Academic Historian

Dr. Daudi Abe is a Seattle-based professor, writer and historian who has taught courses on culture, race, gender, communication, education, hip-hop and sports for over 20 years. He is the author of the book 6 ‘N the Morning: West Coast Hip-Hop Music 1987-1992 & the Transformation of Mainstream Culture (2013) and From Memphis and Mogadishu: The History of African Americans in Martin Luther King County, Washington, 1858-2014 at www.BlackPast.org. He has spoken in schools and prisons, written articles for The Stranger and the op-ed page of The Seattle Times, and appeared on national media such as MSNBC and “The Tavis Smiley Show.” Dr. Abe holds a PhD in Education from the University of Washington. His forthcoming book is Emerald Street: A History of Hip-Hop in Seattle.

Josef Kony (1961?- )/Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)

“Image Ownership: STR/AP” Josef Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), was reportedly born in 1961 and raised in the northern Uganda village of Odek.  Kony was deeply influenced as a youth by Christianity.  Following the arrival of the first missionaries in what … Read MoreJosef Kony (1961?- )/Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)

Charles Sumner “Chuck” Stone, Jr. (1924-2014)

Charles “Chuck” Stone, Jr., pioneering African American newspaper columnist, editor, author, and professor was born on July 21, 1924 to Charles and Madeline Stone in St. Louis, Missouri.  Soon after, the family moved to Connecticut where Stone’s mother worked for the Hartford Board of Education … Read MoreCharles Sumner “Chuck” Stone, Jr. (1924-2014)

Jamaica Bobsleigh Team (1987- )

The Jamaica Bobsleigh Federation (JBF) was initially created in 1987 by two American businessmen living in Jamaica, George Fitch and William Maloney. After watching a local pushcart race, Fitch and Maloney recognized similarities with bobsledding. Already aware of Jamaica’s athletic history, particularly around sprinting and … Read MoreJamaica Bobsleigh Team (1987- )

Marion Hugh “Suge” Knight, Jr (1965- )

Marion ‘Suge’ Knight, Jr., co-founder (with Dr. Dre) of the pioneering hip-hop record company Death Row Records, was born on April 19, 1965 to Marion and Maxine Knight in Compton, California.  His father was a janitor while his mother worked on an assembly line.  Because … Read MoreMarion Hugh “Suge” Knight, Jr (1965- )

Stanley Kirk “M.C. Hammer” Burrell (1962- )

“Image Ownership: John Matthew Smith (CC BY-SA 2.0)” M.C. Hammer, pioneering West Coast rapper, dancer, producer, actor and entrepreneur was born Stanley Kirk Burrell on March 30, 1962 in Oakland, California.  One of eight children, Hammer grew up in poverty.  His mother was a secretary … Read MoreStanley Kirk “M.C. Hammer” Burrell (1962- )