Be inspired by fascinating men and women whose drive and determination transformed our country and our lives.
As a Mississippi resident, Fannie Lou Hamer was not informed that Black people had the right to vote in the United States until she was almost 42 years old (1960).
Voting Rights Advocate Fannie Lou Hamer Read More »
In 1925, physician Ossian Sweet had enough money to buy a bungalow for his wife and young daughter in a working class section of Detroit. When the Sweets—a Black family–moved
Ossian Sweet Denied Right to His Home, 1925 Read More »
Rose Knox started the Knox Gelatine Company with her husband, Charles, in Johnstown, New York, in 1890. (Gelatine was the preferred spelling at that time.) When Charles died unexpectedly in
Rose Knox: Businesswoman Ahead of Her Time Read More »
Abraham Lincoln’s childhood was filled with challenges and sadness, but he was always resourceful. As a young boy, Lincoln coped with the death of his mother when he was only
Abraham Lincoln’s Childhood: Growing Up to Be President Read More »
Dorothy Dandridge (1922-1965) could sing and dance with the best of them. Though her marriage to Harold Nicholas was brief, she could more than hold her own on stage with
Dorothy Dandridge, First Black Nominated for Best Actress Oscar Read More »
William H. Carney, a former slave, was bought out of slavery as a boy and sent north. When the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment formed for Black soldiers in 1863, he
Sgt. William Carney, Former Slave and Medal of Honor Recipient Read More »
