Karlson Yu, Author at

Independent Historian

Karlson Yu is an undergraduate at the University of Washington, double majoring in History and Political Science and expects to graduate in March of 2009. He was born and raised in south Seattle and aspires to get a post-baccalaureates in Political Communication.

Robert Lee Vann (1879-1940)

Robert Lee Vann, newspaper publisher, politician, government official, and civil rights leader, was born on August 27, 1879 in Ahoskie, North Carolina. He graduated as valedictorian of Waters Training School in Winton, N.C., in 1901, and attended Wayland Academy, Richmond, Virginia between 1901 and 1903. … Read MoreRobert Lee Vann (1879-1940)

Chicago Race Riot, 1919

On July 27, 1919 when large crowds of white and black patrons went to the Lake Michigan beach in Chicago, Illinois to seek relief from the 96 degree heat, an angry dispute erupted over the stoning of Eugene Williams, a young African American swimmer who … Read MoreChicago Race Riot, 1919

“Smokey” Joe Williams (1886-1946)

Born Joseph Williams in Sequin, Texas on April 6, 1886, “Smokey” Joe Williams (also known as “Cyclone” Joe Williams) is regarded as one of the greatest of the black baseball pitchers. In 1952, when the Pittsburgh Courier asked a panel of veterans and sports writers … Read More“Smokey” Joe Williams (1886-1946)

Springfield Race Riot, 1908

In mid-August 1908, the white population of Springfield, Illinois hastily reacted to reports that a white woman has been assaulted in her home by a black man. Soon afterwards another instance of an assault by a black man on a white woman was reported. These … Read MoreSpringfield Race Riot, 1908

Bill Russell (1934-2022)

Legendary basketball star William Felton (Bill) Russell was a five-time National Basketball Association (NBA) Most Valuable Player and twelve-time All-Star. He was also the centerpiece of the Boston (Massachusetts) Celtics basketball dynasty when his team won eleven NBA championships during his thirteen seasons with the … Read MoreBill Russell (1934-2022)

John W. “Bud” Fowler (1858-1913)

Born John W. Jackson, in Fort Plain, New York, on March 16, 1858, Fowler spent much of his boyhood in Cooperstown, N.Y. where organized baseball maintains its Hall of Fame and museum. Coincidentally Fowler is argued to be one of the first professional black baseball … Read MoreJohn W. “Bud” Fowler (1858-1913)

Harpers Ferry Raid, 1859

On October 16, 1859, in the town of Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) John Brown, an ardent abolitionist, and 21 other men raided a Virginia armory to seize weapons for a planned slavery insurrection. Civilians in the town were alerted when they heard gunshots … Read MoreHarpers Ferry Raid, 1859

John Henry Murphy Sr. (1840-1922)

Image Ownership: Public Domain Born on December 25, 1840, in Baltimore, Maryland, John Henry Murphy grew up as a slave and freed by the Emancipation Act of 1863. He enlisted in the military at age 24, during the Civil War and quickly progressed to … Read MoreJohn Henry Murphy Sr. (1840-1922)

Harry Clay Smith (1863-1941)

Harry Clay Smith was a newspaper editor and politician, born in Clarksburg, West Virginia, on January 28, 1863. He moved to Cleveland, Ohio at an early age and stayed in the area for the remainder of his life. After graduating from Cleveland’s Central High School … Read MoreHarry Clay Smith (1863-1941)