Sian Proctor (1970- )

Sian Hayley Proctor is a geology professor, motivational speaker, pilot, artist, author, and spaceflight participant most noted for her flight on the civilian-funded Inspiration 4 Space Mission in September 2021. The flight was sponsored by U.S. technology billionaire Jared Isaacman to raise funds for St. … Read MoreSian Proctor (1970- )

Marcia A. Santacruz Palacios (1977–)

“Image Ownership: Public Domain” Human rights activist and political scientist Marcia Alexandra Santacruz Palacios was born in Puerto Tejada, northern Cauca, Colombia, an area exploited by mining companies and whose largely poor Africa-descended population has resided for four centuries alongside indigenous peoples. Aware of the … Read MoreMarcia A. Santacruz Palacios (1977–)

Clarence Clyde Ferguson, Jr. (1924-1983)

Clarence Clyde Ferguson was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Uganda on March 17, 1970 by President Richard Nixon. He presented his credentials June 30, 1970 and terminated his mission on July 19, 1972. Ferguson was born November 4, 1924 in Wilmington, North Carolina to … Read MoreClarence Clyde Ferguson, Jr. (1924-1983)

Juan Valiente (ca. 1505-1553)

Juan Valiente, a Spanish-speaking black conquistador, was born in Northwest Africa around 1505 and was enslaved and acquired by the Portuguese.  He was eventually purchased by Alonso Valiente, who had become a wealthy resident of Mexico City and Puebla after his participation in the conquest … Read MoreJuan Valiente (ca. 1505-1553)

Eleven Years in the U.S. Navy: The Strange Saga of Robert Shorter

In the account below historian Lorraine McConaghy uses the story of black sailor Robert Shorter to indicate that while the Civil War freed nearly four million slaves, it also set in motion the status decline of antebellum African American seamen. The eleven years Robert Shorter … Read MoreEleven Years in the U.S. Navy: The Strange Saga of Robert Shorter

Cowboys of Color in South America

In the following account North Carolina State University historian Richard Slatta explores the little known history and heritage of South American cowboys of African and mixed race background. Many students of frontier societies, most notably Frederick Jackson Turner, have depicted the frontier as a place … Read MoreCowboys of Color in South America