Ishmael Beah is a Sierra Leonean author and human rights activist who rose to fame with his personal history, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Solider. Beah was born on November 23, 1980, in Mattru Jong, Bonthe District, Sierra Leone, in West Africa. … Read MoreIshmael Beah (1980- )
Milton Murray Holland was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War and a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his action in the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm. Murray was born on August 1, 1844 in Austin, Texas, the son of Bird … Read MoreMilton Murray Holland (1844-1910)
Rahsaan Roland Kirk was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who played tenor saxophone, flute, and many other instruments. Kirk was born Ronald Theodore Kirk in Columbus, Ohio, on August 7, 1935. He grew up in a neighborhood in Columbus called Flytown. Kirk was born with sight … Read MoreRahsaan Roland Kirk (1935-1977)
“Image Ownership: Public Domain” Laurence Allen Elder, known commonly as Larry Elder or the “Sage of South Central,” is an African American lawyer, conservative political columnist, and media personality. He is a libertarian-wing Republican and advocates for a variety of causes, spanning from domestic issues … Read MoreLaurence Allen Elder (1952– )
Powhatan Beaty was an American soldier and actor. He served in the Union Army’s 5th United States Colored Infantry Regiment throughout the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration given by the United States, when … Read MorePowhatan Beaty (1837-1916)
Mary Edmonson (1832–1853) and Emily Edmonson (1835–1895) were enslaved African Americans who became prominent in the United States abolitionist movement after gaining their freedom. On April 15, 1848, they were among the 77 slaves who tried to escape from Washington, D.C. to New Jersey on … Read MoreThe Edmonson Sisters (1832–1895)
Map of Chicot County, Arkansas, 1889 “Image Ownership: Public Domain” James W. Mason of Chicot County, Arkansas, was the first documented African American postmaster in the United States. Mason also served as a delegate to the 1868 Arkansas constitutional convention and as a state senator. … Read MoreJames W. Mason (1841–1874)
“Image Ownrship: Pubic Domain” Warner McCary, slave, musician, performer, self-identified prophet, and physician, was born in Natchez, Mississippi, circa 1810. His mother, Franky, was a slave, and his father, James McCary, was a slave owner and cabinetmaker who migrated to Natchez from Pennsylvania. Throughout his … Read MoreWarner McCrary (c.1810–n.d.)
Simone Arianne Biles is an American artistic gymnast. She is a three-time world all-around champion (2013-2015), three-time world floor champion (2013-2015), four-time United States National all-around champion (2013-2016), and a member of the gold medal-winning American teams at the 2014 and 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics … Read MoreSimone Arianne Biles (1997- )
Black Lives Matter Protesters in Syracuse, NY, June 6, 2020 “Image Ownership: Scott Schild” The Syracuse, New York Chapter of Black Lives Matter was founded by public school educator and community actor Anthony Harper on August 6, 2015. The founding occurred several weeks after Black … Read MoreBlack Lives Matter, Syracuse Chapter (2015- )
