Sister Thea Bowman was a Catholic leader, evangelist, and teacher who has made such significant contributions to the ministry of the Catholic Church, that she is being considered for Sainthood. Thea Bowman was born Bertha Elizabeth Bowman on December 29, 1937, in Yazoo City, Mississippi. … Read MoreThea Bowman (1937-1990)
Laura and L.D. Nelson were a mother and son who were dragged from a jail and lynched in Oklahoma, on May 25, 1911. Austin Nelson married Laura in 1896, and their son, Lawrence, was born the following year. The Nelson family lived on a farm … Read MoreLynching of Laura and L.D. Nelson (1911)
Sheila Guyse was an actress, and singer during the 1940s and 1950s. She was born Etta Drucille Guyse, on July 14, 1925, in Forest, Mississippi. Her parents, Wilbert Vincent Guyse and Ethel Williams, separated and divorced shortly after she was born. Guyse was raised by … Read MoreSheila Guyse (1925-2013)
Irene Cara Escalera was a singer, actress and songwriter, who was most famous for recording the title song to the movie “Fame.” Cara was born on March 18, 1959 in the Bronx section of New York City, New York. Her mother, Louise Escalera, was of … Read MoreIrene Cara Escalera (1959-2022)
Lani Guinier was a legal scholar, civil rights lawyer, author, and the first woman of color to obtain a position as a tenure-track professor at Harvard University in 1998. Born in New York City on April 19, 1950, Guinier was the daughter of Ewart Guinier, … Read MoreLani Guinier (1950-2022)
Henry Dortress “Dickie” Marrow was an African American veteran who was shot and killed after a racial confrontation with whites in Oxford, North Carolina, on May 12, 1970. The confrontation and murder seemed to have many parallels to the far more famous Emmitt Till case … Read MoreHenry Dortress Marrow Jr. (1947-1970)
Dr. Percy Anthony Pierre is an accomplished pioneer in electrical engineering and trailblazer known for his academic and professional accomplishments throughout the nation including a university presidency. Born in Welcome, Louisiana, on January 3, 1939 to Rosa Villavaso Pierre and Percy John Pierre who were … Read MoreDr. Percy A. Pierre
Bernette Joshua Johnson is a retired Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. She is the first African American woman to serve on the Louisiana Supreme Court and the second female to hold the position of Chief Justice. Born in Lemannville, Louisiana on June 17, … Read MoreJustice Bernette Joshua Johnson
William “Billie” Thomas Jr was a child actor who portrayed the character of Buckwheat in the Our Gang (Little Rascals) movie series. Thomas was born in Los Angeles, California, on March 12, 1931. Much of his early life is unknown. In 1934, three-year-old Thomas first … Read MoreWilliam “Billie” Thomas Jr. (1931-1980)
John Haywood Baker Jr. was elected Sheriff of Wake County, North Carolina in 1978. A former professional football player, with his election he would become the first African American sheriff elected in the in the state since the Reconstruction Era, Baker held the office for … Read MoreJohn H. Baker Jr. (1935-2007)
