Black in America

Martin Robison Delany: The Abolitionist, Civil War Major, and Father of Black Nationalism

Martin Robison Delany was many things in one lifetime — abolitionist, doctor, newspaper editor, explorer, political theorist, soldier, and arguably the first major Black nationalist thinker in …

Don Cornelius: The visionary behind Soul Train and the cultural revolution it inspired

Don Cornelius, the mastermind behind the groundbreaking television show Soul Train, left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry and the cultural landscape of America. From his modest …

Paul Robeson: A voice for the ages

Paul Leroy Robeson was born on 9 April 1898 in Princeton, New Jersey, to a lineage marked by resilience and determination. His father, William Drew Robeson, was a former slave who escaped to freedom …

The Chicago Race Riot of 1919

The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 stands as one of the most significant and tragic events in the history of racial tensions in the United States. Occurring in the context of the “Red Summer,” …

Unforgettable legacy: The life, music, and impact of Nat King Cole

Nat King Cole, born Nathaniel Adams Coles on 17 March 1919, is an enduring figure in American music history. Renowned for his smooth baritone voice and impeccable piano playing, Cole broke racial …

Audre Lorde: The warrior poet of intersectionality

Audre Lorde, born Audrey Geraldine Lorde on 18 February 1934, was a towering figure in the fight against injustices, wielding her pen with the precision of a surgeon and the force of a warrior. Her …

Henry Lewis: First Black conductor of a major US orchestra

Henry Lewis was a pioneering figure in the world of classical music, breaking racial barriers and setting new standards for musical excellence. As the first black man to conduct a major US orchestra, …

John Crenshaw: The infamous kidnapper and slave trader of the antebellum South

In the annals of American history, few figures are as notorious and reviled as John Crenshaw. His name is synonymous with the darkest aspects of the antebellum South’s slave trade, a period …

The bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church: A dark day in Birmingham’s history

The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing on 15 September 1963 marked a horrifying chapter in the history of Birmingham, Alabama. This act of terrorism, orchestrated by local members of the Ku Klux Klan, …

Shirley Chisholm: A trailblazer in American politics

Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was a groundbreaking figure in American politics, conquering numerous barriers as a woman and an African American. Born on 30 November 1924 in Brooklyn, New …

The Legendary Tuskegee Airmen

During World War II, a group of African American servicemen, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, broke barriers and defied racial prejudice by becoming the first Black military aviators in the US Army Air …

Bayard Rustin: The unsung hero of the Civil Rights Movement

Bayard Rustin was an influential civil rights activist, advisor to Martin Luther King Jr., and the main organiser of the 1963 March on Washington. Despite his significant contributions to the …