This Day in Quiztory: Recent Episodes
Quiztory
The weekday podcast featuring short narratives about significant events in African American history read by celebrities and influential community leaders.
OTD Democratic politician Kenneth Gibson was elected the 36th mayor of Newark, New Jersey and the first African American to lead the city.
OTD Lawyer and activist Vernon E. Jordan was appointed executive director of the National Urban League. Actor Brian White shines a spotlight on his legacy.
We celebrate the life and legacy of actor and comedian Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, who passed away on this day in 1977.
OTD in 2000, the home of entrepreneur Alonzo Herndon was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
OTD in 1956, Autherine Lucy became the first African American student to attend the University of Alabama. Recording artist Deborah Cox narrates.
OTD in 2009, the United States Senate confirmed Eric Holder as the 82nd U.S. Attorney General and the first African American to hold the position. Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph narrates.
OTD in 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested in Selma, AL during a march to protest voter registration practices. Actor Ernest L. Thomas narrates.
OTD in 2001, General Colin Powell was sworn in as the 65th U.S. Secretary of State and the first African American to hold that position.
John H. Johnson, founder of Ebony and Jet magazines, was born in Arkansas City, AR in 1918.
OTD Singer Kathy Sledge, of the group Sister Sledge, was born in Philadelphia, PA. Happy 64th birthday to her!
OTD Charlotte E. Ray, the country's first black female attorney, passed away in 1911 at age 60.
On this day in 1905, art historian James A. Porter was born in Baltimore, MD. Recording artist Bowlegged Lou narrates.
Happy 80th birthday to singer Carla Thomas! The "Queen of Memphis Soul" was born on this day in Memphis, TN.
On this day in 1981, the musical "Dreamgirls" made its debut on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre.
OTD Educator and civil rights activist Septima Clark, dubbed the "Mother of the Movement," passed away at the age of 89.
OTD Football standout Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, was born in New Salem, Pennsylvania.
OTD Soprano singer Marie Selika Williams became the first black artist to perform at the White House.
OTD Record executive Dick Griffey, founder of SOLAR Records, was born in Nashville, TN. Actor Sinqua Walls narrates.
OTD Denmark Industrial School, now known as Voorhees University, opened in Denmark, South Carolina.
OTD The Washington Society of Colored Dentists, a precursor of the National Dental Association, was formed in the District of Columbia.
OTD The Civil Rights Memorial, a granite fountain inscribed with the names of 41 martyrs of the movement, was dedicated in Montgomery, Alabama.
OTD Andrew Hatcher was appointed associate press secretary under President John F. Kennedy making him the first African American to serve in the White House Press Office.
OTD The first classes began at Howard University's newly established Medical Department with eight students and five faculty members.
OTD Recording artist and four octave vocalist Minnie Riperton was born in Chicago, IL. Happy Heavenly Birthday!
OTD The boxing world mourned the loss of heavyweight champion Smokin' Joe Frazier. Actress Tamara Tunie narrates.
OTD Bob Douglas, regarded as the "father of black professional basketball," was born on the island of Saint Kitts in the British West Indies. Actress Caryn Ward narrates.
OTD Hall of fame radio broadcaster Hal Jackson was born in Charleston, South Carolina. Music executive Cappriccieo Scates narrates.
OTD President Ronald Reagan signed legislation designating a federal holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recording artist Nicci Gilbert narrates.
OTD Publisher Nancy Maynard, one-time owner of he Oakland Tribune, was born in Harlem, NY.
OTD The song "Baby Love," the second of five consecutive number one singles by The Supremes, began a four week run atop the Billboard Hot 100.
OTD Abolitionist Levi Coffin, an active leader of the Underground Railroad, was born in New Garden, North Carolina.
OTD Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. became the first African American army general in the United States.
OTD Jazz musician and composer Dizzy Gillespie was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. Recording artist Nicci Gilbert celebrates his life and legacy.
OTD The U.S. Air Force Officer's Training School added the historical account of the Tuskegee Airmen fighter pilots to their curriculum.
OTD Olympic medalists John Carlos and Tommie Smith were suspended for raising their fists in protest atop the medal stand at the Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
OTD Capital Savings Bank, the first bank organized and operated by African Americans, was founded.
OTD The Jackson 5 made their first nationally broadcast television appearance on the Hollywood Palace Special.
OTD Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton, a pioneer for African American players in the NBA, was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. Actress Tamara Tunie narrates.
OTD Inventor Granville T. Woods, also referred to as the "Black Edison," received a patent for his telephone system apparatus that he called telegraphony.
OTD Inventor Isaac R. Johnson received a patent for his improvement on the bicycle frame.
OTD Poet and author Amiri Baraka, a staunch advocate of black liberation and Pan-Africanism, was born in Newark, New Jersey.
OTD Civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, co-founder of the Freedom Democratic Party, was born in Montgomery County, MS.
OTD Politician Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, the first African American female to represent the west coast in Congress, was born in Los Angeles, CA. Today we celebrate her on her 90th birthday!
OTD The New Orleans Tribune became the first black daily newspaper in the United States.
OTD Educator Mary McLeod Bethune opened the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls, now known as Bethune-Cookman University.
OTD Activist James Meredith became the first African American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi.
OTD Chuck Cooper, the first African American to be drafted by an NBA team, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
OTD The music world lost an icon. Jazz musician Miles Davis passed away at the age of 65. Actress Reagan Gomez narrates.
OTD Soul Train founder and longtime host, Don Cornelius, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
OTD Whitney Houston's "Didn't We Almost Have it All" began a two week run on top of the Billboard Hot 100 becoming her fifth consecutive number one single.
OTD Legendary singer and songwriter Ray Charles was born in Albany, Georgia. The multi-Grammy Award winning recording artist would have been 92 today.
OTD President Abraham Lincoln announced that the Emancipation Proclamation would take effect on January 1, 1863.
OTD The world mourned the loss of Olympic gold medalist and global fashionista Florence Griffith-Joyner. Arizona philanthropist Lloyd Hopkins celebrates her life and legacy.
OTD A group of free black men in Philadelphia gathered and organized a boycott of products made by slaves. This gathering is considered to be the first meeting of the Colored Conventions Movement.
OTD Debbye Turner, now known as an author and motivational speaker, was thrust into the national spotlight by being crowned Miss America, the third African American to hold the title.
OTD A bomb exploded near the basement of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama killing four little girls and injuring many others. Basketball player and author Juaquin Hawkins narrates.
OTD Opera singer Leontyne Price received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon B. Johnson. Actress Shondrella Avery narrates.
OTD Recording artist and actor Tupac Shakur died in a Las Vegas, Nevada hospital. Today we remember his life and legacy on the 26th anniversary of his passing.
OTD Poet and activist Sonia Sanchez was born in Birmingham, Alabama. Today we celebrate her life and work on her 88th birthday.
OTD The entertainment world lost singer and actress Dorothy Dandridge. Today we celebrate her career and legacy.
OTD Painter Jacob Lawrence, known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance, was born in Atlantic City, NJ.
OTD Track and field champion Rafer Johnson won gold in the decathlon at the 1960 Olympic Games.
OTD Judge Joseph W. Hatchett was sworn in as the first black justice on Florida's Supreme Court.
OTD Track and field athlete George Poage won two bronze medals becoming the first African American to medal in an Olympic Games.
OTD Pioneering bank founder William Hudgins, the first president of Freedom National Bank, passed away at the age of 100.
OTD Astronaut Guion Bluford launched aboard his first mission for NASA becoming the first African American in space. Comedian Rodney Perry narrates.
Today we celebrate the King of Pop on what would be his 64th birthday. Happy heavenly birthday, Michael Jackson!
OTD Artist and professor Hale Woodruff, known for his Amistad murals, was born in Cairo, Illinois.
OTD The National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses, an organization devoted to breaking the color barrier in the nursing profession, was founded by Martha Minerva Franklin.
OTD Physician John V. DeGrasse, the first African American to be formally educated as a doctor in the U.S., was admitted to the Massachusetts Medical Society.
OTD The Camp Logan riot, carried out by soldiers from the 24th Infantry Regiment of the United States Army, occurred in Houston, TX.
OTD Retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General Charles Bolden, a former astronaut who served as the first African American administrator of NASA, was born in Columbia, South Carolina.
OTD Civil rights activist James Meredith graduated from the University of Mississippi after being the first African American student admitted to the institution.
OTD Political activist Marcus Garvey, a proponent of black nationalism, was born in Saint Ann's Bay, Jamaica.
OTD Academy Award nominated actress Angela Bassett was born in New York, NY. Today we celebrate her on her 64th birthday.
OTD The song "Endless Love," a duet by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, began a nine week run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
OTD Ophelia DeVore, a pioneer in the modeling industry, was born in Edgefield, South Carolina. Actor Arif S. Kinchen narrates.
OTD Activist and composer, J. Rosamond Johnson, known for composing the hymn "Lift Every Voice And Sing," was born in Jacksonville, Florida. Actor Flex Alexander narrates.
OTD Recording artist Patti Austin was born in Harlem, NY. We celebrate her today on her 72nd birthday.
OTD Doug Williams, the first black starting quarterback in the NFL to win a Super Bowl, was born in Zachary, Louisiana.
OTD Inventor Richard Spikes received a patent for a horizontally swinging barber's chair.
OTD Theologian James Cone, known as the founder of black liberation theology, was born in Fordyce, Arkansas.
OTD Pioneering DJ Spinderella was born in Brooklyn, NY. Today we celebrate her on her 51st birthday.
OTD The Charles R. Drew Post Graduate Medical School, now known as the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, was established in Los Angeles, CA. Actress Angell Conwell narrates.
OTD Mary Eliza Mahoney became the first African American licensed nurse in the United States. Recording artist Taj George narrates.
OTD Philadelphia's Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church led by Richard Allen, now known as Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, was dedicated. Actress Reagan Gomez narrates.
OTD The Fourteenth Amendment was ratified into the U.S. Constitution granting citizenship and its privileges to all people born or naturalized into the United States.
Today marks the first day of a major racial conflict in the city of Chicago, part of the infamous Red Summer, that lasted for several days.
OTD Singer Darlene Love, ranked among Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, was born in Los Angeles, CA. Actor Stephen Bishop narrates.
OTD The Buffalo Soldier Monument was dedicated by General Colin L. Powell in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
OTD Jane Bolin was appointed judge of the Domestic Relations Court in NYC making her the first African American female judge in the United States. Comedian Rodney Perry narrates.
OTD A merger between three established women's organizations formed to create the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs.
OTD Scholar and civil rights activist Ron Walters was born in Wichita, Kansas. Musician Damien Sneed celebrates his life and legacy.
OTD Illusionist Richard Potter, one of the country's first well known magicians, was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Actor Michael Beach narrates.
OTD Hall of Fame football player Jim Parker passed away at the age of 71. Recording artist Tony Borowiak from the group All-4-One celebrates his career and legacy.
OTD Black Enterprise founder Earl Graves, Sr. was awarded a Spingarn Medal, the NAACP's highest honor awarded for outstanding achievement by an African American. Recording artist Johnny Gill narrates.
OTD The largest slave uprising, planned by Denmark Vesey, was scheduled to be carried out in Charleston, South Carolina.
OTD Several days of rioting began in New York City to protest the draft during the Civil War.
OTD Emmy Award winning actress Beah Richards was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Recording artist Jamie Jones celebrates her life and legacy.
OTD Author and abolitionist Olaudah Equiano, who wrote about his experience as a slave and journey from Africa through the middle passage, purchased his freedom. Actor Brandon Larkins narrates.
OTD Jazz singer and bandleader Billy Eckstine was born in Pittsburgh, PA. Actor Miguel A. Nuñez narrates.
OTD Prince scored his first number one pop single with When Doves Cry from the album Purple Rain. Recording artist Cece Peniston narrates.
OTD Recording artist Phyllis Hyman was born in Philadelphia, PA. Actress Denise Boutte celebrates the songstress on what would have been her 73rd birthday.
OTD Oakland A's left fielder Rickey Henderson hit lead off home runs in a double header versus the Cleveland Indians. Musician Damien Sneed narrates.
OTD Recording artist Bill Withers was born in Slab Fork, West Virginia. Today we celebrate him on what would have been his 84th birthday. Singer Delious Kennedy narrates.
OTD Ben Taylor, hall of fame Negro League Baseball player and manager, was born in Anderson, South Carolina.
OTD Track and field standout Charles Dumas set a world record and became the first person to clear 7 feet in the high jump. Recording artist Johnny Gill narrates.
OTD Samuel J. Battle became the first African American officer hired by New York City's police department. Actress Logan Browning narrates.
OTD Patricia Roberts Harris, the first female African American Ambassador, was named chairperson of the Democratic National Convention Credentials Committee. Actor Aaron D. Spears narrates.
OTD Educator and activist Mary McLeod Bethune joined the staff of National Youth Administration under president Franklin D. Roosevelt.
OTD Track and field star Wilma Rudolph, once considered the fastest woman in the world, was born in Saint Bethlehem, Tennessee. Recording artist David Roughin narrates.
OTD Boxer Ezzard Charles defeated Jersey Joe Walcott to become the National Boxing Association heavyweight champion. Comedian Kyle Erby narrates.
OTD Politician Joseph H. Rainey, the first African American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, was born in Georgetown, South Carolina. Sports commentator Corey Williams narrates.
OTD Pioneering librarian and advocate of African American literature, Charlemae Hill Rollins was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi. Recording artist Jamie Jones narrates.
OTD Tennis phenom Venus Williams was born in Lynwood, CA. Recording artist Linda Clifford celebrates her on her 42nd birthday!
OTD Democratic politician Kenneth Gibson was elected the 36th mayor of Newark, New Jersey and the first African American to lead the city.
OTD Lawyer and activist Vernon E. Jordan was appointed executive director of the National Urban League. Actor Brian White shines a spotlight on his legacy.
OTD Pitcher Don Newcombe, winner of Rookie of the Year, MVP and a Cy Young Award, the first pitcher to win that combo of accolades in a career, was born in Madison, New Jersey. Actor Edwin Hodge narrates.
OTD Thurgood Marshall was nominated to the Supreme Court of the United States by President Lyndon B. Johnson, making him the first African American justice to serve on the high court.
OTD Actress Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to win an Academy Award, was born in Wichita, KS. Recording artist Deborah Cox narrates.
OTD Boxer Larry Holmes defeated Ken Norton in a 15 round bout to become the WBC Heavyweight champion.
OTD The baseball world mourned the loss of hall of fame pitcher and Negro League legend, Satchel Paige. Recording artists Kenya narrates.
OTD Actress Gail Fisher won an Emmy for her role in the television series Mannix making her the first black female to take home the statue. Actor Thomas Q. Jones narrates.
OTD Lieutenant General Frank Petersen, the first African American Marine Corps aviator and general, enlisted in the United States Navy as a seaman apprentice.
OTD Outfielder Darryl Strawberry was selected as the first overall pick in the Major League Baseball draft by the New York Mets. Recording artist David Roughin narrates.
OTD Priest James Augustine Healy became the first black Bishop in the United States. Actor Tom Wright narrates.
OTD Activist Sojourner Truth began her journey of activism by changing her name from Isabella Baumfree.
OTD Anthony Burns, who was captured under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and subsequently freed by abolitionists, was born in Stafford County, Virginia.
Happy birthday, Louis Gossett, Jr! Recording artist Martha Wash celebrates the Academy Award winning actor on his 86th birthday!
OTD Singer Deniece Williams had the number one song in the country with "Let's Hear It For The Boy."
OTD Coleman Young, the 66th mayor of Detroit, MI and the first African American to hold the position, was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
OTD The United States Navy permitted new African American enlistees to serve in non-servant roles.
OTD Former U.S. Senator Blanche Kelso Bruce was appointed registrar of the U.S. Treasury by President James Garfield.
OTD The state of Rhode Island passed the first law in North America that put restrictions on slavery.
OTD Hall of fame baseball player James "Cool Papa" Bell was born in Starkville, MS. Actor Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter narrates.
Congressman John Conyers, a 52 year member of the U.S. House of Representatives, was born in Highland Park, MI.
OTD Politician Sharon Sayles Belton, the first female and first African American mayor of Minneapolis, was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
OTD Chicago Cubs pitcher "Toothpick" Sam Jones threw a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the first African American to achieve the feat.
OTD The Maria Baldwin Home, longtime residence of the first African American female school principal in the Northeast, was designated a National Historic Landmark.
OTD The Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY installed a Walk of Fame to honor the legends who have graced the Apollo stage.
OTD The U.S. Navy commissioned warship USS Rodney M. Davis named for the Medal of Honor recipient for his heroism in the Vietnam War.
OTD Thoroughbred horse racer Marlon St. Julien rode in the Kentucky Derby, making him the first African American jockey to do so since 1921.
OTD Provident Hospital and Training School, the first black owned hospital in the United States, opened in Chicago, IL.
OTD Rapper and entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
OTD Samuel L. Gravely, Jr. became the first African American admiral in the United States Navy. Actress Keesha Sharp narrates.
OTD Maggie L. Walker established the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in Richmond, VA making her the first female bank president in the nation.
OTD Inventor Sarah Boone received a patent for her improvements to the ironing board. Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph narrates.
OTD Basketball player Chuck Cooper became the first African American to be drafted by an NBA team. Recording artist Howard Hewett narrates.
OTD Boxer Joe Frazier knocked out opponent Dave Zyglewicz in the first round to retain his share of the world heavyweight title.
OTD Dancer George Faison won a Tony Award for Best Choreographer for his work on "The Wiz." He was the first African American to win a Tony in that category.
OTD Members of the Afro American Society staged a protest on the Ivy League campus of Cornell University.
OTD Grammy Award winning singer Etta James received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Recording artist Dave Hollister narrates.
OTD The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was organized as the principal channel for student commitment to the civil rights movement in the U.S.
OTD Coast guardsman Joseph Jenkins became the first recognized African American officer in the United States Coast Guard.
Happy 76th birthday, Al Green! The Grammy award winning soul singer was born #OTD in Forrest City, AR.
OTD Thoroughbred jockey Jimmy Winkfield, the last African American to ride a winner in the Kentucky Derby, was born in Chilesburg, KY.
OTD Boxer Joe Louis defended his heavyweight title with a TKO in round nine against Tony Musto.
OTD Dred Scott and his wife, Harriet, filed separate lawsuits for their freedom in a St. Louis Circuit Court. The case was eventually brought before the U.S. Supreme Court.
OTD Writer and activist Chandler Owen, co-founder of the magazine, The Messenger, with A. Philip Randolph, was born in Warrenton, NC.
OTD Civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot and killed on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. Director Nzinga Stewart pays tribute.
OTD Clara Hale, known affectionately as Mother Hale, founder of the Hale House Center, a home for unwanted children, was born in Elizabeth City, NC.
OTD A statue honoring baseball player Ernie Banks was unveiled outside of Wrigley Field.
OTD Novelist Nella Larsen, a writer during the Harlem Renaissance, passed away at the age of 72.
OTD The Tuskegee Airmen were awarded a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the United States Congress. Actress Tiffany Boone narrates.
OTD Award winning sculptor Ed Wilson was born in Baltimore, MD. Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph narrates.
OTD The Scottsboro Boys, nine African American teenagers, were falsely accused of raping two white women on board a train near Scottsboro, Alabama.
OTD Twenty years ago, Halle Berry won an Academy Award for Best Actress becoming the first African American to win in that category.
OTD A bronze statue honoring hall of fame basketball player Karl Malone was unveiled at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
OTD Arthur Winston, a Los Angeles Metro employee for over 76 years best known for being named the U.S. Department of Labor's Employee of the Century, was born in rural Oklahoma. Radio personality Tyrone DuBose narrates.
OTD Oscar and Grammy Award winning singer and actress Irene Cara was born in Bronx, NY.
OTD Educator William Stuart Nelson became president of Dillard University, the institution's first black leader. Author Melvin Bray narrates.
OTD Hall of fame basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer, the first coach to take three different schools to the Final Four, was born in Edenborn, PA.
OTD Author Harriet E. Wilson, the first African American to have a novel published in the U.S., was born in Milford, New Hampshire. Actor Malik Yoba narrates.
Happy 89th birthday, Quincy Jones! The legendary producer was born #OTD in Chicago, IL. Actress DeWanda Wise celebrates him.
OTD Playwright Vinnette Carroll, the first African American female to direct on Broadway, was born in New York, NY.
OTD The film Georgia, Georgia was released making Maya Angelou the first black female screenwriter to have a film produced. Recording artist Money B narrates.
OTD It's the 25th anniversary of a giant loss in hip hop. The Notorious B.I.G. was killed in Los Angeles, CA at the age of 24.
OTD Surgeon Alexander Thomas Augusta, the first black professor of medicine in the U.S., was born in Norfolk, VA.
OTD Garrett A. Morgan, prolific inventor of the three position traffic signal, was born in Paris, Kentucky.
OTD Inventor Thomas L. Jennings became the first African American to receive a patent. Tune in to hear more about his groundbreaking invention. Radio personality Dyana Williams narrates.
OTD Diplomat and the ninth president of Hampton University, Jerome H. Holland, became the first African American elected to the board of directors of the New York Stock Exchange.
Today we celebrate legendary actor and singer Harry Belafonte on his 95th birthday. Born on this day in Harlem, NY. Recording artist Howard Hewett narrates.
OTD Michael Jackson had a record night at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards with eight wins, a record that still stands.
OTD The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam for four decades, passed away at the age of 77.
OTD Recording artist Lauryn Hill won five Grammy Awards for her debut album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill."
OTD We lost recording artist Melvin Franklin, bass singer for The Temptations, at the age of 52. Community leader Lloyd Hopkins narrates.
OTD Hall of fame forward Julius Erving, one of the 50 Greatest Players In NBA History, was born in Roosevelt, New York. Actress Vanessa Bell Calloway celebrates Dr. J.
OTD Politician Barbara Jordan, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1973-1979, was born in Houston, TX. Recording artist Dave Hollister narrates.
OTD Activist and writer Audre Lorde, a self-described “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet,” was born in Harlem, NY.
OTD Activist Huey P. Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther Party For Self-Defense, was born in Monroe, Louisiana. Recording artist Vivian Green narrates.
OTD The home of prominent Atlanta businessman Alonzo Herndon was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Actor Charles Michael Davis narrates.
OTD Music teacher Mary Cardwell Dawson, founder of the National Negro Opera Company, was born in Madison, North Carolina. Actor Joe Morton narrates.
OTD South Africa's Nelson Mandela was released from prison after serving 27 years. Actor Hill Harper narrates.
OTD Scholar and educator Dr. Joseph Charles Price, founder and first president of Livingstone College, was born in Elizabeth City, NC. Producer and DJ Galestian narrates.
OTD Astronaut Bernard Harris became the first African American to perform a space walk. Recording artist Howard Hewett celebrates this achievement.
OTD Figure skater Debi Thomas won the ladies' singles title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the first African American to do so. Actor Gary Anthony Williams narrates.
OTD We mark the anniversary of the inaugural celebration of what we know as Black History Month. Negro History Week was founded by Carter G. Woodson 96 years ago. Entrepreneur Russell Simmons narrates.
OTD The United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp in honor of abolitionist and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth. Recording artist Wyclef Jean narrates.
OTD Journalist P.L. Prattis became the first African American news correspondent admitted to the press galleries of the U.S. Congress. Pastor and recording artist Montell Jordan narrates.
OTD Golfer Pete Brown, the first African American to win a PGA Tour event, was born in Port Gibson, Mississippi.
OTD Four students from North Carolina A&T sat at a Woolworth's lunch counter to protest the whites-only policy. This sit-in sparked a movement in protest of segregation around the country. Chicago public school teacher Kimiko Cowley-Pettis narrates.
OTD The charity single "We Are The World" was recorded by supergroup USA For Africa to aid in famine relief on the continent.
OTD Cartoonist E. Simms Campbell, the first African American to have his illustrations syndicated nationally, passed away at the age of 65.
OTD Entrepreneur Sheila Crump Johnson, co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, was born in McKeesport, PA.
OTD Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman collapsed during a game in Japan and passed away at the age of 31.
OTD Rod Paige was confirmed as the nation's 7th U.S. Secretary of Education and the first African American to hold the position.
OTD Catcher Josh Gibson, the second Negro League player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, died of a stroke at the young age of 35.
OTD Publisher John H. Johnson, founder of Johnson Publishing Company and creator of Ebony and Jet magazines, was born in Arkansas City, AR.
OTD The television sitcom The Jeffersons, a spin-off of the popular All In The Family, premiered on CBS.
OTD Physicist Ronald McNair was selected to be a NASA astronaut. He was one of the seven crew members to perish in the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion.
OTD Students at the University of Minnesota, representing the Afro American Action Committee, staged a sit-in at the main administration building on campus.
OTD Gene Mitchell Gray became the first African American student to enroll at the University of Tennessee.
OTD Playwright and best selling novelist Walter Mosley was born in Los Angeles, CA. Happy 70th birthday!
Happy 51st Birthday, Mary J. Blige! The queen of hip-hop/soul was born #OTD in Bronx, NY.
OTD Chris Smith, aka Daddy Mac, one half of the rap duo Kris Kross, was born in Atlanta, GA.
OTD The James Weldon Johnson Collection of American Negro Arts and Letters, established by photographer Carl Van Vechten, opened on the campus of Yale University.
OTD Recording artist Kathy Sledge, the youngest member of the family singing group Sister Sledge, was born in Philadelphia, PA.
OTD Pioneering dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey was born in Rogers, Texas. Today we celebrate his life and legacy. Actress Caryn Ward Ross narrates.
OTD The nation's first African American female attorney, Charlotte E. Ray, passed away at the age of 60. Today we honor her life and groundbreaking achievements.
OTD The original incarnation of the syndicated late night talk show "The Arsenio Hall Show" premiered and ran for 1,400+ episodes over six seasons.
OTD Abolitionist Harriet Tubman arrived in Auburn, NY after what was her final rescue mission.
OTD Ruth Carol Taylor, the first African American flight attendant in the country, was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Today we celebrate a true pioneer on her 90th birthday.
OTD William Washington Browne founded a chapter of the Grand Fountain of the United Order For True Reformers, a fraternal society for African Americans, in Richmond, VA.
OTD Healy Hall on the campus of Georgetown University, named for the school's 29th president Patrick Francis Healy, was declared a National Historic Landmark.
OTD Art historian James Amos Porter was born in Baltimore, MD. Recording artist Bowlegged Lou from the group Full Force narrates.
OTD Jazz legend Duke Ellington was awarded a Spingarn Medal. He was the 45th recipient of the NAACP's highest honor. Recording artist Nicci Gilbert narrates.
Forty years ago, the Broadway musical Dreamgirls premiered on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre. The original cast starred Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine and Jennifer Holliday.
OTD Saxophonist and smooth jazz pioneer Grover Washington, Jr. passed away at the age of 56. Today we celebrate his life and legacy.
OTD The Colored Methodist Episcopal Church was formed by a group of ministers in Jackson, TN.
Educator and civil rights activist Septima Clark, sometimes referred to as the "Mother of the Movement," passed away at the age of 89.
Boxer Archie Moore, hall of fame light heavyweight champion who held the title for nine years, was born in Benoit, Mississippi.
OTD The world lost a comedic genius. Comedy legend Richard Pryor died at the age of 65.
OTD Hall of fame defensive end Deacon Jones was born in Eatonville, Florida. Comedian Rodney Perry celebrates the 2x NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
OTD Legendary entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr. was born in New York City. Retired NFL wide receiver Brad Smith narrates.
OTD Azie Taylor Morton, the 36th Treasurer of the United States and the first and only African American to hold the position, passed away at the age of 67. Actress Caryn Ward Ross narrates.
OTD The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified officially ending slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime.
OTD Boxer Thomas "Hitman" Hearns defeated Wilfred Benitez in a majority decision to become the WBC super welterweight champion.
OTD Playwright Alice Childress became the first African American woman to win an Obie Award, for best original Off Broadway production, for her play "Trouble In Mind."
Happy 82nd birthday, Tina Turner! The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer was born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, TN.
OTD Rapper and producer Erick Sermon of EPMD was born in Bay Shore, NY. Happy birthday and Happy Thanksgiving!
OTD Rookie running back Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns set an NFL record for most rushing yards in a game with 237 versus the Los Angeles Rams. Recording artist Steven Russell Harts narrates.
OTD Inventor Andrew Jackson Beard received a patent for his jenny coupler, an automatic device that safely secured railroad cars.
OTD George Branham III became the first black champion in the Professional Bowlers Association with his victory at the Brunswick Memorial World Open.
OTD George Lewis Ruffin, a Massachusetts State Representative and the first African American to graduate from Harvard Law School, passed away at the age of 51. Actor Lance Reddick narrates.
OTD Warren Moon, the first black quarterback to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was born in Los Angeles, CA.
Happy Founders Day, Omega Psi Phi! The fraternity was founded #OTD on the campus of Howard University in Washington, DC.
OTD Happy birthday, Lisa Bonet! The Cosby Show actress was born #OTD in San Francisco, CA.
OTD Denmark Industrial School, now known as Voorhees College, opened in Denmark, South Carolina.
Happy 45th birthday to singer Tevin Campbell! The R&B star was born #OTD in Waxahachie, Texas.
OTD Scientist and inventor Dr. George Carruthers received a patent for a device used to detect electromagnetic radiation at short wave lengths.
OTD Andrew Hatcher was named Associate Press Secretary becoming the first African American to serve in the White House Press Office.
OTD The Little Rock Nine, the first African American students to integrate Little Rock's Central High School, was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal. Basketball player Juaquin Hawkins narrates.
OTD Walter E. Washington was elected mayor of Washington, DC becoming the first African American to lead the nation's capital and the city's first elected mayor of the 20th century.
OTD New York Renaissance founder Bob Douglas, often referred to as the "father of black professional basketball," was born in Saint Kitts, Saint Kitts and Nevis. Actress Caryn Ward Ross narrates.
OTD Hal Jackson, a true trailblazer for African Americans in radio broadcasting, was born in Charleston, South Carolina. Music executive Cappriccieo Scates narrates.
OTD President Ronald Reagan signed legislation marking the third Monday in January as a national holiday celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recording artist Nicci Gilbert narrates.
OTD Publisher and entrepreneur Nancy Maynard, a ten year co-owner of the Oakland Tribune, was born in Harlem, New York.
OTD The Supreme Court ordered the immediate desegregation of schools in the state of Mississippi as part of the ruling in the case Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education.
OTD Abolitionist Levi Coffin, an active leader in the Underground Railroad in his region, was born in Guilford County, North Carolina.
Happy 70th birthday, Bootsy Collins! The legendary bassist was born #OTD in Cincinnati, OH.
OTD Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. was promoted to brigadier general becoming the first African American general officer in the regular army and the U.S. armed forces.
OTD North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company, the first African American owned insurance company, was founded in Durham, North Carolina.
OTD Jazz musician and bandleader Dizzy Gillespie was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. Recording artist Nicci Gilbert narrates.
OTD The United States Air Force Officers Training School added the historical account of the Tuskegee Airmen fighter pilots to their curriculum.
OTD The United States Navy began admitting African American women to serve via the WAVES program (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), more than two years after the program was created.
OTD Sprinters John Carlos and Tommie Smith were suspended by the United States Olympic Committee for their silent protest on the medal stand at the games in Mexico City.
OTD The Black Panther Party For Self-Defense was founded 55 years ago by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in Oakland, CA.
OTD The Jackson 5 made their first national television appearance performing "I Want You Back" on The Hollywood Palace.
Happy 83rd birthday to gospel legend Shirley Caesar, born #OTD in Durham, North Carolina.
OTD Anthropologist W. Montague Cobb, the first African American Ph.D. in anthropology, was born in Washington, D.C.
OTD Inventor Granville T. Woods patented a telephone system apparatus which he called Telegraphony.
OTD Author Toni Morrison, known for her novels "The Bluest Eye" and "Beloved" among others, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
OTD Activist Fannie Lou Hamer, a staunch advocate for voting and women's rights, was born in Montgomery County, Mississippi.
OTD Politician Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, the first African American woman elected to Congress from the state of California, was born in Los Angeles.
OTD The New Orleans Tribune became the first daily African American newspaper in the country.
OTD The Jerry Rescue, the public rescue of William "Jerry" Henry after he was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals under the Fugitive Slave Act, occurred in Syracuse, New York.
OTD James Meredith became the first African American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi
WGPR-TV, the country's first African American owned and operated television station, made it's debut out of Detroit, Michigan.
Blues singer Koko Taylor, sometimes referred to as the "Queen of the Blues," was born in Shelby County, TN.
OTD Television host Don Cornelius, the man responsible for the iconic series Soul Train, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
OTD Illinois congresswoman Cardiss Collins, a twenty plus year member of the U.S. House of Representatives, was born in St. Louis, Missouri.
Happy heavenly birthday, Ray Charles! Today we celebrate the music legend on what would be his 91st birthday.
OTD The Emancipation Proclamation, a presidential proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln that changed the legal status under federal law of over three million African Americans from enslaved to free, was announced.
OTD Vanessa Williams was crowned Miss America, the first African American to hold the title.
OTD Miss Missouri Debbye Turner was crowned Miss America, the third African American to hold the title.
OTD Boxer Muhammad Ali beat Leon Spinks to become the first person to win the World Heavyweight Championship on three separate occasions.
OTD Opera singer Leontyne Price received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon B. Johnson. Actress Shondrella Avery narrates.
We remember the life and legacy of recording artist and actor Tupac Shakur on the 25th anniversary of his death.
OTD Poet and activist Sonia Sanchez, a leading figure in the Black Arts Movement, was born in Birmingham, Alabama.
OTD Actress and singer Dorothy Dandridge, the first African American to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, passed away at the age of 42.
OTD Johnathan Rodgers was named president of the CBS Television Stations division becoming, at the time, the highest ranking African American in network television.
OTD Artist, author and songwriter Romare Bearden was born in Charlotte, NC. Pro Bowl running back Eddie George narrates.
OTD George Poage became the first African American athlete to win a medal at the Olympic games, winning two bronze medals in track and field.
OTD Ken Griffey, Sr. and Ken Griffey, Jr. became the first father and son pair to play in a game for the same Major League Baseball team.
OTD Civil rights leader Rosa Parks was the victim of an armed robbery at her Detroit, Michigan home.
OTD Scholar W.E.B Du Bois, a founding member of the NAACP, passed away at the age of 95.
OTD Artist Hale Woodruff was born in Cairo, Illinois. Today we celebrate his life and legacy.
OTD A plane crash claimed the life of R&B star Aaliyah. Actress Reagan Gomez celebrates her life and legacy.
OTD The San Francisco 49ers signed wide receiverJerry Rice to a one day contract, one year after his departure from the game, so that he could officially retire as a Niner.
OTD The Houston Riot of 1917, also known as the Camp Logan Mutiny, occurred involving over one hundred soldiers from the 24th Infantry, a unit of the Buffalo Soldiers.
OTD Charles Bolden, the first African American to serve as NASA Administrator in a permanent role, was born in Columbia, South Carolina.
OTD Civil rights activist James Meredith graduated from the University of Mississippi becoming the first African American to do so.
OTD Actress Angela Bassett was born in New York, NY. Wishing her a wonderful 63rd birthday!
OTD Soprano Caterina Jarboro, the first black female singer to perform with a major opera company, passed away at the age of 88.
OTD The art world mourned the loss of Jean-Michel Basquiat who died tragically at the age of 27. Pro Bowl running back Eddie George reflects on his life and legacy.
OTD Olympian Carl Lewis won his fourth gold medal in a single Olympic Games, tying a record set by track and field legend Jesse Owens.
OTD Grammy Award winning recording artist Patti Austin was born in Harlem, NY. We wish her a happy 71st birthday!
OTD Emmy Award winning actor Al Freeman Jr., star of stage and screen, passed away at age 78.
OTD Memphis Minnie, a pioneer in Blues music whose career spanned three decades, passed away at the age of 76.
OTD NFL champion Emlen Tunnell became the first African American inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
OTD The syndicated late night program "The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show" made its television premiere.
Today we celebrate electrical engineer and former NASA astronaut Joan Higginbotham, the third African American female to go into space, on her 57th birthday!
OTD Explorer and businessman William Leidesdorff, a prominent figure in the origin of San Francisco, launched the first steamboat to sail on the San Francisco Bay. Recording artist Wyclef Jean narrates.
OTD Basketball star Lisa Leslie delivered the first dunk in a WNBA game. Actor Arif S. Kinchen narrates.
OTD Crime novelist Chester Himes was born in Jefferson City, Missouri. Educator Angela James narrates.
OTD A silent march organized by the NAACP was held down 5th Avenue in NYC to protest the East St. Louis Massacre. Actor Lamman Rucker narrates.
OTD Senator Barack Obama, who would become president four years later, delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. Actor Brandon Larkins narrates.
OTD Singer Darlene Love, proclaimed by Rolling Stone as "one of the greatest singers of all time, was born in Los Angeles, CA. Actor Stephen Bishop narrates.
OTD Tiger Woods won the 135th Open, his third victory at the tournament, less than three months after the death of his father.
OTD Happy 75th birthday, Danny Glover! Recording artist Delious Kennedy from the group All-4-One celebrates the esteemed actor and humanitarian.
OTD Mathematician Charles Reason, child prodigy and the first African American professor at a predominately white college, was born in New York City. Recording artist Wyclef Jean narrates.
OTD Magician Richard Potter, one of the nation's most famous entertainers of his time, was born in Hopkinton, MA. Actor Michael Beach narrates.
OTD Political Activist Assata Shakur was born in New York, NY. Recording artist Brave Williams narrates.
OTD The NAACP awarded a Spingarn Medal to Black Enterprise publisher, Earl Graves, Sr. Recording artist Johnny Gill narrates.
Author and activist Maulana Karenga, creator of the Kwanzaa holiday, celebrates his 80th birthday today. Actor Ernest L. Thomas narrates.
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Gerald Levert! The singer/songwriter would have been 55 today. Actor Aaron D. Spears narrates.
OTD Emmy Award winning actress Beah Richards was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Recording artist Jamie Jones from the group All-4-One narrates.
OTD Dancer and choreographer Pearl Primus was awarded a National Medal of Arts by President George H. W. Bush. Recording artist Alfred Nevarez from the group All-4-One narrates.
OTD Singer and influential band leader Billy Eckstine was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Actor Miguel A. Nuñez, Jr. narrates.
OTD Blues pianist Pinetop Perkins, the oldest Grammy winner of all time (age 97), was born in Belzoni, Mississippi. Actor Stephen Bishop narrates.
OTD Inventor Henry Sampson was awarded a patent for his co-invention, the gamma-electric cell, a device that converts the energy generated from the radiation of high energy gamma rays into electricity. Actor Ato Essandoh narrates.
OTD Oakland A's left fielder Rickey Henderson hit two leadoff home runs in a double header versus the Cleveland Indians. Musician Damien Sneed narrates.
OTD The Oblate Sisters of Providence, a Roman Catholic sisterhood established by women of African descent, was founded in Baltimore, MD. Recording artist Faith Evans narrates.
OTD The Bordentown School, the most prominent boarding school for African Americans, often referred to as the "Tuskegee of the North," graduated its final class. Recording artist Money B narrates.
OTD High jumper Charles Dumas cleared a height of seven feet, setting a world record at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Recording artist Johnny Gill narrates.
OTD Samuel J. Battle became the first black officer in the New York Police Department. Actress Logan Browning narrates.
Today we remember the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, on the twelfth anniversary of his death. Actor Michael Beach narrates.
OTD Resurrection City, a housing encampment for protestors erected on the National Mall in Washington, DC, was brought to a close.
OTD United Negro College Fund founder Frederick Douglass Patterson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan. Recording artist Kenya narrates.
OTD Author Octavia Butler, the first science-fiction writer to receive a McArthur Fellowship, was born in Pasadena, CA. Actor Thomas Q. Jones narrates.
OTD Congressman Joseph H. Rainey, the first African American to serve in the United States House of Representatives, was born in Georgetown, SC. Basketball analyst Corey Williams narrates.
OTD Slaves in the state of Texas learned of their freedom, over two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Actor Tom Wright narrates.
OTD Dr. Samuel Nabrit was appointed to the United States Atomic Energy Commission making him the first African American to hold that position.
OTD Security guard Frank Wills foiled a burglary at the Democratic National Committee headquarters that led to the uncovering of the Watergate Scandal and eventual resignation of President Richard Nixon.
OTD Politician Kenneth Gibson was elected as the 36th Mayor of Newark, New Jersey and the first African American to hold that position.
OTD Lieutenant Henry O. Flipper became the first African American to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
OTD Pitcher Don Newcombe, the first African American pitcher to start a World Series game, was born in Madison, New Jersey. Actor Edwin Hodge narrates.
OTD Langston Golf Course opened in Washington, DC as a nine-hole public course. Actress Da'Vine Joy Randolph narrates.
OTD Actress Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to win an Academy Award, was born in Wichita, Kansas. Recording artist Deborah Cox narrates.
OTD Boxer Larry Holmes defeated Ken Norton to become the WBC world heavyweight champion
OTD Hall of fame baseball pitcher Leroy "Satchel" Paige, who had a 40-year career between the Negro Leagues and Major League Baseball, passed away at the age of 75.
OTD Activist Angela Davis was acquitted of three capital felonies in connection with an armed takeover of a courtroom in Marin County, CA.
OTD The 99th Pursuit Squadron, the first black flying squadron, flew its first combat mission.
OTD Activist Sojourner Truth began devoting her life to women's rights and the abolition of slavery
OTD Anthony Burns, an escaped slave whose capture under the Fugitive Slave Act led to protests in Boston, was born in Stafford County, VA
OTD Willie Mays tallied his first career hit in Major League Baseball, a home run, three days after his debut with the New York Giants
OTD Doris Miller was awarded a Navy Cross for his heroic actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was the first African American to receive that honor.
OTD Tennis player Althea Gibson became the first African American to win a Grand Slam title with her victory at the French Championships
OTD Anthony Burns, an escaped slave from Virginia, was arrested by U.S.Marshals under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
OTD Jazz pianist Fats Waller, widely known for his compositions Ain't Misbehavin' and Honeysuckle Rose, was born in New York, NY.
OTD The United States Navy expanded the roles for African American enlistees permitting them to serve in non-servant roles
OTD President Richard Nixon rejected recommendations presented to him by the newly named Congressional Black Caucus.
OTD Tennis champion Arthur Ashe was chosen as the first African American to play Davis Cup for the United States
Happy 70th birthday to Sharon Sayles Belton, the first female and first African American mayor of Minneapolis, MN.
OTD William Grant Still, known as the "Dean of African American composers," was born in Woodville, MS.
OTD The Apollo Theater unveiled its Walk of Fame in front of the famed theater on 125th Street in Harlem, NY.
OTD The SS George Washington Carver, the second Liberty Ship named for an African American, was launched in Richmond, CA.
OTD Black-owned weekly periodical, The Chicago Defender, was founded by Robert Sengstacke Abbott
OTD Provident Hospital and Training School, the first black owned hospital in the United States, opened on the south side of Chicago. Actor/director Ted Lange narrates.
OTD The United States Supreme Court rendered a decision in the case Shelley v Kraemer that struck down racially restrictive housing covenants.
OTD Parren Mitchell, the first African American elected to the United States Congress from Maryland, was born in Baltimore.
OTD Helen Claytor was elected president of the national YWCA making her the first African American to hold that position.
OTD Maggie L. Walker established the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank making her the first female bank president in the nation.
OTD Charlotte E. Ray became the first female admitted to the District of Columbia Bar. Ray was also the first black female attorney in the United States. Recording artist Kevin Ross narrates.
OTD Boxer Joe Frazier successfully defended his heavyweight title against Dave Zyglewicz in a first round knockout.
Theophilus Thompson, the first documented African American chess expert recognized in the United States, was born in Frederick, MD
OTD Today we remember Warren Q. Marr II, a leading advocate for the preservation of African American history and culture on the 11th anniversary of his death.
OTD Cora Brown, the first African American female elected to a state senate seat in the United States, was born in Bessemer, Alabama. Recording artist Vivian Green narrates.
Today we celebrate DC Emancipation Day to commemorate the day the nation's capital abolished slavery, several months before the federal government followed suit.
OTD Elston Howard, the first African American player to make the NY Yankees roster, made his major league debut.
OTD Tiger Woods won the first of his five green jackets at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Actor Alano Miller narrates.
OTD Richard Allen and Absalom Jones established the Free African Society, an organization that provided fellowship, a place of worship and monetary support to free Africans and their families in cases of sickness and death. Recording artist Kwamé narrates.
OTD The Civil Rights Act of 1866, a federal law that affirmed that all citizens are equally protected by law, was enacted by the 39th United States Congress.
OTD The U.S. Postal Service issued its first postage stamp honoring an African American, scholar Booker T. Washington. Radio personality Dyana Williams narrates.
OTD Jockey Kevin Krigger rode Goldencents to victory at the Santa Anita Derby. Comedian Luenell narrates.
OTD Foster Auditorium on the campus of the University of Alabama, site of the infamous "Stand in the Schoolhouse Door" incident, was declared a National Historic Landmark. Actor Charles Michael Davis narrates.
Happy heavenly birthday, Marvin Gaye! Today we celebrate the Motown recording artist on what would be his 82nd birthday.
OTD Clara Hale, founder of Hale House, a home for children who were born addicted to drugs, was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
OTD The Chicago Cubs unveiled a statue at Wrigley Field to honor the player nicknamed "Mr. Cub," Ernie Banks.
OTD Zeta Phi Beta Sorority was incorporated, three years after it was founded on the campus of Howard University. DJ and producer Galestian narrates.
Sixteen years ago today, we lost criminal defense attorney Johnnie Cochran. Phoenix, AZ educator Kareem Neal celebrates his life and legacy.
OTD August Wilson's play "Fences" premiered on Broadway at the 46th Street Theatre and ran for 525 performances.
OTD Boxer Sugar Ray Robinson defeated Carmen Basilio to win the world middleweight title for the fifth time. Phoenix, Arizona school administrator Monica Baird narrates with an intro by singer LaTina Webb.
Today we celebrate civil and women's rights activist Dorothy Height. Recording artist Vivian Green narrates.
OTD Maynard Jackson, the first black mayor of Atlanta, GA, was born in Dallas TX. Educator Catisha Toney narrates with a special intro from actor William Jackson Harper.
The musical "Mr. Wonderful" starring Sammy Davis, Jr. opened at The Broadway Theatre and ran for 383 performances. Elementary school counselor Suzanne Bicknase narrates.
OTD The National Football League stripped the 1993 Super Bowl game from the state of Arizona for not having a paid holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday. Singer LaTina Webb narrates.
Happy heavenly birthday, Charley Pride! The country singer would have been 87 today. High school administrator Elizabeth Marrero narrates.
OTD The first African American officers to serve on active duty in the United States Navy were commissioned.
OTD U.S. Senator Hiram Rhodes Revels became the first African American to deliver a speech on the Senate floor. Elementary school principal Dr. Saundra Russell Smith narrates.
OTD President Lyndon B. Johnson urged Congress to pass legislation that would guarantee voting rights for all. Elementary school principal Linda Golston narrates.
OTD Billie Thomas Jr., best known for his portrayal of the character Buckwheat, was born in Los Angeles, CA. Elementary school teacher Kimiko Cowley-Pettis narrates.
OTD Playwright Vinnette Carroll, the first African American woman to direct on Broadway, was born in New York, NY.
OTD Thousands of African Americans gathered in the city of Gary, Indiana for the National Black Political Convention to discuss issues that faced black communities across the country. Gary Community Schools administrator Chelsea Whittington narrates.
OTD The United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Africans from the slave ship La Amistad stating that they were free individuals and not the property of Spanish citizens. Gary Public Schools administrator Paige McNulty narrates.
Today is the 50th anniversary of the "Fight of the Century." The first of three bouts between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Chicago Public Schools administrator Tasha Henderson narrates.
Happy 83rd birthday to Fred "The Hammer" Williamson. Today we celebrate the football star turned actor. University of Florida doctoral student Valerie Gresser narrates.
OTD Singer and actress Barbara McNair was born in Chicago, IL. High school administrator Verna Sampson narrates.
OTD The U.S. Congress established the Freedmen's Bureau to provide practical aid to newly freed African Americans in their transition from slavery to freedom
OTD Pennsylvania became the first state of the original 13 colonies to take an official step toward ending slavery with the passing of the "Act For The Gradual Abolition of Slavery."
Today we remember Trayvon Martin who was killed nine years ago in Sanford, Florida. Actor Vaughn Hebron narrates.
OTD Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, won his first heavyweight title by defeating champion Sonny Liston. Actress and singer Serayah narrates.
OTD John Quincy Adams began to argue The Amistad case in front of the United States Supreme Court. Actress Anne-Marie Johnson narrates.
Happy heavenly birthday to scholar and activist W.E.B. Du Bois! Actor Malik Yoba narrates today's Quiztory lesson.
OTD WWI veteran turned acclaimed painter Horace Pippin was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Actor Jean Elie narrates.
OTD The Chicago Seven was acquitted of conspiracy charges but found guilty on other charges including intent to incite a riot. Actor William Jackson Harper narrates.
OTD Speed skater Shani Davis won the 1000m event becoming the first African American athlete to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games. Singer LaTina Webb narrates.
OTD The United States Senate passed the Missouri Compromise, an effort to address the nation's westward expansion with regards to restrictions on slavery. Entrepreneur Mark Cuban narrates.
Actor and recording artist Ice T was born in Newark, NJ. Actor Jovan Adepo celebrates him on his 63rd birthday.
OTD Kweisi Mfume left the U.S. House of Representatives to accept the position of president of the NAACP. Actor Cedric Yarbrough narrates.
OTD The first Fugitive Slave Act, guaranteeing the right of a slaveholder to recover an escaped slave, was signed into law by President George Washington. Comedian Loni Love narrates.
Nine years ago, we mourned the loss of recording artist Whitney Houston. Actress Melissa L. Williams celebrates her life and legacy.
OTD Renowned author Alex Haley passed away. Actress Carly Hughes celebrates his life and legacy.
OTD Pitcher Satchel Paige became the first Negro League veteran to be nominated for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Actor Marcus Scribner narrates.
OTD The Orangeburg Massacre, the shooting of protesters by the South Carolina Highway Patrol, occurred on the campus of South Carolina State University. Actor Joseph Sikora narrates.
OTD Byron De La Beckwith was convicted for the assassination of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. Musician Kevin Eubanks narrates.
OTD Delegates from several southern states convened in Montgomery, AL to establish the Confederate States of America. Actor Obba Babatundé narrates.
OTD Civil rights activists James Weldon and Grace Nail Johnson were wed in Brooklyn, NY. Actor Harold Perrineau narrates.
OTD Eric Holder was confirmed as the 82nd United States Attorney General. Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph narrates.
OTD The USPS issued the Harriet Tubman postage stamp making her the first African American woman to receive the honor. Actress Nicole Ari Parker narrates.
OTD The miniseries "Roots" aired on ABC. Linda Golston, principal at Williams Elementary School in Gary, IN, narrates with a special introduction from actor Obba Babatundé
OTD Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella was involved in a career ending car accident that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Kareem Neal, educator at Maryvale High School in Phoenix, AZ, celebrates the baseball hall of famer.
On this date in 1972, gospel singer Mahalia Jackson passed away. Today we celebrate her life and legacy.
OTD Condoleezza Rice became the 66th U.S. Secretary of State under President George W. Bush. Dr. Saundra Russell-Smith, principal at Carl Sandburg Elementary School in Joliet, IL, narrates with a special introduction by actor Harold Perrineau.
Today we celebrate recording artist Etta James on what would be her 83rd birthday. Monica Baird, educator at Choice Learning Academy in Phoenix, AZ, narrates today's lesson.
OTD Blues recording artist B.B. King donated his personal record collection to the University of Mississippi. Gary Community School Corporation administrator Chelsea Whittington narrates with a special introduction by actress Melissa L. Williams.
OTD Marvin Gaye's single "What's Going On" was released. BenQuila Smith, assistant principal at Cunningham Elementary School in Joliet, IL, narrates with a special introduction by entrepreneur Mark Cuban
Today we celebrate publisher John H. Johnson, founder of the iconic magazines, Ebony and Jet
OTD Willie O'Ree integrated the National Hockey League. Dr. Paige McNulty, emergency manager for Gary Community School Corporation in Gary, IN, narrates with a special introduction by actor Vaughn Hebron.
We remember Biddy Mason, a slave turned California real estate entrepreneur, who passed away #OTD. Gary Community Schools administrator Janice Barnett narrates with a special intro by actor Jovan Adepo.
OTD Diana Ross and The Supremes gave their final curtain call at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. Seventh grade teacher Zachary Kosenka from Bailly STEM Academy Middle School in Gary, IN narrates with a special intro by actor Jean Elie.
Today we celebrate a pioneer in law enforcement, Bass Reeves, who passed away on this day in 1910. Second grade teacher Alicia Griffin from Glen Park Academy in Gary, IN narrates with a special intro from actress Anne-Marie Johnson.
Today we share some history on the first African American students to enroll at the University of Georgia. The narrative is being read by Elizabeth Marrero, administrator at West Side Leadership Academy in Gary, IN, with a special intro by actress Carly Hughes.
OTD The gospel world mourned the loss of recording artist Andraé Crouch. Avalon Park Elementary School teacher Kimiko Cowley-Pettis remembers his life and legacy with a special introduction by actor Marcus Scribner.
Happy heavenly birthday to author Zora Neale Hurston! Valerie Gresser, doctoral student in education at the University of Florida, narrates with a special introduction from singer and actress Serayah.
Today we remember the life and legacy of singer and philanthropist Lou Rawls who passed away fifteen years ago today. Englewood STEM High School administrator Tasha Henderson narrates with a special intro by actress Nicole Ari Parker
Happy Founders Day, Kappa Alpha Psi! Lovejoy High School administrator Verna Sampson shares some history on the fraternity with a special introduction by actor Joseph Sikora.
Musician Kevin Eubanks reads a special introduction for elementary school counselor Suzanne Bicknase from Mesa, AZ. Suzanne's narrative celebrates boxer Floyd Patterson who was born on this date in 1935.
School administrator Kirshawndra Davis reads today's narrative with a special intro by actor Cedric Yarbrough. Today we celebrate Dennis Archer, the 67th mayor of Detroit, MI and the first African American to serve as president of the American Bar Association.
Today we remember pioneering entrepreneur Bill Powell whose Clearview Golf Club was the first integrated golf course and the first to cater to African American golfers.
Today we celebrate Tom Colbert, the first African American to serve on the Oklahoma Supreme Court, on his 71st birthday!
Today we remember the life and achievements of physician Henry McKee Minton, co-founder of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the oldest African American greek letter fraternal organization
Today we wish a happy heavenly birthday to NASA astronaut Michael Anderson who tragically lost his life aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia
OTD The Grand United Order of True Reformers, an African American fraternal organization, was formed in Richmond Virginia
Today we shine a spotlight on the wealthiest African American woman of her time, Madam C. J. Walker
OTD Cinematographer Ernest Dickerson won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Spike Lee's film "Do The Right Thing"
Today we salute Moses Gunn, Emmy-nominated actor and co-founder of the Negro Ensemble Company, who passed away 27 years ago today
OTD we pay tribute to educator and civil rights activist, Septima Clark, who passed away 33 years ago today
Today we celebrate football standout Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the coveted Heisman Trophy
OTD "Black Nativity," a musical written by poet Langston Hughes, was first performed off-Broadway at the Lincoln Theatre
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of Azie Taylor Morton, the first African American Treasurer of the United States and the only to hold the position.
OTD Africatown, a community near Mobile, Alabama founded by former slaves, was added to the National Register of Historic Places
Today we celebrate Kurt Schmoke, the 46th mayor of Baltimore and the city's first African American mayor
Today we share some background on Joseph Cinque and the uprising on the Spanish slave ship La Amistad
Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella received the National League MVP, the second of his three titles
OTD Dancer Janet Collins became the first African American to perform at New York's Metropolitan Opera House
OTD President John F. Kennedy selected Andrew Hatcher as Associate Press Secretary making him the first African American to serve in the White House Press Office
OTD The Little Rock Nine, nine black students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal
Today we celebrate scholar Derrick Bell, founder of 'critical race theory' and the first African American professor of law at Harvard University
Today we celebrate the District of Columbia's first home-rule mayor in the 20th century, Walter Washington
Today we celebrate hall of fame coach Bob Douglas, the "Father of Black Professional Basketball"
OTD President Ronald Reagan signed legislation to designate a holiday to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today we celebrate Richard Arrington Jr., Birmingham, Alabama's first African American mayor
OTD The Supreme Court ruling in Alexander v Holmes County Board of Education ordered the immediate desegregation of schools in the state of Mississippi.
Today we shine a spotlight on abolitionist Levi Coffin, sometimes referred to as the "President of the Underground Railroad."
OTD The NAACP petitioned the United Nations to redress racial discrimination in the United States
Today we share some history on the first African American owned insurance company, now know as NC Mutual
OTD The historical account of the Tuskegee Airmen was introduced into the curriculum at the U.S. Air Force Officers Training School
Today we commemorate abolitionist John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in an attempt to start a slave revolt in the southern states
Today we celebrate basketball pioneer Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton, the first African American to sign a contract with the NBA.
Today we shine a spotlight on playwright Charles Gordone, the first African American to win the annual Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Today we remember the life and legacy of author and inventor Benjamin Banneker, a self-taught mathematician and astronomer who played an integral role in surveying the nation's capital.
OTD Pioneering rap group Run-DMC called for a day of peace in response to gang violence in Los Angeles
Happy 88th birthday to politician Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, the first African American woman to represent the west coast in Congress
Today we commemorate the Jerry Rescue, an event where abolitionist freed an escaped slave who had been arrested in Syracuse, NY under the Fugitive Slave Law
Today we celebrate activist James Meredith, the first African American to attend the University of Mississippi
Today we celebrate Chuck Cooper, the first African American to be drafted by an NBA team
OTD in 1861, the Union Navy admitted the first African American sailors to serve during the Civil War
Today we shine a spotlight on the Little Rock Nine. Nine black students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas
Today we wish a happy heavenly birthday to Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter Ray Charles
OTD in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation that would eventually free slaves within the rebellious states
Today we celebrate singer and actor Vanessa L Williams, who is also the first black woman to be crowned Miss America
Today we share some background on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series "In Living Color"
Today we remember the four little girls murdered in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, AL
Today we celebrate tennis champion Arthur Ashe, the first African American to win the U.S. Open Men's Singles Title
Today we celebrate activist Ruby Bridges who desegregated her Louisiana elementary school in 1960
Today we celebrate longtime television executive Johnathan Rodgers who, at one time, was the highest ranking African American in network television
Today we shine a spotlight on Judge Joseph W. Hatchett, Florida's first black Supreme Court Justice.
Today we celebrate pioneering dentist Robert Tanner Freeman, the first African American dental college graduate in the U.S.
Today we remember pioneering banker William Hudgins, the first president of Freedom National Bank, who died on this day in 2007 at the age of 100
Today we look back on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech delivered 57 years ago during the March on Washington
Today we share some history on the life and legacy of scholar and co-founder of the NAACP, W.E.B. Du Bois
Happy birthday, Valerie Simpson! Today we celebrate one half of the singing and songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson on her 74th birthday.
Today we shine a spotlight on the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN), founded in an effort to break the color barrier in nursing
Today we celebrate John DeGrasse, a physician for the Union Army during the civil war and the first black admitted to a United States medical society.
The Southampton Insurrection (or Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion), a coordinated uprising of enslaved black people, began in Southampton County, Virginia
Today we celebrate boxer Theodore "Tiger" Flowers, the first black world middleweight boxing champion
Today we share some background on James Meredith, the first black graduate of the University of Mississippi
Today we celebrate actress Halle Berry, the first African American woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress
Today we shine a spotlight on the achievements of speed skater Shani Davis, the first African American athlete to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympics
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of world renowned graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat on the anniversary of his tragic death at the age of 27.
Today we shine a spotlight on J. Rosamond Johnson, composer of the black national anthem "Lift Every Voice And Sing"
On this day in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law prohibiting racial discrimination in voting.
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of professor and theologian James H. Cone on what would be his 82nd birthday.
Twenty three years ago today, the late night talk show "The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show" premiered
Today we celebrate Spinderella, DJ for the trailblazing rap group Salt-N-Pepa, on her 49th birthday.
Today we celebrate politician Deval Patrick on his 64th birthday! A one-time 2020 presidential hopeful, he was the 71st governor of Massachusetts and the first African American to hold the position.
Today we remember the life and legacy of Louis Lomax, the first African American television journalist
Today we share some history on Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, the oldest African Methodist Episcopal Church in the nation
103 years ago today marks the silent march organized by the NAACP down New York's 5th Avenue to protest the East St. Louis Massacre.
101 years ago today marks the start of the Chicago Race Riot that left 38 people dead during the week long racial conflict
Today we celebrate hall of fame forward Karl "The Mailman" Malone on his 57th birthday.
On this day in 2006, Tiger Woods won The Open Championship, tying the lowest score in the tournament's history, just three month after his father's death
Today we shine a spotlight on trailblazing judge Jane Bolin, the country's first black female judge.
Today we celebrate Toni "Tomboy" Stone, the first woman to play professional baseball, as part of the Negro Leagues
On this day in 1988, Florence Griffith-Joyner ran a world record time of 10.49 in the 100m sprint at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, IN
On this day, Black Enterprise Founder Earl Graves, Sr. was awarded the NAACP Spingarn Medal in 1999
On this day, the largest slave uprising was scheduled to be carried out. Denmark Vesey, the organizer of the revolt, was caught and hanged two weeks before the plan was executed.
In New York City, protests and rioting erupted over the implementation of a draft for soldiers during the Civil War
Today we celebrate politician David Dinkins on his 93rd birthday! Dinkins was the 106th mayor of New York and the only African American to hold that position.
OTD Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed the first successful heart surgery. The procedure was done at his hospital, Provident Hospital and Training School For Nurses, in Chicago, Illinois
OTD "When Doves Cry" by Prince and the Revolution began a five week chart run at number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Today we shine a spotlight on Olympic gold medalist Calvin Smith, dubbed the "fastest man alive" after his record-breaking 100m sprint.
Today we shine a spotlight on the Oblate Sisters of Providence, a Roman-Catholic sisterhood founded by women of African descent in Baltimore, Maryland
Today we celebrate Negro League Baseball player Ben Taylor, first baseman and one-time coach of the Indianapolis ABCs
Today we celebrate hall of fame high jumper Charles Dumas, the first person to clear a height of seven feet.
Today we share some history on Resurrection City, an encampment built to house peaceful protestors on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Today we shine a spotlight on Frederick Douglass Patterson, educator and founder of the United Negro College Fund
Today we celebrate author Octavia Butler, the first science-fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship
Today we celebrate biologist Samuel Nabrit, a trailblazer in education achieving a number of scholarly firsts and the first African American appointed to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
Today we celebrate politician Kenneth A. Gibson, the 36th mayor of Newark, NJ and the first African American mayor of the city.
Today we shine a spotlight on activist Vernon E. Jordan, former executive director of the National Urban League
Today we share some background on the origin of New Orleans based college Dillard University
Today we celebrate actress Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to be nominated and to win an Academy Award
Today we shine a spotlight on the boxer nicknamed the "Easton Assassin," heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes
Happy 75th birthday to hall of fame track & field sprinter John Carlos, infamous for his silent protest with fellow Olympian Tommie Smith during the medal ceremony at the 1968 Summer Olympics
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of R&B singer and songwriter Curtis Mayfield on what would be his 78th birthday.
On this day in Quiztory, the 99th Pursuit Squadron, an all African American unit trained at the Tuskegee Institute, flew its first combat mission.
Today we celebrate activist Sojourner Truth for being an outspoken advocate for abolition and women's rights.
Today we celebrate politician Tom Bradley, the 38th mayor of Los Angeles and first African American elected to the position.
Happy birthday, Gladys Knight! Today we celebrate the R&B songstress known as the "Empress of Soul" on her 76th birthday!
Happy birthday, Louis Gossett, Jr! Today we celebrate the Academy Award winning actor on his 84th birthday!
Academy Award nominated song "Let's Hear It For The Boy" by Deniece Williams began a two week chart run at #1 on Billboard
The final episode of the groundbreaking talk show "The Oprah Winfrey Show" was broadcast after 25 years on the air.
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., commander of the Tuskegee Airmen, became the first African American general in the United States Air Force.
Happy birthday, Fats Waller! Today we celebrate the jazz pianist on what would be his 116th birthday.
Today we shine a spotlight on Senator Blanche Kelso Bruce who served in the 44th, 45th and 46th Congresses and was later appointed register of the United States Treasury
Today we share some history on the origin of the Congressional Black Caucus and its public battle with President Richard Nixon for racial equality
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of NBA player turned jazz musician Wayman Tisdale
Tennis champion Arthur Ashe became the first African American selected for the U.S. Davis Cup team
Today we celebrate Sharon Sayles Belton, the first African American and the first woman to hold the position of mayor in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Today we celebrate essayist and literary critic Albert Murray on what would be his 104th birthday.
Educator Maria Baldwin's home became a National Historic Landmark. Baldwin served as the first African American female principal in a Massachusetts school.
Labor union, Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, was formed by A. Philip Randolph. It was the first labor organization led by African Americans to receive a charter with the American Federation of Labor.
The Liberty Ship, SS George Washington Carver, named for the famed agricultural scientist and inventor, was launched in 1943
Today we share some history on the origin of The Chicago Defender, an African-American owned newspaper based out of Chicago, IL
Actor Ted Lange shares some history on Provident Hospital and Training School, the first black-owned hospital in the United States
Emma Clarissa Clement was named American Mother of the Year becoming the first African American to receive that honor
Today we celebrate Congressman Parren Mitchell, the first African American elected to Congress from the state of Maryland
Activist Helen Claytor was elected president of the national YWCA becoming the first African American to hold the office
Maggie L. Walker established the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank becoming the first woman in the United States to hold the title of bank president
"Georgia On My Mind" by Ray Charles is declared the official state song for the state of Georgia
Today we celebrate Charlotte E. Ray, the first black female attorney in the United States.
Boxer Joe Frazier retains his heavyweight champion title by defeating Dave Zyglewicz in a first round knock out
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of recording artist Nina Simone, also referred to as the "High Priestess of Soul"
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of Warren Q. Marr, founder of the Amistad Research Center and former editor of The Crisis Magazine
Alice Walker became the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her seminal novel "The Color Purple"
The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act became law abolishing slavery in the nation's capital.
Today we share some history on the origin of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Today we shine a spotlight on Joseph Charles Jenkins, the first African American recognized as an officer in the United States Coast Guard
Today we shine a spotlight on golfer Lee Elder, the first African American to play in the Masters Tournament
Today we shine a spotlight on the fighter nicknamed the "brown bomber," heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis
Today we celebrate singer Billie Holiday on what would be her 105th birthday! Happy Birthday, Lady Day!
Dred Scott filed the first lawsuit for his freedom against John Emerson. This lawsuit would eventually be decided by the United States Supreme Court.
Today we celebrate heavyweight champion boxer Jersey Joe Walcott on what would be his 106th birthday.
Today we celebrate pioneering educator Ruth Wright Hayre, who became the first African American high school teacher and principal in the city of Philadelphia
Today we celebrate Clarence Holt, the largest private collector of books on African American culture and history
Today we shine a spotlight on explorer Matthew Henson who was awarded the Peary Polar Expedition Medal #OTD by the United States Congress
Today we celebrate the life of Olympic medalist and professional volleyball player Flora Jean Hyman, who lost her life tragically #OTD during a match in Japan.
Today we share some history on the 24th Amendment to the United States Constitution which prohibits the use of poll taxes as a condition for voting
Today we celebrate Susan Rice, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and the 24th U.S. National Security Advisor
Today we shine a spotlight on Rod Paige, the 7th United States Secretary of Education and the first African American to hold the position
Today we celebrate Colin Powell, the 65th United States Secretary of State and the first African American to hold the position
Today we shine a spotlight on NASA astronaut Ronald McNair, the second African American in space and one of seven crew members lost in the tragic Space Shuttle Challenger explosion.
Today we shine a spotlight on civil rights activist James L. Farmer, Jr. who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton
Tune in for some history on a sit-in staged by students in the Afro American Action Committee on the campus of the University of Minnesota
Today we share some history on Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., founded #OTD on the campus of Howard University
Today we celebrate Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith, one half of the rap phenomenon Kris Kross, on his 41st birthday.
Today we celebrate pioneering publisher and entrepreneur Earl Graves, founder of Black Enterprise magazine
Today we send a special birthday wish to Olympic sprinter Calvin Smith, former world record holder in the 100m sprint and gold medalist in the 1984 summer Olympics.
Today we celebrate inventor William B. Purvis. On this day, Purvis received a patent for improvements on the fountain pen.
Today we celebrate the life and achievements of pioneering attorney Charlotte E. Ray, the first African American female lawyer in the United States.
Thirty one years ago today, "The Arsenio Hall Show" premiered on late night television. Arsenio Hall became the first African American late night talk show host.
Happy New Year!
Today we commemorate President Lincoln's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation which declared all slaves being held in the rebellious states as free.
Steven Russell Harts from the R&B group TROOP gives us the history behind The Delany sister's Broadway production Having Our Say, based on the experiences of Bessie and Sadie Delany's first 100 years of life.
Chief Justice Tom Colbert, the first African American to serve on the state of Oklahoma Supreme Court, was born in Oklahoma City.
Ruth Carol Taylor, the first African American flight attendant in the United States, was born in Boston Massachusetts
Lonnie Elder, the first African American to receive an Academy Award nomination for best screenplay, was born in Georgia.
Congressional Space Medal of Honor recipient, NASA astronaut Michael Philip Anderson was born.
William Washington Brown founded the Order of True Reformers, an organization created to promote prosperity, self-sufficiency and African American businesses
Georgetown University's Healy Hall, named after Patrick Francis Healy, the first person of African descent to become president of a predominately white college, was declared a National Historic Landmark.
The musical, Dreamgirls made it's Broadway debut at the Imperial Theatre starring Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine, and Jennifer Holliday
Join us in wishing Hall of Fame Track and Field star and Olympic Gold medalist Charles Austin the happiest of birthdays! Find out more about his life and career on today's podcast.
Filmmaker, cinematographer, and New York University Film School graduate Ernest Dickerson, won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing”
We celebrate the life and legacy of actor and Army veteran Moses Gunn, who passed away in 1993.
The Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, now known as the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in Jackson, TN by 41 former slaves.
We celebrate the life and legacy of Hall of Fame boxer Archibald Wright, aka Archie Moore, aka The Mongoose.
Dedicated to providing quality services to, and advocating on behalf of black journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) was founded in Washington D.C.
The production "Black Nativity" written by author and poet Langston Hughes opens Off Broadway.
On the 14th anniversary of his passing, we celebrate stand up comedian, actor, writer, storyteller, and Grammy Award winner Richard Pryor.
Today, we celebrate the election of Kweisi Mfume to president of the NAACP. Join us in celebrating his legacy up to and through his 5 terms as a US Congressman.
Lillian Evanti, the first African American to perform with a major European opera company, passed away. Join us in celebrating her life.
Join us in celebrating the birthday of Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver James Arthur
"Art" Monk
The Alabama community founded by former slaves, AfricaTown, was added to the national register of historic places.
On this day, Thomas "Hitman" Hearns beat Wilfred Benitez to win the WBC Jr. Middleweight title.
Today we celebrate novelist and playwright Alice Childress for her achievement as the first African American woman to win an Obie Award for her Off-Broadway play "Trouble In Mind."
Today we salute football player Ernie Davis, nicknamed the "Elmira Express," for his achievement as the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy.
Today we shine a spotlight on musician Jimi Hendrix, considered by many to be the greatest guitar player of all time.
Today we celebrate Rock & Roll Hall of Fame singer and songwriter Tina Turner on her 80th birthday.
Today we celebrate recording artist and producer Erick Sermon, one half of the pioneering rap group EPMD
Today we share some background on actor and activist Paul Robeson whose home was named a National Historic Landmark in Philadelphia, PA
Today we celebrate television host and hall of fame football player Michael Strahan on his 48th birthday.
Today we salute Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes on her 43rd birthday for her achievement as the first African American gymnast to make the national women's team
Today we celebrate hall of fame catcher Roy Campanella, the first African American to play that position in Major League Baseball
Today we shine a spotlight on soprano singer Marie Selika Williams, the first black artist to perform at the White House
Today we share some history on the origin of Denmark Industrial School, now known as Voorhees College
Today we share some background on the Washington Society of Colored Dentists, the first independent African American dental organization in the country. now known as the National Dental Association
Today we celebrate dancer Janet Collins, the first African American to dance at New York's famed Metropolitan Opera House.
Today we shine a spotlight on scientist George Robert Carruthers, inventor of an ultraviolet spectrograph used by NASA during the Apollo 16 mission.
Today we celebrate politician Deval Patrick, the 71st governor of Massachusetts and the only African American to serve in the position.
Today we celebrate activist Derrick Bell, the first tenured African American professor of law at Harvard Law School and one of the originators of critical race theory.
Today we celebrate Senator Tim Scott, the first African American to be elected to both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
Today we celebrate news pioneer Nancy Maynard, journalist, publisher and the first African American woman to own a major daily newspaper in the country
On this day in Quiztory, "Baby Love" by The Supremes began a four week run as the number one single on the BillBoard Hot 100. It was the second of five consecutive singles by the group to reach the top of the chart.
Today we share some background on the boxing match dubbed the "Rumble in the Jungle" between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali
On this day in Quiztory, the state of Mississippi was ordered to immediately desegregate its schools via a United States Supreme Court ruling in Alexander v Holmes County Board of Education
Today we share some background on abolitionist Levi Coffin, known for educating African Americans and using his home as a station on the underground railroad
Today we shine a spotlight on Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., the first African American to achieve the rank of general in the United States Army
On this day in Quiztory, the NAACP petitioned the United Nations to assist in ending racial discrimination in America
Today we share some background on the origin of black owned North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company
Today we share some background on the repercussions suffered by John Carlos and Tommie Smith for their black power salute
Today we share some history on Capital Savings Bank, the first bank organized and operated by African Americans
Today we share some background on abolitionist John Brown and his raid on a federal armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia
Today we celebrate blues recording artist Victoria Spivey, often referred to as "Queen Victoria"
On this day in Quiztory, the Jackson 5 made their television debut on The Hollywood Palace Special performing "I Want You Back"
Today we celebrate prolific inventor Granville T. Woods, sometimes referred to as "The Black Edison"
Today we celebrate inventor Isaac R. Johnson who patented an improvement on the standard bicycle frame making it foldable and more portable.
Today we remember the life and legacy of astronomer and mathematician Benjamin Banneker
Today we share some background on a call for peace by rap group Run DMC in the city of Los Angeles
Today we share some history on the origin of the New Orleans Tribune, a daily African American newspaper.
Today we share some background on the origin of Bethune-Cookman University and its leader Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune
Today we celebrate Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States
Today we share some history on the Jerry Rescue, where abolitionist rescue and subsequently help an African American escape from being falsely accused of theft
Today we share some history on James Meredith, the first African American to enroll at the University of Mississippi
Today we shine a spotlight on poet and author Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of blues singer Bessie Smith, often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era.
Today we share some background on the history of service of African Americans in the United States Navy
Today we share some history on the integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas by nine African American students dubbed the "Little Rock Nine"
Happy birthday, Ray Charles! Today we celebrate the legendary recording artist on what would be his 89th birthday!
Today we share some history on a movement to boycott products made by slaves organized by the Negro Convention of Free Men
Happy Founders Day, Iota Phi Theta! Today we share some history on the origin of this greek letter fraternity.
Today we send birthday wishes to Dr. Ben Carson, renowned neurosurgeon and current U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Today we celebrate actress and singer Vanessa L. Williams, the first African American to be crowned Miss America
Today we shine a spotlight on Debbye Turner, veterinarian, television host and the third African American to hold the title of Miss America
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of rapper and actor Tupac Shakur on the anniversary of his death.
Today we commemorate the television miniseries "Roots" snagging nine trophies at the 29th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
Today we celebrate "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," the sitcom that launched the acting career of megastar Will Smith
Today we shine a spotlight on poet Sonia Sanchez, the city of Philadelphia's first poet laureate
Today we salute Rafer Johnson, Olympic gold medalist and founder of the Southern California chapter of Special Olympics
Today we shine a spotlight on the achievements of retired television executive Johnathan Rodgers
Today we shine a spotlight on attorney Joseph W. Hatchett, the first African American to sit on the Florida Supreme Court
Today we share some background on an unfortunate crime committed against civil rights leader Rosa Parks
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of author and activist W.E.B. Du Bois, co-founder of the NAACP
Today we shine a spotlight on Hale Woodruff, an Atlanta University professor who established the Atlanta Annuals, an exhibition that provided one of the earliest opportunities for black artists to showcase their work on a national stage
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of Juanita Kidd Stout, the first African American female to serve on a state Supreme Court
Today we shine a spotlight on Charles F. Bolden, NASA'a first African American Administrator
Today we celebrate Academy Award nominated actress Angela Bassett on her 61st birthday!
Today we share some background on the #1 single "Endless Love," a duet by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross
Actor Arif S. Kinchen shines a spotlight on Ophelia DeVore, one of the nation's earliest black models
Today we recognize retired NFL quarterback Doug Williams, the first black starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl
Today we celebrate guitarist Memphis Minnie, a blues music pioneer with a career spanning three decades
Today we shine a spotlight on James H. Cone, theologist and advocate of black liberation
Recording artist Wyclef Jean celebrates enterprising businessman William Leidesdorff, an early African American settler of Northern California
Taj from the R&B group SWV celebrates a pioneer in the field of nursing: Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first African American to work in the country as a professionally trained nurse
Actor Ernest L. Thomas shares some background on Patrick Francis Healy, the 29th president of Georgetown University and the first African American in the U.S. to head a predominately white institution.
Actor Arif S. Kinchen celebrates the achievements of hall of fame basketball player Lisa Leslie
On this day in Quiztory, General Colin Powell dedicates a monument commemorating the achievements of the Buffalo Soldiers.
Recording artist Faith Evans shines a spotlight on lyric soprano Adele Addison on her 94th birthday!
Radio host Tyrone DuBose shares some background on Clarence Thomas, the second African American to serve on the United States Supreme Court
Recording artist Delious Kennedy from the group All-4-One celebrates a living legend in the acting community. Happy birthday, Danny Glover!
Actor Michael Beach celebrates one of the country's earliest well-known magicians Richard Potter
Recording artist Tony Borowiak from the group All-4-One celebrates Baltimore Colts hall of fame lineman Jim Parker
Actress Logan Browning shines a spotlight on inventor Miriam Benjamin, one of the earliest African American women to receive a patent.
Recording artist Brave Williams shares some background on former political activist and member of the Black Liberation Army, Assata Shakur
Recording artist Johnny Gill shines a spotlight on entrepreneur and founder of Black Enterprise magazine, Earl Graves
Recording artist Jamie Jones from the group All-4-One shines a spotlight on Emmy Award winning actress Beah Richards
On this day in Quiztory, enslaved African Olaudah Equiano purchased his freedom from bondage in the U.S.and became an active abolitionist in England. Actor Brandon Larkins shares his story.
Recording artist Alfred Nevarez from the group All-4-One shines a spotlight on dancer Pearl Primus, often regarded as the grandmother of African American dance.
Today we share some background on the significance and impact of the chart-topping single "Waterfalls" by R&B group TLC
Musician Damien Sneed shares some background on the career achievements of baseball player Rickey Henderson.
Recording artist Dionne Warrick remembers Harold Nicholas, one-half of the famed tap dancing duo the Nicholas Brothers
Actress Logan Browning shares some history on a pioneer in law enforcement, Samuel J. Battle, the first black police officer in New York City
Actor Aaron D. Spears celebrates politician Patricia Roberts Harris, the first African American woman to represent the U.S. as an ambassador
Actor Michael Beach remembers the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, on the 10th anniversary of his death.
Today we share some history on Resurrection City, a tent city erected in Washington, D.C. during the civil rights movement in protest of poverty
Recording artist Jamie Jones celebrates pioneering librarian and author of African American literature, Charlemae Hill Rollins
Today we celebrate marine biologist Dr. Samuel M. Nabrit, the first African American appointed to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
Recording artist Martha Wash shares some history on Alcorn State University's tribute to slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers
Recording artist Brave Williams shares some background on Straight University, now known as Dillard University
Actress Da'Vine Joy Randolph shares some background on Langston Golf Course, located in Washington, DC
Recording artist Deborah Cox celebrates Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to win an Academy Award
On this day in Quiztory, Gail Fisher became the first black actress to win an Emmy. Actor Thomas Q. Jones celebrates her achievement.
On this day in Quiztory, Phylicia Rashad became the first black woman to win a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role in "A Raisin in the Sun"
Actor David Harewood shares some background on sprinter John Carlos and his silent protest on the medal stand at the 1968 Summer Olympics
Actor Edwin Hodge shares some background on the Tulsa race riot that destroyed "Black Wall Street" in the Greenwood section of Tulsa, Oklahoma
On this day in Quiztory, Tim Raines stole his 700th base en route to 808 career stolen bases in Major League Baseball
Happy birthday, Gladys Knight! Today we celebrate celebrate the "Empress of Soul" on her 75th birthday.
Happy birthday, Lou Gossett, Jr.! Recording artist Martha Wash celebrates the Oscar winner on his 83rd birthday.
Today we salute the first African American mayor of Detroit, Michigan, Coleman A. Young
Today we share some background on General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., the first African American general officer in the United States Air Force
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of jazz pianist Fats Waller on what would be his 115th birthday.
On this day in Quiztory, the U.S. Navy began allowing African American men to enlist as sailors
Actor Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter shares some history on hall of fame baseball player James "Cool Papa" Bell
Actor David Harewood celebrates ophthalmologist Patricia E. Bath, the first African American female doctor to receive a medical patent
Recording artist Kevin Ross shares some history on tennis legend Arthur Ashe and his contribution to the U.S. Davis Cup team
Today we celebrate Marine sergeant Rodney M. Davis, a Medal of Honor recipient for his heroism during the Vietnam War
Today we share some history on the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, A. Philip Randolph's organization aimed at improving work conditions of African American employees of the Pullman Company.
Today we share some history on a liberty ship named for famed African American agricultural scientist and educator George Washington Carver
On this day in 2000, jockey Marlon St. Julien became the first African American to race in the Kentucky Derby since 1921
On this day in Quiztory, Sean "Diddy" Combs received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Today we remember Emma Clarissa Clement, the first African American to be elected Mother of the Year
Today we celebrate inventor Sarah Boone for her improvements to the ironing board. Boone was one of the first African American females to receive a patent.
On this day in Quiztory, Ray Charles' version of "Georgia On My Mind" was declared the state song of Georgia
Today we celebrate trailblazing attorney Charlotte E. Ray, the first black woman to practice law in the United States
Today we remember the life and legacy of prominent civil rights attorney Charles Hamilton Houston
Today we share some background on a protest by the Afro American Society on the campus of Cornell University
Today we celebrate psychologist Mamie Phipps Clark whose "doll studies" were very influential in the U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education
Alice Walker became the first African American female to win a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel "The Color Purple"
The D.C. Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862 abolished slavery in the nation's capital before President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation
Today we celebrate pioneering architect Norma Merrick Sklarek. Hailed as the "Rosa Parks of architecture," Sklarek was one of the first licensed African American female architects in the U.S.
Today we celebrate jockey Jimmy Winkfield, the last African American to ride a Kentucky Derby winner (1902)
Performance poet J. Ivy shares some background on professional golfer Lee Elder, the first African American to play in the Masters Tournament
Author Romal Tune shares some history on the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the first U.S. federal law to define citizenship and affirm that all citizens are equally protected by the law.
On this day in Quiztory, boxing champion Joe Louis defended his heavyweight title vs. Tony Musto with a TKO
On this day in Quiztory, Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You" hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart
Director Nzingha Stewart remembers the loss of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 51st anniversary of his assassination
Today we share some history on a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Smith v. Allwright with regard to voting rights
Today we celebrate humanitarian Clara Hale, affectionately known as "Mother Hale," founder of the Hale House Center
Today we share some background on the Golden Gate Jubilee Singers better known as the Golden Gate Quartet
On This Day in Quiztory, President Andrew Johnson vetoed the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which later became the 14th Amendment ti the U.S. Constitution
Today we share some history on the Enforcement Act of 1871 commonly known as the Ku Klux Klan Act
Today we share some history on Samuel Harrison, prominent minister who also served as a chaplain during the Civil War
Today we celebrate civil rights activist Walter Francis White who led the NAACP for just under a quarter of a century.
Recording artist Dave Hollister shares some history on a trailblazing achievement by diplomat Dr. Ralph Bunche
Former NFL wide receiver Greg Jennings shares some history on pioneering comedian Moms Mabley
Director Nzingha Stewart shares some history on the origin of LA's black newspaper, The Los Angeles Sentinel
Today we share some background on politician Lionel Wilson, the first African American mayor of Oakland, CA
Actor Alano Miller celebrates Alexander Thomas Augusta, the first black professor of medicine in the United States
Today we share some history on a black literary society called the American Negro Academy
Today we spotlight Elvin Bethea, the first NFL player from North Carolina A&T to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Today we celebrate Anna Julia Cooper, an author, educator and activist for Black liberation
Today we share some background on Jimmie Lee Jackson, a martyr of the Selma voting rights struggle
Actress Vanessa Bell Calloway celebrates NBA great Julius Erving, better known as "Dr. J."
Today we celebrate Emmett Ashford, the first African American umpire in Major League Baseball
Today we share some background on John Singleton's Academy Award nomination for his groundbreaking film "Boyz N The Hood"
Recording artist Money B shares some history on the Negro National League, the first all black baseball league
Actor Hill Harper commemorates Nelson Mandela's release from prison after serving 27 years
Actor and comedian Gary Anthony Williams celebrates U.S. figure skating champion Debi Thomas
Super Bowl champion wide receiver Greg Jennings commemorates the inaugural celebration of Negro History Week, started by historian Carter G. Woodson
Recording artists Faith Evans celebrates educator, poet and "The Great Debaters" coach Melvin B. Tolson
Recording artist Wyclef Jean shares some history on abolitionist and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth
On this first day of Black History Month, actor Ernest L. Thomas commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s arrest during a march in Selma, Alabama
Today we celebrate Ruth Wright Hayre, a trailblazing educator in the Philadelphia school system
Today we celebrate book collector Clarence L. Holte, known for amassing close to 8,000 volumes pertaining to the history and culture of Africans and people of African descent
Today we share some background on USA For Africa's Grammy-winning single "We Are The World," recorded for African famine relief
Today we celebrate Sheila Crump Johnson, co-founder of Black Entertainment Television and CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts
Today we celebrate public official Susan Rice, former U.S. National Security Advisor and the first African American woman to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
Today we celebrate NASA astronaut Ronald McNair, the second African American to go into space
Today we share some history on New Philadelphia, an Illinois town considered to be the first planned and legally registered by an African American in the United States
Today we share some background on a sit-in organized by African American students on the campus of the University of Minnesota
Today we share some background on riots that occurred on the campus of the University of Georgia
Today we send a happy birthday shout out to Chris Smith, one half of the rap duo Kris Kross
Today we remember the life and legacy of trailblazing attorney, Charlotte E. Ray, the country's first African American female lawyer
Today we commemorate the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln
Today we celebrate pioneering businessman Bill Powell, owner and designer of the first integrated golf course
DJ Dane Kunkel celebrates abolitionist Harriet Tubman, called the "Moses of her People"
Today we pay tribute to Ruth Carol Taylor, the country's first African American flight attendant
Today we remember recording artist Dinah Washington, singer of blues, jazz and popular music
Today we share some background on the origin and mission of NABJ, the National Association of Black Journalists
Today we share some background on Azie Taylor Morton, the first and only African American to hold the office of U.S. Treasurer
Today we share some history on the first published African American female poet, Phillis Wheatley
Today we share some history on Africatown, an Alabama community known as the site of the last illegal slave ship arrival
Today we share some background on the residence of Stephen and Harriet Myers, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the New York State Underground Railroad Heritage Trail
Today we share some background on Condoleezza Rice, a former U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor
Today we share some background on the origin of the Howard University College of Medicine
Pro Bowl football player DeAngelo Hall celebrates George Poage, the first African American to medal at the Olympic Games
Recording artist Nicci Gilbert shares some history on the origin of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday
Today we share some background on the ordered desegregation of public schools in the state of Mississippi
Today we celebrate Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., the first African American general in the United States Army
Today we share some history on the NAACP's petition to the United Nations to fight against racial discrimination in America
Today we share some history on the origin of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, the first African American owned insurance company
Today we share some history on Capital Savings Bank, one of the first banks to cater to African Americans
Today we share some history on blues singer and songwriter Victoria Spivey, also known as "Queen Victoria"
NFL pro bowl defensive back DeAngelo Hall shares some background on playwright Charles Gordone
Today we share some history on rap group Run-DMC's call for peace between Los Angeles gangs
Today we share some background on Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, the first African American female to represent the west coast in Congress
Today we celebrate Thurgood Marshall, the first African American justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
Today we share some background on Whitney Houston's number one single "Didn't We Almost Have It All"
Today we share some history on the first African Americans to serve in the United States Navy
Today we shine a spotlight on the first black cadet admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy, James H. Conyers
Today we share some background on Dr. Ben Carson, the 17th U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Today we commemorate a groundbreaking achievement by singer and actress Vanessa Williams
Today we celebrate attorney and judge Juanita Kidd Stout, the first African American female to serve as judge in the state of Pennsylvania
Recording artist Wyclef Jean celebrates San Francisco pioneer and enterprising businessman, William Leidesdorff
Recording artist Taj from the R&B group SWV celebrates pioneering nurse Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first African American licensed nurse in the U.S.
Actor Ernest L. Thomas shines a spotlight on Patrick Francis Healy, a Jesuit priest and the 29th president of Georgetown University
Actor Brandon Larkins commemorates Barack Obama's 2004 keynote address at the Democratic National Convention
Today we shine a spotlight on the Buffalo Soldiers, African American patriots of the Civil War
Radio host Tyrone DuBose celebrates United States Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas
Musician Damien Sneed shines a spotlight on scholar and civil rights activist Ronald Walters
Actor Michael Beach shares some history one of the first well known African American magicians, Richard Potter
Recording artist Tony Borowiak from the group All-4-One celebrates hall of fame lineman Jim Parker
Actress Logan Browning shines a spotlight on school teacher and inventor Miriam Benjamin
Recording artist Brave Williams shares some background on political activist Assata Shakur
Recording artist Damien Sneed shines a spotlight on hall of fame left fielder Rickey Henderson
Recording artist Delious Kennedy from the group All-4-One celebrates Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Bill Withers
Singer Dionne Warwick pays tribute to Harold Nicholas, one half of the tap dancing duo, the Nicholas Brothers
Actress Logan Browning shares some background on Samuel J. Battle, the first African American to join the NYPD
Actor Aaron D. Spears shares some background on Patricia Roberts Harris, the first African American female to serve as a United States Ambassador
Actor Tom Wright shares some background on the origin of the celebration of Juneteenth.
Today we shine a spotlight on scientist and first African American appointed to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Samuel Nabrit
Recording artist Martha Wash shares some history on slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers
Recording artist Brave Williams shares some history on the origin of Dillard University
Actress Da'Vine Joy Randolph shares some background on Washington D.C.'s Langston Golf Course
Actor Thomas Q. Jones celebrates Gail Fisher, the first African American female actress to win an Emmy
Today we shine a spotlight on Frank E. Petersen, the first African American Marine Corps general
Actor Brian White celebrates David Ruffin, hall of fame lead vocalist for The Temptations
Today we celebrate the first African American general in the U.S. Air Force, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.
Today we share some background on early legislation in the state of Rhode Island restricting the practice of slavery
Actor David Harewood shines a spotlight own renowned ophthalmologist Patricia E. Bath, the first African American female doctor to receive a medical patent
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of NBA player turned jazz musician Wayman Tisdale
Recording artist Kevin Ross shares some background on Arthur Ashe's history on the U.S. Davis Cup team
Today we shine a spotlight on composer William Grant Still, the "dean" of African American composers
Today we share some background on Marine Sergeant Rodney M. Davis and his namesake the USS Rodney M. Davis
Today we share some background on the first labor union led by African Americans to receive a charter in the American Federation of Labor, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
Actor and director Ted Lange shares some history on the origin of Provident Hospital and Training School, the first black owned hospital in the counrty
Tune in for some background on the first Negro National League founded by Andrew "Rube" Foster
Today we celebrate Emma Clarissa Clement, the first African American to receive the honor of Mother of the Year
Today we shine a spotlight on Maggie Lena Walker, the first African American female in the country to found a bank
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph shines a spotlight on inventor Sarah Boone, one of the earliest African Americans to receive a patent
Actor Redaric Williams shares some background on the Ray Charles classic "Georgia On My Mind"
Recording artist Kevin Ross shines a spotlight on the first African American female attorney, Charlotte E. Ray
Celebrity host Erica L. Taylor celebrates Tony Award winning choreographer George Faison
Celebrity host Erica L. Taylor shares some history on a 1969 protest by the Afro American Society on the campus of Cornell University
Today we celebrate actor Sidney Poitier, the first African American to win an Oscar for a leading role
Actor and director Ted Lange shares some history on the Civil Rights Act of 1968, also commonly referred to as the Fair Housing Act of 1968
Director Nzingha Stewart celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 50th anniversary of his death
Today we share some background on the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Smith v. Allwright
Actress Tiffany Boone commemorates the Tuskegee Airmen's receipt of the Congressional Gold Medal
ESPN journalist Jemele Hill shares some background on the Broadway play "Fences," written by August Wilson
Recording artist Todd Dulaney celebrates NBA hall of fame basketball player Moses Malone
Radio host Tyrone DuBose celebrates Arthur Winston, a Los Angeles Metro employee named "Employee of the Century" for the 20th century
Producer and recording artist Kwamé celebrates hall of fame tennis champion Arthur Ashe
Radio and television host Mario Lopez celebrates the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize
Actor Dante Brown celebrates Otis Redding's number one single "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay"
Actor Lamman Rucker shares some background on abolitionist and entrepreneur David Ruggles
CNN host Don Lemon shares some background on Harlem's famed hotspot, The Savoy Ballroom
Poetic Flow reads today's narrative shining a spotlight on Alexander Thomas Augusta, the country's first black professor of medicine
Radio personality Charlamagne Tha God shares some background on the charity single "We Are The World"
Recording artist Marvin Sapp shares some history on the founding of Virginia State University
Jada Pinkett Smith shares some history on Crispus Attucks, a martyr of the American Revolution
Comedian Sheryl Underwood shares some history on Edmond Wysinger and his battle to desegregate public schools in Visalia, CA
Stacey Bouier, 3rd grade teacher at Arthur Dixon Elementary School in Chicago, IL, shines a spotlight on baritone vocalist and opera singer Todd Duncan
Yolanda Whitehead, science teacher at Medgar Evers Fine and Performing Arts School in Chicago, IL, shares some background on the longtime home of Negro History Week founder, Carter G. Woodson, with a special introduction by actor Colman Domingo
Joy Dobbs, primary teacher for Chicago Public Schools, celebrates actor and comedian Godfrey Cambridge, with a special introduction by gospel recording artist Todd Dulaney
Anthony Purkett, first grade teacher at Arthur Dixon Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois, shines a spotlight on Frank E. Petersen, the first African American general in the United States Marine Corps, with a special intro by radio host Tyrone Dubose
Marquette McClinton, instructional support leader for Chicago Public Schools, shines a spotlight on lithographer and painter Grafton Tyler Brown with an intro by comedian Roy Wood, Jr.
Ifeoma Nkemdi, dance teacher at Newberry Math & Science Academy in Chicago, Illinois, narrates today's podcast celebrating the Tony Award winning Broadway musical "Ain't Misbehavin" with a special intro by Jauvon Gilliam, principal timpanist in the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC
Erica Ferguson, social studies teacher for Chicago Public Schools, shares some background on comic book writer Dwayne McDuffie, with an intro by recording artist Sevyn Streeter
Nyema Moore, Instructional Support Leader for Chicago Public Schools, celebrates the first African American to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Director, John Singleton
Molly Lahart, math teacher at Prosser Career Academy, reads a narrative on the origin of The DuSable Museum, with a special introduction by Chicago native, Lena Waithe
Karen Edmondson, science and social studies teacher for Chicago Public Schools, shares a history lesson on Shadrach Minkins and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 with an introduction by radio and television personality Charlamagne Tha God
Today's narrative spotlight's Solomon G. Brown, the Smithsonian Institution's first African American employee. Our reader is Kathleen Bourret, English Language Arts teacher for Chicago Public Schools, with a special introduction by gospel recording artist Marvin Sapp
Jamila Adams, teacher from Chicago Public Schools, shares some history on the first all African American baseball league with a special intro by ESPN anchor Jemele Hill
Oscar Newman, science teacher from Chicago Academy Elementary School, shares some history on Reverend Henry Highland Garnet, the first African American to make an address in the House chamber
Today's narrative celebrates Charles Alfred Anderson, the "father of black aviation" read by Chicago Public Schools teacher Kelsey Field with special intro by radio and TV host Mario Lopez
LaTanya McDade, Chief Education Officer for Chicago Public Schools, shares some history on physician and author Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first black female in the country to earn a Doctor of Medicine degree, with into by The Talk co-host Sheryl Underwood
Today we celebrate the life and legacy of ragtime composer and pianist Eubie Blake with a narrative by Chicago Public Schools teacher John Nieciak and special intro by actor Lamman Rucker
Today we share some history on the first organized black emigration back to Africa coordinated by the American Colonization Society, narrated by Chicago Public Schools teacher Andrea Parker with intro by actor/comedian Lil Rel
Tasha Henderson, STEM coordinator at Miles Davis Magnet Academy, celebrates abolitionist Jermain W. Loguen, the "underground railroad king," with a special introduction by radio host Big Boy
Yvonne German, teacher at Fort Dearborn Elementary School in Chicago, IL, celebrates trailblazing golfer Pete Brown, with a special introduction by Jada Pinkett Smith
Kimiko Cowley-Pettis, school teacher at Avalon Park Elementary School in Chicago, IL, commemorates the Greensboro Four's Woolworth's lunch counter sit-in, with a special introduction from CNN anchor Don Lemon