The contributions of Black Service Organizations in the volunteer and civic space have been around since the Revolutionary War. Out of…

In November 1870, four Black students created their own safe space to study in a Washington D.C. church. That space would eventually become…

As the nation dealt with the darkness of the Great Depression, a Black leader by the name of Father Major Jealous Divine (Father Divine)…

In this episode of Black History In Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. we celebrate a group of Black congressional leaders…

In 1967, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. expanded the Civil Rights Movement by creating a sweeping economic and healthcare care…

College campuses became integral in the quest for social reform in the 1960s. With large numbers of Black students already present,…

Even though slavery ended in the 1860s, free Black Americans made up 10% of the United States Black population. While the rest of the…

America entered a special moment where freedom rang high and many of the promises of the constitution appeared to — in some ways — allow…

Baseball is one of America’s staples that dates back to the 1800s. And while the culture of catchy tunes and snacks are shared from coast…

The 1893 World Fair took place in Chicago, Illinois, welcoming countries from around the world to feature their contributions for everyone…

After the Civil War, Black women recognized the opportunity to become wage workers and contributors to society. However, decent wages and…

James Cone, a highly regarded professor, preached about Black liberation at the center of the gospel. His elevated teaching not only…

Black women have been no stranger to organizing since America’s earliest inception. But it would be during the Reconstruction era that…

While more Black students sought formal education in a university setting they formed their own Black Greek-Letter Organization aimed at…

Brenda Travis of McComb, Mississippi, encountered the dangers of merely existing in Jim Crow’s America as a child after witnessing her…

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination not only further ignited the civil rights movement, but it also inspired students in the…

While the Civil Rights Movement continued to spread across the US and the feminist movement evolved, one group felt neither movement really…

In 1972, Vernon Jordan became the first Black person to sit on a corporate board in the United States. As a result of his presence, he…

From the inception of the United States, Black soldiers have answered the call to serve on the front lines. And in 1944, the US government…

In 1730, Job Ben Solomon  — a Senegalese man and active slave trader — was captured during an excursion in the Gambian River region. Once…

As Black families left the South, their migration allowed them to bring their religion and musical practices along with them. But it would…

Jim Crow’s separate but equal not only impacted restaurants and schools, but it also led to the segregation of travel on buses. Black…

In 2019, researchers were able to properly authenticate the last known slave ship to enter the United States illegally. That ship, The…

The lynching of Emmett Till in 1955 became a pivotal point for race relations in the United States. Instead of sitting by silently, his…

Well before formal legislation was passed, promising freed slaves certain land rights, Black farmers traveled west, exploring, and…

The 15th Amendment was a monumental piece of legislation that gave Black men the right to vote. As a result of it, over 2,000…

Black soldiers have been an instrumental part of the armed forces since the Civil War. They put their lives on their line for their country…

Transitioning from job to job as a teenager, Oscar Micheaux was able to write a story that was inspired by his experience on a farm. The…

At the turn of the twentieth century, W. E. B. Du Bois curated an exhibit at the Paris Exposition in France entitled “The Exhibit of…

The landmark case Brown v. Board of Education declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. However, for most…

With the formal ending of slavery in place, many freed black people saw this as an opportunity to start anew. But, for those in the south,…

The Underground Railroad for many of us symbolizes the journey African slaves went on in the name of freedom. But, contrary to popular…

As the United States began to expand, the demand for cotton led to an increase of slave trades in the country. Eager to capitalize, slave…

In the early 1500s, the transatlantic slave trade commenced. Europeans invaded west and central Africa, capturing free people, enslaving…

In 1973, DJ Kool Herc set up his turntables and introduced a technique at a South Bronx house party that would change music as many people…

During the 2004 Democratic National Convention, a first-term senator named Barack Obama from Illinois delivered a speech that exuded…

Marcus Garvey was born in Jamaica and experienced the impacts of colonization at the hands of the British. As a result, he developed a…

In 1915, D.W. Griffith, released a film that would go down as one of the most disturbing representations of black Americans ever, The Birth…

In the early 1500s, a West African man named Juan Garrido joined the ranks of Spanish explorers who ventured out in hopes of discovering…

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson tore down the color barrier and became the first black baseball player to play in the Major League…

Taking cues from American Bandstand, Soul Train became a black cultural phenomena. Created and hosted by Don Cornelius, a Chicago radio…

Born Henry Louis Aaron, baseball legend Hank Aaron swung his way into the history books in 1974. While the Atlanta Braves enjoyed the…

In 1861, the south’s threats of seceding the union led to the start of the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln’s primary goal was to…

In this episode of Black History In Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., with additional commentary from Hasan Jeffries of…

The phrase “40 acres and a mule” — a promise to former slaves — would be hatched from this meeting. Unfortunately, President Andrew Johnson…

The events unfolding across the United States today in the wake of the brutal murder of George Floyd, are an eerie repetition of events…

Lynching was an action used to terrorize the black community for generations, with the first known public display of this injustice taking…

In 1963, John Lewis’ excitement would meet his life’s purpose when he joined the Civil Rights Movement. He is now known as one of the…

White publications have sought to represent all voices in America since it’s discovery. But, in 1827, Samuel Cornish and John Russwurm…

Black inventors have made significant contributions in the name of not only advancing the American brand, but by way of breaking down a…

Jack Johnson entered the world ready to fight in the most non-conventional way. As the son of slaves, he worked many unskilled jobs, before…

While history celebrates the explorations of many white voyagers, there are multiple black people who successfully explored sea, land, and…

Black innovators and creators have a long history of studying the framework and exploring new ways of advancing modern technology. Take…

Religion as we know it infiltrated the black community during slavery. While the objective leaned on pacifying slaves, black people rose…

Opportunities for freed black children to further their educational journey after high school were limited. As a direct response to minimal…

Many people recognize the passage of the 13th Amendment as an end to slavery in the south. However, slavery was commonplace in all 13…

Born into slavery as Frederick Douglass in 1818, this renowned lecturer and author would become one of the greatest public speakers of his…

Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Katherine Johnson is a powerhouse unlike any other. Entering college at the tender age of 15,…

In February 1951, a young African-American woman by the name of Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cervical cancer.…

After graduating from Shaw University, Ella Baker moved to New York City and began her career as a grassroots organizer. Joining the NAACP…

Black women and their commitment to freedom and equality has often been minimized in history books. However, with black women standing at…

After years of requesting an all-black unit in the National Guard, the governor of New York finally put the order into place. In January…

In 1965, one of the last traceable remnants of Jim Crow ideology were thought to be taken off the books with the passage of the Voting…

The civil rights movement was an organized effort where African-Americans united and rallied to put black progressiveness at the forefront…

In 1932 the United States Public Health Service commissioned a study on the effects of untreated syphilis. 600 poor black men from Alabama…

With a Jim Crow south alive and well, many black Americans migrated north. This migration resulted in the formation of a creative urban hub…

President Lyndon B. Johnson made it clear that a shift was greatly needed in America. No longer could we preach about a land of…

Born in the heart of New Orleans, Louisiana, jazz made its way onto the scene. With African-Americans at the helm, the red-light district…

The Double V Campaign was launched by a prominent black newspaper, the Pittsburgh Courier, in 1942. The campaign came in response to buzz…

In 1983, Reverend Jesse Jackson launched his bid for president of the United States. This announcement sparked excitement from people who…

Electrified by the rhetoric of Malcolm X, founding members Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale created an organization aimed at protecting the…

Despite footage of police officers beating the late Rodney King in 1991, justice, for many in South Central Los Angeles, was not served.…

While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s influence was large, perhaps his greatest legacy came when he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream”…

After joining the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X became known as a human rights activist whose teachings led the charge of black progression…

In 1872, Booker T. Washington traveled 500 miles on foot to the Hampton Institute in Virginia. That journey, in turn, laid the foundation —…

Shirley Chisholm is a political icon who paved the way for politics as we know it today. As an active participant for women’s rights and…

Robert Smalls was born into slavery and pushed into fighting for the Confederacy during the Civil War. However, at the age of 23, he took a…

In 1865, after the north won the Civil War, the government opened the Freedman’s Bank. This institution was geared towards nearly four…

Isabella Baumfree was born into slavery in the late 18th century. Despite this, she’d go on to prove that enslavement was only a state of…

Harriet Tubman is one of the greatest freedom fighters to exist. Enslaved and enraged, Tubman committed to not only freeing herself, but…

Born into slavery as Ida B. Wells in 1862, she was a pioneer of modern investigative journalism during the Reconstruction Era. Wells called…

Fresh off an oil-boom, the black residents of Greenwood, Okla. built a booming community known as The Negro Wall Street. But in May of…

Fisk University was founded in Nashville, Tenn. in 1866. As an institution for African-American students, their first years of inception…

In June of 1882, a 30-year-old shoemaker by the name of Homer Plessy of New Orleans led a revolution that aimed to overturn Jim Crow…

Maya Angelou, who was born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American poet, singer, memoirist, and civil…

One of the pioneers of the hair care industry is an African-American woman named Sarah Breedlove. After becoming a widow at the age of 20,…

Although the 13th Amendment passed the Senate in 1864 and the House in 1865, the loopholes that exist continue to wreak havoc on the…

After the Civil War, the Reconstruction era brought about hope and change in the form of citizenship and equality in America. Black men…