Honoring those we lost on July 31 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Bill Russell Full name: William Felton Russell Born February 12, 1934 — died July 31, 2022 Basketball Hall of Famer, civil rights activist, NBA champion, coach, and sports icon. Russell became one of the greatest winners […]
Monthly Archives: July 2026
What happened on this day. These are the July 31 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1874 — Patrick Francis Healy is made full president of Georgetown On July 31, 1874, the acting portion of Patrick Francis Healy’s title was removed, making him full president of Georgetown University. Healy, born to […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on July 31 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Wesley Snipes Full name: Wesley Trent Snipes Born July 31, 1962 Actor, producer, martial artist, author, and action-film star. Snipes became one of the defining Black action stars of the […]
Freda DeKnight “A good meal is a warm memory — it connects the soul to its people.” First food editor for Ebony magazine and champion of Black culinary heritage. DeKnight connects food with family, memory, heritage, and the preservation of Black cultural identity.
Honoring those we lost on July 30 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Nichelle Nichols Birth name: Grace Dell Nichols Born December 28, 1932 — died July 30, 2022 Actress, singer, dancer, NASA recruiter, and television trailblazer. Nichols changed television history as Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek, one of […]
What happened on this day. These are the July 30 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1866 — New Orleans Massacre attacks Black voting rights On July 30, 1866, white mobs and police attacked Black marchers and Republican convention supporters outside the Mechanics Institute in New Orleans. The massacre targeted Reconstruction-era […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on July 30 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Buddy Guy Birth name: George Guy Born July 30, 1936 Blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, and Chicago blues legend. Guy became one of the most […]
George T. Downing “Let us labor, then, with a will that the coming generations may not blush for us.” Abolitionist and Black businessman who advocated for school integration. Downing urges people to work for justice with future generations in mind, leaving them a legacy worthy of pride.
Honoring those we lost on July 29 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Claudia Tate Born December 14, 1946 — died July 29, 2002 Literary scholar, professor, critic, and African American literature specialist. Tate became a respected scholar of Black women’s writing, African American literature, and psychoanalytic literary criticism. […]
What happened on this day. These are the July 29 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1895 — First National Conference of Colored Women opens in Boston On July 29, 1895, the First National Conference of Colored Women opened in Boston, Massachusetts. Organized through the work of Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin […]










