Charles Wade Mills was a notable Caribbean-American political philosopher and distinguished professor. He was born in London on January 3, 1951 to Jamaican parents, Winnifred and Gladstone Mills, who were both pursuing their graduate degrees in the city. The couple returned to Kingston shortly after … Read MoreCharles Wade Mills (1951-2021)
Aaliyah Dana Haughton was a singer, actress, dancer, and model. Aaliyah was born on January 16, 1979, to Diane and Micheal “Miguel” Haughton in Brooklyn, New York. Growing up, her mother got her involved in vocal lessons. She performed at weddings, churches, and charity events. … Read MoreAaliyah Dana Haughton (1979-2001)
Leland Melvin is a former NFL player, chemist, and retired NASA astronaut. He was born in Lynchburg, Virginia on February 15, 1964, to Deems and Grace Melvin. At an early age, he developed an interest in chemistry after his mom bought him a chemistry set. … Read MoreLeland Devon Melvin (1964- )
Kenneth Olden, a cell biologist, biochemist, and cancer researcher, is the founding dean at the School of Public Health of City University New York (CUNY). Born in 1938 in Parrottsville, Tennessee, Olden grew up in a rural community with his parents Matt and Augusta Olden … Read MoreKenneth Olden (1938- )
Educational administrator Lyman Beecher Brooks, the first president of Norfolk State University, was born on May 27, 1910, in Blakes, Virginia, to a farmer and pianist, John Robert Brooks, and Mary Anna Burrell Brooks, a schoolteacher, and graduate of Virginia Union University. He began reading … Read MoreLyman Beecher Brooks (1910-1984)
The Detroit Walk To Freedom was a mass march during the Civil Rights Movement that took place on June 23, 1963, in Detroit, Michigan. It drew an estimated 125,000 participants and spectators, which made it the single largest civil rights demonstration in the nation’s history … Read MoreDetroit Walk To Freedom (1963)
Black librarians have always gathered at meetings to discuss the relevance of their profession and the needs and desires of the African American community. As far back as the beginning of their first library school for Negroes at Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) in Virginia, … Read MoreBlack Caucus of the American Library Association (1970- )
Robyn A. Crittenden is an American attorney in the state of Georgia who was born in Long Island, New York. She was the 28th Secretary of State of Georgia. She is the first African American woman to head the Georgia Department of Revenue. Crittenden earned … Read MoreRobyn A. Crittenden (1964- )
Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr is a professional boxer and boxing promoter. Mayweather was born on February 24, 1977, to Floyd Mayweather Sr. and Deborah Sinclair in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mayweather comes from a family of boxers, including his father and uncles, Roger Mayweather and Jeff … Read MoreFloyd Joy Mayweather Jr. (1977- )
Julianna Michelle Childs, a U.S. District Court judge in South Carolina, was born on March 24, 1966, in Detroit, Michigan. Her father, Ralph Childs, was a former U.S. Junior Table Tennis Champion, and her mother, Shandra Childs-Thomas, was a personnel manager for Michigan Bell. In … Read MoreJ. Michelle Childs (1966- )
