On May 9, 1750, The South Carolina Gazette reported that an enslaved African man named Caesar, known for his expertise in herbal medicine, was granted freedom and a lifetime pension by the colonial government. Caesar had developed antidotes for poison, rattlesnake bites, and yaws—an infectious tropical disease. His remedies were so effective that South Carolina’s government published his formulas for public health use. In return, Caesar was not only emancipated but also given an annual financial stipend.
He is recognized alongside James Derham of New Orleans as one of the earliest documented African American medical practitioners in U.S. history. Caesar’s contributions highlight the overlooked medical knowledge of enslaved Africans and the role they played in early American health care.

On May 9, 1977, Dr. Mabel Murphy Smythe was confirmed as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Cameroon, becoming one of the few African American women to hold such a prestigious diplomatic position at the time. A distinguished scholar and former university professor, Smythe had previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. Her appointment reflected growing, though still limited, recognition of Black women in U.S. foreign policy. She later also served as Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea, further cementing her legacy as a trailblazer in international diplomacy.

On May 9, 1974, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee began historic impeachment hearings to determine whether to recommend the removal of President Richard Nixon over the Watergate scandal. Among the 38 committee members were two trailblazing African American legislators: Representative Barbara Jordan of Texas and Representative John Conyers Jr. of Michigan. Their presence marked a profound moment in American democracy—not only were they contributing to a pivotal constitutional process, but they also represented the evolving role of Black leadership in government oversight. Jordan, in particular, would later deliver a landmark televised speech affirming the principles of the Constitution, becoming an icon of integrity and justice.

On May 9, 1952, pioneering African American actor Canada Lee died in New York City at the age of 45. A former boxer turned acclaimed actor, Lee broke racial barriers on stage and screen during an era of intense segregation. He rose to prominence for his role in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1944 film Lifeboat, where his nuanced performance challenged stereotypes in Hollywood.

In the 1947 classic Body and Soul, Lee portrayed a former boxer battling illness—a role that showcased his emotional range and resonated deeply with audiences. Beyond acting, Lee was an outspoken advocate for civil rights and refused to play roles that demeaned Black people. His political activism drew the attention of the FBI and led to blacklisting during the McCarthy era, which contributed to the decline of his career and health. Despite these challenges, Canada Lee is remembered as a trailblazer who used art as a tool for dignity, justice, and change.

On May 9, 1919, celebrated African American composer and military bandleader James Reese Europe was tragically killed in Boston by a fellow band member during a performance tour. Europe had risen to international acclaim during World War I as the leader of the 369th Infantry Regiment’s “Hellfighters” military band—an all-Black unit that introduced jazz to France and much of Europe. His innovative compositions and performances helped legitimize jazz as a serious musical form. At just 39 years old, Europe’s untimely death shocked the music world. W.E.B. Du Bois later called him “the first to personify the expression of a new and vital race consciousness.”

On May 9, 1867, Sojourner Truth—abolitionist, feminist, and former enslaved woman—delivered a stirring speech at the First Annual Meeting of the American Equal Rights Association (AERA) in New York. In a moment that blended moral clarity with powerful oratory, Truth advocated for the political and civil rights of both women and African Americans, insisting that the fight for equality must be inclusive of all people, regardless of race or gender.

Her words challenged the rising divisions between suffrage movements and abolitionist causes following the Civil War, urging unity in the pursuit of human rights. As one of the few Black women consistently speaking in both racial and gender justice arenas, Sojourner Truth’s presence at the event remains a defining moment in intersectional activism in 19th-century America.

On May 9, 1862, Union General David Hunter issued General Order No. 11, declaring the emancipation of all enslaved people in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina—states under Union occupation during the Civil War. The bold move was unprecedented and ignited national debate. However, President Abraham Lincoln swiftly annulled the proclamation, concerned that such an act should come from the executive branch and not military command.

Lincoln remarked, “General Hunter is an honest man… He proclaimed all men free within certain states. I repudiated the proclamation.” Though Hunter’s order was rescinded, it foreshadowed the Emancipation Proclamation issued just months later, and spotlighted the moral urgency felt by abolitionist generals in the field.

On May 9, 1800, John Brown was born in Torrington, Connecticut. Though not Black himself, Brown became one of the most radical and committed white allies in the fight to end slavery in the United States. He believed slavery was a moral abomination that required direct, even violent, resistance. His most infamous act was the 1859 raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, an attempt to incite a slave rebellion. Though the raid failed and Brown was executed, his actions inspired countless abolitionists and further intensified the national debate over slavery—paving the road to the Civil War. Frederick Douglass once called him “a man who had no fear.”

On May 9, 1909, prominent Black leaders and white allies gathered for the First National Negro Conference at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Organized by the Niagara Movement and early civil rights activists, this conference would become a major precursor to the founding of the NAACP. Among the attendees were W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells, and Mary White Ovington. The event addressed lynching, discrimination, disenfranchisement, and the urgent need for national civil rights legislation. This critical moment consolidated diverse efforts to protect African American rights, setting the groundwork for the sustained civil rights campaigns of the 20th century.

Floyd McKissick, a pioneering civil rights leader and lawyer, was born on May 9, 1916, in Asheville, North Carolina. McKissick became the first African American to attend the University of North Carolina School of Law after a federal lawsuit mandated his admission. As national director of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in the 1960s, McKissick pushed for direct-action protests and Black Power strategies. He later spearheaded the creation of Soul City, a planned community in North Carolina designed to promote Black economic independence. His life\’s work exemplified a transition from traditional civil rights activism to broader economic and political empowerment.

Claude McKay, one of the major figures of the Harlem Renaissance, saw his seminal poetry collection Harlem Shadows published on May 9, 1921. The work vividly portrayed the struggles, beauty, and dignity of Black life in America and the Caribbean. McKay’s poetry, combining traditional forms with radical content, challenged racial prejudice and expressed pride in African heritage. Harlem Shadows was instrumental in validating Black literature within mainstream American arts and inspired a generation of African American writers who followed. Its publication is regarded as one of the cultural sparks that ignited the Harlem Renaissance.

On May 9, 1942, tensions over racial discrimination, police brutality, and economic inequality exploded into a violent race riot in Harlem, New York. The unrest was triggered by rumors of a Black soldier being assaulted by a white police officer. Although ultimately based on misinformation, the underlying grievances were very real. The riot exposed deep frustrations within Harlem’s Black community regarding systemic injustice during World War II, when African Americans were fighting abroad for freedoms denied to them at home. The 1942 Harlem Riot foreshadowed future urban uprisings that would punctuate the civil rights era.

By May 9, 1952, researchers had begun widely using cells from Henrietta Lacks—taken without her consent in 1951—to develop a vaccine for polio. Known as HeLa cells, they were the first human cells successfully cloned and grown indefinitely outside the body. The breakthrough was critical to Jonas Salk’s creation of the polio vaccine. Although her contribution revolutionized medicine, Lacks’ family was not informed for decades and received no compensation. Henrietta Lacks’ legacy has sparked vital debates about medical ethics, consent, and racial disparities in healthcare research.

On May 9, 1960, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Enovid, the first birth control pill. While often discussed in the context of broader women\’s rights, access to birth control would have a particular impact on African American women. In subsequent years, the pill became a tool for Black women to exert greater control over their reproductive lives amid systemic healthcare racism and economic inequality. Later, during the 1970s, activists such as Fannie Lou Hamer raised awareness about forced sterilizations targeting Black women, highlighting the complex intersections between reproductive freedom and racial justice.

James Baldwin, one of America\’s most influential writers and social critics, published his short story collection Going to Meet the Man on May 9, 1965. The stories explored the deeply rooted racial, sexual, and psychological tensions of American life. Baldwin’s piercing prose dissected the contradictions of American democracy and the personal anguish inflicted by racism. His fearless examinations of race relations in the post-civil rights movement era made Going to Meet the Man a critical touchstone for understanding the cultural aftermath of segregation—and its lingering scars on both Black and white Americans.

On May 9, 1970, the New Orleans police, along with federal agents, launched a violent assault on the headquarters of the New Orleans chapter of the Black Panther Party. The Panthers, targeted for their efforts in organizing free breakfast programs and health clinics, were subjected to an hours-long siege. Although multiple members were arrested, the Panthers refused to back down, reinforcing the party’s reputation for resilience in the face of state repression. The raid underscored the extent of COINTELPRO’s campaign against Black empowerment movements and became a rallying point for solidarity activists nationwide.

On May 9, 2002, Halle Berry made history by winning the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in Monster’s Ball. Although more often cited for her Academy Award win earlier that year, her Cannes recognition solidified her international acclaim and broke barriers for Black actresses in European cinema circuits. Berry’s victories in 2002 exposed both the persistent underrepresentation of Black women in Hollywood and the possibilities for change. Her awards generated important conversations about race, representation, and opportunity within the global entertainment industry.

John Brown Russwurm, born May 9, 1800, in Jamaica, became one of the first African American college graduates in the United States and a co-founder of Freedom’s Journal, the first African American-owned and operated newspaper. Russwurm used journalism to challenge racist narratives in mainstream media. Later, he emigrated to Liberia where he served as governor of Maryland-in-Africa, an African American colony. His life bridged African, Caribbean, and American history, symbolizing early Pan-African aspirations for self-governance and dignity. His work laid foundations for the Black press worldwide.

On May 9, 1872, during the Equal Rights Party convention, Victoria Woodhull nominated famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass for Vice President of the United States—the first Black person ever nominated to the ticket of a U.S. political party. Although Douglass did not acknowledge the nomination, the moment reflected Black aspirations for full political participation globally. Douglass’s prominence influenced Black movements in the Caribbean and Europe as he championed international human rights and abolition.

On May 9, 1899, the African Political Organization (APO) was founded in Cape Town, South Africa. Initially formed to fight discriminatory laws against people of color, especially those classified as \”Coloured,\” the APO quickly became a critical voice for all Black South Africans. Led by Abdullah Abdurahman, it set the stage for future political activism against apartheid. Its early struggle shows the continuity of Black-led resistance long before apartheid became officially codified.

Marcus Garvey officially launched the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) on May 9, 1916, in Kingston, Jamaica. His vision was clear: a global movement advocating for Black pride, economic independence, and African repatriation. UNIA quickly spread throughout the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, inspiring future liberation movements. Garvey’s philosophy of self-reliance would influence later leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Malcolm X in the United States.

On May 9, 1921, representatives from the South African Native National Congress (later the African National Congress or ANC) traveled to London to petition King George V about racial discrimination in South Africa. Though largely ignored by British authorities, the act marked one of the first international diplomatic efforts by a Black African organization to seek justice through global appeals, setting a precedent for later anti-apartheid diplomacy.

May 9, 1945, marked celebrations across Europe for the end of World War II. Thousands of African soldiers from colonies such as Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, and Algeria had fought alongside Allied forces. Despite their bravery, many faced racism and were denied full veterans’ benefits. Nonetheless, their wartime experiences fueled anti-colonial movements back home. VE Day became a symbol of the contradiction between fighting for freedom abroad while living under colonial rule.

On May 9, 1950, Eslanda Robeson, anthropologist, journalist, and activist (and wife of Paul Robeson), delivered powerful advocacy at the United Nations for African and African diasporic liberation. Her interventions criticized colonial empires and demanded international accountability for racial oppression. Robeson\’s voice highlighted the interconnected struggles of African Americans, Africans, and Afro-Caribbeans during the early Cold War era and prefigured the later non-aligned movement and global Black solidarity.

Although Groundings with My Brothers was officially published later, on May 9, 1967, historian Walter Rodney delivered key lectures in Jamaica that would become the book’s foundation. His grassroots talks with the poor and working-class Black communities became a manifesto for Caribbean radicalism. Rodney linked African history, Black Power, and decolonization, becoming a bridge between Pan-African intellectual traditions and street-level activism, which would resonate across Africa, the Caribbean, and Black America.

On May 9, 1980, Zimbabwe, newly independent from British colonial rule, was formally admitted into the United Nations. Led by Prime Minister Robert Mugabe, the moment symbolized a major victory for African liberation movements. It marked the end of white-minority rule in Rhodesia and inspired freedom struggles elsewhere in southern Africa, especially in Namibia and South Africa, where apartheid still loomed. Zimbabwe’s independence reshaped geopolitics in Africa.

On May 9, 2002, South Africa hosted the inaugural summit of the African Union (AU) in Durban, a successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The AU aimed to create stronger economic and political unity across the continent, modeled partly on the European Union. May 9th thus became an important milestone in efforts to assert a collective Black/African voice in global affairs, particularly in areas like trade, security, and governance.

On May 9, 1963, African leaders met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to finalize the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), an institution aimed at promoting solidarity among newly independent African nations. While the official signing would occur on May 25, this early May 9 gathering was critical: the draft committee, including representatives from Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and other emerging states, hammered out the principles that would define post-colonial Africa’s first major pan-continental alliance. The OAU sought to eradicate colonialism, defend sovereignty, and foster economic cooperation. This May 9 draft session is often overlooked but was pivotal because it set the ideological tone—balancing radical liberation goals with pragmatic diplomacy—that would influence Africa\’s trajectory for decades. The OAU eventually evolved into today’s African Union (AU), but it was these behind-the-scenes May negotiations that truly stitched together a shared vision for a free and united Africa.