Abigail Swanson, Author at

Student Historian

Abigail Swanson is an undergraduate at the University of Washington working to attain her BA in History. Abigail has an interest in African American history. Upon graduating, Abigail plans to teach English abroad.

Prince Hall Masons (1784- )

The Prince Hall Masons are the oldest and largest group of Masons of African origin in the world. Today there are forty Grand Lodges of Prince Hall Freemasonry in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, and Liberia. These Grand Lodges preside over more than 5,000 … Read MorePrince Hall Masons (1784- )

Watts Towers (1921- )

The Watts Towers are a folk art assemblage built by Simon Rodia, between the years 1921 and 1955 in the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. Rodia, an Italian immigrant, bought a modest house on a narrow, triangular lot in 1921, and immediately began the … Read MoreWatts Towers (1921- )

Jennifer Carroll (1959– )

Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad on August 27, 1959, Jennifer Carroll is the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Florida. Carroll is the first African-American woman elected to the position, she took up office on January 4, 2011. Carroll served for over seven years as a … Read MoreJennifer Carroll (1959– )

Sherley Anne Williams (1944-1999)

Sherley Anne Williams, American novelist, poet, and scholar, was born in Bakersfield, California in 1944 to Jesse Winson and Lena Silver Williams. She was raised in poverty in a housing project in Fresno. Williams’ mother, who discouraged Sherley from reading because she thought books would … Read MoreSherley Anne Williams (1944-1999)

John Edward Jacob (1934- )

John E. Jacob, civil rights leader, former president of the National Urban League, business executive, and administrator, was born to Claudia and Emory Jacob in Trout, Louisiana on December 16, 1934. Jacob’s father, Emory Jacob, was an impoverished Baptist minister who moved his wife and … Read MoreJohn Edward Jacob (1934- )

University of Lagos (1962- )

The University of Lagos was founded in 1962 in Yaba, Lagos by an Act of the Federal Parliament. Before the establishment of the University of Lagos in 1962, a teachers’ training college, Trade Center, and Yaba College of Technology were the only institutions in the … Read MoreUniversity of Lagos (1962- )

Leymah Gbowee (1972- )

Leymah Gbowee, Liberian peace activist, author, and 2011 Nobel Prize winner was born on February 1, 1972. She grew up in Bong County in central Liberia. In 1990, when Leymah was 17, she left for the capital, Monrovia, just before the nearly decade old civil … Read MoreLeymah Gbowee (1972- )

Prince Hall (ca. 1735-1807)

Prince Hall was an important social leader in Boston following the Revolutionary War and introduced freemasonry to elite Black society. His birth and childhood are unclear; although, it is assumed that he was enslaved to a Boston leather worker and gained freedom from bondage in … Read MorePrince Hall (ca. 1735-1807)