Independent Historian

Andrew Samms grew up in University Place, Washington and graduated from Curtis Senior High School. He is currently a freshman at the University of Washington, Seattle and intends on majoring in marketing through the Foster School of Business. He is also pursuing a minor in Spanish and History. He felt obligated to contribute to BlackPast.org to help contribute to the extensive knowledge that the website provides and increase the general body of accessible knowledge of history.

Ned Coll (1940- )

Edward T. “Ned” Coll is a civil rights activist and one time (1972) presidential candidate from Connecticut known for taking on the privatized and segregated beaches along the Connecticut coast in the 1970s. Born in 1940, he grew up in Hartford, Connecticut and was educated at the Jesuit Fairfield University, graduating in 1962. Ned Coll, who … Read MoreNed Coll (1940- )

Solomon Burke (1940-2010)

Solomon Burke was a minister and renowned singer of rhythm & blues and soul music with a career stretching from the 1950s to his death in 2010. Although never reaching chart-topping fame, Burke is heralded as one of one of the best soul singers of all time. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March … Read MoreSolomon Burke (1940-2010)

The South Sudanese Civil War (2013- )

The South Sudanese Civil War is an ongoing civil war in South Sudan fought between government forces led by President Salva Kiir and the SPLM-IO (Sudan People’s Liberation Movement In Opposition). The conflict began in 2013 when Kiir dismissed his vice president Riek Machar from office after … Read MoreThe South Sudanese Civil War (2013- )

Cyril Ramaphosa (1952- )

Cyril Ramaphosa is South African businessman and politician who is also the fifth president of South Africa and a member of the African National Congress (ANC), beginning his term on February 15, 2018. Ramaphosa is ranked the 21st wealthiest African in the world with an estimated value of … Read MoreCyril Ramaphosa (1952- )

Clyde Kennard (1927-1963)

Clyde Kennard was an African American activist who pioneered the desegregation of higher education in Mississippi. After applying multiple times to Mississippi Southern College (now the University of Southern Mississippi), he was framed and incarcerated in 1960 until his death in 1963. Born on June 21, 1927 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, … Read MoreClyde Kennard (1927-1963)