The following are short descriptions of the women and men who have contributed to the shaping of African American history. These encyclopedia entries serve as a starting point for much more inclusive descriptions and discussions that appear in other sources. For additional information please consult the print or website sources cited in the entry.
In 2018 Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., a 21-year old Army veteran, was shot and killed by a police officer who mistook him for another alleged assailant at a shopping mall in Hoover, Alabama. The shooting was protested by civil rights organizations and cited as an … Read MoreEmantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. (1997-2018)
Dubbed the “Queen of Creole Cuisine” for her culinary genius, Leah Chase was an American chef, author, and TV personality who advanced the Civil Rights Movement as a celebrity chef. Chase was born on January 6, 1923 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Catholic Creole parents. … Read MoreLeah “Dooky” Chase (1923-2019)
Willard L. Bowman was a union organizer, politician, and civil rights activist in Anchorage, Alaska. From 1963 to 1970, he served as the first director of the state’s Human Rights Commission. In 1970 he was one of the first African Americans elected to the Alaska … Read MoreWillard L. Bowman (1919-1975)
Joshua J. Wright II was a dentist and politician in Anchorage, Alaska. In 1970 he was one of the first African Americans to be elected to the State House of Representatives. Wright was born in Georgetown, South Carolina, on August 6, 1929. His parents were … Read MoreJoshua J. Wright II (1929-2017)
On October 18, 2016, Deborah Danner, a 66-year-old African American woman, was fatally shot in her Bronx apartment by Sergeant Hugh Barry of the New York Police Department. The shooting occurred after police arrived to investigate a neighbor’s reports of “erratic” behavior. Due to a … Read MoreDeborah J. Danner (1950-2016)
Jemel Roberson was born to Beatrice and John Roberson in South Africa on April 4, 1992. Soon afterwards the family moved to Chicago, Illinois where Roberson grew up. His friends and family remember him as a playful and caring child. Roberson attended Lane Tech Prep … Read MoreJemel Roberson (1992-2018)
Markeis McGlockton was an artist who could draw virtually anything. He was a loving father to three children with his girlfriend, Britany Jacobs, and an aspiring rapper who loved making music videos with his friends. McGlockton was born to Monica Moore-Robinson and Michael McGlockton on … Read MoreMarkeis McGlockton (1990-2018)
Beatrice Coleman was a pioneering civil rights activist in Fairbanks, Alaska. In 1946 she challenged Jim Crow segregation in the city by calling for the enforcement of a recently-enacted anti-discrimination law. In 1952 Coleman was one of the founding members of the Fairbanks chapter of … Read MoreBeatrice Coleman (1908-1982)
Anthony Weber was fatally shot by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies in Westmont, California, on February 4, 2018. He was sixteen years old. Weber, known as “A.J.” to his friends and family, was born on July 30, 2001, to John Weber and Demetra Johnson. He … Read MoreAnthony Weber (2001-2018)
Mantan Moreland was an American actor, most popular for his role as the “google-eyed” chauffeur “Birmingham Brown” in the Charlie Chan movies. Moreland was born On September 3, 1902 to Marcella and Frank Moreland in Ouachita Parish, Monroe, Louisiana. He began running away from home … Read MoreMantan Moreland (1902-1973)
