The 59th Annual Grammy Awards aired last Sunday and the ceremony had its shares of ups and downs. Some fans are miffed that despite being up for a leading nine awards, Beyoncè only walked away with one trophy which moved her up in Grammy history nonetheless. Already the most-nominated woman in the award ceremony’s history, […]
The loss of jazz vocalist legend Al Jarreau sent ripples throughout the music world after news of his passing on Sunday. The legendary singer enjoyed a history-making career, becoming the first artist to win a Grammy Award across three different categories. Alwin Lopez Jarreau was born March 12, 1940 in Milwaukee, Wisc. The son of […]
During last Sunday’s stunning Super Bowl LI victory by the New England Patriots over the Atlanta Falcons, quarterback Tom Brady became the second person in the league to win five championships. However, a Black defensive player named Charles Haley was the first to achieve the amazing feat, during so in period between the ’80’s and […]
Actor Humphrey Bogart immortalized author Raymond Chandler’s character Phillip Marlowe in the 1946 film, The Big Sleep. Now, there’s chatter that Chandler might have been inspired to create the tough private eye based on the life of Samuel Marlowe, a Black detective who reportedly worked in Los Angeles in the ’30’s. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren […]
The image of a young Ruby Bridges entering the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans made her an icon of the burgeoning civil rights movement. What many don’t know is that later in life, Bridges became an activist after an unfortunate twist of fate led her back to the school that transformed her […]
The overwhelming success of the film Hidden Figures, starring Taraji P. Henson, highlighted three African-American women who were instrumental in propelling the U.S. space program. The state of Arkansas has a hidden figure of its own in Raye Montague, who is the first person to design a U.S. Navy ship using a computer. Montague was […]
Oscar Holmes broke three color barriers in his lifetime, although he never set out to become a pioneer. Holmes was not only the first Black air traffic controller, he was also the U.S. Navy’s first Black commissioned officer and the military branch’s first Black pilot. Holmes was born January 31, 1916 in Dunbar. W. Va. […]
Autherine Lucy became the first Black student to desegregate the University of Alabama on this day in 1956 despite violent threats from rioting white mobs. Lucy, who was ultimately expelled from the school on a weak technicality, re-entered the school in the ’80’s and completed her master’s degree. Autherine Juanita Lucy was born October 5, […]
In the 19th Century, slavery and racism was still entrenched in the U.S., but opposition was growing. David Walker, an outspoken abolitionist, released a pamphlet calling for the end of slavery by any means necessary and made himself one of the most wanted and feared men of his time. Born in Wilmington, N.C. in […]
In the mid-1800’s, West Africa’s Kru tribe was known among slave traders and colonialists for their resistance to capture and enslavement. They were also invaluable to merchants who visited the region because of their knowledge of the rough coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The Kru settled in the region now known as Liberia and […]
Sam Cooke was one of soul music’s greatest talents. The “King of Soul” is largely credited with bridging the gap between pop and soul music using his roots in gospel to influence his formidable vocal talents. Cooke was born January 22, 1931 in Clarksdale, Miss. but was primarily raised in Chicago. As a young man, […]
Grant Fuhr was once referred to by hockey great Wayne Gretzky as the best goalie to ever play in the National Hockey League. Fuhr achieved a series of firsts as a player and after his career ended, he embraced his role model status. Fuhr was born September 28, 1962 in Spruce Grove, Alberta in Canada. […]
