Ian Kirk, Author at

Student Historian

Ian Kirk is currently a freshman at the University of Washington Seattle campus. He is a pre-business major, hoping to enter the UW Foster School of Business as a sophomore. Kirk is from Montlake Terrace, a suburb of Seattle, Washington.

Darryl Dawkins (1957-2015)

Darryl Dawkins (also known as Chocolate Thunder—a name music legend Stevie Wonder gave him) was born in Orlando, Florida, on January 11, 1957. Born to Harriet James and Frank Dawkins, he was raised by his grandmother, Amanda Celestine Jones, in Orlando, where he attended Maynard … Read MoreDarryl Dawkins (1957-2015)

Clarence Acox Jr. (1947- )

Clarence Acox, Jr. is an award-winning American jazz drummer and band director. Born in October 1947, he is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. Since his arrival in Seattle in 1971, he has become one of the most influential musical directors in the Pacific Northwest … Read MoreClarence Acox Jr. (1947- )

Willis Augustus Hodges (1815-1890)

Willis Augustus Hodges was born into a free Black family on February 12, 1815, in Blackwater, Princess Anne County, Virginia. Both his parents were free, as was his grandmother. His grandfather was enslaved, as were his parents, but since Hodges’ parents were free, he was … Read MoreWillis Augustus Hodges (1815-1890)

Sebastian’s Cotton Club Culver City, California (1926-1938)

The prohibition of alcohol in the United States during the early 20th century didn’t really affect the nightclubbing scene in Los Angeles, California, especially in the Culver City area during the 1920s. Sebastian’s Cotton Club, at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and National Street, was … Read MoreSebastian’s Cotton Club Culver City, California (1926-1938)

Gordon Hawkins (1959- )

Gordon Hawkins was born in Clinton, Maryland, in 1959, into a family with six older brothers and sisters. He graduated from the University of Maryland’s School of Music. He is a baritone opera singer and is considered one of the very best in the world. … Read MoreGordon Hawkins (1959- )

First AME Church, Oakland, California (1858- )

The First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Oakland, California emerged in the eastern part of the Bay Area in 1858. The congregation itself was founded by members of the black community in Oakland at the time, but it wasn’t until 1863 that they actually had … Read MoreFirst AME Church, Oakland, California (1858- )

Lorenzo Romar (1958- )

Longtime University of Washington head basketball coach Lorenzo Romar was born November 13, 1958, and grew up in Compton, California, where he went on to play at Cerritos Community College after high school. After playing two years for Cerritos, he transferred and played for the … Read MoreLorenzo Romar (1958- )

Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma (1909- )

Mount Zion Baptist Church, originally named Second Baptist Church, was founded in 1909 by an African American religious study group under the leadership of Reverend Sandy Lyons, and established on North Hartford street of Tulsa, Oklahoma. At first, the church didn’t have it’s own building … Read MoreMt. Zion Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma (1909- )