Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on September 4 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Lewis H. Latimer Full name: Lewis Howard Latimer Born September 4, 1848 — died December 11, 1928 Inventor, engineer, draftsman, and patent expert. The son of parents who escaped slavery, […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on September 3 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Bessie Delany Full name: Annie Elizabeth Delany Born September 3, 1891 — died September 25, 1995 Dentist, author, and centenarian witness to Black history. The second Black woman licensed to […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on September 2 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. James Forten Born September 2, 1766 — died March 4, 1842 Abolitionist, inventor, entrepreneur, and Revolutionary War veteran. Born free in Philadelphia, Forten built one of the city’s most successful […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on September 1 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Henry E. Baker Full name: Henry Edwin Baker Jr. Born September 1, 1857 — died April 27, 1928 Patent examiner, attorney, and historian of Black inventors. Baker spent decades at […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 31 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Frank Robinson Born August 31, 1935 — died February 7, 2019 Baseball Hall of Famer, Triple Crown winner, and Major League Baseball’s first Black manager. Robinson became the only player […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 30 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Roy Wilkins Born August 30, 1901 — died September 8, 1981 Civil rights leader, journalist, and longtime executive director of the NAACP. Wilkins guided the NAACP through major battles over […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 29 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Isabel Sanford Birth name: Eloise Gwendolyn Sanford Born August 29, 1917 — died July 9, 2004 Actress and groundbreaking Emmy Award winner. Sanford became iconic as Louise “Weezy” Jefferson on […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 28 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Roxie Roker Full name: Roxie Albertha Roker Born August 28, 1929 — died December 2, 1995 Actress, journalist, community advocate, and television barrier breaker. Roker became beloved as Helen Willis […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 27 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Lester Young Full name: Lester Willis Young Born August 27, 1909 — died March 15, 1959 Jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and one of the most influential soloists in American music. […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 26 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Jimmy Rushing Full name: James Andrew Rushing Born August 26, 1901 — died June 8, 1972 Blues shouter, jazz singer, and longtime featured vocalist with Count Basie’s orchestra. Known as […]