Langston Hughes “I too, am America.” Harlem Renaissance poet whose verses uplifted the Black experience with beauty and resilience. Hughes’ words declare Black belonging at the center of the American story.
Honoring those we lost on June 27 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Marion Motley Born June 5, 1920 — Died June 27, 1999 Title: Professional football pioneer and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marion Motley helped desegregate professional football in the 1940s and became one of the great […]
What happened on this day. These are the June 27 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1911 — Tom Allen and Joe Watts are lynched in Georgia On June 27, 1911, Tom Allen and Joe Watts were lynched by a white mob in Walton County, Georgia. The mob acted after a […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on June 27 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Paul Laurence Dunbar Born June 27, 1872 — Died February 9, 1906 Title: Poet, novelist, short story writer, and playwright Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of the first Black American […]
Rosa Parks “You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” Seamstress and activist who sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott with her quiet refusal. Parks’ quote speaks to moral courage: doing right even when fear is present. Wear the history: Rosa Parks — from the Black Knowledge Wear collection.
Honoring those we lost on June 26 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. James Weldon Johnson Born June 17, 1871 — Died June 26, 1938 Title: Writer, composer, educator, diplomat, lawyer, and civil rights leader James Weldon Johnson was a major figure in Black public life, literature, and civil […]
What happened on this day. These are the June 26 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1844 — Oregon Country passes a Black exclusion law On June 26, 1844, the legislative committee of Oregon Country passed one of the first Black exclusion laws in the region. The law barred free Black […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on June 26 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Gilberto Gil Born June 26, 1942 Title: Brazilian singer, songwriter, guitarist, and cultural figure Gilberto Gil is one of Brazil’s most important musicians and a founder of the Tropicália movement. […]
David Walker “America is more our country than it is the whites’—we have enriched it with our blood and tears.” Author of Walker’s Appeal, one of the most radical antislavery documents in U.S. history. Walker’s words confront America with the truth that Black labor, blood, and sacrifice built this country.
Honoring those we lost on June 25 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Michael Jackson Born August 29, 1958 — Died June 25, 2009 Title: Singer, songwriter, dancer, entertainer, and global pop icon Michael Jackson was one of the most influential entertainers in modern history, changing music, dance, video, […]