Julia Larsen, Author at

Independent Historian

Julia Henning Larsen has lived in Washington State almost her entire life. She got her bachelors degree in political science and minored in African studies at the University of Washington, Seattle. She loves learning about other cultures and backgrounds. She always wanted to help people so later went back to the University of Washington, Seattle to get her masters in Special Education. She has been teaching ever since.

Clements Kadalie (1896-1951)

Clements Kadalie, an early South African trade unionist and political activist, was born in April 1896 in Nkhata Bay District in Nyasaland (now Malawi). Kadalie was the younger of the two sons born to Mr. and Mrs. Musa Kadalie Muwamba. In 1913, Kadalie graduated from … Read MoreClements Kadalie (1896-1951)

Walter R. Tucker, III (1957- )

Walter Rayford Tucker III is best known for his brief period as a Southern California Congressman. Tucker was born in Compton, California on May 28, 1957 to a well established political family. His father, Walter Tucker II, worked as a dentist and then entered politics … Read MoreWalter R. Tucker, III (1957- )

John W. Rogers (1958- )

John W. Rogers Jr., business executive, investor, and entrepreneur, was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 31, 1958. Rogers’s mother was Jewel S. Lafontant, a prominent Republican attorney and federal government official and his father was John W. Rogers, a Chicago circuit court judge. Rogers … Read MoreJohn W. Rogers (1958- )

Nicodemus, Kansas (1877- )

Nicodemus, Kansas was founded in 1877 at the end of the Reconstruction Period. It soon became one of the most famous mostly black communities in the country formed by freedpeople migrating west. Nicodemus is located on the plains in the northwest corner of the state … Read MoreNicodemus, Kansas (1877- )

Ben Palmer (ca. 1817-1908)

Ben Palmer, pioneer 19th Century Nevada Territory rancher, was born in South Carolina sometime around 1817. Little is known about Palmer’s childhood background. Palmer and his sister, Charlotte, who was married to white settler D.H. Barber, were among the first settlers in the Carson Valley … Read MoreBen Palmer (ca. 1817-1908)

Jewel Stradford Rogers Lafontant-Mankarious (1922-1997)

Jewel Stradford Rogers Lafontant-Mankarious, civil rights leader, high-ranking U.S. Presidential appointee, and lawyer was born on April 28, 1922, in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents, Aida Arabella Cartera and attorney C. Francis Stradford, helped to influence Mankarious’s decision to become a lawyer. In 1942, Jewel Stradford … Read MoreJewel Stradford Rogers Lafontant-Mankarious (1922-1997)

John Henry Merrick (1859-1919)

John Henry Merrick—insurance agent, entrepreneur, business owner—was born in Clinton, North Carolina on September 7, 1859. Merrick was born a slave; he lived with his mother Martha Merrick and a younger brother. With the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation his family was freed. When Merrick was twelve … Read MoreJohn Henry Merrick (1859-1919)

Christopher Paul Gardner (1954- )

Christopher Paul Gardner—entrepreneur, inspirational speaker, and writer—was born on February 9, 1954 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Gardner, never knowing his father, lived periodically with his mother, Bettye Jean Triplett, as well as in foster homes. After high school, he joined the Navy and then moved to … Read MoreChristopher Paul Gardner (1954- )

Charles B. Ray (1807-1886)

Charles Bennett Ray journalist, clergyman, and abolitionist was born in Falmouth, Massachusetts on December 25, 1807. He attended school in his hometown, and then in the 1830s he was given the opportunity by abolitionists to attend Wesleyan Seminary in Wilbraham, Massachusetts to study theology. He … Read MoreCharles B. Ray (1807-1886)

Peter Williams Jr. (1780-1840)

Peter Williams Jr., clergyman, abolitionist, and opponent of colonization was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey around 1780. His family moved to New York City, where he first attended the New York African Free School operated by the Manumission Society. He was also taught privately … Read MorePeter Williams Jr. (1780-1840)