Bessie Coleman, the first Black American woman to earn a pilot’s license, was born on January 26, 1893, in Atlanta, Texas. Denied flight training opportunities in the United States due to racial and gender discrimination, she earned her license in France in 1921. Coleman became a daring stunt pilot and an inspiration for generations of aviators.

Anita Baker, the celebrated American singer-songwriter renowned for her soulful ballads and powerful contralto voice, was born on January 26, 1958, in Toledo, Ohio. She grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where she was influenced by jazz vocalists such as Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, and Ella Fitzgerald. Baker began her musical journey singing in church choirs and performing with local bands. In 1975, she joined the funk band Chapter 8, and later embarked on a solo career, releasing her debut album, The Songstress, in 1983. She gained widespread acclaim with her 1986 album Rapture, which included the Grammy-winning single “Sweet Love.” Throughout her illustrious career, Baker has earned eight Grammy Awards and has four platinum albums to her credit.

On January 26, 1990, Elaine Weddington Steward was named assistant general manager of the Boston Red Sox, making her the first Black woman to hold an executive position in a Major League Baseball organization. Her appointment marked a significant step forward for both racial and gender representation in professional sports leadership.

Angela Davis, prominent political activist, scholar, and author, was born on January 26, 1944, in Birmingham, Alabama. Known for her involvement in the civil rights and Black liberation movements, Davis gained international attention in the 1970s and has remained a powerful voice in the fight for social justice, prison abolition, and gender equity.

Sherian Grace Cadoria was born on January 26, 1940, in Marksville, Louisiana. A graduate of Southern University, she became the highest-ranking African American woman in the U.S. Armed Forces by the end of 1990. Cadoria broke numerous barriers during her distinguished military career, including becoming the first Black woman to achieve the rank of brigadier general in the regular Army.

On January 26, 1863, the U.S. War Department authorized Massachusetts Governor John A. Andrew to raise a regiment of African American soldiers. This led to the formation of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first official Black units in the Union Army during the Civil War, which became renowned for its bravery and service.