James Forten “Let us not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters.” Wealthy Black abolitionist and businessman who funded antislavery efforts. This message places justice above gradual compromise and calls for an unrelenting struggle against oppression.
Honoring those we lost on July 12 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Rose McClendon Born August 27, 1884 — died July 12, 1936 Actress, theater organizer, Harlem Renaissance stage figure, and Black theater pioneer. McClendon became one of the leading Black stage actresses of her generation and helped […]
What happened on this day. These are the July 12 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1949 — Frederick McKinley Jones receives mobile refrigeration patents On July 12, 1949, Frederick McKinley Jones received important patents connected to mobile refrigeration. His inventions helped make refrigerated trucking possible, changing food transportation, medicine delivery, […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on July 12 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Ray Scott Birth name: John Raymond Scott Born July 12, 1938 Professional basketball player, coach, and first Black NBA Coach of the Year. Scott moved from a long playing career […]
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler “I early conceived a liking for, and sought every opportunity to, relieve the suffering of others.” First Black woman in the U.S. to earn a medical degree. Crumpler describes compassion as the motivation behind her medical career and service to underserved communities.
Honoring those we lost on July 11 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Mifflin Wistar Gibbs Born April 17, 1823 — died July 11, 1915 Businessman, newspaper publisher, lawyer, judge, diplomat, banker, and Black political pioneer. Gibbs moved through many fields during the 19th century, from abolitionist circles and […]
What happened on this day. These are the July 11 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1905 — Niagara Movement begins first major meeting On July 11, 1905, Black activists led by W. E. B. Du Bois and William Monroe Trotter began gathering near Niagara Falls for the first major meeting […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on July 11 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Mattiwilda Dobbs Born July 11, 1925 — died December 8, 2015 Opera singer, coloratura soprano, professor, and international classical music pioneer. Dobbs broke major racial barriers in opera, becoming one […]
Henry Box Brown “I got out so I could speak — and show others the way to freedom.” Escaped slavery by shipping himself in a wooden box from Virginia to Philadelphia. Brown’s escape from slavery became testimony: gaining his own freedom allowed him to expose slavery and encourage resistance.
Honoring those we lost on July 10 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Jelly Roll Morton Real name: Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe Born about 1890 — died July 10, 1941 Jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and early New Orleans jazz pioneer. Morton was one of the foundational figures in early […]