Kenneth Cooper Alexander became Norfolk, Virginia’s first African American mayor, a historic milestone for the Commonwealth city founded in 1682. Born in Norfolk on October 17, 1966, to David Alexander, a funeral director and business owner, and Ruby Rebecca Cooper, a college graduate, professional clarinetist, … Read MoreKenneth Cooper-Alexander (1966-)
World-renowned debate coach, philosopher, minister, and orator Thomas Freeman was born Thomas Franklin Freeman on June 27, 1919, in Richmond, Virginia, to Louis H. Freeman Sr. and Louise E. Willis. Young Thomas preached his first sermon at nine years old. He had seven brothers and three … Read MoreThomas Freeman (1919 – 2020)
Kenneth “Kenny” Alexander, the first African American mayor of Norfolk, Virginia was born in that city on October 17, 1966. Alexander attended local schools graduating from Lake Taylor High School in 1985. After graduation he attended Brightpoint Community College (formerly John Tyler Community College) earning … Read MoreKenneth Alexander (1966- )
Jane Serepta “Jennie” Dean, a former slave, missionary, and pioneering educator, founded the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth in Northern Virginia in October 1894. The Manassas School existed for 40 years as the only secondary school for students in northern Virginia. In 1906, Dean, … Read MoreJane Serepta Dean (1848-1913)
Douglas Palmer, the first Black mayor of Trenton, New Jersey, was born Douglas Harold Palmer on October 19, 1951, in the city, to George H. Palmer, a native of Charleston, South Carolina, and Dorothy Vaughn Palmer from Trenton. Douglas’s sibling is Karen Palmer Richardson. Palmer’s … Read MoreDouglas Palmer (1951- )
James W. Holley III was the first African American mayor of his hometown, Portsmouth, Virginia. He was born in Portsmouth on November 26, 1926. His parents were Laura and James W. Holley, Jr. James Holley attended local schools in Portsmouth and graduated from I. C. … Read MoreJames W. Holley III (1926-2012)
William A. Johnson Jr., the first African American mayor of Rochester, New York, was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, on August 22, 1942. He attended Howard University from 1961 to 1967, completing Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Political Science and Government in 1967. This education laid … Read MoreWilliam A. Johnson, Jr. (1942- )
Alonzo Harding Mourning Jr is a former National Basketball Association (NBA) star and, more recently, a cancer survivor. Born on February 8, 1970, in Chesapeake, Virginia, to Alonzo Mourning Sr and Julia Hadnot, Mourning’s talent on the high school basketball team was undeniable. His junior … Read MoreAlonzo Harding Mourning Jr (1970- )
Sharon Y. Bowen, the first Black woman to head the New York Stock Exchange, was born on July 23, 1956, in Chesapeake, Virginia, to Leverta Wilson and Allen Dosher Bowen, Sr. She is the youngest of five children. Her father was an electrician at the … Read MoreSharon Y. Bowen (1956- )
Mary Smith Kelsey Peake, a pioneering educator, is one of few African American women to have a school, The Mary Peake Center of Hampton Public Schools, and a street, the Mary Peake Boulevard, named in honor due to her work as the first teacher for … Read MoreMary Smith Kelsey Peake (1823-1862)
