Category: Historical Figures
Remembering Ida B. Wells
Ida B. Wells, a remarkable figure in American history, was born during slavery in 1862 in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Wells’ parents and one brother succumbed [more…]
Joseph Hayne Rainey, First African American to serve in the United States House of Representatives.
Joseph Hayne Rainey was born into slavery on June 1832 in Georgetown, South Carolina. After the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, Joseph Rainey, like [more…]
The Harlem Renaissance Illuminated the richness of the human experience.
A remarkable period in African American History was known as the Harlem Renaissance. This cultural movement, which took place in the 1920s, was a vibrant [more…]
Thaddeus Stevens, Advocate for Abolitionism and Racial Equality
Thaddeus Stevens (1792 to 1868), a Pennsylvania native, rose from modest beginnings to become a lawyer and a prominent advocate for abolitionism and racial equality. [more…]
Fredrick Douglas Patterson: First African American Automotive Manufacturer
Frederick Douglas Patterson, born in 1871, was a prominent figure in African American history, known for his significant contributions in the field of transportation. He [more…]
The 1920 Ocoee Massacre, a stark reminder of the deep-seated racism that plagued American society.
In 1920, during the height of racial tension and discrimination in the United States, a courageous African American named Mose Norman dared to challenge the [more…]
The 761st Tank Battalion, AKA the “Black Panthers” of WWII
The 761st Tank Battalion was a segregated unit of the United States Army during World War II composed primarily of African American soldiers. The battalion [more…]
Selma-to-Montgomery Marches and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Two pivotal events in the American civil rights movement
The 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama became a turning point in the struggle for racial equality, galvanizing support for the civil [more…]
One of the Wealthiest People in Los Angeles Was a Black Woman, and Her Name Was Biddy Mason
Historical stories of Black wealth tend to be few and far between. Most know of the story of the self-made millionaire Madame C.J. Walker, and [more…]
The women who stood with Martin Luther King Jr. and sustained a movement for social change
The Conversation March 12, 2023 Historian Vicki Crawford was one of the first scholars to focus on women’s roles in the civil rights movement. Her 1993 book, [more…]
