Black Heritage

Aviator Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman was born on January 26, 1892, in Atlanta, Texas.  The first female African American aviator, she achieved her dream of becoming a pilot during a time when most African Americans would not have even considered learning to fly.

Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. A Baptist minister, King sought equality for all Americans and fought for peaceful solutions to racial issues.

Roy “Campy” Campanella was born on November 19, 1921, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Considered one of the greatest catchers in baseball history, he was the first catcher to break organized baseball’s color line when he debuted in the Majors in 1948.

The Civil Rights Movement took a major step forward on November 13, 1956, when the Supreme Court ruled that the bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama, was unconstitutional.

Mahalia (born Mahala) Jackson was born on October 26, 1911, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The best-known gospel singer in the world and one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century, she received more acclaim than any other gospel singer, and is said to have been the vocal, physical, and spiritual symbol of religious music.

On October 25, 1940, Benjamin O. Davis Sr. was appointed the first African American general in US Army. He was a driving force behind the desegregation of the Army, which was finally achieved just days after his retirement.

Gwendolyn L. Ifill was born on September 29, 1955, in Jamaica, Queens. The first African American woman to host a national political show and moderate a vice presidential debate, she was widely known and respected for her integrity and ability to remain unbiased.

Richard Nathaniel Wright was born on September 4, 1908, near Roxie, Mississippi. His book, Native Son, was the first best selling novel by a black writer.

Jean Baptiste Point du Sable died on August 28, 1818, in St. Charles, Missouri Territory. He’s credited as the founded of Chicago.