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Little-Known Facts About Black History, Culture, Inventions, and More! |
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Many will be surprised to learn that Black people make up 13.2 percent of the population in England and Wales. However, that number pales in comparison to the whopping 44 percent of black and ethnic minorities in London. In fact, as of 2020, there are more than one million Black British people living in the London Metro area.
In 1951, a new show made history as the first Black sitcom to be broadcasted on national television. The sitcom was titled Amos ‘n’ Andy and starred over fifteen black actors. The first episode aired in 1951, but two white men had been already hosting a radio series with the same name since 1928.
Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 30, 1924. She later became the first African-American woman elected to the United States Congress and also the first African American to launch a campaign for a major party presidential nomination.
William Hastie was the first African American to become a federal judge. He was appointed President Franklin Roosevelt himself.
Dr. Mae Jemison was born on October 17, 1956, in Alabama. As an engineer, physician, and a former NASA astronaut who served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, she is the first black woman to travel into space.
The tradition of wearing Easter hats, or Easter bonnets, dates back many, many years. In fact, a New York City Easter Parade in 1933 made the holiday headpiece what has since been called ‘a staple of popular culture.’ The use of these Easter hats has grown exponentially since then, but its history is considered a sign of strong religious beliefs.
There is a wide variety of breakfast foods that many Americans enjoy, but one that stands out as especially unique in Black culture is the combination of chicken and waffles. There are now multiple mainstream restaurant chains famous for serving this dish, and you can find people of all sorts who will drive far out of their way to reach their favorite haunt.
In the 1980s, a major surge of drug use hit the streets of New York City that mostly affected African Americans. Between the increase of heroin addicts and cocaine users, crime rates were also shooting up. Everything from child abuse to prostitution was beginning to reach epidemic levels.
Despite living during a time when music in America was divided into two categories — popular music and race music — the iconic singer, Ella Fitzgerald, still managed to become the first Black artist to win a Grammy.
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| Top Black History Museums and Cultural Centers: |
There are hundreds of Black history museums in the United States that preserve artifacts, records, documents, and more related to African Americans. They vary in size and popularity, but all of them have exclusive exhibits and collections that millions of people from all ethnic backgrounds take interest in. [Find one to visit...]
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| Top Black History Organizations and Projects: |
There are many organizations and projects that are dedicated to African American history. These include foundations and other educational initiatives. All of them typically have the common goal of preserving Black culture and heritage for those who are interested in gaining more awareness about the African American experience over the past 500 years or longer. [Learn more...]
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| The History of Black History: |
The heritage and experience of African Americans that typically dates back to the mid 1500's when Black people were captured in Africa and brought against their will to America to become slaves. After nearly 400 years of slavery and dehumanization, African Americans were eventually freed but were oppressed, discriminated against, and were initially not even recognized as legal citizens of the United States. [Learn more...]
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