Eugene James “Jacques” Bullard (1895-1961)

Eugene James (Jacques) Bullard, the first African American combat aviator, was known as the “black swallow of death” for his courage during missions. He led a colorful life, much of it in Europe. Bullard was born in Columbus, Georgia, on October 9, 1895, the seventh … Read MoreEugene James “Jacques” Bullard (1895-1961)

William Lee Conley “Big Bill” Broonzy (1893-1958)

Although he struggled throughout his life to produce a sufficient income, Big Bill Broonzy played an integral role in launching the global popularity of Southern blues. Born to sharecropper parents on June 26, 1893, in Scott, Mississippi, Broonzy grew up in Mississippi and Arkansas. As … Read MoreWilliam Lee Conley “Big Bill” Broonzy (1893-1958)

National Equal Rights League (1864-1921)

Founded in Syracuse, New York in 1864, the National Equal Rights League (NERL) promoted full and immediate citizenship for African Americans. Created during the Civil War, the League based its call for full citizenship as compensation for military service in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. … Read MoreNational Equal Rights League (1864-1921)

Earl B. Dickerson (1891-1986)

Earl Burrus Dickerson was a member of President Roosevelt’s Fair Employment Practices Commission between 1941 and 1943 and a prominent civil rights attorney in Chicago.  He was also one of the founders of the Supreme Liberty Life Insurance Company with headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Dickerson … Read MoreEarl B. Dickerson (1891-1986)

Tirailleurs Senegalais (1857– )

The Tirailleurs Sénégalais were West African Colonial Army troops who fought for the French during World War I, World War II, and in numerous conquest, police, and colonial counterinsurgency operations. Despite the name, the Tirailleurs Sénégalais were composed of soldiers recruited and conscripted from throughout … Read MoreTirailleurs Senegalais (1857– )