Samuel Momodu, Author at • Page 37 of 41

Independent Historian

Samuel Momodu, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, 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 areas of research interest are African and African American History. His passion for learning Black history led him to contribute numerous entries to BlackPast.org for the last few years. Momodu has also worked as a history tour guide at President Andrew Jackson’s plantation home near Nashville, the Hermitage. He is currently an instructor at Tennessee State University. His passion for history has also helped him continue his education. In 2024, he received his Ph.D. in History from Liberty University, writing a dissertation titled The Protestant Vatican: Black Churches Involvement in the Nashville Civil Rights Movement 1865-1972. He hopes to use his Ph.D. degree to become a university professor or professional historian.

Chicot County Race War of 1871

In late 1871, Chicot County, Arkansas, was taken over by several hundred African Americans led by state senator and county judge James W. Mason. The murder of an African American lawyer, Wathal G. Wynn, by three white men—John W. Saunders, Jasper Dugan, and Curtis Garrett—angered … Read MoreChicot County Race War of 1871

Viola Davis (1965- )

Viola Davis is an American producer and actress of stage, screen, and television. Davis was born August 11, 1965, in St. Matthews, South Carolina. She is the daughter of Mary Alice Davis, a maid, factory worker, homemaker, and civil rights activist. Her father, Dan Davis, … Read MoreViola Davis (1965- )

Idrissa Akuna “Idris” Elba (1972- )

Idrissa Akuna “Idris” Elba is a British actor best known for his roles in The Wire and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. He has been nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a miniseries or television film, for which he … Read MoreIdrissa Akuna “Idris” Elba (1972- )

Malvin Russell Goode (1908–1995)

Malvin Russell Goode was the first African American news correspondent for a major television network. Goode was born on February 13, 1908, in White Plains, Virginia, but his family moved to Homestead, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, when he was very young. Goode, the third of four … Read MoreMalvin Russell Goode (1908–1995)

William Richard Tolbert Jr. (1913-1980)

William Richard Tolbert Jr. was the twentieth president of Liberia from 1971 to 1980, when he was killed in a coup led by then Liberian Army Sergeant Samuel Doe. Tolbert was trained as a civil servant when he entered Liberia’s House of Representatives in 1943 … Read MoreWilliam Richard Tolbert Jr. (1913-1980)

Paul Jennings (1799–1874)

“Image Ownership: Public Domain” Paul Jennings was a personal servant and slave to President James Madison during and after his White House years. After buying his freedom in 1845 from Daniel Webster, Jennings in 1865 published the first White House memoir, A Colored Man’s Reminiscences … Read MorePaul Jennings (1799–1874)

Steve LaTreal McNair (1973–2009)

Steve LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who played for the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen years with two teams, the Houston/Tennessee Oilers, which were renamed the Tennessee Titans, and the Baltimore Ravens. McNair was born on February 14, 1973, in Mount Olive, … Read MoreSteve LaTreal McNair (1973–2009)

The Edmonson Sisters (1832–1895)

Mary Edmonson (1832–1853) and Emily Edmonson (1835–1895) were enslaved African Americans who became prominent in the United States abolitionist movement after gaining their freedom. On April 15, 1848, they were among the 77 slaves who tried to escape from Washington, D.C. to New Jersey on … Read MoreThe Edmonson Sisters (1832–1895)

Ivanhoe Donaldson (1941–2016)

Ivanhoe Donaldson, one of the leaders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), was born on October 17, 1941, in Harlem and raised in the Bronx, New York. He was the son of a New York policeman, and his mother was a poetry and literature … Read MoreIvanhoe Donaldson (1941–2016)

The Pearl Incident, 1848

The Pearl Incident in 1848 was the single largest recorded escape attempt by enslaved people in United States history. On April 15, 1848, 77 slaves attempted to flee Washington, D.C. by sailing away on a schooner called The Pearl. They planned to sail south along … Read MoreThe Pearl Incident, 1848