Heather Peterson, Author at

Student Historian

Washington native Heather Peterson is a history major at the University of Washington, Seattle campus. She will graduate in 2009 and then spend some time traveling internationally.

Abbie Mitchell (1884-1960)

Abbie Mitchell was an African American teacher, actress, and soprano born on the Lower East Side of New York City. Mitchell’s father was German-Jewish and her mother was an African American. Mitchell, who came from a talented musical family, was considered a child prodigy. In … Read MoreAbbie Mitchell (1884-1960)

Carl H. McCall (1935- )

Carl McCall, former comptroller for the State of New York, was the first African American nominated by the Democratic Party for the office of governor. McCall lost the election to Republican incumbent governor George Pataki. As comptroller from 1994 to 2002, McCall was the first … Read MoreCarl H. McCall (1935- )

James Edward Shepard (1875-1947)

In 1910 James Edward Shepard founded North Carolina College for Negroes in Durham, North Carolina. Shepard was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina along with eleven other siblings. His father was Reverend Augustus Shepard and his mother was Harriet E. Shepard. Shepard received his … Read MoreJames Edward Shepard (1875-1947)

Emma Azalia Hackley (1867-1922)

Emma Azalia Smith Hackley was an African American singer and Denver political activist born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee in 1867. Her parents, business owners Henry and Corilla Smith, moved to Detroit where she attended Washington Normal School, graduating in 1886. Smith, a child prodigy learned to … Read MoreEmma Azalia Hackley (1867-1922)

Rose McClendon (1884-1936)

Rose McClendon was an African American actress born in South Carolina in 1884. McClendon’s original name was Rosalie Virginia Scott. Her parents were Sandy and Tena Scott. In 1890 McClendon’s parents worked for a well established family as a housekeeper and coachman in New York … Read MoreRose McClendon (1884-1936)

George McJunkin (1851-1922)

George McJunkin was an African American cowboy known for discovering bison bones in Folsom, New Mexico which eventually made archaeological history. McJunkin was born in the slavery era in Texas. His father was a blacksmith. McJunkin grew up on a ranch and mastered the skills … Read MoreGeorge McJunkin (1851-1922)

Halle Berry (1968- )

Halle Berry, who was born Maria Halle Berry, is a multiracial model, actress, and former beauty queen who was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1968. Her mother Judith Hawkins Berry, who is white, worked as a psychiatric nurse in a Cleveland hospital. Berry’s African American … Read MoreHalle Berry (1968- )

Lillian Evans Annie/Evanti (1891-1967)

Lillian (Evans) Evanti, one of the first African American women to become an internationally prominent opera performer, was born in Washington D.C. in 1891. Evanti was born into a prominent Washington, D.C. family. Her father, Wilson Evans, was a medical doctor and teacher in the … Read MoreLillian Evans Annie/Evanti (1891-1967)

John W. Cooper (1873-1966)

John W. Cooper was an African American ventriloquist, born in Brooklyn, New York in 1873. After losing both of his parents at a very young age, Cooper received his education at Professor Dorsey’s Institute in Brooklyn. There he developed into a budding entertainer and took … Read MoreJohn W. Cooper (1873-1966)