Charles DeLesline Foster (1948-1986)

On September 6, 1966, Charles DeLesline Foster became the first African American to enroll in The Citadel Corps of Cadets, the military institution in Charleston, South Carolina, founded in 1842. Foster was born on November 26, 1948, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to … Read MoreCharles DeLesline Foster (1948-1986)

Robert Charles O’Hara Benjamin (1855-1900)

Robert Charles O’Hara Benjamin, also known as R.C.O. Benjamin, was a Caribbean-born political activist, newspaper editor, minister, poet, teacher, author, and lawyer. He was born on the island of St. Kitts on March 31, 1855. Information about his parents is unknown, but we do know … Read MoreRobert Charles O’Hara Benjamin (1855-1900)

The Saga of James Lloydovich Patterson: Child Film Star, Naval Officer and Poet

In the following article, Amy Ballard, Senior Historic Preservation Specialist Emerita, Smithsonian Institution, describes the life of Russian-born James Lloydovich Patterson, who, at the age of three, was propelled to stardom in the 1936 Soviet classic film TSIRK (Circus). It was, in its own way, … Read MoreThe Saga of James Lloydovich Patterson: Child Film Star, Naval Officer and Poet