Dr. Dolores Irene Silas was a person of many Tacoma, Washington “firsts”–the first woman of color to become a school principal at DeLong Elementary School (1970), the first to become a member of the City Council (1991), the first to be Deputy Mayor (1995) and … Read MoreDolores Irene Silas (1926-2021)
William F. Powell, a late 19th Century politician, was born in Troy, New York on June 26, 1848. When he was young, his family moved to New York City where he attended public schools. Powell had a diverse education as a young man. He attended … Read MoreWilliam F. Powell (1848-1920)
Civil Rights activist, American educator, and community religious leader William B. Gibbs, Jr. was born July 26, 1905, in West Chester, Pennsylvania to Lena W. and William Gibbs, Sr. He grew up in West Chester, graduating from West Chester High School and continued his education … Read MoreWilliam B. Gibbs, Jr. (1905-1984)
Prominent New Jersey educator Nedd James Johnson, Sr. was born on March 1, 1960 to Neely and Queen Johnson in Dayton Beach, Florida. He is the second oldest of five children, all boys. Johnson is married Mary Lena (Carter) Johnson and they have two children: Nedd, Jr. and … Read MoreNedd James Johnson Sr. (1960- )
Bernie Custis was a pioneer in American and Canadian football. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 23, 1928, he was the first black quarterback in the Canadian Football League. While he was in high school, he played football, baseball, and basketball and ran track, all … Read MoreBernie Custis (1928-2017)
Harrison Laverne Caldwell, the first African American principal in the Seattle Public Schools District, was born in Topeka, Kansas in 1909. Very little is known about his personal life. By the time of his death, he had become one of the most important educational leaders … Read MoreHarrison L. Caldwell (1909-1964)
Born on June 22, 1866 in Kaufman County, Texas, William Madison (Gooseneck Bill) McDonald’s parents had been slaves. His father, George McDonald, was born in Tennessee and his mother, Flora Scott McDonald, in Alabama. His mother died when he was five, and his father married … Read MoreWilliam Madison McDonald (1866-1950)
