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Emmanuel Lewis, ‘Webster’ From the 80s TV Sitcom, is now a 51-Year Old HBCU Grad
Emmanuel Lewis, was 12 years old when he debuted as a young actor on the first episode of Webster , a 1980s television sitcom about a 5-year-old orphan whose parents had been ki…

Former Slave Turned Inventor Patented Technology Still Being Used in Lawn Mowers Today
In May 1899, John Albert Burr, an African American inventor from Maryland, patented very innovative technology that is still being used today in modern-day lawn mowers. He did n…

Yusuke Was a Former Slave From Africa Who Became Japan's First Black Samurai in the 1500s
Yasuke, a warrior during the 1500s who became the world's first Black samurai, earned the title and rank while serving under the rule of Oda Nobunaga, a powerful leader in J…

Before Becoming an Actor, Forest Whitaker Wanted to Be an Opera Singer
Hollywood actor Forest Whitaker has starred in several major film productions in his decorated career, earning himself awards such as an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and two Scr…

Isaac Burns Murphy was the First Person to Ever Win Three Kentucky Derbies
Although horse racing is commonly regarded as an outdated sport for gamblers, there is a proud history behind the sport that dates all the way back to 1651. Out of the thousands o…

Mary Jackson, the First Black Female Engineer to Work at NASA
There have been many intelligent men and women in history who were made known for doing great things. One of these amazing figures was Mary Jackson. During a time when calculators…

What Denzel Washington Learned From his Late Father
Winner of four Academy Awards, star of over fifty films, and a legend among talents, actor Denzel Washington has repeatedly proven himself to be one of the most skilled entertaine…

Robert H. Lawrence Jr. was the First Black Man to be Trained As an Astronaut
Born and raised in Illinois, Robert H. Lawrence Jr. took a running start in his academic journey, starting with a bachelor's degree in chemistry and later studying at Ohio Sta…

Martin Luther King Jr. Was Once Stabbed During a Book Signing
Prior to his death in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. survived a close brush with death many years earlier. During a public signing for his book, titled  Stride Toward Freedom: The M…

Quincy Jones Composed the Theme Song for the Popular 70’s “Sanford and Son” TV Sitcom with Redd Foxx
As one of history's most influential record producers, Quincy Jones has decades of experience under his belt. In fact, Jones is one of the first African Americans to sit as a …

Michael Jackson Wrote "We Are the World" with Lionel Richie
"We Are The World" is a seven-minute ballad that was written by both Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. However, what makes this piece so powerful is not only its lyrics…

The First African-American Congresswoman Survived Multiple Assassination Attempts When Running for President
American history is overrun by stories of presidential elections conducted and won by white males. However, not many are aware that Black women have been running for president for…

John Baxter Taylor, The First African-American Olympic Gold Medalist
Born in 1882, John Baxter Taylor Jr. grew up in Philadelphia. There, Taylor studied at Brown Preparatory School. This launched his lifetime career as an athlete, as he would compe…

Meet the Black Woman Who Helped Create Shockwave, Which Led to Animated GIFs
In the age of social media, cryptocurrency, and video streaming, it's easy to forget the days of old when people lived on dial-up internet and used landlines. However, all of …

Bryant Gumbel Was the First Black Person to Host a TV Network’s Morning Show
With a humble background working in sales, Bryant Gumbel made his name known in the vast majority of American households after becoming the first Black person to host a TV network…

Stevie Wonder was the First Black Artist to Win a GRAMMY for “Album of the Year”
Released in 1973, "Innervisions" carries some of the most iconic tunes created by the great Stevie Wonder. Not only does the album include songs like "Don't You…

Nat King Cole Was the 1st Black Person to Have His Own Nationally-Syndicated TV Show on NBC
"Ladies and Gentlemen, The Nat King Cole Show!" This was the intro to a TV show only a few people today remember as it aired back in the mid-1950s. The Nat King Cole Sho…

Johnny Grier, the NFL’s First Black Referee
For as long as there has been American football, there have been referees. Some of them become famous for their many appearances on TVs and jumbotrons. However, through the many y…