Independent Historian

Samuel Momodu is a native of Nashville, Tennessee where he was born and raised. Momodu received his Associate of Arts Degree in History from Nashville State Community College in December 2014 and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Tennessee State University in May 2016. He received his Master of Arts Degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in June 2019. Momodu’s main interest areas in history are African and African American History. His passion for learning more about black history has made him continue to contribute to writing history for Blackpast.org for the last couple of years where he wrote hundreds of entries for the website. Momodu has also worked as a history tour guide at Andrew Jackson the Hermitage in the past and history instructor at his alumni Tennessee State University. His passion for history has also helped him to continue his education as he currently attends Liberty University working on his Ph.D. in history online hoping to be a university professor or professional historian in the future.

Nashville Operation Open City Movement (1961-1964)

The Nashville Operation Open City Movement was a civil rights campaign in Nashville, Tennessee, between 1961 and 1964. This three-year campaign would become one of the longest ongoing efforts to desegregate public accommodations in any city in the nation in the 1960s. The main goal … Read MoreNashville Operation Open City Movement (1961-1964)

UCLA Shootout between the Panthers and US (1969)

The University of Los Angeles (UCLA) shootout between the Southern California chapter of the Black Panther Party (BBP) and the US Organization occurred on January 17, 1969. The shooting happened during a meeting of the Black Student Union at UCLA’s Campbell Hall, where the founder … Read MoreUCLA Shootout between the Panthers and US (1969)

The First Black Power Conference (1967)

The First Black Power Conference occurred in Newark, New Jersey, from July 20 to July 23, 1967. More than 1,000 delegates representing 286 organizations and institutions from 126 cities and 26 states gathered in Newark just days after the 1967 Newark Riot, the worst civil … Read MoreThe First Black Power Conference (1967)

The Read Drug Store Sit-Ins (1955)

The Read Drug Store Sit-Ins, also known as the Baltimore Sit-Ins, occurred on January 20, 1955, in Baltimore, Maryland. The sit-ins were organized by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and students from Morgan State College (Now Morgan State University) against two locations of Read … Read MoreThe Read Drug Store Sit-Ins (1955)

The Charleston Hospital Strike (1969)

The Charleston Hospital Strike occurred between March 19, 1969, and June 27, 1969, in Charleston, South Carolina. The leading causes of the strike were pay inequality based on race, racial discrimination, and racial segregation of African American hospital workers. On March 17, 1969, a group … Read MoreThe Charleston Hospital Strike (1969)

Memphis Sanitation Strike (1968)

The Memphis Sanitation Strike occurred between February 12 and April 16, 1968. The sanitation strike was called in response to the deaths of sanitation workers Echol Cole and Robert Walker and in response to the racial discrimination that Black sanitation workers experienced. Dr. Martin Luther … Read MoreMemphis Sanitation Strike (1968)

Kelley V. Board of Education (1955-1957)

Kelley V. Board of Education was a lawsuit filed in 1955 by several Black families to desegregate Nashville public schools. Zephaniah Alexander Looby, a prominent Nashville Black attorney, joined Thurgood Marshall, Director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal and … Read MoreKelley V. Board of Education (1955-1957)