Matt Baker’s rightful place in the annals of comic book history has been debated by followers of the genre. But by most accounts, he is considered the first successful Black comic book artist, and perhaps the first altogether. Born Clarence Matthew Baker on December 10, 1921 in North Carolina, he came of age in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. […]
CBS News’ 60 Minutes producer Henry Radliffe II was a producer for the popular new program for the past 26 years. Radliffe passed last week after battling colon cancer since 2008. Radliffe was born January 1, 1949 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Radliffe attended Purdue University for a spell, and also studied at the Universidad Iberoamericano in […]
Abraham Bolden is the first African-American U.S. Secret Service agent assigned to a presidential detail. Mr. Bolden was fired from his post for bribery in the 60s, and has worked in recent times to clear his name and expose misconduct within the department. Bolden, an East Saint Louis, Ill. native, joined the agency in 1960 […]
Several key elections across the nation on Tuesday set the stage for a trio of historic mayoral wins for Black candidates. Dr. Karen Weaver (pictured) of Flint. Mich., Paula Hicks-Hudson of Toledo, Ohio, and Ed Johnson of Fayetteville, Ga. all made history in their respective elections. Dr. Weaver, a clinical psychologist and businesswoman, was an unlikely victor, […]
Dr. Evelyn F. Crayton is the first Black president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a 76,000-member organization for dietitians and nutrition professionals and the largest group of its sort. Dr. Crayton’s selection as the president of the Academy this past June caps a career that spans over 40 years. Crayton, who currently resides […]
The late Coleman Young first made history in 1974 after being elected Detroit’s first Black mayor. On this day in 1981, Mayor Coleman’s third-term win was supported by a pair of elections of Black mayors who also made history. James Everett Chase, born March 29 1914, was elected as the first Black mayor of Spokane, […]
Growing up in South Central, Los Angeles, Carter Paysinger probably think he’d succeed beyond his meager surroundings. But thanks to the determination of his mother, however, Paysinger was able to attend one of California’s most prestigious high schools and eventually became its first Black principal. Paysinger’s mother applied for a multicultural permit that allowed her […]
Songwriter and performer Harvey Scales is the first songwriter of a platinum-selling single. Scales was a co-writer for singer Johnnie Taylor’s 70’s hit, “Disco Lady,” which is the first single to ever sell over 1 million copies. Scales, born 1941 in Osceola, Ark. and raised in Milwaukee, Wisc., got his start in the early 60’s […]
The late Mabel Fairbanks might not have been afforded the opportunity to chase Olympic gold as an ice skater, but she is still rightfully recognized as a pioneer of the sport. Fairbanks is the first Black woman inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and coached many of the sport’s brightest stars. Fairbanks […]
The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards featured a series of historic moments, most notably the wins for actresses Viola Davis and Uzo Aduba. Davis became the first Black woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, while Aduba won back-to-back awards for the same role but in separate categories. Davis, who plays attorney and […]
Ebenezer D. Bassett was the first African-American diplomat, serving as an ambassador to Haiti shortly after the Civil War. Bassett was honored this past weekend in New Haven, Conn. for the state’s annual Freedom Trail celebration. Bassett was born October 16, 1833 in the town of Derby to free parents. Bassett’s parents, both free, were […]
Jane Bolin was the first African-American woman to earn a degree from the prestigious Yale Law School on her way to becoming the nation’s first woman to serve as a judge. For 40 years, Judge Bolin presided over what is now known today in New York as the Family Court. Jane Matilda Bolin was born […]
