Little Known Black History Facts

For iPhone:   Harvard University economics professor Roland G. Fryer, Jr. endured a tough childhood full of crime and dysfunction to become the youngest Black person to earn tenure at the prestigious school. Fryer was born in Daytona Beach, Fla. on June 4, 1977. His mother, Rita, was a classically trained musician and his father […]

For iPhone:   Valerie Thomas may not be a household name, but she made significant contributions to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, better known as NASA. On October 21, 1980, Thomas received a patent for an invention, the illusion transmitter, which is currently used by the space agency today. Details on Jones’ early life […]

For iPhone:   The 73rd annual Magic City Classic in Birmingham, Alabama is a football tradition that pits two of the state’s top HBCUs against each other. The Alabama A&M University Bulldogs and the Alabama State University Hornets will square off this weekend in one of the premier events in Black collegiate sports. The games […]

For iPhone:   Dr. Levi Watkins Sr., the sixth president of Alabama State University, was not a native of Montgomery, Ala., but his contributions to the city and state are noteworthy. In 1962, he joined the faculty of the historically black institution and transformed it into one of the top destination schools in the south. […]

For iPhone:   Alonzo F. Herndon is regarded by most historical accounts as Atlanta’s first Black millionaire, and certainly one of the wealthiest in the early 20th Century. As the founder and President of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, Herndon’s empire began small but grew to become an inspiration for Black business. Herndon was born […]

For iPhone:   Samaria Bailey is a civil rights figure from Macon, Ga., who was the first Black girl to integrate an all-white, all-female high school in 1964. Ms. Bailey was also among the first Black women to enroll at Mercer University, and went on to have a stellar career as a medical technologist. Bailey […]

For iPhone:   Lucy Craft Laney was a pioneering educator in Georgia who opened the first school for Black children in Augusta. She also opened the first nursing school for Black women in the town as well, leading to a long career in education. Laney was born April 13, 1854 to former slave parents in […]

For iPhone:   The Black Panther Party For Self Defense (BPP) was part of the Black Power movement of the ’60’s. Just as the Civil Rights Movement was beginning to wane, the Panthers stood as a radical and vocal response to the growing concerns of Black America. Huey Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Party […]

  For iPhone:   Isaac “Ike” Jones was a film producer who was the first Black graduate of the UCLA Film School. Jones is also recognized as the first Black producer of a major motion picture. Jones died this month in Los Angeles at an assisted-living facility. Jones was born on December 23, 1929 in […]

  For iPhone:   Philadelphia International Records, Philadelphia’s answer to Motown Records, has been responsible for some of R&B’s most-loved hits over the years, and has given a platform to a bevy of iconic R&B and soul artists. On Wednesday, the iconic Sound Of Philadelphia building that housed Philadelphia International Records and Gamble-Huff Music is […]

  For iPhone:   The deaths of New York’s Eric Garner and Ferguson teen Michael “Mike Mike” Brown at the hands of White police officers have ignited discussions nationwide about race and justice. In 1971, the death of Arkansas man Carnell Russ foreshadowed those incidents with a strong overtone of injustice. Russ, 24, was driving […]

  For iPhone:   Dallas businessman Comer Cottrell became a powerful force in the hair care industry by making the salon-exclusive Jheri-Curl product available to the masses at an affordable rate. Cottrell died last week at the age of 82, leaving his mark on a variety of successful ventures along the way. Cottrell, a native […]