William Henry Johnson was an African American expressionist painter. He was born on March 18, 1901 in Florence, South Carolina to mother Alice Smoot Johnson (known as “Mom Alice” or “Aunt Alice”) and father Henry Johnson. William H. Johnson was the oldest of five children: … Read MoreWilliam Henry Johnson (1901-1970)
Kenneth Kaunda, who served as Zambia‘s first president from October 24, 1966, to November 2, 1991, was born on April 28, 1924, in Lubwa, Northern Rhodesia (Zambia’s name as a colony of Great Britain). Born as the eighth child to David and Helen Kaunda, they … Read MoreKenneth Kaunda (1924- )
William Burney, a business consultant who lives in southern Maine, was elected as the first black mayor of Augusta, Maine, the state capital, in November 1988. He served two four-year terms in this position until 1996. Burney was born in Augusta on April 23, 1951. … Read MoreWilliam Burney (1951- )
John Jenkins is the former mayor of Lewiston, Maine and the recently elected mayor of Auburn Maine. Jenkins is the first African American to serve as mayor in both cities. He served as mayor of Lewiston from 1993 to 1995. He has held the mayor’s … Read MoreJohn Jenkins (1952- )
Susan Rice is the current National Security Advisor for the Barack Obama Administration. She is the first African American, the third woman, and the second youngest person to hold the position. Prior to being selected by President Obama for the post, Rice served as a … Read MoreSusan Elizabeth Rice (1964- )
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (Delta), one of four college sororities for African American women, was founded on January 13, 1913, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. by 22 collegiate women. Delta is a nonprofit organization whose principles are Sisterhood, Leadership, and … Read MoreDelta Sigma Theta Sorority (1913- )
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), the oldest Greek-letter organization established for African American women, was founded on January 15, 1908, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. The principles are Sisterhood, Scholarship, and Service to All Humankind. This organization was founded on … Read MoreAlpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (1908- )
The Indochina War (1947-1954) pitted the French Colonial government against the Vietminh, the Communist Vietnamese devoted to the liberation of their country from French colonial rule. During that conflict the French used thousands of Tirailleurs Sénégalais, soldiers recruited throughout the French African colonies, for service … Read MoreTirailleurs Sénégalais in the Indochina War (1947-1954)
The African Democratic Rally, known as Rassemblement Démocratique Africain (RDA), was the first French-speaking Pan-African organization. Created in 1946 at Bamako, Sudan (now Mali), it emerged when African nationalist and anti-colonialist movements were growing rapidly at the end of World War II. In 1945 the … Read MoreAfrican Democratic Rally (1946- )
Born in Cuba on April 7, 1917, Mongo Santamaria is an Afro-Cuban percussionist who became an influential musician in the United States in the 1950s. His given name is Ramón Santamaría Rodríguez. Nicknamed Mongo by his father, Santamaria believes his nickname comes from the Mali … Read MoreMongo Santamaria (1917-2003)
