Little Known Black History Facts

Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander was the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D in the United States. She was also the first woman to earn a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania law school, while holding a M.A. in Economics from Penn as well. Ms. Mosell Alexander was born in Philadelphia January 2, 1898. […]

Racism has invaded various segments of society and it remains pervasive despite epic strides made by people of color. In the world of sports, however, racism of a vicious sort continues to fester and often goes largely unchecked, most recently exemplified by the Donald Sterling situation. Racism in sports was the norm at one point, […]

The Freedom Rides were part of a series of protests against the outlawed practice of bus segregation conducted primarily by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). The first ride began on May 4, 1961, with a group of “Freedom Riders” leaving Washington, D.C. The Freedom Riders, a collective of Black and White civil rights activists […]

The Children’s Crusade march in Birmingham, Ala. offered the world a firsthand look at the extreme bigotry and violent resistance the Civil Rights Movement faced. On May 2, 1963 a peaceful protest escalated into a brutal show of force from racists determined to snatch equal rights from the hands of young Black people. In 1963, […]

Negro League Baseball and its storied legacy rightfully began in the late 1880s, but on this day in 1920, Andrew “Rube” Foster, known universally as the “father of Black baseball,” established the Negro National League (NNL) and held its first game in Indianapolis. Foster was considered by many the best Black pitcher of his time, […]

A. Philip Randolph set a standard in the early stages of the Civil Rights Movement, inspiring other great leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr.  Randolph’s original March On Washington Movement (MOWM) took shape in the Spring of 1941, getting the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt who was forced to meet Randolph’s demands. Not […]

Robert. C. Maynard was a trailblazing journalist who defied odds by becoming the first Black owner of a major newspaper on this day in 1983. Maynard’s miraculous journey from high school dropout to becoming the editor and owner of The Oakland Tribune began with him chasing his dreams in the 1950s. Born June 17, 1937 […]

The Poor People’s Campaign was an effort started by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Leadership Christian Conference (SCLC) in response to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “War On Poverty” initiative. The SCLC was upset that President Johnson diverted government funds originally intended for the war on poverty to the Vietnam War instead. […]

Muhammad Ali is now considered by many to be the greatest boxer that’s ever lived, but his career was interrupted by his courageous personal stance. On this day in 1967, Ali was stripped of his boxing license and World Champion title for refusing to enter the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. In 1964, Ali […]

The NBA’s color lines were broken in the 1950-51 season when three Black players made their mark on a series of teams. The appearance of the players shifted the racial paradigm of the popular sports league, paving the way for the Black superstars of today. On April 25, 1950, the Boston Celtics drafted Charles “Chuck” […]

James “Jay” Marshall Rogers Jr. was the first Black teacher to win the Council of Chief State School Officers’ National Teacher Of The Year award back on this day in 1972. Rogers went on to have a stellar career as a college professor and faculty member at the prestigious Philips Academy. Rogers was born June […]

William “Bill” Blair Jr., a pioneering newspaper publishing and civil rights leader from Dallas,Texas, died this Sunday. Blair was 92. Blair was the founder of Elite News, a publication he began after a stint as pitcher in the Negro Leagues. Born in Dallas on October 21, 1921, he attended Booker T. Washington High School and […]