Addie Fletcher Booth was an educator, civil rights activist, and labor organizer. She was born Addie De Vault on October 29, 1902 in Independence, Texas to Reuben and Anis Gee De Vault. Although very little is known of her early life, she enrolled in Prairie … Read MoreAddie Fletcher Booth (1902-1996)
Diana Bajoie is known as a pioneer of African American politics in the state of Louisiana. She is a former member of the Louisiana legislature and the first African American woman elected to serve in the Louisiana state senate. She is also the first woman … Read MoreDiana E. Bajoie (1948– )
Charles Howard Wright was a Detroit physician and founder of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. He was born on September 18, 1918, in Dothan, Alabama and attended the State Teachers College (later known as Alabama State College, and now Alabama State … Read MoreCharles H. Wright (1918-2002)
Alondra Nelson, lecturer, social scientist, administrator/organizer, was born on April 22, 1968, in Bethesda, Maryland, to career Navy parents Robert Nelson and Delores Nelson. Reared in New Orleans, she has Jamaican roots. Alondra’s siblings are Andrea Nelson, Robert Nelson, and Anthony Nelson. However, Alondra’s earlier … Read MoreAlondra Nelson (1968- )
Troy Anthony Carter is a United States Congressman representing Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District since May of 2021. He is the Second Vice-Chair in the Congressional Black Caucus, and prominently known as the first African American elected to serve District 102 in the Louisiana House of … Read MoreTroy Anthony Carter (1963 – )
Sister Thea Bowman was a Catholic Franciscan nun, evangelist, and educator known for introducing culturally inclusive practices into the Catholic liturgy. Her contributions were so significant that she is being considered for sainthood. Thea Bowman was born Bertha Elizabeth Bowman on December 29, 1937, in … Read MoreSister Thea Bowman (1937 – 1990)
Dr. Percy Anthony Pierre is an accomplished pioneer in electrical engineering and trailblazer known for his academic and professional accomplishments throughout the nation including a university presidency. Born in Welcome, Louisiana, on January 3, 1939 to Rosa Villavaso Pierre and Percy John Pierre who were … Read MoreDr. Percy A. Pierre
Bernette Joshua Johnson is a retired Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. She is the first African American woman to serve on the Louisiana Supreme Court and the second female to hold the position of Chief Justice. Born in Lemannville, Louisiana on June 17, … Read MoreJustice Bernette Joshua Johnson
Marie Walker Johnson was a Black Creole civil rights activist in Oakland, California, during the 1960s. A mother of five and a nurse, she also played a crucial role in multiple grassroots groups in the East Bay area. In these organizations, she marched, wrote letters, … Read MoreMarie Clara Delpit Walker Johnson (1921-1974)
Gilda Barabino, a biomedical engineer and world-renowned sickle cell researcher, is the first African American and woman president of Olin College of Engineering. She was born on May 28, 1956 in Anchorage, Alaska to Margaret Angus Barnes Barnum and Norman Edward Barnum III. At a … Read MoreGilda Barabino (1956- )
