Carl Maxie Brashear was a United States Navy sailor and master diver. Brashear was born on January 19, 1931, to McDonald Brashear and Gonzella Brashear in Tonieville, Kentucky. Brashear’s family later relocated to a farm in Sonara, Kentucky, where he attended the local grade school … Read MoreCarl Maxie Brashear (1931-2006)
George Costello Wolfe is one of the most celebrated American playwrights and directors of theater and film. Known for his five Tony Awards, Wolfe was born in Frankfort, Kentucky on September 23, 1954. His mother Anna Lindsey-Wolfe was a librarian and principal at the all-black … Read MoreGeorge C. Wolfe (1954- )
Tuskegee Airman Charles McGee is a retired fighter pilot whose legendary career spans three wars and four hundred and nine combat missions. McGee was born on December 7, 1919, to Lewis Allen and Ruth Elizabeth (Lewis) in Cleveland, Ohio. His father’s position as a minister, … Read MoreCharles Edward McGee (1919- )
Tuskegee Airman Jack Daniels Holsclaw was born in Spokane, Washington, on March 21, 1918. His father, Charles, was a clerk in a downtown store, and his mother, Nell, was a manager at Pacific Telephone and Telegraph. Holsclaw attended North Central High School in Spokane, where … Read MoreJack Daniels Holsclaw (1918-1998)
Alberta Jones was born on November 12, 1930, to Sarah (Sadie) Frances Crawford and Odell Jones, in Louisville, Kentucky. Jones attended Louisville Central High School and the Louisville Municipal College for Negroes, which in 1951 merged with the University of Louisville. She graduated third in … Read MoreAlberta Odell Jones (1930-1965)
College Basketball has had many legendary coaches that have become household names through their success on the court. For Coach Clarence Edward Gaines, known as “Big House” for his large frame, winning was a habit that led him to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 1982. While … Read MoreClarence E. “Big House” Gaines, (1923-2005)
In the post-World War II years Harvey Clarence Russell Jr. paved the way for African American businessmen in corporate America. As one of the first black executives for a major American company, Russell made a name as a trailblazer and business titan in his time. He has … Read MoreHarvey Clarence Russell, Jr. (1918-1998)
Medical researcher John Wallace was born March 8, 1925 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from Howard University in 1947 with an honors bachelors in zoology. Originally, he was going to enroll at a medical student at Meharry Medical College. However, after spending a summer in Cincinnati Children’s Hospital doing … Read MoreJohn Wallace (1925-1992)
Moneta Sleet, Jr., a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer involved in the Civil Rights movement, was born on February 14, 1926. His parents, Ozetta Allensworth Sleet and Moneta Sleet, Sr., raised him in Owensboro, Kentucky. At a very young age, his parents gave him a small box camera, which he used to … Read MoreMoneta Sleet, Jr. (1926-1996)
Alice Allison Dunnigan was the first African American female correspondent at the White House and the first black female member of the Senate and House of Representatives press galleries. Dunnigan was born April 27, 1906, in Russellville, Kentucky, to Willie and Lena Pitman Allison. Her father worked as … Read MoreAlice Allison Dunnigan (1906-1983)
