The culinary world is extremely competitive at the top, and Mariya Russell has emerged as a rising star on the scene. Speaking of stars, the Chicago-based chef is the first Black woman to be awarded a coveted Michelin Star based on her cooking talent.     As “Chef de Cuisine” of Chicago’s Kumiko/Kikko, Russell has […]

Little Known Black History Facts

The Sigma Gamma Rho, Inc. sorority was founded on November 12, 1922 by seven public school teachers at Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind. Employing the motto “Greater Service, Greater Progress, the sorority is one of the “Divine Nine” of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. The young public school educators who founded SGRho were Mary Lou […]

Little Known Black History Facts

Since the early ‘80s, Whoopi Goldberg has seemingly done it all. The award-winning comedian, actress and television host was born November 13, 1955 in New York City. Born Caryn Elaine Johnson, Goldberg worked a series of odd jobs and bounced around the country before finding her creative footing in New York. She took on the […]

Little Known Black History Facts

Bob Gibson played 17 seasons in the MLB, becoming one of those most dominating and intimidating pitchers in the game. Nicknamed both “Gibby” and “Hoot,” the Omaha, Neb. native was born November 9, 1935. Gibson excelled at both basketball and baseball in high school, earning a full ride to Creighton University. He was offered a […]

Little Known Black History Facts

Moviegoers are heading to theaters to see director Kasi Lemmons’ “Harriet” film, starring Cynthia Erivo in the role of Harriet Tubman. The movie finally brings to light the inspirational stories behind the legendary conductor on the Underground Railroad. On one of Tubman’s 13 trips to free the enslaved, the explosive case of the “Dover Eight” […]

Little Known Black History Facts

While many are rightfully still reeling from the loss of Rep. Elijah Cummings of Baltimore, the news of Rep. John Conyers death’s only adds to the grief. The longtime Detroit lawmaker was born in Highland Park, Mich. on May 16, 1929. Conyers embarked on a military career out of high school, first with the Michigan […]

Little Known Black History Facts

Dr. Ruth Wright Hayre’s life story is one of extreme determination and strong legacy of Black excellence. She became the first Black high school teacher in the city of Philadelphia and shattered other barriers there as well. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER:  LIKE US ON FACEBOOK. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM Dr. Hayre was born October 26, 1910. […]

Little Known Black History Facts

Emmett Chappelle was a scientist and inventor who brought forth a wealth of innovation to the masses by way of his extensive research. The Phoenix, Ariz. native was born October 24, 1925. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER:  LIKE US ON FACEBOOK. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM Chappelle served in the Army during World War II before earning his […]

Little Known Black History Facts

Estevanico was an enslaved Moroccan who is best known as the first African-born person to explore America, this after surviving a brutal journey in 1528. Born Esteban de Dorantes in 1500 in Azemmour, Morocco, Estevanico was enslaved by the Portuguese in 1513 and sold in Spain. In 1527, he became a member of a 600-person […]

Little Known Black History Facts

Elijah Cummings, a longtime U.S. Congressman representing Maryland’s 7th District, whose political career that spans well over three decades, has died. The native Baltimorean was a fixture in his hometown and made waves on the national stage as a fierce critic of President Donald Trump. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER:  LIKE US ON FACEBOOK. FOLLOW US […]

Little Known Black History Facts

Fela Kuti was a pioneer of the Afrobeat musical movement whose intense and pointed lyrics made him a target of the Nigerian government. The late musician was born October 15, 1938. Kuti was born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti to a minister father and activist father in Abeokuta. In the late ‘50s, Kuti was sent to […]

Little Known Black History Facts

William Boyd Allison Davis, widely as Allison Davis, was a pioneering educator and anthropologist who made history by becoming the first African-American to hold a faculty position at a major white university. The Washington, D.C. native was born October 14, 1902. Davis attended Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., one of the three “Little Ivies” – […]