Omega Psi Phi, the first international fraternal organization founded on the campus of a historically Black college, was incorporated on this day.... Continue →
William Monroe Trotter, a Harvard-educated activist and outspoken advocate for civil rights, launched The Guardian as a platform to challenge racial... Continue →
Oprah Winfrey, one of the most influential media moguls in history, was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Overcoming a challenging childhood marked by... Continue →
On this date in 1990, David Norman Dinkins officially began his tenure as the 106th mayor of New York City, making history as the city's first... Continue →
On this date in 1977, Erroll Garner passed away. He was an influential jazz pianist and composer, best known for his timeless jazz standard "Misty."... Continue →
On this date in 1898, Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander was born on, in Philadelphia, PA, and she made history as a trailblazing African American woman... Continue →
On this day, free Black residents of Philadelphia, led by Reverend Absalom Jones and joined by 70 other free Black men, submitted a historic petition... Continue →
On this date in 1989, The Arsenio Hall Show premiered, making history as the first regularly scheduled nightly talk show to be hosted by an African... Continue →
On this day, Andrew “Rube” Foster, a former player, manager, and executive, established the Negro National League (NNL), the first successful,... Continue →
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. was founded at Indiana University by Elder W. Diggs, Bryan K. Armstrong, John M. Lee, Harvey T. Asher, Marcus P.... Continue →
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denied the license renewal application of the Alabama Educational Television Commission due to persistent... Continue →
Time, Inc. agrees to sell NYT Cable for $420 million, to a group led by J. Bruce Llewellyn, the largest cable TV acquisition by an African American.... Continue →
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by three African American students: A. Langston Taylor, Leonard... Continue →
Earl Gilbert Graves Sr. (January 9, 1935 – April 6, 2020) was an influential American entrepreneur, publisher, and advocate for African American... Continue →
On this day, David Ruffin officially began performing with The Temptations, marking a turning point in the group's history. Known for his powerful... Continue →
On January 13, 1953, Don Barksdale made history as the first Black player to participate in an NBA All-Star Game. A trailblazing athlete and former... Continue →
The Colored National Labor Union (CNLU) convened its first national meeting in Washington, D.C. Founded by Isaac Myers, the CNLU became the first... Continue →
On this day, renowned biologist Dr. Ernest E. Just was elected Vice President of the American Society of Zoologists. A pioneer in the field of cell... Continue →
On this day, African Americans organized the National Steamboat Company in Washington, D.C. The company operated the "George Leary," a luxury... Continue →
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the first historically Black Greek-letter sorority, was founded on this date at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by... Continue →
Richard Parsons, then CEO of AOL Time Warner, was selected to become the company’s next chairman. This made him one of the most powerful African... Continue →
On January 16, 1941, Dr. Charles Richard Drew, an African American physician and medical researcher, helped establish one of the first large-scale... Continue →
Union General William T. Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15, which set aside a strip of coastal land from Charleston, South Carolina, to the... Continue →
Paul Cuffee, a successful African American shipowner, merchant, and advocate for the emigration of free Black people to Africa, was born on this day.... Continue →
George Washington Carver, head of the department of research at Tuskegee Institute, received the NAACP's Spingarn Medal for his groundbreaking... Continue →
On September 16, 1928, a devastating hurricane struck Palm Beach County, Florida. Known as the Okeechobee Hurricane or the Storm of '28, it caused... Continue →
John H. Johnson, the trailblazing African American entrepreneur and publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines, was born on this day in Arkansas City,... Continue →
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., with support from Robert Samuel Taylor of Phi Beta... Continue →
William R. Pettiford was born on this day in 1847. A pioneering African American banker, Pettiford founded the Alabama Penny Savings Bank in 1890,... Continue →
On this day, poet Phillis Wheatley—born into slavery in 1754—was freed, and her first book, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, was... Continue →
Barney Lancelot Ford was born into slavery in Virginia but escaped and went on to become a successful entrepreneur, abolitionist, and civil rights... Continue →
On January 25, 1999, Reverend Henry Lyons, then-president of the National Baptist Convention USA, went on trial for embezzling millions of dollars... Continue →
On January 25, 1980, Black Entertainment Television (BET) began broadcasting from Washington, D.C. Founded by Robert L. Johnson, BET became the first... Continue →
On January 28, 1989, after 62 years of controversy, Colgate-Palmolive announced the rebranding of its “Darkie” toothpaste—sold primarily in... Continue →
On January 29, 1908, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity was officially incorporated at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Founded in 1906 and... Continue →
On January 30, 1979, Franklin Thomas was named president of the Ford Foundation, becoming the first African American—and the first person from... Continue →
On January 30, 1797, the African American Masonic leadership under Prince Hall established the first Black interstate organization by creating lodges... Continue →
On January 31, 1920, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, which was founded at Howard University on January 9, 1914, was officially incorporated. The... Continue →
On February 1, 1978, the U.S. Postal Service issued the first stamp in its Black Heritage USA series, honoring Harriet Tubman. A legendary... Continue →
On February 1, 1997, BET Holdings, Inc. and Encore Media Corporation launched BET Movie/Starz, the first 24-hour movie channel dedicated to Black... Continue →
On February 1, 1974, the groundbreaking sitcom Good Times premiered on CBS. It was one of the first television shows to depict a Black family living... Continue →
On February 2, 1915, biologist Ernest E. Just was awarded the first NAACP Spingarn Medal for his groundbreaking research in cell division and... Continue →
On February 3, 1999, the Cyber-Youth Network was launched—marking the first time a website was specifically created to address the educational... Continue →
On February 3, 1986, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp honoring Sojourner Truth, the renowned abolitionist and women’s rights... Continue →
On February 5, 1990, Barack Obama was elected president of the Harvard Law Review, becoming the first African American to hold the prestigious... Continue →
On February 6, 1820, the first organized emigration of free African Americans to Africa began as 86 individuals departed New York Harbor aboard the... Continue →
On February 8, 1990, CBS suspended veteran 60 Minutes commentator Andy Rooney for 90 days after The Advocate, a national gay and lesbian... Continue →
On February 8, 1944, Harry S. McAlpin became the first African American journalist accredited to attend a White House press conference. Representing... Continue →
On February 9, 1995, Dr. Bernard Harris became the first African American astronaut to perform a spacewalk during the STS-63 mission aboard the space... Continue →
On February 10, 1966, Andrew Brimmer was appointed to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System by President Lyndon B. Johnson, becoming... Continue →
Just days before his assassination, Malcolm X delivered a powerful and thought-provoking speech at the London School of Economics (LSE). Addressing... Continue →
On February 11, 1971, Whitney M. Young, Jr. passed away suddenly while in Nigeria. He served as Executive Director of the National Urban League from... Continue →
In response to racial discrimination on public transportation, Black residents in Macon, Georgia, launched a bus boycott on February 11, 1962. The... Continue →
On this day, the New York Stock Exchange admitted its first Black member, Joseph Searles III. His membership marked a historic milestone in the... Continue →
Wendell P. Dabney, a prominent African American civil rights activist, journalist, and author, founded The Union newspaper in Cincinnati, Ohio. The... Continue →
The New York City Council passed a groundbreaking bill prohibiting racial discrimination in city-assisted housing developments. This legislation... Continue →
President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Andrew Brimmer as the first African American governor of the Federal Reserve Board. A respected economist and... Continue →
Prince Hall, a prominent Revolutionary War veteran and the founder of African American Freemasonry, is believed to have been born on this date.... Continue →
Willi Smith, a pioneering African American fashion designer, was born on this day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He co-founded the influential label... Continue →
On this day, the "Exodus of 1879" began, marking the first major migration of Southern Black Americans after Reconstruction. Fleeing political... Continue →
The influential magazine Survey Graphic released a special issue titled Harlem, Mecca of the New Negro, capturing the energy of the Harlem... Continue →
On this day, Frederick Douglass was named president of the Freedmen’s Bank, an institution originally established to help newly emancipated African... Continue →
On this day, New York became the first U.S. state to establish a Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC), aimed at combating racial and religious... Continue →
The Atlanta Daily World, founded by William A. Scott III, began publication on this day, becoming the first Black daily newspaper in the United... Continue →
Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a Black French-speaking trader of African descent, established the first permanent settlement at “Shikaakwa” (later... Continue →
Leon H. Washington founded the Los Angeles Sentinel, which would grow to become one of the most influential African American newspapers in the... Continue →
Freedom’s Journal, the first African American-owned and operated newspaper in the United States, was published in New York City. Founded by Samuel... Continue →
On this day, Jacob Lawrence became the first visual artist to receive the NAACP’s prestigious Spingarn Medal, awarded for "eminence among American... Continue →
On this day, George Monroe (1834–1886) was posthumously honored for his contributions as one of the few Black stagecoach drivers of the famed Pony... Continue →
Ralph Waldo Tyler, journalist and civil servant, was born—likely in Ohio—as the oldest of 12 children. Tyler became one of the most influential... Continue →
A peaceful protest march in Memphis, Tennessee, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in support of striking Black sanitation workers, was interrupted by... Continue →
The National Urban League presented a groundbreaking one-hour national radio program titled “The Negro and National Defense” on the CBS network.... Continue →
Clara McBride Hale was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Known lovingly as "Mother Hale," she later founded Hale House in Harlem, New York—a safe... Continue →
The Savings Bank of the Order of True Reformers opened its doors in Richmond, Virginia, becoming the first Black-owned and operated bank in the... Continue →
Richard Dean Parsons was born in Brooklyn, New York. He became the first African American to lead a major non-minority U.S. savings institution when... Continue →
James Beckwourth was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, to a white slaveowner and an enslaved Black woman. As a teenager, he moved to St. Louis and... Continue →
William Monroe Trotter, a pioneering Black journalist, civil rights activist, and co-founder of the Boston Guardian newspaper, died at age 62 in... Continue →
William Monroe Trotter, a pioneering African American journalist and civil rights activist, was born on this day in Chillicothe, Ohio. A Harvard... Continue →
Benjamin L. Hooks, a Memphis lawyer, Baptist minister, and civil rights advocate, became the first African American appointed to the Federal... Continue →
Tony Brown, an influential television journalist, author, and commentator, was born on this day. Best known as the longtime host of Tony Brown’s... Continue →
Norma Merrick Sklarek was born on this day in Harlem, New York. She became the first African American woman licensed as an architect in the United... Continue →
Asa Philip Randolph was born in Crescent City, Florida. He would go on to become one of the most influential labor and civil rights leaders in... Continue →
On April 17, 1872, William Monroe Trotter—an uncompromising voice for Black equality—was born in Boston, Massachusetts. A Harvard graduate and... Continue →
On April 18, 1941, Dr. Robert C. Weaver was appointed as director of the Negro Manpower section within the Office of Production Management (OPM),... Continue →
On April 18, 1941, New York City bus companies agreed to hire Black drivers and mechanics following a powerful four-week boycott organized by Black... Continue →
On April 18, 1877, six African American men—W.H. Smith, Benjamin Carr, Jerry Allsap, the Reverend Simon Roundtree, Jeff Lenze, and William... Continue →
On April 19, 1910, the National Urban League was officially founded in New York City. The organization emerged from the merger of three groups: the... Continue →
On April 20, 1990, Oakland, California hosted the first-ever Bay Area Black Filmworks Festival, a landmark three-day event sponsored by the Black... Continue →
On April 21, 1892, Black longshoremen in St. Louis, Missouri, organized a labor strike demanding higher wages and better working conditions. At the... Continue →
On April 22, 1964, the opening day of the New York World’s Fair was met with mass civil rights demonstrations. In a bold protest against racial... Continue →
On April 23, 1955, the United States Supreme Court refused to review a lower court ruling that upheld the legality of racial segregation in... Continue →
On April 23, 1913, the National Urban League was officially established in New York City through the merger of three organizations focused on... Continue →
On April 24, 1950, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) was officially founded to provide financial support to historically Black colleges and... Continue →
On April 24, 1972, Robert Wedgeworth was named the first African American Executive Director of the American Library Association (ALA). A trailblazer... Continue →
On April 24, 1867, African American residents of Richmond, Virginia, organized one of the earliest documented mass transit protests in U.S. history.... Continue →
On April 26, 1844, African American mountain man and explorer Jim Beckwourth discovered a lower-elevation pass through the Sierra Nevada... Continue →
On April 27, 1903, Maggie Lena Walker made history by becoming the first Black woman in the United States to charter and serve as president of a... Continue →
On April 27, 1883, Hubert Henry Harrison was born in St. Croix, then part of the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands). A brilliant... Continue →
On April 30, 1983, Robert C. Maynard made history by becoming the first African American to gain controlling interest in a major metropolitan daily... Continue →
On May 1, 1905, W.E.B. Du Bois and a group of Black intellectuals laid the groundwork for what would become the Niagara Movement—an early civil... Continue →
On May 1, 1968, just a month after Dr. King’s assassination, the Poor People’s Campaign officially launched with thousands of activists arriving... Continue →
Though assassinated in February 1965, Malcolm X’s final writings and speeches had a profound impact on African labor leaders who gathered on May 1... Continue →
Under the socialist-leaning People’s Revolutionary Government, led by Maurice Bishop, Grenada declared May 1 a public holiday in 1978 to honor... Continue →
On May 1, 1979, Brazil saw one of its largest labor protests under the military dictatorship, and Afro-Brazilian workers played a prominent role. For... Continue →
On May 2, 2000, the BBC launched “Black Britain,” a landmark program focused on the lives, struggles, and triumphs of Black communities in the... Continue →
On May 2, 1948, future Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah launched the Accra Evening News, a revolutionary newspaper that became the mouthpiece of the... Continue →
On May 2, 1895, Booker T. Washington hosted a major conference at Tuskegee Institute, bringing together Black educators, farmers, and business... Continue →
On May 3, 1978, the National Urban League, under Vernon Jordan's leadership, organized a major March on Washington to demand economic opportunities... Continue →
On May 3, 1948, Jamaica officially celebrated its first national Labor Day to honor the critical role of workers, particularly Black laborers who... Continue →
Frederick Douglass, renowned abolitionist and statesman, delivered a powerful address during national labor rallies linked to the Haymarket Affair.... Continue →
Born May 4, 1928, in Liberia, Hosanna Kabakoro later became a U.S.-based journalist who used her platform to advocate for African rights during the... Continue →
The Free South Theatre was founded on May 4, 1946, in Atlanta, Georgia, as one of the first Black-owned and operated theater companies focused on... Continue →
On May 4, 1956, as the Montgomery Bus Boycott passed the five-month mark, national media coverage of the movement exploded. Photos and reports of... Continue →
On May 4, 1988, Bill and Camille Cosby announced a historic $20 million donation to Spelman College, the prestigious historically Black women's... Continue →
Hubert Harrison, born May 4, 1891, in St. Croix, became one of the most influential Black activists and thinkers in early 20th-century America. Often... Continue →
On May 4, 1919, Marcus Garvey’s Negro World newspaper officially launched its expanded international operations. Published by the Universal Negro... Continue →
On May 4, 1978, Senegalese scholar and activist Alioune Diop died. Diop founded Présence Africaine, a Paris-based journal and publishing house that... Continue →
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... Continue →
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... Continue →
On May 6, 1787, African Lodge No. 459 was officially organized in Boston under the leadership of Prince Hall, a free Black man and prominent... Continue →
Max Robinson, one of the first African American news anchors of a major television network (ABC World News Tonight), was posthumously honored on May... Continue →
On May 7, 1867, Sarah Breedlove — later known as Madam C.J. Walker — was born in Delta, Louisiana. She would rise from poverty to become one of... Continue →
On May 8, 1925, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) was officially organized, becoming the first major African American labor union in the... Continue →
On May 8, 1845, Frederick Douglass formally announced his plan to launch The North Star, an abolitionist newspaper based in Rochester, New York.... Continue →
On May 8, 1906, entrepreneur Alonzo Herndon officially launched Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Formerly enslaved, Herndon became one of the first... Continue →
On May 9, 1909, prominent Black leaders and white allies gathered for the First National Negro Conference at Carnegie Hall in New York City.... Continue →
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... Continue →
On May 10, 1996, former Congressman Kweisi Mfume was formally inaugurated as president and CEO of the NAACP, America’s oldest civil rights... Continue →
Born in St. Croix on May 10, 1881, Hubert Harrison became one of the most influential Black intellectuals of the early 20th century. Often called the... Continue →
On May 11, 1921, Sir W. Arthur Lewis was born in Castries, Saint Lucia. He would go on to become the first Black person to win the Nobel Memorial... Continue →
Born on May 12, 1915, in Trinidad, Claudia Jones would go on to become one of the most important voices in Black British history. After migrating to... Continue →
On May 13, 1969, civil rights leader Floyd McKissick broke ground on \"Soul City,\" an ambitious attempt to build a majority-Black planned community... Continue →
On May 13, 1909, the West African Bank Corporation was established in Lagos, Nigeria, becoming one of the earliest African-owned financial... Continue →
On May 14, 1987, President Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso delivered a powerful address on food sovereignty at an agricultural summit. He called for... Continue →
On May 14, 1854, William Cuffay, a Black British political activist and former leader of the Chartist movement, died in exile in Tasmania. Born in... Continue →
On May 15, 1963, Medgar Evers, field secretary for the NAACP in Mississippi, delivered powerful testimony before a U.S. congressional committee on... Continue →
On May 15, 1968, Shirley Chisholm delivered a rousing keynote address at a women’s leadership conference in New York City. As the first Black woman... Continue →
On this day, Asa Philip Randolph—an iconic labor leader and civil rights pioneer—passed away at age 90 in New York City. Randolph was... Continue →
On May 16, 1983, the Republic of Ghana issued a commemorative stamp honoring reggae icon Bob Marley, two years after his death. Though Jamaican by... Continue →
On this day in 1909, white firemen working for the Georgia Railroad went on strike to protest the employment of Black firemen. The strike highlighted... Continue →
On May 17, 1848, William Alexander Leidesdorff, one of the first prominent Black entrepreneurs and diplomats in early California history, died at the... Continue →
On May 19, 1878, Blanche Kelso Bruce was appointed Register of the U.S. Treasury, becoming the first African American to have his signature appear on... Continue →
On May 20, 1969, civil rights leader James Forman delivered his \"Black Manifesto\" at Riverside Church in New York City, demanding $500 million in... Continue →
On May 20, 1923, Marcus Garvey, founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), was convicted of mail fraud in the United States—a... Continue →
On May 20, 1998, African Bank officially became South Africa’s first fully Black-owned bank to be listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Formed... Continue →
On this day, Christopher J. Perry—pioneering Black journalist, entrepreneur, and advocate for racial equality—passed away. In 1884, he founded... Continue →
On May 23, 1949, Haiti declared a national day of mourning for W.E.B. Du Bois after false reports of his death circulated. Although premature, the... Continue →
Twenty-seven Freedom Riders were arrested in Jackson, Mississippi, for challenging segregation in interstate bus travel. By June 12, the Hinds County... Continue →
On this day in 1943, a violent riot broke out at the Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company in Mobile, Alabama, after twelve Black workers were... Continue →
On this day, Madame C.J. Walker, the pioneering African American entrepreneur and philanthropist, passed away at the age of 52 in... Continue →
On May 25, 1972, Guyana, under Prime Minister Forbes Burnham, nationalized its bauxite industry—one of the nation’s most valuable natural... Continue →
On May 26, 1967, poet and educator Haki R. Madhubuti (formerly Don L. Lee), along with Johari Amini and Carolyn Rodgers, founded Third World Press in... Continue →
On May 26, 1998, entrepreneur Don Barden made history by becoming the first African American to own a casino in Las Vegas. Through his company, The... Continue →
On May 27, 1969, major newspapers and television networks spotlighted the Black Panther Party’s Free Breakfast for Children Program, sparking... Continue →
On May 27, 1974, the First Independence Bank of Mississippi received its charter, becoming one of the few Black-owned financial institutions in the... Continue →
On this day, Gladys Knight—known as the "Empress of Soul"—was born in Atlanta, Georgia. A seven-time Grammy Award winner, she rose to fame as the... Continue →
On May 28, 1963, four young African American students—Annie Moody, Memphis Norman, Pearlena Lewis, and William Buttons—staged a sit-in at a... Continue →
On May 29, 1970, Black World (formerly Negro Digest) released its special “Pan-African Issue,” featuring essays and poetry from across the... Continue →
May 30, 1921, marked the beginning of the tragic events that led to the Tulsa Race Massacre. On this day, tensions escalated after a Black teenager,... Continue →
On May 31, 1909, approximately 300 Black and white activists gathered at the United Charities Building in New York City for the first official... Continue →
On this date in 1973 - WGPR is given a permit and becomes the 1ST television station owned by African Americans.
On the morning of June 1, 1921, the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma—known as \"Black Wall Street\"—lay in ashes after one of the deadliest... Continue →
Born June 1, 1870, Robert Sengstacke Abbott founded The Chicago Defender in 1905, one of the most influential Black newspapers in American history.... Continue →
On June 1, 1958, Trinidadian-born activist Claudia Jones launched the West Indian Gazette in London, the first major Black British newspaper. At a... Continue →
Dennis Hightower, a future trailblazer in American business and politics, was born on June 2, 1924, in Washington, D.C. After serving in World War II... Continue →
On June 2, 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau released new data showing that Black-owned businesses had grown by 46% between 1992 and 1997—the fastest... Continue →
On this day in 1919, Liberty Life Insurance Company (Chicago), the first old-line legal reserve company organized by Blacks in the North,... Continue →
On June 3, 1833, Mary Ann Shadd Cary was born in Wilmington, Delaware. She would go on to become the first Black woman publisher in North America and... Continue →
On June 3, 1956, civil rights pioneer Claudette Colvin had the final charges against her dropped, more than a year after she refused to give up her... Continue →
On June 3, 1979, a wave of student-led anti-apartheid protests erupted in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, led by Black students defying... Continue →
On this day in 1946, Mississippi Valley State University was founded in Itta Bena, Mississippi.
On June 5, 2001, the U.S. House of Representatives held a formal session acknowledging the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. It followed a detailed report... Continue →
Though the exact day is often debated, Tubman’s initial escape attempt is traditionally commemorated around early June. By June 5, 1849, she was... Continue →
On this day in 1869, Dillard University chartered in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Born on June 6, 1844, George William Gordon was the son of a slave woman and a Scottish planter in Jamaica. Despite his mixed heritage and the... Continue →
Prince Hall, a pioneer of African American Freemasonry and a Revolutionary War veteran, is believed to have died on June 10, 1806. Hall was a vocal... Continue →
On June 10, 1970, the U.S. Postal Service honored Dr. Robert Lee Vann with a commemorative stamp, recognizing his contributions as a journalist and... Continue →
Born June 10, 1910, in Charleston, South Carolina, Dr. Robert Furchgott would go on to share the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1998 for... Continue →
On June 10, 2007, e.tv launched South Africa’s first free-to-air digital satellite television service, enabling millions of underserved... Continue →
On June 11, 1990, William Thaddeus Coleman Jr. was named chairman of the board of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF). A former U.S.... Continue →
On June 11, 1993, the U.S. Postal Service released a new stamp in honor of Harriet Tubman as part of the Black Heritage Series. This marked the... Continue →
On June 13, 1920, James Weldon Johnson was appointed as the first African American Executive Secretary of the NAACP. Already known for his work as a... Continue →
On June 13, 1970, Don Cornelius entered serious negotiations to syndicate Soul Train nationally. Originally a local Chicago program, the show had... Continue →
On June 13, 1901, the Africa Times and Orient Review was first conceived during a planning meeting in Trinidad by early Pan-Africanists. Though the... Continue →
On June 14, 1919, Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) launched its first ship under the Black Star Line, a steamship... Continue →
On June 14, 1777, Prince Hall and 14 other free Black men formally established African Lodge No. 1 in Boston after being denied admission to existing... Continue →
On June 15, 1831, The Voice of the Fugitive, the first Black newspaper in Canada, was published by Rev. Henry Bibb, an escaped slave and... Continue →
On June 16, 1920, Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) launched the Negro Factories Corporation in Harlem. The goal was... Continue →
ON this date in 1937, Journalist Robert Clyve Maynard, owner, editor and publisher of "The Oakland Tribune," was born in the borough of Brooklyn, NY.
On June 17, 1982, Vincent Chin, a Chinese American man, was brutally beaten in Detroit by two white autoworkers who mistook him for Japanese and... Continue →
On June 18, 1942, Paul Robeson received the NAACP’s prestigious Spingarn Medal for outstanding achievement by an African American. Robeson, a... Continue →
On June 19, 1953, African American residents of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, initiated a bus boycott to protest segregated seating. Led by Reverend T.J.... Continue →
Charles W. Chesnutt was born on June 20, 1858, in Cleveland, Ohio. He became one of the first African American writers to gain national recognition,... Continue →
On June 23, 2013, Ursula Burns became the first Black woman to serve as CEO of a Fortune 500 company when she took the helm at Xerox Corporation. Her... Continue →
The Baton Rouge Bus Boycott, which began on June 19, 1953, ended on June 25, 1953. African American residents protested segregated seating on public... Continue →
On June 27, 1919, Archibald H. Grimké, a distinguished lawyer, diplomat, and civil rights advocate, was awarded the NAACP\'s Spingarn Medal for his... Continue →
On June 28, 1874, the Freedmen’s Savings and Trust Company closed its doors due to mismanagement and corruption. Established in 1865 to help newly... Continue →
On June 28, 1976, an Air France flight was hijacked by pro-Palestinian militants and diverted to Entebbe Airport in Uganda. The hijackers separated... Continue →
On June 29, 2018, Melody Barnes was appointed as the first African American chair of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which oversees Monticello. Her... Continue →
On June 30, 1958, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in NAACP v. Alabama that the state could not compel the NAACP to disclose its membership lists. This... Continue →
On June 30, 1974, Baltimore city workers initiated a strike demanding better wages and working conditions. The strike, involving a significant number... Continue →
On this date, Elijah McCoy was granted a patent for the steam engine lubricator (U.S. Patent No. 129,843). This device automatically lubricated steam... Continue →
On this date in 1946, Anthony Overton, an influential African American entrepreneur, banker, and publisher, passed away. Overton was best known for... Continue →
On this date in 1999, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) celebrated Caribbean Integration with a focus on strengthening regional cooperation and... Continue →
On this date in 1972, during its National Convention, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) adopted an emergency... Continue →
On this date in 1970, Asbury Park, New Jersey, was the site of significant rioting, with over one hundred people injured. The unrest was fueled by... Continue →
On this date in 1940, Aubrey F. Lowe, a prominent financial analyst from Suffolk, Virginia, was born. His contributions to the field of finance are... Continue →
On this date in 1965, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) officially elected Roy Wilkins as its new Executive... Continue →
On this date in 1863, the New York Draft Riots of 1863 were a violent and tragic expression of racial and class tensions. The riots erupted due to... Continue →
On July 19, 1913, the Tri-State Dental Association was formed as a professional organization for African American dentists in the U.S. It served as... Continue →
On this date in July, Mary Church Terrell was a prominent African American activist who played a pivotal role in advancing civil rights and women's... Continue →
On July 20, 1967, more than a thousand people gathered in Newark, New Jersey, for the first Black Power Conference. This event was a significant... Continue →
On July 21, 1896, the National Federation of Afro-American Women and the Colored Women's League merged to form the National Association of Colored... Continue →
On this date in 1864, the first daily Black newspaper, The New Orleans Tribune, is published in English and French. The New Orleans Tribune was the... Continue →
On July 24, 2002, Black Enterprise publisher Earl G. Graves, along with basketball legend Magic Johnson, signed an agreement to purchase Pepsi-Cola... Continue →
On July 25, 1991, Dennis Hightower was appointed as the president of Disney Consumer Products for the Europe and Middle East regions. Hightower had a... Continue →
The Liberty Life Insurance Company was founded on July 25, 1921. It was a prominent life insurance company that played an important role in the... Continue →
Garrett T. Morgan is widely recognized for his significant contribution to safety with the invention of the gas mask. On July 25, 1916, he famously... Continue →
On July 26, 1926, the National Bar Association (NBA) was incorporated. It is the largest and oldest network of predominantly African American... Continue →
Whitney Young was born on July 31, 1921, in Lincoln Ridge, Kentucky. He was a prominent African American civil rights leader and the... Continue →
Ronald H. Brown, born on August 1, 1941, was an American politician and businessman. He is perhaps best known for serving as the Secretary of... Continue →
Charles Clinton Spaulding was born on August 1, 1874. He was a prominent African American businessman and one of the most influential figures in... Continue →
On August 2, 1920, William Leidesdorff, a businessman and one of the early pioneers in California, launched the first steamboat in San... Continue →
The Atlanta Daily World, founded on August 3, 1928, by William A. Scott III, holds a significant place in history as the first Black daily newspaper... Continue →
On August 4, 1897, Henry Rucker was appointed as the Collector of Internal Revenue for Georgia by President William McKinley. This was a significant... Continue →
On August 5, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln reversed a policy that had been implemented earlier during the Civil War regarding the distribution of... Continue →
On August 7, 1893, Black longshoremen in Galveston, Texas, went on strike to demand higher wages and better working conditions. This strike... Continue →
Matthew A. Henson was born on August 8, 1866. He was an African American explorer who is best known for being one of the first people to... Continue →
The Boston African Society was established on August 8, 1796, by a group of free African Americans in Boston. It was founded with 44 members... Continue →
On August 8, 1987, Reginald Lewis, an African American businessman, acquired Beatrice Foods Company for $985 million. This acquisition was one of the... Continue →
Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell was born on August 12, 1923. She was a pioneering model, businesswoman, and advocate for diversity in the fashion and beauty... Continue →
Charles Edward Anderson, born on August 13, 1919, was an influential American meteorologist. He is particularly known for his pioneering work in... Continue →
On August 13, 1892, the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper published its first issue. Founded by John H. Murphy Sr., it quickly became one of the most... Continue →
On August 13, 1881, Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, established the first African American nursing school. This was a significant moment in... Continue →
Magic Johnson, born on August 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan, is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Known for his... Continue →
On August 15, 1931, Roy Wilkins joined the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) as assistant secretary. He would go on... Continue →
On August 15, 1843, the National Black Convention convened in Buffalo, New York, with around seventy delegates from twelve different states. The... Continue →
The first National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF) concluded on August 20, 1989, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded by the late Larry Leon... Continue →
On August 20, 1944, Dr. Charles R. Drew was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his pioneering work in blood plasma preservation and storage.... Continue →
On August 22, 1791, Benjamin Banneker, a renowned mathematician, astronomer, and surveyor, played a significant role in the surveying of the District... Continue →
On August 25, 1925, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) was organized at a mass meeting held at the Elks Hall in Harlem. A. Philip... Continue →
On August 25, 1886, some six hundred delegates organized the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in the United States. The AFL was a federation of... Continue →
On August 27, 1991, a Florida circuit court judge ordered the liquidation of Central Life Insurance Company, the last surviving African American... Continue →
On August 28, 1964, a race riot erupted in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This was part of a larger wave of racial unrest in the 1960s, fueled by... Continue →
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place on August 28, 1963. It was a historic event in the Civil Rights Movement, where over 250,000... Continue →
On August 29, 1979, the Mutual Black Network (MBN) was launched, becoming the first completely Black-owned radio network in the world. It was founded... Continue →
On August 29, 1962, Mal Goode made history by becoming the first African American television news commentator. He began working with ABC, where he... Continue →
On August 30, 1838, Mirror of Freedom, the first African American magazine, was published. It was a short-lived but significant publication, aimed at... Continue →
Jonathan A. Rodgers became president of CBS's television stations division on September 3, 1990. He was tasked with overseeing CBS's... Continue →
On September 3, 1919, the Lincoln Motion Picture Company released its first feature-length film, The Realization of a Negro's Ambition. The film was... Continue →
On September 3, 1865, the Freedmen's Bureau, established by Congress in 1865 to aid formerly enslaved African Americans in the South, was ordered to... Continue →
On this date in 1859, Co-organizer of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, John Merrick was born.
On this date in 1916, Cleveland Call established by Cleveland inventor Garrett Morgan and later merged with the Cleveland Post in 1929 to become the... Continue →
On this dated in 1889, in Sanford, Florida of Claude A. Barnett founder of the Associated Negro Press, the first and only Black news wire services in... Continue →
On this date in 1881, Booker T. Washington opens Tuskegee Institute in Alabama
On this dated in 1907, The People's Savings Bank is incorporated in Philadelphia by former African American congressman George H. White of North... Continue →
On this date in 1915, Xavier University, the first Black Catholic college in the US, opens in New Orleans.
On this date in 1875, Branch Normal College opens in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Branch Normal College was a segregated unit of the state university, the... Continue →
ON this date in 1949, the First Black radio station, WERD, begins operating in Atlanta, Georgia.
On this date in 1856, Timothy ("T.") Thomas Fortune was born on this day.
On this date in 1864, the New Orleans Tribune, the first black daily newspaper, was founded by Dr. Louis C. Roudanez. The newspaper, published in... Continue →
On this date in 1867, Monroe Baker, a well-to-do Black businessman, named mayor of St. Martin, Louisiana, two years after the end of slavery. Monroe... Continue →
On this date in 1895, W.D. Davis patented an improved riding saddle. Davis invented his saddle while serving as a buffalo soldier, African American... Continue →
On this date in 1864, The first African American daily newspaper, the New Orleans Tribune is published in both French and English.
On this date in 1834, Harry Blair patents his corn-planting machine. The planter resembled a wheelbarrow, with a compartment to hold the seed and... Continue →
ON this date in 1890, Alabama Penny Savings Bank organized in Birmingham.
ON this date in 1849, Avery College established in Allegheny, Pennsylvania.
On this date in 1969, Dr. Clifton R. Wharton Jr. elected president of Michigan State University and became the first Black to head a major,... Continue →
On this date in 1888, Capital Savings Bank of Washington, D.C., the first Black bank, opened in Washington, D.C. The Savings Bank of the Order of... Continue →
On this date in 1859, Co-founder of Virginia State College, Byrd Prillerman, born.
On this date in 1898, North Carolina Mutual and Provident Insurance Company founded by John Merrick and associates in Durham, North Carolina as the... Continue →
On this date in 1989, Bertram M. Lee and Peter C.B. Bynoe sign an agreement to purchase the National Basketball Association's Denver Nuggets for $54... Continue →
On this date in 1980, Valerie Thomas invented the illusion transmitter. Patent #US4229761.
On this date in 1950, The first NBA Black Assistant Coach and first Black chief scout, Earl Lloyd, becomes the first Black person to play in an NBA... Continue →
On this date in 1865, Jamaican national hero, George William Gordon, is unfairly arrested and sentenced to death.
On this date in 1955, the first black post office open, Atlanta Georgia.
ON this date in 1953, Clarence S. Green becomes the first African-American certified in neurological surgery.
On this date in 1950, Charles Cooper joins the NBA and becomes one of the first Blacks to play in an NBA game.
On this date in 1950, Nat Clifton joins the NBA and becomes one of the first Blacks to play in an NBA game.
On this date in 1911, Three organizations the Committee for Improving the Industrial Conditions of Negroes in New York, the Committee on Urban... Continue →
On this date in 1948, Rep. Kweisi Mfume who was born Frizzell Gray in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1996 Mfume became president of the NAACP.
On this date in 1892, In New Orleans, 25,000 Black workers strike.
On this date in 1892, Lincoln F. Brown patents Bridle bit. Patent No. 484,994
ON this date in 1934, at a New York City conference, representatives of the NAACP and the American Fund for Public Service planned a coordinated... Continue →
On this date in 1978, President Carter signed Hawkins-Humphrey full employment bill.
On this date in 1914, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity incorporated,founded at Howard University.
On this date in 1981, William O. Walker (85), publisher of the Cleveland Call and Post newspaper, dies. In 1932, Walker became the publisher and... Continue →
On this date in 1929, the stock market collapsed bringing on the beginning of the Great Depression. By 1937, 26 percent of Black males were... Continue →
BET Holdings, Inc. the parent company of Black Entertainment Television sells 4.2 million shares of stock in an initial public offering on the NYSE,... Continue →
On this date in 1989, Frank Mingo, one of the pioneering advertising executives who specialized in targeting African American consumers, dies. He... Continue →
On this dated in 1820, The "Emancipator," the first anti-slavery magazine, was issued monthly from April 30 to October 31, 1820. It was edited and... Continue →
Jet magazine founded by John H. Johnson, publisher of Ebony magazine.
On this date in 1942, John H. Johnson published first issue of Negro Digest.
ON this dated in 1910, Activist, WEB Dubois, begins publication of the NAACP monthly magazine, Crisis.
ON this date in 1898, C. W. Allen Self-leveling table. Patent No.613,436
On this date in 1989, Renowned attorney Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander dies in Philadelphia.
On this dated in 1903, Business and civic leader, Maggie L Walker, opens the St Luke Penny Savings Bank in Richmond, Virginia.
Bill and Camille Cosby gave an unprecedented gift of $20 million to Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.
On this date in 1988, the Martin L. King, Jr, federal Building is dedicated in Atlanta, Ga. It is the first federal building in the nation to bear... Continue →
On this date in 1879, T. Elkins puts patents on the refrigerating apparatus. U.S. patent #221,222
On this date in 1750, Jean-Baptist-Point Du Sable was a black pioneer, trader and founder of the settlement that later became the city of Chicago.
ON this date in 1917, U.S. Supreme Court decision (Buchanan v. Warley) struck down Louisville, Ky., ordinance which required Blacks and whites to... Continue →
On this date in 1912, Woodrow Wilson elected president.
On this date in 1867, First Reconstruction constitutional convention (eighteen Blacks, ninety whites) opened in Montgomery, Alabama.
On this date in 1976, Benjamin Hooks, Federal Communications Commission member, named to succeed Roy Wilkins as executive director of the NAACP.
ON this date in 1928, the Atlanta Daily World founded by W.A. Scott Jr. The newspaper became a daily in 1933.
On this date in 1884, Novelist and dramatist, William Wells Brown, dies.
On November 7, 1909, the Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver were organized in Mobile, Alabama, by four Josephite priests and three Catholic... Continue →
On November 8, 1966, John H. Johnson, the founder of Ebony and Jet magazines, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP. The medal was given to him... Continue →
On this day, William Monroe Trotter, a Harvard-educated activist and newspaper editor, co-founded The Guardian in Boston, Massachusetts. The paper... Continue →
On this day, Howard University College of Medicine officially opened in Washington, D.C., with eight students and five faculty members. Among the... Continue →
On this day, the National Benefit Life Insurance Company was organized in Washington, D.C. by Samuel W. Rutherford. At a time when most mainstream... Continue →
The African Union Society of Newport, Rhode Island was formally established on November 10, 1780, making it the first documented Black mutual aid... Continue →
James Weldon Johnson, a distinguished author, diplomat, and civil rights leader, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP in 1925 for his... Continue →
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded on November 12, 1922, at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, by seven African American... Continue →
Alexander P. Haley, acclaimed author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his unparalleled... Continue →
On this day, Agbani Darego of Nigeria was crowned Miss World 2001 in Sun City, South Africa. She made history as the first Black African woman to win... Continue →
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., becoming the first international fraternal... Continue →
On this day, WHMM-TV (now known as WHUT-TV), located on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., became the first African American-owned... Continue →
On this day, Wally "Famous" Amos, founder of Famous Amos Cookies, donated his signature Panama hat and embroidered shirt to the Smithsonian... Continue →
Andrew J. Young, civil rights leader, diplomat, and politician, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP in 1978. The Spingarn Medal is the... Continue →
On November 20, 1939, Morgan State College officially became a public institution when the state of Maryland purchased it to provide more... Continue →
Ten members of the First Congregational Society of Washington, D.C. gathered for a missionary meeting and resolved to establish a seminary to train... Continue →
On this day in 1654, Richard Johnson, a free Black man, was granted 100 acres of land in Northampton County, Virginia, as a reward for importing two... Continue →
Colonel Frederick D. Gregory, a U.S. Air Force pilot and NASA astronaut, became the first African American to command a space mission when he led... Continue →
Timothy Thomas Fortune, a pioneering African American journalist and civil rights leader, founded the New York Freeman on this day. The publication... Continue →
Christopher J. Perry founded The Philadelphia Tribune, which would become the oldest continuously published African American newspaper in the United... Continue →
On November 24, 1971, a significant prison rebellion erupted at Rahway State Prison (now known as East Jersey State Prison) in New Jersey. The unrest... Continue →
Southern University was officially established in Louisiana on November 24, 1880, by the state legislature as a public institution for the education... Continue →
On November 25, 1955, the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) issued an order banning racial segregation on interstate buses and in bus terminals,... Continue →
On this day, the National Negro Medical Association of Physicians, Dentists, and Pharmacists was established in Atlanta, Georgia, during the Cotton... Continue →
On this day, the South Carolina General Assembly convened in Columbia and marked a major milestone during the Reconstruction era: Stephen A.... Continue →
Marjorie Joyner, an African American inventor and businesswoman, was granted U.S. Patent No. 1,693,515 for her invention of the permanent wave... Continue →
Berry Gordy Jr. was born in Detroit, Michigan on November 28, 1929. He would go on to found Motown Records in 1959, a groundbreaking Black-owned... Continue →
Alexander P. Ashbourne, an African American inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 170,460 for a biscuit cutter. His invention automated the process... Continue →
On this day, Pearl Stewart became the first African American woman to serve as editor of a major metropolitan daily newspaper—the Oakland Tribune,... Continue →
On December 1, 1874, T. J. Byrd was granted U.S. Patent No. 157,370 for an improvement in car couplings, a device crucial for connecting railroad... Continue →
?In 1873, several historically significant educational institutions were established, each playing a pivotal role in advancing education for African... Continue →
Marie Van Brittan Brown, a Black American inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 3,482,037 for her invention of the first home security system.... Continue →
On this day, Granville T. Woods, often called the “Black Edison,” was granted a patent for his improved telephone transmitter. This device... Continue →
On this day, Frederick Douglass, in collaboration with Martin R. Delany, published the first issue of The North Star in Rochester, New York. The... Continue →
Roy Wilkins, executive secretary of the NAACP, was awarded the prestigious Spingarn Medal for his lifelong dedication to civil rights and his... Continue →
On this day, the Independence Bank of Chicago was officially organized, becoming one of the largest Black-owned banks in the United States. Founded... Continue →
Ralph Gardner-Chavis, born in Cleveland, Ohio, was a pioneering African American chemist whose research played a crucial role in the development of... Continue →
On this day, the Virginia Constitutional Convention convened in Richmond as part of Reconstruction efforts following the Civil War. For the first... Continue →
On this day, John S. Rock—a lawyer, physician, and abolitionist—passed away. In 1865, he made history as the first African American admitted to... Continue →
Moneta Sleet Jr., a photographer for Ebony magazine, became the first African American man and the first African American photographer to win a... Continue →
Clarence M. Mitchell Jr., director of the NAACP Washington Bureau, received the Spingarn Medal for the pivotal role he played in the enactment of... Continue →
Anthony Overton, a pioneering African American businessman, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his outstanding achievements in business.... Continue →
On this day, Duke Ellington and his band began their legendary residency at the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York. This engagement catapulted Ellington... Continue →
On this day, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) organized nationwide protests against the film The Birth of a... Continue →
Founded in Harlem, The Amsterdam News became one of the most influential African American newspapers in the United States. It served as a critical... Continue →
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men, was founded at Cornell... Continue →
Prince Hall, a pioneering African American abolitionist and founder of Prince Hall Freemasonry, died in Boston on this day in 1807. Born in the... Continue →
On this day, New York City became the first city in the United States to enact legislation prohibiting racial and religious discrimination in private... Continue →
In response to Rosa Parks’ arrest for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger, the Montgomery Bus Boycott was launched on this day. That... Continue →
On this day, educator and civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) in New York City. The... Continue →
On this day, renowned Harlem Renaissance poet and playwright Langston Hughes saw his play Mulatto open at the Vanderbilt Theatre on Broadway. The... Continue →
The Swing Era officially took off around this time, with the commercial success of big bands transforming the American music scene. The mid-1930s... Continue →
Mary McLeod Bethune, renowned educator and civil rights leader, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for her outstanding achievements in... Continue →
On this day, Lee P. Brown made history by being elected the first African American mayor of Houston, Texas. A former police chief and federal "drug... Continue →
Eddie Robinson, legendary head coach of Grambling State University, coached his final football game on this day. Over a remarkable 57-year career... Continue →
?On December 6, 1960, in Tucson, Arizona, approximately 500 store owners signed pledges committing to nondiscrimination practices. This collective... Continue →
The first National Black Labor Convention convened in Washington, D.C., bringing together African American workers and leaders from across the... Continue →
On this day, Tougaloo College was established in Tougaloo, Mississippi, by the American Missionary Association. It became a center for African... Continue →
In 1982, John E. Jacob succeeded Vernon E. Jordan Jr. as president of the National Urban League, a historic civil rights organization focused on... Continue →
Reginald F. Lewis, a trailblazer in law and business, was born on this day in Baltimore, Maryland. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School... Continue →
On the same day as the Pearl Harbor attack, Lester B. Granger was named executive director of the National Urban League, becoming a leading figure in... Continue →
The NAACP presented the prestigious Spingarn Medal to novelist Richard Wright for his groundbreaking contributions to American literature. He was... Continue →
Comer Cottrell, born on this day in Mobile, Alabama, would go on to become a pioneering entrepreneur and influential figure in American business. In... Continue →
On this day, Kurt L. Schmoke was inaugurated as the first African American mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. A Rhodes Scholar and Yale Law graduate,... Continue →
On this day, journalist and publisher Louis E. Martin founded the Michigan Chronicle, an African American newspaper based in Detroit. The paper... Continue →
On this day, John Hope was posthumously awarded the Spingarn Medal, the NAACP’s highest honor, recognizing outstanding achievement by an African... Continue →
Sammy Davis Jr., legendary African American singer, dancer, actor, and comedian, was born in Harlem, New York. A child prodigy who began performing... Continue →
Henry Hugh Proctor was born in Fayette County, Tennessee. He became a prominent African American minister, educator, and writer, known for his work... Continue →
President Abraham Lincoln issued his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, offering a full pardon and restoration of property (except for... Continue →
On this day, Jack L. Cooper, the first African American radio broadcaster, launched "Search for Missing Persons," a public service program aimed at... Continue →
Andrew “Rube” Foster, founder of the Negro National League (NNL) and a legendary figure in Black baseball, died on this day in 1930. Foster was... Continue →
On this day, Pamela McAllister Johnson broke barriers by becoming the first Black woman to serve as publisher of a mainstream daily newspaper, the... Continue →
Edwin C. Berry, one of the most successful Black entrepreneurs of his era, was born on this day in Oberlin, Ohio. In 1892, he built the Hotel Berry,... Continue →
Lewis H. Latimer, an accomplished African American inventor and engineer, died on this day in Flushing, New York. He began his career as a draftsman... Continue →
Harry T. Burleigh, a pioneering African American composer, arranger, and baritone soloist, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP. Burleigh is... Continue →
The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) was founded on December 12, 1975, in Washington, D.C., by 44 journalists dedicated to... Continue →
Civil rights activist Medgar Evers was posthumously awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his courageous work in the fight against racial... Continue →
Kenneth B. Clark, a pioneering psychologist and educator, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his groundbreaking work on the... Continue →
The San Francisco Sun-Reporter is a prominent African American weekly newspaper serving the San Francisco community. Its origins trace back to 1944,... Continue →
On this day, Maggie Lena Walker, a groundbreaking African American businesswoman and civic leader, passed away. Before her death, she served as... Continue →
On December 15, 1943, the Spingarn Medal was presented to William H. Hastie in recognition of his distinguished career as a jurist and his unwavering... Continue →
On December 15, 1934, William Taylor Burwell Williams was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his exceptional contributions to education.... Continue →
On this day, the Booker T. Washington Memorial Half Dollar was officially issued by the United States Mint. It was the first U.S. coin to honor an... Continue →
John Edward Jacob, born on December 16, 1934, in Trout, Louisiana, and raised in Houston, Texas, was a prominent civil rights leader and advocate for... Continue →
George and Noble Johnson founded the Lincoln Motion Picture Company, the first Black-owned film production company in the United States. Based in Los... Continue →
James P. Thomas, a formerly enslaved man who gained his freedom and became a prosperous entrepreneur, died on this day in 1913. After opening a... Continue →
On December 18, 1971, Reverend Jesse Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in Chicago. The organization was established to... Continue →
On December 18, 1971, the NAACP awarded the Spingarn Medal to Reverend Leon H. Sullivan in recognition of his outstanding leadership and... Continue →
James Weldon Johnson, noted author, educator, lawyer, and civil rights leader, resigned from his role as executive secretary of the NAACP, a position... Continue →
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, originally founded on January 13, 1913 at Howard University by 22 collegiate women, was officially incorporated on... Continue →
On this day, the Pittsburgh Courier, one of the most influential African American newspapers in U.S. history, was founded. Based in Pittsburgh,... Continue →
The Norfolk Journal and Guide, a significant African American newspaper, was established in 1910 under the leadership of Plummer Bernard (P.B.) Young... Continue →
On this day, the Baltimore City Council passed the first city ordinance in the United States mandating racial segregation in housing, requiring that... Continue →
On December 20, 1988, Max Robinson, the first African American man to anchor a nightly network newscast, passed away at the age of 49 due to... Continue →
On December 20, 1956, the African American community in Montgomery, Alabama, voted to end their 381-day bus boycott following the U.S. Supreme... Continue →
On this day, legendary choreographer and dancer Alvin Ailey received the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP, “in recognition of his international... Continue →
The NAACP awarded the Spingarn Medal to Gordon B. Parks “in recognition of his unique creativity, as exemplified by his outstanding achievements as... Continue →
On December 21, 1959, residents of Deerfield, Illinois, approved a referendum that effectively blocked plans for an interracial housing development.... Continue →
Motown Records was established in Detroit, Michigan, by Berry Gordy Jr. Motown became one of the most influential record labels, significantly... Continue →
The Montgomery Bus Boycott officially ended after 381 days, making Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. national heroes. The U.S. Supreme Court... Continue →
Charles Lenox Remond, a pioneering abolitionist and orator, died on this day in 1873. He was the first Black lecturer employed by the Massachusetts... Continue →
Madame C.J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove in Delta, Louisiana, was born on this day. She would go on to found a successful Black hair-care business in... Continue →
Henry Highland Garnet, a minister, abolitionist, and diplomat, was born into slavery in Kent County, Maryland. He became a prominent figure in the... Continue →
On this day, approximately five thousand African Americans departed Edgefield County, South Carolina, in what became known as the “Edgefield... Continue →
Octavia V. Rogers Albert, an African American author and former enslaved woman, was born. She is best known for her influential book The House of... Continue →
On Christmas Day in 1971, Rev. Jesse Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in Chicago. The organization aimed to improve... Continue →
Seaway National Bank of Chicago, one of the largest Black-owned banks in the United States, was established to serve the financial needs of the South... Continue →
Henry McKee Minton was born on this day in Columbia, South Carolina. A pioneering African American physician and pharmacist, Minton co-founded Sigma... Continue →
Charles B. Ray was born in Falmouth, Massachusetts. He later enrolled at Wesleyan University in Connecticut but was forced to withdraw due to... Continue →
Following the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, African Americans in Birmingham, Alabama, launched a campaign of mass resistance against... Continue →
DeFord Bailey, an influential African American harmonica player, was among the Grand Ole Opry's earliest and most celebrated performers. His first... Continue →
On this day in 1941, Dr. Charles Richard Drew, a trailblazing African American physician and researcher, established a pioneering blood bank in New... Continue →
With the support of his wife, Work went on to publish The Negro Year Book, an annual encyclopedia of African American achievement. In 1928, he... Continue →
Livingstone College and Biddle College (now Johnson C. Smith University) played the first recorded football game between African American colleges.... Continue →
Arthur B. Spingarn, a key figure in the early U.S. civil rights movement and one of the founders of the NAACP (National Association for the... Continue →
Thomas J. "Tom" Bradley was born on December 29, 1917, in Calvert, Texas. He moved with his family to Los Angeles around 1924, where he later... Continue →
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., a historically African American Greek-lettered sorority, was officially incorporated on this date in 1929. Founded on... Continue →
Two U.S. courts issued temporary injunctions to stop the eviction of approximately 700 Black sharecroppers in Haywood and Fayette counties,... Continue →
On this day in 1960, renowned poet and writer Langston Hughes was presented with the NAACP Spingarn Medal, honoring his outstanding achievements in... Continue →
The "Don't Buy Where You Can't Work" campaign began in Chicago with the picketing of chain stores on the South Side, demanding fair employment... Continue →
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) held its first nationally televised telethon, An Evening of Stars, which raised $14.1 million to support... Continue →
On this day in 1953, Hulan Jack was sworn in as the Borough President of Manhattan, becoming one of the first African Americans to hold such a... Continue →
On December 31, 1953, the NAACP awarded the Spingarn Medal to Paul R. Williams for his outstanding achievements in architecture. Williams broke... Continue →
Annie Wealthy Holland, an influential African American educator, was born on this day. She is best known for founding the Parent Teacher Association... Continue →
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