The American Red Cross’s segregation of African American blood donations during World War II actively upheld systemic racism in a critical realm: life-saving medical care. Influenced by pseudoscientific beliefs about…
Category: Historical Figures
In 1865, Congress Created the Freemen’s Bureau. But, Sometimes, Good Intentions Breeds Detractors.
Establishment The Freedmen’s Bureau was established on March 3, 1865. It was officially known as the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands. Congress created it during the closing months…
Before Other civil rights organization there was the Black Cabinet
The Black Cabinet, sometimes referred to as the “Federal Council of Negro Affairs,” was composed of influential Black professionals within the federal government and symbolized the potential for real change…
Mary Ellen Pleasant: Pioneer, Entrepreneur, Benefactor
Mary Ellen Pleasant, an African American entrepreneur and abolitionist, is renowned for her efforts in the Underground Railroad and her support of the abolitionist movement. She used her considerable resources…
Joseph Laroche, The Only Black Passenger Aboard The Ill-Fated Titanic
Walter Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche, born in Haiti on May 26, 1886, was the nephew of Cincinnatus Leconte, who had served as president of the country. At the age of…
Civil Rights Act of 1871: Combating the Ku Klux Klan
The Civil Rights Act of 1871, enacted by the United States Congress during the turbulent Reconstruction Era, is a landmark in American legislative history. Its passage was prompted by a…
The Niagara Movement, A Precursor to the NAACP
The Niagara Movement, founded in 1905, pioneered the early 20th-century fight for African American civil rights. It set forth a bold and uncompromising vision for equality, advocating for African Americans’…
Andrew “Rube” Foster, aka “Father of Black Baseball”
Andrew “Rube” Foster was born in Calvert, Texas on September 17, 1879. His journey from a talented pitcher to a visionary league organizer is a testament to his enduring legacy.…
Remembering The Life of Dr. J. Ernest Wilkins Jr., African American Nuclear Physicist of the Manhattan Project
Let us remember the remarkable life of J. Ernest Wilkins Jr., a pioneer in nuclear physics. Born on November 27, 1923, in Chicago, Wilkins’ academic journey began early, earning his…
The 6888th Central Postal Battalion, Six Triple Eight. “No mail, no morale.”
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion comprised entirely of African American women, faced discrimination and adversity head-on while delivering an essential service to WWII troops overseas. In the early 1940s,…