When the U.S. Army was reorganized on July 28, 1866 for peacetime service after the American Civil War, six regiments were set aside for black enlisted men. These included four infantry regiments, numbered 38th through 41st. The 25th Infantry was created during a reduction in March 1869 by … Read More25th Infantry Regiment (1866-1947)
William McBryar was a biracial buffalo soldier whose received the Medal of Honor for his participation in the 1890 Cherry Creek Campaign in Arizona Territory. McBryar was born on February 14, 1861 in Elizabethtown, North Carolina to Rose McBryar, an African American, and a white father whose name is unknown. McBryar attended … Read MoreWilliam McBryar (1861-1941)
Geraldine W. Travis is the first African American elected to the MontanaState Legislature House of Representatives. She worked actively to promote civil rights for African Americans, women, and children, and to break down racial barriers in Montana from 1967 to 1989. Geraldine Washington Travis was born in Albany, Georgia on September 3, … Read MoreGeraldine Washington Travis (1931- )
Isola Jones is an internationally-renowned mezzo-soprano opera singer. She is best known for her work with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, New York where she sang for 16 years and particularly for her role as Carmen in Georges Bizet’s opera by the same … Read MoreIsola Jones (1949- )
Lieutenant General Alonzo Earl Short, Jr. was at one point one of the highest-ranking African American officers on active duty in the Untied States Army. Short’s responsibilities during his service included managing the communications systems between the White House and various military branches. Short was born … Read MoreAlonzo Earl Short, Jr. (?- )
Brigadier General Walter John Whitfield was the first African American General in the Army National Guard. His career extends over thirty years in the military working in both active and reserve areas. During his period with the National Guard he also had a career as a … Read MoreWalter J. Whitfield (1948- )
Few people are aware of the race riot that occurred in Tucson, Arizona, in 1967. The riot was caused by the arrest of an unidentified Black 14-year-old a few days before. From July 23rd to 25th, in the North side of the city, within a … Read MoreTucson Race Riot (1967)
Lieutenant General William E. Brown, Jr. is a former United States Air Force pilot, former commander of Allied Air Forces Southern Europe and former deputy commander of U.S. Air Forces in Southern Europe. Brown ended his military career with over 5,100 flying hours, the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of … Read MoreWilliam E. Brown, Jr. (1927- )
Writer, activist, and immigration rights advocate Opal Tometi is best known as one of the three founders of the Black Lives Matter movement. Tometi, born in 1984 to Nigerian parents who had illegally immigrated to the United States, grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and is the oldest of three children. Tometi … Read MoreOpal Tometi (1984- )
Lieutenant General Daniel James III became the first African American to be named Director of the Air National Guard upon assuming the position in 2002. He was the son of Daniel James Jr., the first black four-star general in the U.S. Air Force. In 2006 James … Read MoreDaniel James III (1945-2017)
