One of the last of the major riots of the “Red Summer” of 1919, the so-called race riot in Elaine, Arkansas was in fact a racial massacre. Though exact numbers are unknown, it is estimated that over 200 African Americans were killed, along with five whites, during the white … Read MoreElaine, Arkansas Riot (1919)
Image Ownership: Public domain Roland Sebastian Martin is a journalist, columnist, and author. Martin was on born November 18, 1968 to Emelda and Reginald Lynn Martin Sr. in Houston, Texas. His maternal great grandparents emigrated from Haiti to the United States where they settled in … Read MoreRoland Sebastian Martin (1968- )
"Image Ownership: Public Domain" With his death in 2014, eighteen-year-old Michael Brown’s name became synonymous with the growing Black Lives Matter movement and a nationwide debate about unarmed black men being fatally shot by law enforcement. Michael Brown Jr. was born on May 20, 1996, … Read MoreMichael Brown Jr. (1996–2014)
Channing Dungey is the first black person in history to run a major network, appointed head of the entertainment division of ABC on February 17, 2016. Dungey joined the ABC family in 2004, and since 2013 held the title of executive vice president, drama development, … Read MoreChanning Dungey (1969- )
Known as one of the fashion world’s most recognized personalities, Talley stepped down as Vogue’s editor-at-large after three decades to become the editor-in-chief for Numero Russia, an international magazine based in Russia. Talley is the son of William C. Talley, a taxi driver, and Alma … Read MoreAndré Leon Talley (1949-)
Paris K.C. Barclay is an award-winning American television director, producer, and LGBT rights activist. In 2013, he broke new ground when he was named President of the Directors Guild of America, making him the first out gay male and the first African American to hold … Read MoreParis K.C. Barclay (1956- )
After the passage of the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law, open skirmishes took place between Southern slave catchers and Northern abolitionists who despised slavery and what they saw as its encroachments on the liberty and freedom of residents of the free states. Armed altercations and confrontations … Read MoreChristiana Riot of 1851
Jack L. Cooper is widely acknowledged as the first African American radio broadcaster. Cooper, born in Memphis, Tennessee on September 18, 1888, was the youngest of 10 children. He was raised in a poor, single-parent home, and, at the age of 10, quit school and … Read MoreJack Leroy Cooper (1888-1970)
The Cosby Show was the most popular series on American television in the late 1980s. The situation comedy, which ran on NBC from September 1984 to April 1992, was based on the stand-up comedy routine of its star, Bill Cosby. The show focused on an … Read MoreThe Cosby Show (1984-1992)
The Opelousas Massacre occurred on September 28, 1868 in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. The event is also referred to as The Opelousas Riot by some historians. There is debate as to how many people were killed. Conservative estimates made by contemporary observers indicated about … Read MoreOpelousas Massacre (1868)