Meet Mary Eliza Mahoney, The First Black Licensed Nurse
She was the first! Mary Eliza Mahoney was born in Boston, Massachusetts during the spring of 1845, the National Women’s History Museum reports. She was the daughter of free but formerly enslaved people who had migrated to Boston from North Carolina and learned why it was important to strive for equality as a Black woman at an […]
NASA Is Awarding $11.7M To Eight HBCUs To Improve Representation In Aeronautics
NASA recently announced they’ll be awarding $11.7 million dollars to eight HBCUs through their new Data Science Equity, Access, and Priority in Research and Education (DEAP) initiative, Essence reports. Bethune-Cookman University; Florida A & M University; Fayetteville State University; Lincoln University; Morgan State University; North Carolina A & T State University; North Carolina Central University, and Prairie […]
This Woman Just Gave Black Love a Whole New Meaning With Her Valentine’s Day Display Of Black History
She’s spreading love and education! Marjorie McCollough-Jackson took an unconventional approach to Valentine’s Day by also including facts for Black History Month. On the corner of 4th and Varnum NW is where you can find her front yard filled with pink and red hearts with one huge heart that reads, “Did you know these Black history facts?” […]
4 Inspiring Things You Should Know About Entertainer Gregory Hines
He would’ve been 77 years old today! Gregory Hines was born on February 14, 1946 in New York City to parents Maurice Hines Sr. and Alma Hines. A child prodigy, Hines built a successful career as a tap dancer, and his extensive resume is the stuff icons are made of. Internationally known, Hines took his talents across […]
Here’s The History Behind The AME Church, The First Independent Black Denomination In The U.S.
We’re commemorating its founder, Richard Allen’s, birthday! The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church was the first independent Black denomination in the United States. It’s one of the only denominations created not because of theological differences, but because of racial issues, Encyclopedia Britannica reports. Black people attending St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia were being […]
Singer Celia Cruz Will Be The First Afro-Latina To Appear On U.S. Quarters
The Queen of Salsa will be honored along with four others! Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso was born October 21, 1925 in Havana, Cuba. She attended Havana’s National Conservatory of Music where she studied voice, theory and piano. Singing became a huge part of her life at a young age, often singing for tourists, her siblings, […]
Meet Justina Miles, the HBCU Student Who Made History As The First Deaf Woman ASL Interpreter At The Super Bowl
Justina Miles went viral for her incredible performance! 20-year-old Miles performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in American Sign Language (ASL) during Sheryl Lee Ralph’s pre-show performance. She returned during the halftime show to sign Rihanna’s performance, her rendition of Rihanna’s “BBHMM” immediately going viral. Miles was valedictorian at the Model Secondary School for the […]
How Rube Foster Changed the Baseball League Forever
He’s known as the father of Black baseball! Andrew “Rube” Foster was born September 17, 1879 in Calvert, Texas, MLB.com reports. When he was young, many of his siblings passed due to tuberculosis, something Foster later said he feels like he avoided because he was always playing baseball. He would grow to become one of the most […]
This Father-Son Duo Started the First Ever Black-Owned Athletic Supply Company
From watching the games to supplying the equipment! According to Statista, basketball equipment sales in the U.S. produced $286 million in 2021 alone, mainly through four major companies working as suppliers. With none of those companies being Black-owned, Oronde Booker knew exactly what he had to do and launched BookDawg Sports with his son Kendall. “When thinking about […]
Meet Roland Conner, the Ex-Cannabis Convict Who Now Owns The First Black-Owned Dispensary In NYC
Black people are making strides in this billion-dollar industry! With dispensaries on the rise, Black people are making sure they’re getting a piece of the billion-dollar pie! Consider Vanessa Jean-Baptiste, the owner of Legal Greens in Massachusetts, the first Black woman-owned cannabis dispensary on the East Coast. With 21 states that have already given recreational cannabis use the […]