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.
Willie C. Stewart Sr. became Tacoma’s first Black school principal at Lincoln High School on June 25, 1970. Stewart’s appointment by School Superintendent Angelo Giaudrone, considered truly historic at the time, was but one of many achievements of this notable educator. Stewart was born on … Read MoreWillie C. Stewart Sr (1935- )
George Metcalfe was a civil rights leader in Natchez, Mississippi who led one of the most successful yet little-known movements in the Deep South. Metcalfe was born on September 20, 1911, in Franklin, Louisiana to parents Ernest Metcalfe and Alberta Simon Metcalfe. He was a … Read MoreGeorge Metcalfe (1911-1989)
Robert Jones Abele was one of six founding members of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the oldest African American Greek Letter Fraternity in the United States. The five others were Henry Minton, Algernon Jackson, Edwin Howard, Eugene Theodore Hinson, and Richard John Warrick, Jr. Abele was … Read MoreRobert Jones Abele (1875-1929)
Born on December 29, 1880, Richard John Warrick Jr. was one of six founding members of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the oldest African American Greek Letter Fraternity in the nation. The others were Henry Minton, Algernon Jackson, Edwin Howard, Robert Jones Abele, and Eugene Hinson. … Read MoreRichard John Warrick, Jr. (1880-1957)
Eugene T. Hinson was one of six founders of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the oldest African American Greek Letter Fraternity in the United States. The others were Henry Minton, Algernon Jackson, Edwin Howard, Richard Warrick and Robert Jones Abele. Eugene T. Hinson was born in … Read MoreEugene T. Hinson (1873-1960)
Frank Charles Coleman was an American physicist who co-founded Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, one of the oldest African American Greek letter organizations, with more than 750 chapters globally. He was married to Mary Edna Brown, one of the Founders of Delta Sigma Theta, and his … Read MoreFrank Charles Coleman (1890-1967)
Dr. Elijah Saunders, M.D., was a cardiologist and expert on hypertension whose work addressed issues of race and ethnicity in healthcare. Saunders was born in Maryland on December 9, 1934, the son of Lawrence and Lillie Saunders from Florence, South Carolina. He attended Baltimore City … Read MoreElijah Saunders (1934-2015)
Angela Evelyn Bassett is an actress and producer known for her depictions of powerful women in history on stage, television, and in major movies. Bassett was born on August 16, 1958, in New York, New York. After her father, Daniel Benjamin Bassett, and her mother, … Read MoreAngela Bassett (1958- )
Mildred Coleman Crump became the first African American councilwoman in the 336-year history of the Newark City Council in New Jersey when she assumed office in 1994. She is also the first woman to serve as council president for Newark, New Jersey, which she did … Read MoreMildred Coleman Crump (1939-)
King Curtis, a famed saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and producer was one of the most influential musicians of his generation. He may also have been one of the most prolific, having amassed a stunning portfolio with more than two hundred artists in an eighteen-year span. Born … Read MoreKing Curtis (1934-1971)
