Honoring those we lost on September 18 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Blind Willie Johnson Born in 1897 — died September 18, 1945 Gospel-blues singer and slide guitarist. Johnson’s "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground" — a wordless moan over slide guitar — is among the […]
What happened on this day. These are the September 18 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1850 — The Fugitive Slave Act turns the whole nation into slave country On September 18, 1850, President Millard Fillmore signed the Fugitive Slave Act, compelling citizens and officials in free states to help capture […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on September 18 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Ben Carson Full name: Benjamin Solomon Carson Sr. Born September 18, 1951 Neurosurgeon and former cabinet secretary. Carson led the first successful separation of twins conjoined at the head as […]
W.E.B. Du Bois “A system cannot fail those it was never meant to protect.” — W.E.B. Du Bois Du Bois exposed the roots of inequality. His words challenge us to rebuild systems, not just reform them. Wear the history: W.E.B. Du Bois — from the Black Knowledge Wear collection.
Honoring those we lost on September 17 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Dred Scott Born around 1799 — died September 17, 1858 Freedom petitioner whose case shook the nation. Scott sued for his liberty and carried the case to the Supreme Court, where the infamous 1857 decision declared […]
What happened on this day. These are the September 17 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1787 — The Constitution is signed with slavery embedded in it On September 17, 1787, delegates in Philadelphia signed the United States Constitution, which counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for white political […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on September 17 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Rube Foster Full name: Andrew Foster Born September 17, 1879 — died December 9, 1930 Father of Black baseball. Foster founded the Negro National League in 1920, building the institution […]
Toni Morrison “Definitions belong to the definers, not the defined.” — Toni Morrison Morrison rejected labels and limitation. Her wisdom empowers us to define our own worth and identity.
Honoring those we lost on September 16 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Mamie Smith Born May 26, 1891 — died September 16, 1946 Singer who made the first blues record. Smith’s 1920 recording of "Crazy Blues" sold a million copies and proved Black record buyers existed — launching […]
What happened on this day. These are the September 16 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1940 — The first peacetime draft becomes law with segregation intact On September 16, 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Act, the nation’s first peacetime draft. The law barred discrimination in […]