Mackenzie Lanum, Author at • Page 2 of 3

Student Historian

Mackenzie Lanum is an undergraduate student at the University of Washington, Seattle, studying History and Near Eastern Civilizations. Upon graduating she hopes to write books that will present history to children in an age-appropriate, yet accurate, manner.

Nuruddin Farah (1945- )

Image Ownership: Simon Fraser University Public Affairs and Media Relations (CC BY-SA 2.0) Renowned African novelist Nuruddin Farah was born in Baidoa, Somalia in 1945, a time when Somalia was still an Italian colony. His father Hassan Farah was a translator for the colonial government … Read MoreNuruddin Farah (1945- )

Ngugi wa Thiong’o (AKA James T. Ngugi) (1938- )

Image Ownership: Library of Congress Life (CC0) African novelist Ngugi wa Thiong’o is a Kenyan author, educator and playwright. With the publication of his first novel, he became a critically-acclaimed author at the age of 29. His work is also published under the pseudonym James … Read MoreNgugi wa Thiong’o (AKA James T. Ngugi) (1938- )

Whitesboro, New Jersey (1902- )

Whitesboro, New Jersey was established in 1902 as a town exclusively for African Americans. The idea came in response to increasing white resistance to black residents in Cape May County, New Jersey. The African-American Equitable Industrial Association, founded by Reverend J.W. Fishburn and four other … Read MoreWhitesboro, New Jersey (1902- )

William B. Powell Jr. (1834-1915)

William B. Powell Jr., one of the first African American physicians to receive a contract as a surgeon with the Union Army, was free born in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1834. His father, William Powell Sr., also in the medical practice, was African American, and … Read MoreWilliam B. Powell Jr. (1834-1915)

Dorothy West (1907-1998)

Harlem Renaissance writer Dorothy West was born on June 2, 1907 in Boston, Massachusetts. She was the only child of Rachel Pease Benson and Isaac Christopher West. Isaac West was a former slave from Virginia whose small-business success afforded his daughter a childhood of relative … Read MoreDorothy West (1907-1998)

Matilda A. Evans (1866-1935)

Dr. Matilda Arabelle Evans, black healthcare advocate, was born in Aiken, South Carolina in 1866. The oldest of three, born to Anderson and Harriet Evans, she spent much of the beginning of her life working in the fields with her family. Martha Shoefield, a white … Read MoreMatilda A. Evans (1866-1935)

Memphis Riot, 1866

In the late afternoon of May 1, 1866, long broiling tensions between the residents of southern Memphis, Tennessee erupted into a three day riot known as the Memphis Riot of 1866. The riot began when a white police officer attempted to arrest a black ex-soldier … Read MoreMemphis Riot, 1866

Myles Anderson Paige (1898-1983)

Myles Anderson Paige, the first African American to be appointed a New York City Criminal Court Judge, was born on July 18, 1898 in Montgomery, Alabama. Paige was a star football player at Howard University, graduating from the Washington D.C. institution with a Bachelor of Arts … Read MoreMyles Anderson Paige (1898-1983)

Louis E. Martin (1912 -1997)

Louis E. Martin Image Ownership: Jimmy Carter Library (NA 181236, Fair Use) Louis E. Martin was a newspaper editor and political activist, who served as an advisor to three American presidents. He used his political influence to secure key federal appointments for African Americans. He … Read MoreLouis E. Martin (1912 -1997)

Morehouse School of Medicine (1975- )

Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), one of two historically black medical schools created in the twentieth century, was established in 1975 in Atlanta, Georgia. Former US Surgeon General David Satcher served as the institution’s first president. The school was meant to be a two-year medical … Read MoreMorehouse School of Medicine (1975- )