What happened on this day. These are the August 15 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1914 — Panama Canal opens after work by tens of thousands of Caribbean laborers On Aug 15, 1914, the Panama Canal officially opened to traffic with the passage of the steamship Ancon. More than 50,000 […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 15 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Oscar Peterson Full name: Oscar Emmanuel Peterson Born August 15, 1925 — died December 23, 2007 Canadian jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, and one of the most influential virtuosos in jazz […]
Nikki Giovanni “If now isn’t a good time for the truth, I don’t see when we’ll get to it.” — Nikki Giovanni Poet Nikki Giovanni speaks to the urgency of honesty. Her words challenge us to face truth now — not someday.
Honoring those we lost on August 14 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Alice Childress Birth name: Alice Herndon Born Oct 12, 1916 — died Aug 14, 1994 Playwright, novelist, actor, director, and chronicler of working-class Black life. Childress wrote with rare attention to Black women, domestic workers, artists, […]
What happened on this day. These are the August 14 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1908 — The Springfield Race Riot begins in Illinois On August 14, 1908, a white mob began attacking Black residents, homes, and businesses in Springfield, Illinois. The three days of violence included two lynchings and […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 14 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. Ernest Everett Just Born August 14, 1883 — died October 27, 1941 Biologist, marine scientist, author, professor, and pioneering cell researcher. Just became an internationally respected scientist through research on […]
Angela Davis “It is in collectivities that we find reservoirs of hope and optimism.” — Angela Davis Angela Davis reminds us that power lies in community. Real progress grows when people unite for a shared vision of freedom.
Honoring those we lost on August 13 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Caterina Jarboro Birth name: Katherine Lee Yarborough Born Jul 24, 1898 — died Aug 13, 1986 Opera singer and pioneering Black prima donna on the American opera stage. Jarboro built an international career in Europe before […]
What happened on this day. These are the August 13 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on. 1906 — The Brownsville Affair begins in Texas On the night of August 13, 1906, gunfire in Brownsville, Texas, was blamed on Black soldiers of the Twenty-fifth Infantry despite conflicting evidence and their denials. President […]
Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on August 13 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history. James B. Parsons Full name: James Benton Parsons Born August 13, 1911 — died June 19, 1993 Attorney, federal judge, educator, musician, and judicial trailblazer. Parsons became the first African […]