Carmen Ambar was named the first African-American president of Oberlin College, an institution known for opening its doors to Blacks and women in the 1800s. It is the oldest liberal arts college in the United States and is the first college to admit African-Americans. Ambar, the school’s 15th president, is just the second woman to […]
William Monroe Trotter was a journalist and activist best known for challenging Booker T. Washington and aligning himself with W.E.B. Du Bois. After the turn of the 20th Century, Trotter used his platform and influence to decry Washington and launch campaigns on behalf of equal rights for Blacks Trotter was born April 7, 1872 in […]
Jessica Watkins isn’t yet officially an astronaut, but last week she was selected as one of NASA’s latest crop of candidates to take to space. Watkins, a native of Lafayette, Colorado, has dreamed of being an astronaut since she was a little girl, and is now one step closer to accomplishing that goal. Watkins, […]
David Blackwell was one of the most notable mathematicians and statisticians of his time. Dr. Blackwell also broke a couple of racial barriers and authored books on several prominent math theories. Blackwell was born April 24, 1919 in Centralia, Illinois. As a boy, Blackwell wasn’t interested in math but a school teacher taught him geometry […]
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, […]
The late professor Derrick Bell is best known for becoming the first Black professor at Harvard Law School, but that distinction only scratches the surface of his achievements. Professor Bell was a staunch advocate for diversity in academia, and used his platform to both challenge and examine racism. Bell was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. in […]
A record seven Black students won the prestigious Rhodes Scholarships. They are among an elite group of 32 American college students chosen for the class of 2017.
Dr. Adrienne Washington recently became the first Black woman at the University of Pittsburgh to earn a Ph.D. in linguistics. When Dr. Washington read that the University offered studies in the Gullah language, she decided to study it and determine how language is used among Black people all around the world. Washington has had […]
Mark C. Alexander, a longtime legal professor and scholar, was named the dean of Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law last Friday. The position makes Alexander the first African-American to hold a post at the prestigious law school. Alexander, 51, is known in the law community as an expert of the First Amendment, penning […]
Dr. Marie M. Daly made history in 1947 after obtaining her Ph.D in chemistry, the first Black woman to do so. Marie Maynard Daly was born April 16, 1921 in Queens, New York. Daly’s father had hopes of earning a degree in chemistry from Cornell University, but finances were scarce and he became a […]
Any time a Black woman earns a doctorate degree, its worthy of celebration. But in the case of the “Great Eight” – eight Black women set to graduate with doctorates next month – that accomplishment is also historic. Jada Phelps-Moultrie, Shannon McCullough, Johari Shuck, Nadrea Njoku, Tiffany Kyser, Jasmine Haywood, Demetrees Hutchins and Juhanna […]
Charles Ogletree has enjoyed an incredible career as an attorney, professor, media personality and champion of civil rights. Along with his several accomplishments on the academic and legal front, Ogletree was instrumental in providing an educational foundation for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Charles James Ogletree Jr. was born December 31, […]
