Robert S. Abbott was founded The Chicago Defender with an initial investment of 25 cents. The Defender, which was once heralded as “The World’s Greatest Weekly”, soon became the most widely circulated black newspaper in the country, and made Abbott one of the first self-made millionaires of African American descent. Abbott also published a short-lived paper called Abbott’s Monthly.

On May 5, 1975, Hank Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth’s long-standing record for career runs batted in (RBIs), marking another historic milestone in his legendary baseball career. Already known for breaking Ruth’s home run record the year prior, Aaron’s new RBI achievement solidified his legacy as one of the most prolific hitters in Major League Baseball history. He ultimately retired with 755 home runs and 2,297 RBIs, the latter of which remains the all-time record. Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on August 1, 1982. After retiring, he continued to influence the game through executive roles with the Atlanta Braves and has had stadiums, streets, and scholarships named in his honor.

On May 5, 1969, Moneta Sleet Jr. made history as the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize for journalism. He earned the award for his deeply moving photograph of Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., holding their young daughter Bernice at Dr. King’s funeral. The image, captured for Ebony magazine, conveyed the pain and resilience of a grieving family and a mourning nation. Sleet’s win was not only a personal triumph but also a groundbreaking moment for Black photojournalists in a field where African Americans were historically underrepresented.

Historical Impact:

Moneta Sleet Jr.’s career spanned decades, and he was known for documenting the civil rights movement, from the Montgomery Bus Boycott to the March on Washington. His Pulitzer win symbolized both progress and the power of Black media voices during the era of social change.

On May 5, 1865, Adam Clayton Powell Sr. was born in Franklin County, Virginia. The son of formerly enslaved parents, Powell would rise to become a prominent Baptist pastor and a towering figure in early 20th-century Black America. As senior pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem from 1908 to 1936, Powell helped grow the congregation into one of the largest and most influential Black churches in the world. Under his leadership, the church expanded its role in community development, civil rights, and education. He laid the foundation for the political rise of his son, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who became one of the most powerful Black Congressmen in U.S. history.

Mary Prince, born on May 5, 1809, in Bermuda, became the first Black woman to publish an autobiography in Britain, titled The History of Mary Prince (1831). Her firsthand account of the horrors of slavery stirred public emotion and galvanized the abolitionist movement. Prince’s story depicted brutal treatment, family separations, and the dehumanization endured under slavery. She bravely spoke at public meetings and petitioned Parliament, making her a crucial figure in the fight for emancipation in Britain and its colonies.

On May 5, 1821, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) Church was officially incorporated in New York City. Known as the “Freedom Church,” it played a major role in the abolitionist movement and later the Civil Rights Movement. Leaders like Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were members. The AME Zion Church provided spiritual strength and political advocacy, emphasizing education, civil rights, and racial uplift in African American communities.

On May 5, 1905, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson performed solo on the major vaudeville circuit for the first time, breaking racial barriers. His innovative tap dancing style captivated audiences and transformed American dance. Robinson’s career helped pave the way for future Black entertainers during a time of widespread segregation, and his success inspired the gradual integration of American entertainment venues.

On May 5, 1862, Robert Smalls—a 23-year-old enslaved Black man—led one of the most daring escapes of the Civil War. Along with 12 fellow enslaved crew members, Smalls commandeered the Planter, a Confederate transport ship outfitted as a gunboat. Disguised in the captain’s uniform, he navigated the heavily fortified Charleston Harbor, passed Confederate checkpoints, and successfully surrendered the vessel to the Union Navy. His intimate knowledge of naval protocols and local waterways made the escape flawless. The Planter was welcomed into Union hands, and Smalls was later appointed as the ship’s captain—the first Black man to command a U.S. military vessel. His heroism helped persuade President Lincoln to accept African Americans into the Union Army.

Born on May 5, 1921, in Bluefield, West Virginia, Reverend Charles Kenzie Steele became a leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement. As president of the Inter-Civic Council in Tallahassee, Florida, he helped organize the Tallahassee Bus Boycott of 1956, following the model of Montgomery. Steele later co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) alongside Martin Luther King Jr., promoting nonviolent resistance and racial justice across the South.

On May 5, 1940, the U.S. War Department announced plans to open its first Officer Candidate Schools (OCS) for Black soldiers at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. This was a crucial step toward desegregating the U.S. military. Although the armed forces would not fully integrate until after World War II, the training of Black officers challenged stereotypes and built a cadre of leaders for both wartime service and future civil rights efforts.

Anthony Ray Hinton, born on May 5, 1955, in Alabama, would become a powerful symbol of wrongful incarceration and resilience. Hinton spent nearly 30 years on death row for crimes he did not commit. After a lengthy legal battle, he was exonerated in 2015. His story, later chronicled in his memoir The Sun Does Shine, highlights systemic racism in the criminal justice system and the importance of perseverance and hope.

On May 5, 1969, Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale was formally charged in the Chicago Eight trial for conspiracy and inciting riots during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Seale’s treatment in court—being bound and gagged—became a national outrage, symbolizing racial injustice. His case drew attention to broader issues of political repression, police brutality, and the radical energy of Black liberation movements.

On May 5, 1985, Alice Walker became the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel The Color Purple. The book, set in early 20th-century rural Georgia, explores the struggles and resilience of Black women facing racism, sexism, and domestic abuse. Walker’s achievement marked a milestone in American literature and helped bring Black women’s voices to the forefront of cultural and academic discussions.

On May 5, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Dr. Regina Benjamin to serve as U.S. Surgeon General. A Black woman from rural Alabama, Benjamin had dedicated her career to providing medical care to underserved communities. Her appointment symbolized progress in healthcare equity and representation, and she emphasized the importance of preventive care, wellness, and access for all Americans during her tenure.

Jean Cinéas, born on May 5, 1805, was a prominent Haitian jurist and political thinker. A direct descendant of revolutionary leaders, he played a major role in formalizing Haiti’s early legal system after independence. His writings emphasized sovereignty, civil rights, and legal protections for freed citizens, helping to anchor Haiti’s fragile institutions during the 19th century. Cinéas’s legacy remains central to Haitian legal traditions, influencing constitutional revisions even decades after his death.

On May 5, 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on Saint Helena. His death marked a pivotal shift for Haiti, which had been forced to negotiate heavy reparations to France under military threat. Although formal agreements were not signed until 1825, Napoleon’s absence weakened French leverage temporarily, providing Haiti a brief opportunity to renegotiate global recognition and limit further economic exploitation. The long-term effects, however, would still burden Haiti for generations.

On May 5, 1893, Mary Fields, known as “Stagecoach Mary,” officially secured her contract as a U.S. mail carrier in Montana. Born enslaved around 1832, Fields was renowned for her resilience and fearlessness. Her role broke both racial and gender barriers, as she protected mail routes with a rifle and a revolver. Her story resonates internationally as an example of African-descended women’s pioneering spirit in frontier territories dominated by racial prejudice.

The Second Pan-African Congress, led by W.E.B. Du Bois and other leaders, concluded in Brussels, Belgium, around May 5, 1921. This conference was critical in advocating for the rights of colonized Africans worldwide. Delegates from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas demanded political rights, an end to colonial rule, and equitable labor conditions. Although ignored by imperial powers at the time, it laid important groundwork for the decolonization movements that would erupt later.

On May 5, 1949, Martiniquan poet and politician Aimé Césaire released his seminal work, Discourse on Colonialism. In this fiery essay, Césaire denounced European colonialism as barbaric and hypocritical, asserting that colonial powers had dehumanized themselves even as they oppressed others. His critique electrified intellectual circles worldwide and became foundational reading for anti-colonial activists in Africa, the Caribbean, and beyond, fueling political liberation movements for decades.

Samia Nkrumah, daughter of Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah and future Parliamentarian, was born on May 5, 1956. Educated internationally, she would become a powerful advocate for Pan-Africanism and women’s leadership in Africa. As head of the Convention People’s Party, she sought to revive her father’s vision of continental unity and economic independence. Her career exemplifies the enduring influence of Pan-African ideals across generations.

On May 5, 1963, delegates from across Africa gathered in Addis Ababa to draft what would become the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Although formally established later that month, May 5 was a crucial negotiation day where leaders ironed out issues of sovereignty, solidarity, and anti-colonial resistance. The OAU eventually helped coordinate the political liberation of nations like Angola, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, and was the forerunner of today’s African Union (AU).

Although Bobby Sands, the Irish hunger striker, died on May 5, 1981, the event resonated across racial lines. Black activists in the U.S., South Africa, and the Caribbean drew parallels between Sands’ fight against British rule and Black struggles against systemic racism. Notably, Nelson Mandela, still imprisoned at the time, cited Sands’ sacrifice as an inspiration. The solidarity that grew from May 5, 1981, strengthened transracial coalitions against oppression worldwide.

On May 5, 1994, the first democratically elected South African Parliament opened after the fall of apartheid, with Nelson Mandela preparing to assume the presidency. This date marked the real beginning of governmental transformation, as previously disenfranchised Black South Africans began to build new institutions based on equality, democracy, and reconciliation. The session was a symbol of hope and a model for countries worldwide struggling with racial division.

On May 5, 2010, the African Union officially launched the “Great Green Wall” project, a massive effort to combat desertification across the Sahel region. Stretching across more than 20 countries, this environmental and economic project empowers local Black communities by creating jobs, restoring ecosystems, and fighting the devastating effects of climate change. The initiative symbolizes African innovation and collective action to secure the continent’s future.

On May 5, 1806, Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a pioneering Black composer, violinist, and military leader in France, passed away at age 53. Born in Guadeloupe to an enslaved African woman and a French plantation owner, Bologne rose to prominence in 18th-century Paris as one of Europe’s finest fencers and musicians. Often nicknamed the “Black Mozart” (though he predated Mozart’s fame), Saint-Georges composed operas, symphonies, and chamber music that captivated elite audiences. Despite rampant racism, he became conductor of the leading Parisian orchestra, Le Concert des Amateurs. During the French Revolution, Bologne also led a Black volunteer military unit fighting for liberty, known as the “Légion Saint-Georges.” His contributions to European culture and politics were remarkable, yet his legacy has long been overshadowed. Modern historians and musicians are working to revive his story and music, recognizing him as one of history’s most extraordinary Black figures.