Those We Lost
Those We Lost — May 5
May
Honoring those we lost on May 5 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind.
Caroline Bond Day
Born August 18, 1889 — Died May 5, 1948
Field: Anthropology / Education / Race Studies / Black Identity
Caroline Bond Day was an anthropologist, writer, and educator whose work challenged racist assumptions about mixed-race identity, heredity, and Black people.
Why it matters: Day’s importance is intellectual. She worked in a field often shaped by racial pseudoscience and helped push back with research, documentation, and Black scholarly authority.
George Biddle Kelley
Born July 28, 1884 — Died May 5, 1962
Field: Engineering / Alpha Phi Alpha / Black Professional Firsts
George Biddle Kelley was a civil engineer and one of the seven founders, or “Jewels,” of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He is widely recognized as New York State’s first officially registered African American engineer.
Why it matters: Kelley connects engineering, education, Black Greek-letter institutions, and professional leadership during segregation.
