edward H. Levi. Levi, […]
Dawn Staley is one of the most celebrated women’s basketball players of her era and her collegiate career was filled with several highs but a national championship eluded her. Now, the head coach of the University of South Carolina Lady Gamecocks can finally count herself a champion after leading her squad to its first […]
