Little Known Black History Facts
Georgia Davis Powers was the first woman and African-American elected to the Kentucky State Senate and was a tireless advocate for fair housing and equal employment rights. Powers, who died last month, also came to national prominence after she admitted to having an affair with civil rights icon Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Born […]
Beverly Harvard became a police officer after taking on a $100 bet from her husband and a friend who thought she wouldn’t cut it. Not only did she complete the course to become an officer for the Atlanta Police Department, she went on to become the first Black female police chief for the force as […]
Vivien Thomas dreamed of attending medical school as a young man, but saw those dreams dashed with the onset of the Great Depression. However, through hard work and perfect timing, he became a surgical assistant to a Vanderbilt University surgeon and the pair went on to revolutionize cardiac surgery. Born August 29, 1910 in […]
Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers lost to the Denver Broncos 24-10 at Super Bowl 50, breaking the hearts of several fans. While Newton couldn’t get past Peyton Manning‘s squad, his appearance in the big game was one for the books. Newton, the NFL MVP of the year, was a favorite of both fans and […]
Legendary boxer Jack Johnson is best known to many as the first Black heavyweight champion in the sport. In 1913, Johnson’s arrest for a now outdated law remains a political point of contention as a bi-partisan effort to seek a presidential pardon remains ongoing. In 1913, Johnson violated the Mann Act, a law that […]
Aliko Dangote isn’t a name known to many in the U.S., but in Africa Dangote is well known as the richest person on the continent. With an estimated worth of $13.9 billion, Dangote is the one of the wealthiest men in the world. Dangote was born April 10, 1957 in Kano State, Nigeria to […]
Warren Shadd, the CEO of Shadd Pianos & Keyboard, USA, is the first African-American piano manufacturer in the world. Now a top player in his field, Shadd’s pianos are in high demand and have been featured everywhere from concerts to top television series. Shadd, a Washington, D.C. area native and Howard University graduate, was […]
Kneeland Youngblood dramatically changed his career course, going from an emergency room physician to one of the most powerful businessmen in Texas. Today, Mr. Youngblood is the co-founding partner of the Pharos Capital Group, LLC, one of the top private equity firms in the state. Born December 13, 1955, the Galena Park, Texas native […]
On this day in 1978, celebrated freedom fighter and abolitionist Harriet Tubman received a history-making honor from the United States Postal Service. The USPS issued a stamp with Tubman’s likeness, making her the first Black woman to receive the honor. The stamp was part of the USPS’ Black Heritage stamp line, which is ongoing to […]
Earlier this month, Darcel D. Clark was sworn in as the Bronx District Attorney making history at the same time. Clark is the first Black female District Attorney in the history of New York State, fulfilling a dream she had as a little girl growing up in the borough she now presides over. Clark, […]
Everyone who is old enough remembers where they were when the space shuttle challenger exploded just 73 seconds after blast off 30 years ago today. Ronald E. Mcnair, the second African American to reach outer space was one of the 7 astronauts who died in the disaster. He was survived by his wife Cheryl […]
Actor and dancer Maurice Hines has been gracing stages since the age of five, and continues to thrill audiences nearly seven decades later. Alongside his brother, the late Gregory Hines, the Tony Award-nominated performer continues to honor the past while influencing the present. Born December 13, 1943, Hines and his younger sibling began their […]
