Historian, political activist, and educator Clarence Albert Bacote was born on February 24, 1906, in Kansas City, Missouri. His parents were Samuel William Bacote from Society Hill, South Carolina, a graduate of Richmond Theological Seminary (now Virginia Union University) and pastor at Second Baptist Church … Read MoreClarence Albert Bacote (1906-1981)
David L. Steward is currently considered the second richest black man in the United States, worth over $3.7 billion dollars. Stewart was born on July 2, 1951 in Chicago, Illinois. His father, Harold, was a mechanic, trash collector, and janitor, and his mother, Dorothy, was … Read MoreDavid Steward (1951- )
Doxey Alphonso Lewis Alexander Wilkerson, communist, Marxist, professor, author, editor, and union leader, was born April 24, 1905 in Excelsior Springs, Missouri to Mattie L. Wilkerson of Kentucky (1884-1955) and Methodist minister Alphonso Wilkerson. A 1921 graduate of Sumner High School in Kansas City, Kansas, … Read MoreDoxey Wilkerson (1905-1993)
Leon Spinks was a professional boxer best known for defeating Muhammad Ali for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship in 1978. Spinks was born on July 11, 1953 to Kay Francis Spinks and Leon Spinks Sr. in St. Louis, Missouri. When Spinks was born, he became ill … Read MoreLeon Spinks (1953-2021)
Kirsten Harris-Talley is the current Washington State Representative for the 37th Legislative District, Position 2, representing the Seattle neighborhoods of Beacon Hill, the Central District, Rainier Valley, as well as Skyway and portions of Renton. Rep. Harris-Talley was elected in November 2020 and took office … Read MoreKirsten Harris-Talley (1979- )
In their latest book on the Black soldiers who helped build the Alcan Highway during World War II, authors Christine and Dennis McClure encountered a story of injustice in the frigid north. See a description of their new book, A Different Race, to get a … Read MoreInjustice in Alaska Territory: The World War II Court-martial of Ten Black Soldiers Who Helped Build the ALCAN Highway
On July 28, 1866, the Thirty-Ninth Congress passed the Act to increase and fix the Military Peace Establishment of the United States; thus the federal government created six all-Colored Army Regiments. The units identified as the 9th and 10th Colored Cavalry Regiments and the 38th, … Read MoreFormation of the Buffalo Soldiers, 1866
Cori Anika Bush is the first African America woman elected to represent Missouri’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is also a single parent, a registered nurse, a former pastor, an activist, and a community organizer. Bush was born July 21, 1976 and raised … Read MoreCori Bush (1976- )
Dorothy Butler Gilliam is a journalist, editor, media educator, feminist, author, and former president of the National Association of Black Journalists. She was the first African American female reporter hired by The Washington Post. Born in the Dixie Homes Project in Memphis, Tennessee, Gilliam was … Read MoreDorothy Butler Gilliam (1936- )
Dr. John Morton-Finney was an accomplished lawyer, civil rights activist, and academic who accumulated eleven degrees over the course of his life. Born in Kentucky on June 25, 1889, Morton-Finney was one of seven children. His father, a former slave, and his mother, a free … Read MoreJohn Morton-Finney (1889-1998)
