Black History Month began as "Negro History Week," which was created in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, a noted African American historian, scholar, educator, and publisher. It became a month-long celebration in 1976. The month of February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
Coretta Scott King is among the most influential women in American history. Her contributions to the progression and development of American Society have left a…
Known as “Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement” Rosa Parks was born today in 1913. On December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks, age 42, refused to obey bus driver James Blake’s order that she give up her seat to make room for a white passenger. Parks’ act of defiance became an important symbol […]
Alex Haley, a master story teller brought us our first glimpse into the lives of slaves with his critically acclaimed book Roots. Read about Mr. Haley's story here.
A revolution can occur in many ways. Some choose to protest with marches and picket signs. Bill T. Jones chose dance. Read his story here.
Thurgood Marshall was the first African American ever appointed to the United States Supreme Court. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and served on the Supreme Court from 1967 to 1991.
ack Johnson became the first African-American man to hold the World Heavyweight Champion boxing title in 1908.
In 1928 Oscar DePriest became the first African American congressman elected to the House of Representatives from a northern state and a national symbol for racial pride. Read more on Oscar DePriest here.
Eight-year-old Amirikis Smith has been saving for college for the past two years. He has already deposited more than $300. But when he saw the devastation in Haiti, he decided it was time to make a withdrawal. Read about this young hero here.
Identical twin brothers Albert and Allen Hughes became celebrities when they completed their first feature-length movie, Menace II Society. Their age when the film was released in May of 1993--they had just turned 21--put them in the company of celebrated young black directors like John Singleton, who was 23 in 1991 when Boyz N the Hood was released. Read their amazing story here.
George Washington Carver developed 300 derivative products from peanuts, among them cheese, milk, coffee, flour, ink, dyes, plastics, wood stains, soap, linoleum, medicinal oils and cosmetics.
In 1940, Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American performer to win an Academy Award (the film industry’s highest honor) for her role in Gone With The Wind.
