ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Midshipman Sydney Barber had her doubts about applying for the top student leadership position at the U.S. Naval Academy. A Black woman had never held the post in the 44 years women have been able to attend the 175-year-old institution. A Black academy alumna of another generation saw her potential. Navy […]
Victor Glover became the first Black astronaut to serve as a crew member at the station on Sunday (Nov. 15) when he boarded a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule named Resilience and rocketed up to the International's Space Station.
The NFL will have an all-Black officiating crew for the first time in league history when the Rams play the Buccaneers on Monday night. “This historic Week 11 crew is a testament to the countless and immeasurable contributions of Black officials to the game, their exemplary performance, and to the power of inclusion that is […]
Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's relationship with Starz network is going swimmingly well. In addition to their exclusive 4-year deal, the two have agreed to develop two original drama series under G-Unit Film and Television. One tells the incredible story of a young, ambitious attorney breaking through the world of a sports agent. The other explores the behind-the-scenes stories from some of hip-hop's most iconic moments in history.
June and Jennifer Gibbons were twins born to Barbadian immigrants and raised in Wales in the United Kingdom. Known infamously as the “Silent Twins,” the Gibbons sisters spoke only to one another and sometimes their younger sister in a rapid-fire style of language only they understood. The twins were born on April 11, 1963 and […]
The late Cardiss Collins did not choose a life in politics, but tragedy thrust her into the role in the early ’70’s. As a result, Collins became the first Black woman to represent the Midwest in the U.S. Congress. Collins was born on September 24, 1931 in St. Louis, Mo. Her family relocated to Detroit […]
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 […]
Lemuel Haynes is credited as the first credentialed Black clergyman in the United States, and is considered the first minister to lead a white congregation. Haynes was born on July 18, 1753 in Hartford, Conn. to a Black father and white mother. Abandoned at five months of age, Haynes was raised by an indentured […]
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 […]
Today, the Girls Scouts organization is made up of young girls from all races learning valuable life lessons, but that wasn’t always the case. The organization was desegregated via the efforts of Sarah Randolph Bailey, who began her mission in the mid ’30’s. Bailey, born 1885 in Macon, Ga., was a longtime educator and missionary […]
