African-American Leaders

Eugene Bullard, First Black Military Pilot

Eugene Bullard was the world’s first black military pilot, but he didn’t fly for his own country. He was born in the United States--Columbus, Georgia--in... continue »

Alice Dunnigan: First Black Woman Reporter to Cover White House

Alice Dunnigan broke new ground by becoming one of the first black White House correspondents; she was the first to travel with a U.S. president... continue »

Garrett A. Morgan: Successful Inventor of Safety Hood/Traffic Signal

Garrett A. Morgan was a prolific inventor who should be remembered for the safety devices he created. Both the safety hood (forerunner of a gas... continue »

Yukon King, Dog Star of “Sgt. Preston of the Yukon”

A dog named King, an Alaskan malamute, played the heroic companion to Royal Canadian Mountie Sergeant Preston on the 1955 television show, Sergeant Preston of... continue »

Mary Ellen Pleasant, Entrepreneur and Abolitionist

Abolitionist and successful Gold Rush entrepreneur Mary Ellen Pleasant was a free woman of mixed-race who dedicated her life to equality for African Americans. From... continue »

Horace Pippin: Gifted Painter and Harlem Hellfighter

When it became clear that the U.S. would enter World War I, Horace Pippin left... continue »

Martin Luther King Jr. and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Martin Luther King, Jr. was 25 years old when he and his new wife, Coretta, moved to Montgomery, Alabama in 1954. He was to be... continue »

Barbara Jordan, Congresswoman and Trailblazer

Barbara Jordan (1936-96) was a dynamic and forceful African American from Texas who made great strides for American citizens. She exhibited a positive outlook, great... continue »

Louis Armstrong’s Childhood

Louis Armstrong was one of the finest jazz musicians in the world. His work broke ground for a new style of popular American music for... continue »

Sarah Keys Evans: Taking a Stand for Civil Rights

Sarah Keys Evans did not intend to take a stand for civil rights in 1952 when she boarded an interstate bus in Trenton, New Jersey.... continue »

Colonel Charles Young, Notable Military Leader with Many Firsts

Charles Young (1864-1922) graduated from West Point and went on to achieve the rank of colonel in the military, the highest rank of any African... continue »

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was an all-female black military unit created in 1944. These women are among the unsung heroes of World War... continue »

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