Horace Pippin “Pictures just come to my mind, and I tell my heart to go ahead.” Self-taught painter and WWI veteran whose artwork depicted Black life and social themes. Pippin’s quote shows art as memory, instinct, and heart moving together.
Honoring those we lost on June 17 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. William Attaway Born November 19, 1911 — Died June 17, 1986 Title: Novelist, essayist, screenwriter, songwriter, and playwright William Attaway was a writer best known for Blood on the Forge, a novel about Black migration, labor, […]
What happened on this day. These are the June 17 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1775 — Black soldiers fight at the Battle of Bunker Hill On June 17, 1775, Black soldiers including Peter Salem and Salem Poor fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Their service challenges the way […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on June 17 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. 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 writer, educator, lawyer, […]
George Washington Carver “Start where you are, with what you have. Make something of it and never be satisfied.” Agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted sustainable farming and crop rotation. Carver’s words remind us to begin with what we have and keep reaching higher.
Honoring those we lost on June 16 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. George Stinney Jr. Born October 21, 1929 — Died June 16, 1944 Title: Wrongfully executed Black child and symbol of racial injustice in the legal system George Stinney Jr. was only 14 years old when South […]
What happened on this day. These are the June 16 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1944 — George Stinney Jr. is executed in South Carolina On June 16, 1944, George Stinney Jr., a 14-year-old Black boy, was executed in South Carolina after a deeply unjust trial. This belongs in the […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on June 16 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Lamont Dozier Born June 16, 1941 — Died August 8, 2022 Title: Singer, songwriter, producer, and Motown hitmaker Lamont Dozier was one-third of Holland-Dozier-Holland, the songwriting and production team that […]
Paul Laurence Dunbar “We wear the mask that grins and lies, it hides our cheeks and shades our eyes.” One of the first major Black poets in U.S. history, known for his powerful dialect verse. Dunbar gives language to the hidden pain Black people often carried behind a public face.
Honoring those we lost on June 15 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Ella Fitzgerald Born April 25, 1917 — Died June 15, 1996 Title: Jazz singer and “First Lady of Song” Ella Fitzgerald was one of the greatest singers in American music history, known for her tone, phrasing, […]