June Bacon-Bercey is a pioneer in the field of meteorology, becoming the first Black woman to earn a degree in the science in the ’50’s. She is also an internationally recognized expert in aviation and weather, and is the first woman and African-American woman to win the American Meteorological Society’s “seal of approval” honor for […]
The phrase “Black is Beautiful” has long been associated with the civil rights and Black power movements but it has roots that reach even further back. John Stewart Rock, one of the America’s first Black doctors and lawyers, is said to have coined the phrase in one of his speeches as an abolitionist. Rock […]
Guion “Guy” Bluford made his dreams of flying among the stars a reality on this day in 1983, becoming the first African-American astronaut in space. Bluford logged well over 600 hours in space before retiring, and still managed to accomplish goals even beyond his historic achievement. Guion Stewart Bluford Jr. was born November 22, 1942 […]
Malvin R. Goode was a pioneer in broadcast journalism, becoming the first African-American news correspondent for a major television network on this day in 1962. Goode arrived at the pinnacle of his career later in life, but his accomplishment serves as a testament to the work ethic he developed in the steel mills of Pittsburgh. […]
Samuel L. Gravely Jr. was named the first Black admiral for the U.S. Navy on April 28, 1971. It was just one of several milestones…
The federal space agency NASA ushered in a new era by integrating workplaces across several regions in the Deep South. Morgan Watson, considered NASA’s first…
Erroll M. Brown was named the U.S. Coast Guard’s first admiral in 1998, completing a long journey that began when he was a high school…
While most history books point to Shirley Chisholm as the first Black person to run for the office of the President of the United States,…
Charles Bolden Jr., NASA’s first Black administrator, was nominated for the post in 2009 by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate that same…
Vivien Thomas dreamed of attending medical school as a young man, but saw those dreams dashed with the onset of the Great Depression. However, through…
Warren Shadd, the CEO of Shadd Pianos & Keyboard, USA, is the first African-American piano manufacturer in the world. Now a top player in his…
Earlier this month, Darcel D. Clark was sworn in as the Bronx District Attorney making history at the same time. Clark is the first Black…
