Rickey Smiley Morning Show

Marsha Hunt made waves as a model in England by being the first Black model to grace the now-defunct high fashion magazine Queen in the late ’60’s. Hunt modeling and singing career were short-lived, but in that time she and Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger became the parents to his firstborn daughter, Karis. Hunt was […]

Rickey Smiley Morning Show

Captain Stephanie Johnson is the first Black female captain for Delta Airlines, the second of her historic achievements as a pilot. Twenty years ago, Captain Johnson became the first Black female pilot for Northwest Airlines and last year, Delta promoted her to her current post. The Kent State University graduate caught the flying bug in […]

Rickey Smiley Morning Show

Selma Hortense Burke was a sculptor who crafted images in the likenesses of famed figures such as Booker T. Washington, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. among others. Ms. Burke’s most notable accomplishment by most accounts is a sculpture of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which some say is the inspiration for the […]

Rickey Smiley Morning Show

Harry Belafonte celebrated his 90th birthday on March 1, reaching a milestone age where many would be glad to relax and look back fondly on their achievements. However, the veteran entertainer, actor and activist is hardly resting on his laurels as he continues his global humanitarian work while using his fame to bridge generational gaps. […]

Rickey Smiley Morning Show

In its 130-year history, the prestigious Harvard Law Review has never elected a Black woman to serve as president – until now. ImeIme Umana, a Pennsylvania native and daughter of Nigerian immigrants was elected to the post on Jan. 29 of this year. Umana, 24, was raised in the town of State College. Her late […]

Rickey Smiley Morning Show

The music world lost another of its bright stars in Leon Ware last Thursday, but the songwriter has left behind one of the richest legacies in the industry. As a songwriter and producer, Ware was behind some of R&B’s biggest hits and lent his pen to many a musical legend. Ware was born on February […]

Rickey Smiley Morning Show

The shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin took place five years in Sanford, Fla., igniting a flurry of activism and discussion on race matters in America. The tragic shooting at the hands of volunteer night watchman George Zimmerman and his 2013 acquittal gave birth to the Black Lives Matter movement, along with a renewed focus […]

Rickey Smiley Morning Show

Sidney Poitier celebrated his 90th birthday last Monday, February 20th, making him the oldest-living winner of the Best Actor Oscar Award. Now retired from acting, Poitier has earned a number of honors and accolades over the course of his praise-worthy career. Born in 1927, Poitier’s farmer parents lived in the Bahamas but traveled to Miami […]

Rickey Smiley Morning Show

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a largely rural area of the state not immediately known for its connection to African-Americans. However, the region boasts of a link to the Black community that stretches back to slavery. The U.P., as it is commonly referred to, is the northern end of the two peninsulas that make […]

Rickey Smiley Morning Show

Kim Royster had dreams of becoming a professional singer after leaving her small North Carolina town and heading to New York. While her artistic aims fell through, Royster has earned several achievements as a member of the New York Police Department and is the highest-ranked Black female officer on the force. This week, Assistant Chief […]

Rickey Smiley Morning Show

Otis Boykin was an inventor responsible for many important electrical devices that are used in modern times, most notably the electrical resistor. On this day in 1961, an improved version of Boykin’s electrical resistor was published and caught the attention of the military and one of America’s top computer companies. Boykin was born August 29, […]

Rickey Smiley Morning Show

Drummer Clyde Stubblefield passed away this weekend in Madison, Wisc., but his indelible mark on music lives on in one of the most sampled drum breaks ever. As a member of the Godfather of Soul James Brown’s band, Stubblefield’s performance on the “Funky Drummer” track has been used as a backdrop for hip-hop and dance […]