Constance Baker Motley made history in several ways in her legal career, but her most notable achievement took place on this day in 1966. Baker Motley was confirmed as a U.S. District Court judge by President Lyndon B. Johnson, making her the first Black women to be federally appointed to the federal bench. Born Constance […]
“I think as I get older …I’m going to need to take—play a key role in kind of integrating swimming into inner city communities a lot more.” – Reece Whitley If you haven’t heard of Reece Whitley, it’s only a matter of time. Towering at 6 foot-8, the 17-year-old swimmer who slices through water with […]
Dr. Edith Irby Jones is best known as the first Black student admitted to the University of Arkansas Medical School. She is also the first woman elected as president of the National Medical Association. She was born Edith Mae Irby on December 23, 1927 in Conway, Arkansas. Illness struck her family early, leading to the […]
Professor Joseph Roye Applegate is best known as the first Black faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A master speaker of 13 languages, Professor Applegate is also responsible for creating the first Ph.D. Program for African Studies in the U.S. Applegate was born July 25, 1925 in Wildwood, New Jersey, His family relocated […]
Alice Allison Dunnigan blazed trials for future White House Correspondents like April D. Ryan when she became the first Black woman named in that role in 1948. Dunnigan is also the first Black woman reporter to gain credentials to the press galleries of the U.S. Congress, and also the first Black woman to be elected […]
When Louis “Lou” Freeman takes to the skies on Thursday June 8, it will be his last time doing so as a pilot for Southwest Airlines. The sendoff marks the end of 36 years as a commercial airline pilot and as the first Black chief pilot for any major U.S. carrier. Freeman was born June 12, […]
The Freedom’s Journal was the first Black-owned and operated newspaper in the United States, and its short run had a significant impact on Black publications to come. Started in the early 1800s by free Black men, the paper stood as an informational hub for Black Americans at a time when Black voices were often silenced. […]
Jackie Robinson’s historic barrier-breaking feat celebrated its 70th anniversary last week, but a pair of forgotten Black baseball players might have some right to Number 42’s historic claim. William Edward White and Moses Fleetwood Walker are credited as players who integrated the MLB many years before Robinson. Very little is known about White but what […]
Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour made history as the first Black woman aviator for the U.S. Marines, and also became the first Black woman combat pilot across the U.S. Armed Forces. Today, Armour is a motivational speaker and author and one of the faces of a new campaign aimed at recognizing the contributions of women. Armour was […]
LISTEN: The Tom Joyner Morning Show pays tribute to music icon Chuck Berry. While Elvis Presley became the face of Rock ‘N’ Roll, the true genius behind the art form was Chuck Berry. Berry passed in his home last Saturday at the age of 90, leaving behind a legendary influence that stretched far beyond rock music. […]
Paul Williams was a pioneering architect who achieved several historical firsts en route to his way to becoming home designer to the stars. Along with designing homes for Southern California’s elite, Williams also designed the St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Los Angeles’ Saks Fifth Avenue, among other top designs. Williams was born February 1, 1894, […]
Hallie Quinn Brown was an educator, author, and prominent moment of the women’s suffrage in the early 20th Century. Ms. Brown was also a notable orator and author, publishing a book focusing on the achievements of Black women of her era. Brown was born on this day in 1849 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Her parents, […]
