Black facts

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 C. R. Patterson & Sons Company was the first Black-owned automobile manufacturer in the United States. The company was initially began by a former slave and his eldest son took the family business to greater heights in the early 20th Century. Charles Richard Patterson was a former slave who escaped captivity in Virginia, then […]

Ira Aldridge was an American-born actor who went on to international fame when he arrived in Europe to further his career. Aldridge is considered the first African-American actor to gain worldwide acclaim, and the first Black actor to find fame in a foreign nation. Ira Frederick Aldridge was born on July 24, 1807 in New […]

  Harriet Jacobs was a former slave who penned an autobiography detailing her escape from an oppressive master who made sexual advances towards her. Jacobs became a darling of the anti-slavery movement with the publication of her book, Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl, helping other slaves by way of her celebrity. Jacobs was […]

  The late William “Bill” G. Mays was a pioneering Indiana businessman who applied his resources to bring prominence to not only his holdings but other entities across the state. Among his many accomplishments, Mays was the first African-American chairman of the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, cementing his designation as one of the state’s […]

In modern times, despite poor record-keeping and erased histories, it has been revealed that enslaved African-Americans contributed far more than free labor to this country. A slave, Jo Anderson, is largely credited as the co-inventor of the McCormick mechanical reaper, which revolutionized American farming in the 19th Century. Jo Anderson, who was born in 1808, […]

Bessie Stringfield, better known as the “Motorcycle Queen of Miami,” is a pioneering motorcyclist who broke down barriers for Black riders and women alike. The late Stringfield is historically known as the first Black woman to ride across the United States, riding well into her later years. Stringfield was born in Jamaica in 1911 to […]

Memorial Day holds a special place for many Americans, especially those who serve in the nation’s military. While past and current members of the armed forces are most certainly honored, what few realize is that the practice of celebrating America’s soldiers gained popularity due to a group of freed Blacks in the South. In the […]

The lore of the town of Nicodemus, Kansas began on April 18, 1877 when a group six former slaves and a white land speculator formed a company to create the first all-Black establishment in the Great Plains. W.H. Smith, who was Black, served as the town’s first president, and W.R. Hill, the land speculator, was […]

Rebecca Lee Crumpler is widely considered by historians as the first African-American woman to become a physician in the states. While the fact has been disputed, Dr. Crumpler’s contributions to medicine and her will to challenge racial and sexist barriers has solidified her rightful place in history. Crumpler was born February 8, 1831 in Christiana, […]

June Bacon-Bercey was a pioneer in the field of meteorology, becoming the first Black woman to earn a degree in the science in the ’50s. She was also an internationally recognized expert in aviation and weather, and is the first woman and African-American woman to win the American Meteorological Society’s “seal of approval” honor for […]

Linda Martell was a former country and blues artist who made her mark in the industry by becoming the first African-American woman to star in the Grand Ole Opry. Martell enjoyed a brief period of success but elected to raise her family and preserve her health instead of chasing down fame as a musician. LIKE […]