Little Known Black History Facts
Guy Fisher was a notorious gangster in Harlem in the 1970’s who also became the first black man to own the Apollo Theater. Fisher was a part of the crime wave that ruled the streets of Harlem from 1977 to 1983. Fisher was among the crime group called “The Council” under boss Leroy “Nicky” Barnes. […]
John Archer was the first black mayor in London. His likeness will now be captured on the Royal Mail’s Great Britons stamp collection. The British stamp collection will celebrate individuals across sport, journalism, music, politics and the arts, with birthdays in 2013. Archer was the first person of African descent to hold civic office in […]
The word barbecue and the open-fire cooking technique came from the Caribbean amongst the Taino people around the late 17th century. The word barbecue itself means “sacred fire pit.” The unique way to cook meat spread into Spanish, French and American cultures when slaves were brought from the Caribbean. In the southern United States, barbecue […]
Nannie Mayme McKinney, also known as “The Black Garbo”, was one of the first black actresses to appear on British television. She was also one of the first black film stars in the U.S. Born in Lancaster, South Carolina in 1913, McKinney lived with her great aunt until she moved to Harlem to live with […]
In August of 1944, the Los Angeles Railway hired Mrs. Arcola Philpott as its first African American “motormanette.” This was the term given to women who drove the railway cars. Not only was Philpott the first motormanette, she was the first black service driver the railway hired. She rode the railways on the “F” line […]
Archie Moore was the American light heavyweight world boxing champion between 1952 and 1959. Moore had one of the longest professional boxing careers in history, from the mid 1930’s to 1963. Nicknamed “The Old Mongoose,” Moore holds the record for the most career knockouts by any boxer – a total of 131 T-K-O’s. In 2003, […]
In 1947, black baseball player Jackie Robinson became the first black man to integrate major league baseball in America. Robinson was recruited by Branch Rickey, the owner of the Dodgers and the Montreal Royals (the international affiliate of the Dodgers). Robinson was already a star on the field of the Kansas City Monarchs. He was […]
During the sixteenth century, Brits from Europe brought the tradition of making pumpkin pies for dessert to West Africa. The tradition was soon brought to America during slavery, where the African slaves transformed the dessert into something sweeter using yams, then sweet potatoes. Coincidentally, yams and black-eyed peas was a common food slaves were fed […]
This week, the Commonwealth of Virginia honored black race car driver Wendell Scott with his own highway marker in Danville. In 1953, Wendell Scott became the first African American to obtain a NASCAR racing license. In 2012, Scott was also the first black race car driver on the nomination ballot for the NASCAR Hall of […]
Eight-time Emmy Award winner David Smyrl is best known for his role as Mr. Langston Handford on the hit children’s show, “Sesame Street.” David Smyrl is the second-highest Emmy award winner as an actor in children’s programming. From 1990 to 1998, Smyrl starred on the award-winning children’s show as the man who owned Mr. Hooper’s […]
In 1963, Birmingham, Alabama was entrenched in the civil rights movement. Students were on the front lines of police brutality and busy holding marches and sit-ins. While history was being made, the students of black high schools like A.H. Parker High, Western Olin High, Hayes High School and Carver High School, were punished with the […]
J.J. Jackson, also known as Triple J, was the first black VJ or video jockey on music television. He made his debut with the MTV network in 1981. J.J. Jackson was the premier VJ of the 1985 Live Aid benefit concert in London. He introduced the world to the real faces of a group called […]
