Julius “Nipsey” Russell was a comedian, dancer, and poet. Russell was born on October 13, 1924 in Atlanta, Georgia. His mother gave him the nickname Nipsey, and he embraced it because he liked the way it sounded. Russell attended Booker T. Washington High School in … Read MoreNipsey Russell (1918-2005)
James Richardson Bacote was an artist, preservationist, historian and co-founder of the Geechee Kunda Cultural Center in Georgia. Bacote was born on December 18, 1948 in Brunswick, Georgia, to Sally and James Bacote Sr. He attended local schools on the Georgia Coast, as well as … Read MoreJames R. Bacote II (1948-2018)
Roy Franklin Simmons was professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins. He was also one of the first openly gay players in the NFL. Simmons was born on November 8, 1956 in Savannah, … Read MoreRoy Franklin Simmons (1956-2014)
Congresswoman Lucia “Lucy” McBath, is a wife, mother, author, and activist for social justice. Lucia Kay Holman was born in Joliet, Illinois on June 1, 1960. Her mother Wilma worked as a nurse, and her father, Lucien Holman, was a dentist. Her father also owned … Read MoreLucia Kay (Holman) McBath (1960- )
In 1968 Dorothy Bolden transformed domestic workers’ rights by founding the National Domestic Worker’s Union of America (NDWUA). Employed as a domestic for more than 40 years, Bolden created a union to promote their interests. The NDWUA helped domestic workers gain better wages, better conditions, … Read MoreDorothy Lee Bolden (1924-2005)
Stacey Abrams is a lawyer, politician, author, the first African American female major-party gubernatorial nominee, and the first African American woman to deliver a response to the State of the Union Address. Abrams was born on December 9, 1973 to Reverend Robert (former dockworker) and … Read MoreStacey Yvonne Abrams (1973- )
Insurance executive Ivan James Houston was born in Los Angeles, California on June 15, 1925 to Norman Oliver Houston and Doris Talbot (Young) Houston. He attended public schools in Los Angeles and graduated from John H. Francis Polytechnic High School in 1943. Later that year … Read MoreIvan James Houston (1925- )
Educator and HCBU President Lionel Hodge Newsom was born on November 11, 1919 in Wichita Falls, Texas, to Lawson and Georgia (McCullough) Newsom. He attended the local school, and enrolled into Lincoln University, Missouri where he became member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Newsom graduated … Read MoreLionel Hodge Newsom (1919-1991)
On June 17, 1972, Frank Wills, an African American night watchman, detected an early morning break-in at the Democratic National Headquarters at the Watergate Office Building in Washington, D.C. The five men arrested had ties to President Richard Nixon’s reelection campaign, igniting a political scandal … Read MoreFrank Wills (1948-2000)
Recognized by Broward County Florida as a successful businessman and civic leader dedicated to economic development, education, and community service, Marcellus Sterling Collins, Sr. continued the early 20th Century legacy of his parents, Richard A. and Leola Collins. Beginning in 1923, his father and mother … Read MoreMarcellus Sterling Collins, Sr. (1919-2018)