Little Known Black History Facts
The music world lost a legend today now that R&B and soul singer Percy Sledge has died. Sledge is best known for his first and biggest hit, “When A Man Loves A Woman,” which made him an internationally recognized star. Sledge was born November 25, 1940 in Leighton, Alabama. As a youngster, Sledge worked […]
Pioneering heart surgeon, educator and civil rights activist Dr. Levi Watkins Jr. died last Friday. Dr. Watkins leaves behind a series of barrier-shattering achievements and a legacy of promoting change for future Black doctors and activists. Born June 13, 1944 in Parson, Kan., Dr. Watkins’ father, Levi Sr., was the sixth president of Alabama […]
Tiger Woods made history by becoming the first African-American golfer to win the PGA Masters Tournament championship at Augusta National Golf Club in 1997, and was also the youngest to do so. But if Woods were playing in the PGA just seven years prior to his barrier-smashing achievement, he wouldn’t have been able to […]
This week in 1992, tennis great Arthur Ashe became a champion both on the court and off when the legendary athlete announced he was stricken with the AIDS virus. Flanked by his wife, Jeanne Moutoussamy Ashe, Ashe bravely stood in front of the media on April 8 of that year and promised to combat […]
Imagine being born early enough to not only witness the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement and the fight for voting rights, but to also witness what was once thought impossible. Emma Primas, a 109-year-old Houston woman, thought she’d never live to see a Black president in the White House, much less meet him. […]
The Reverend Gardner C. Taylor was a towering figure among preachers and pastors, often regarded by his peers as the “world’s greatest preacher.” Though Rev. Taylor was too humble to claim such a distinction, the many people who loved and admired him are now mourning him after his death on Easter Sunday. Born on […]
Billie Holiday is one of the most influential singers of her era, a powerful jazz vocalist whose voice carried the emotions and burdens of her rough upbringing and ongoing struggles. Despite her hardships, Holiday achieved memorable heights in her career. Today marks 100 years since the birth of “Lady Day,” and her journey and […]
Moses Dickson was an abolitionist who formed the Knights Of Liberty, an anti-slavery secret society with aims of insurrection. At one point, there were nearly 50,000 members ready to fight for Black freedom. Born free on April 5, 1814 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dickson worked on steamboats as a teenager and went on a three-year […]
Over the years, the record for world’s tallest persons has been approached and even broken by some Black people in America. Although past records were kept poorly, recent research has provided some necessary accuracy. John Rogan, the son of a former slave in Sumner County, Tenn., was born some time in 1868. Rogan grew […]
Seneca Village was once a thriving Black community in a section of New York where Central Park exists now. The village was torn down to make way for the development of the public park, displacing rightful Black land owners and poor Irish settlers. Seneca Village was established in 1825 after a local deliveryman began […]
Hampton University’s status as one of the premier HBCUs has long been established, with nearly 50 Bachelor’s degree programs, over two dozen Master’s degree programs, and nine doctoral programs. Hampton was founded on this day in 1868 as an instructional school for freed slaves in the wake of the Civil War. Brigadier Union Army […]
Wayne Embry made history by becoming not only the NBA’s first Black general manager, but the first Black general manager of any of the four major U.S. sports. Embry a former NBA player was a five-time All-Star and an NBA champion. The Springfield, Ohio native made his mark as a player at Miami University in […]
