You may also like
Saddler, Joseph/Grandmaster Flash (1958 - )
Although he will more than likely be remembered best for releasing “The Message,” the first rap song to delve into social commentary about the plight of African Americans in the inner-city, Grandmaster Flash was also the original technological virtuoso of the early hip-hop movement to
Read more
Source: Black Past
Sponsored by Center for Critical Race and Digital Studies
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman won the Academy Award as best supporting actor for his role as a world-weary ex-boxer in the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby. Morgan Freeman kicked around TV and movies during the 1970s and 80s as a reliable supporting character, then became a familiar face in the movies after his
Read more
Source: Fact Monster - Black History
Football star Earl Campbell born
Football star Earl Campbell was born in Tyler, Texas.
Read more
Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Prospanica Boston Professional Chapter
Mar
29
1955
Michael Jordan announces his second retirement from the NBA.
Michael Jordan announces his second retirement from the NBA.
Read more
Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Center for Critical Race and Digital Studies
Jan
13
1999
Williams, Camilla (1919-2012)
Professional opera singer Camilla Williams was born October 18, 1919 in Danville, Virginia to Fannie Carey Williams and Cornelius Booker Williams. The youngest of four siblings, Williams began singing at a young age and was performing at her local church by age eight. At age 12, she began taking
Read more
Source: Black Past
Jan
29
2012
(1888) Frederick Douglass On Woman Suffrage
? F.A.Q. Frederick Douglass was one of the few men present at the pioneer woman’s rights convention held at Seneca Falls, New York, in July 1848. His support of women’s rights never wavered although in 1869 he publicly disagreed with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony who called for women
Read more
Source: Black Past
Sponsored by Association of Latino Professionals For America (ALPFA) Boston Professional Chapter
Mike Jones
Michael Jones, or simply known as Mike Jones, is an American rapper, born in January 6, 1981, in Houston, Texas. He also pursues an acting career on an occasional basis. Jones initially wanted to pursue a different career than that in music, given his extraordinary craze for basketball. He
Read more
Source: Black History Resources
Sponsored by Eastern Bank
Jan
6
1981
(2015) President Barack Obama's Eulogy for Rev. Clementa Pinckney
VIDEO OF SPEECH
Read more
Source: Black Past
Hendrix, Jimi (1942-1970)
Legendary self-taught, left-handed guitarist Jimi Hendrix was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, the son of Lucille Jeter Hendrix and Al Hendrix.  Jimi grew up in poverty but he loved science fiction, art, nearby Lake Washington and music, especially the R&B masters, Chuck Berry and Ray
Read more
Source: Black Past
Sep
18
1970
Walt Frazier
Walter Frazier is a retired professional NBA player who played for the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers. He was born on March 29, 1945 in Atlanta, Georgia and was the eldest of nine children. An exceptional athlete since childhood, Frazier was the star of the football, baseball and
Read more
Source: Black History Resources
Mar
29
1945
Owens, Jesse
Owens, Jesse, 1913–80, U.S. track star, b. Alabama. He was also called John Cleveland Owens, although his original name was said to be simply J. C. Owens. After his family moved to Cleveland he excelled at track and field events in high school. He won the broad-jump titles at the outdoor
Read more
Source: Fact Monster - Black History
O’Ree, Willie (1935- )
Willie O’Ree, the National Hockey League’s (NHL) first black player, is an African-Canadian, born on October 15, 1935, in Fredricton, New Brunswick. He began skating at an early age and quickly developed into one of the best players in eastern Canada.  O’Ree joined the Quebec Frontenacs, a junior
Read more
Source: Black Past
Jan
18
1958
Paul Robeson and Japanese Americans, 1942-1949
One hero and friend of Japanese Americans, both individuals and the community generally, was Paul Robeson. Robeson was (after Joe Louis) the most popular and visible African American of the 1930s and 1940s. He was a celebrated stage actor and movie star, an internationally famous folk
Read more
Source: Black Past
lsiah Lord Thomas is born
lsiah Lord Thomas is born in Chicago, Ill. One of nine children raised by a single mother, Thomas will become a basketball star, first for Indiana University and later for the Detroit Pistons, where he will lead the team to 1989 and 1990 NBA championships.
Read more
Source: Blackfacts.com
Apr
30
1961
Campbell, Clive/DJ Kool Herc (1955- )
DJ Kool Herc was the earliest major figure to emerge from the mid-70s Bronx, New York music scene that would eventually come to be known as Hip-Hop. Born Clive Campbell in Kingston, Jamaica, Herc immigrated to New York City and was exposed at an early age to both American and Jamaican musical
Read more
Source: Black Past
Jesse Jackson, Sr.
Once an aide to Martin Luther King, Jr., Jesse Jackson has been a political activist and public figure since the civil rights days of the 1960s. Jackson, a Baptist minister, is the founder of the non-profit organization PUSH (People United to Save Humanity). In the 1980s he was a regular presence
Read more
Source: Fact Monster - Black History
(1817) J. Forten & Russel Perrott, “An Address To The Humane And Benevolent Inhabitants Of The City And County Of Philadelphia
On August 10, 1817, James Forten and Russel Perrott served as chairman and secretary of a large indignation meeting of Philadelphia’s free African American community. The gathering protested the efforts of the year-old American Colonization Society to recruit blacks to leave the United States for
Read more
Source: Black Past
Aug
10
1817
On October 2, 1937,Johnny L. Cochran, Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He
On October 2, 1937,Johnny L. Cochran, Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He became the noted controversial lawyer, who defended pro football star and actor, O.J. Simpson, in the infamous trial, for which Simpson was accused of killing wife and her friend. A member of the Dream Team.
Read more
Source: Blackfacts.com
Oct
2
1937
Black Slaves Welcomed Into Amer. Army
Lemuel Haynes, Revolutionary War veteran, licensed to preaching to the Congregational Church. After the winter of Valley Forge, Black slaves and free men were welcomed into the American Army. There were Black soldiers in the Revolutionary army from all of the original thirteen colonies. Most of the
Read more
Source: Blackfacts.com
Nov
29
1780
Baseball player Darryl Strawberry born
New York Mets controversial star outfielder Darryl Strawberry was born in Los Angeles.
Read more
Source: Blackfacts.com
Mar
12
1962
Ernie Davis is born
Ernie Davis was a star running back at Syracuse University; first black player to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961; drafted by the Washington Redskins and traded to Cleveland but died the following year of leukemia before playing a pro game.
Read more
Source: Blackfacts.com
Dec
14
1939
Bill Russell
Bill Russell is a celebrated African-American retired basketball player. He played center for the National Basketball Association’s the Boston Celtics team. His relentless effort earned him a twelve-time All-Star title and the NBA Most Valuable Player title. Russell’s remarkable victories made him
Read more
Source: Black History Resources
Sponsored by Intellitech
Feb
12
1934
Church Of God In Christ, Memphis (1907- )
The Church of God In Christ (COGIC) with over six million members worldwide is one the largest Pentecostal churches in the world.  It was founded by Bishop Charles Harrison Mason in
Read more
Source: Black Past
Sponsored by Center for Critical Race and Digital Studies
(1963) Josephine Baker, “Speech at the March on Washington”
Josephine Baker is remembered by most people as the flamboyant African American entertainer who earned fame and fortune in Paris in the 1920s.  Yet through much of her later life, Baker became a vocal opponent of  segregation and discrimination, often initiating one-woman protests against racial
Read more
Source: Black Past
Denzel Washington
Washington was the first African-American to win a best actor Oscar since Sidney Poitier in 1963… 2002 was the first year that African-Americans won both the best actor and best actress Oscars; Washington won for Training Day and Halle Berry won for her role in Monster’s Ball… Washington has
Read more
Source: Fact Monster - Black History
(1837) Theodore S. Wright, “Prejudice Against the Colored Man”
Rev. Theodore S. Wright, (1797-1847) was born to free parents in Providence, Rhode Island. By the 1830s Wright was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in New York City and a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Wright, a dedicated abolitionist, attended the New York State Anti-Slavery Society
Read more
Source: Black Past
Charles "Chuck" Cooper
Charles Chuck Cooper first African American ever drafted by an NBA team; picked by the Boston Celtics
Read more
Source: Blackfacts.com
Apr
25
1950
(1959) Nnamdi Azikiwe Addresses the NAACP Convention on the Organization's 50th Anniversary
Nnamdi Azikiwe, by now the best know nationalist leader in Nigeria, addressed the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) at its 50th anniversary celebration at the Polo Grounds, New York City, July 19, 1959. His speech appears
Read more
Source: Black Past
Jul
19
1959
The Arsenio Hall Show premieres.
The Arsenio Hall Show premieres. It is the first regularly scheduled nightly talk show to star an African American.
Read more
Source: Blackfacts.com
Jan
3
1989
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island in the West Indies, 90 mi (145 km) south of Cuba and 100 mi (161 km) west of Haiti. It is a little smaller than Connecticut. The island is made up of coastal lowlands, a limestone plateau, and the Blue Mountains, a group of volcanic hills, in the
Read more
Source: Fact Monster - Black History
More from Blavity News
The Confusion Of Learning You're Part White
Issa Isn’t Wrong, But Neither is Molly: What I Believe Is Really Behind Their Fallout
White Man Carries A TV During His 2.23-Mile #RunWithMaud To Make A Point About Ahmaud Arbery's Killing
Imprisoned New Jersey Woman Dies Of COVID-19 After Begging To Be Let Out Of Prison Shower
Maxine Waters’ Sister Has Died Of Coronavirus
Amanda Seales Flames Justin Timberlake For Turning Off Comments On Ahmaud Arbery Posts
Michael R. Jackson Is The First Black Playwright To Win A Pulitzer Prize For Drama
Make The First Move: Top 9 Openers To Make A Great First Impression On The Bumble App
NYPD 'Roughly' Arrests Distinguished Journalist For Writing In Chalk On Old Storefront
Trump Spent Mother's Day Obsessing Over Barack Obama
Proud Dad Of HBCU Grad Surprises Her With Graduation Ceremony In Their Driveway
17-Year-Old Black Student Killed By Florida Homeowner In ‘Stand Your Ground’ Case
9 Times Black People Were Treated Differently Than White Protestors.
5 Things To Know About Breonna Taylor, The 26-Year-Old EMT Killed By Police In Her Home
Four Black Women Are Sitting In The Top Two Spots On The Billboard Hot 100
Boosie Badazz Talks About Getting 'Grown Woman' To Perform Oral Sex On His Adolescent Son In Cringey Video
US District Judge Emmet Sullivan To Decide If Charges Against Michael Flynn Will Be Dropped
Lebanese Man Arrested After Attempting To 'Sell' Black Migrant Domestic Worker On Facebook
Candace Owens Is Getting Dragged By Her Fellow Black Republicans For Her Asinine Comments About Ahmaud Arbery
London Railway Worker Spat On By Man Who Said He Had COVID-19 Dies Of Virus
Here Are 11 Times Rihanna Looked Like A Literal Meal According To A Twitter User Who Got Jokes
Beloved Houston Gospel Singer Fatally Shot By Cop Following Alleged Scuffle Over Taser
How Seemingly Great Equalizers Like Technology Are Still Dividing America
Run Sisters, Run: Why I’m Calling On America’s Black Women To Take Action In Our Government
For Parents Of Color, Schooling At Home Can Be An Act Of Resistance
No Kid Hungry Organization Turns Down Tekashi 6ix9ine's Coins Due To His Criminal Background
A Pennsylvania Karen Attacked A Red Lobster Employee Over Having To Wait Too Long For Her Food
76-Year-Old Graduates With Ph. D From Howard While Amplifying The Voice Of Igbo Women - Blavity
These Two Sets Of Twins Are Slaying Graduation Season - Blavity
Black Blogger Becomes Overnight Celebrity After White Woman Becomes Salty Over Her Photo - Blavity
Two Sisters Found Dead Under Georgia Bridge Believed To Be Homicide Victims - Blavity
A Group Of Armed Black Men Protested Through The Georgia Neighborhood Where Ahmaud Arbery Was Killed - Blavity
5 Things To Know About Dwyane Wade's Kids - Blavity
Cruel, Nosy And White Oklahoma Residents Prevent Black Delivery Driver From Being Able To Exit Gated Community - Blavity
16 HBCUs Have Been Granted A Total Of $1.76 Million From The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation - Blavity
Unsigned Note Left At Ahmaud Arbery Memorial Raises Questions: ‘I Should Have Stopped Them’ - Blavity
Gabrielle Union-Wade's Daughter Is One Of Many Tots Who've Proven They Can't Be Trusted Through The #FruitSnackChallenge - Blavity
‘He Ain’t Rich Like That’: Mom’s Response To Son’s Hawaii Vacation During Quarantine Has Twitter In Tears - Blavity
Magic Johnson Offering $100 Million To Minority-Owned Businesses Struggling Through Coronavirus Pandemic - Blavity
9 Virtual Dating Ideas To Win Your Future Bae's Heart - Blavity
'Welcome To Good Burger, Home Of The Good Burger': 3-Year-Old Boy's Birthday Party Pays Homage To Nickelodeon Classic - Blavity
22-Year-Old Black Iowa Man Allegedly Beaten By 3 White Men: ‘We’re Going To Get All Of You Out Of Here’ - Blavity
Homeowner Of The House Ahamud Arbery Was Seen Walking In Says He Did Nothing Wrong - Blavity
Black Hairdresser Calls Out Texas Govt. Agency For Hypocrisy After They Cause Her To Be Cyber Harassed - Blavity
5 Moments From The Virtual HBCU Commencement Ceremony That Will Have You Relishing In Being Young, Black And Gifted - Blavity
4 Job Searching Tips To Help Keep Your Anxiety At Bay - Blavity
5 Unique Black-Owned Businesses You Can Support During This Time - Blavity
Why We Should Stop Contrasting And Comparing Malcolm X With MLK - Blavity
Howard Graduate Makes History Within The U.S. Air Force - Blavity
Boosie's Obsession With Sex And Masculinity Is Cause For Pause - Blavity

Barack Obama Facts

Business Facts

Literature Facts

Popular Topics