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 […]
The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio are quickly approaching, and the racial diversity of the Games has improved greatly over the years. Just over 90 years ago, DeHart Hubbard made a significant dent in history by becoming the first Black person to win individual Olympic gold at the Summer Games. Born William DeHart Hubbard on […]
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 […]
Charles Lewis Reason was the first African-American professor to teach at a predominately white college. Professor Reason was a proponent of Booker T. Washington’s ideal that industrial education was a means for Black liberation, but he also believed that classical education was just as necessary. Reason was born July 21, 1818 in New York City […]
While many know the incredible story of Henry ‘Box’ Brown who escaped slavery by shipping himself from Virginia to Pennsylvania, Lear Green’s story has been somewhat lost to history. Greer was an enslaved woman who made a daring escape in order to marry the man of her choice and bear free children. Green was able to […]
The Red Summer of 1919 refers to a series of race riots that took place in dozens of cities across the United States. On this day that year, Washington, D.C. endured an ugly race riot that left dozens dead and several more injured. As World War I was becoming a memory, many former military men, […]
The shoe repair business has been around a long time, although there’s typically an emphasis on dress shoes and the like. But in Birmingham, Alabama, two friends can lay claim to creating the state’s first Black-owned sneaker dry cleaning service which has expanded quickly since its opening. Tavaris Godbolt and Alvin Miller are the founders […]
The Indianapolis Fire Department honored its first Black police chief over the weekend by renaming a station in his honor. Chief Joseph D. Kimbrew Sr., who died last year, was instrumental in helping bridge the racial divide between Black and white firefighters in the city. Kimbrew, a native of Indianapolis and graduate of the famed […]
As the United States celebrates its Day of Independence today, our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean are also celebrating an important event. The establishment of the Caribbean Community and Common Market, widely known as CARICOM, took place on this day in 1973. Between 1965 and 1972, a trade agreement between several Caribbean nations known […]
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 […]
