On January 11, 1879, British troops crossed into Zululand, beginning the Anglo-Zulu War. It was a conflict the Zulu Kingdom did not ask for, but one that came after they refused to surrender their independence. The war ended in...
In the early 19th century, Richard Furman was one of the most influential Baptist leaders in the American South. Revered for his intellect and preaching, Furman left behind a legacy that is now deeply controversial: he defended slavery not...
In September 1906, Atlanta experienced one of the worst racial attacks in U.S. history. For three days, white mobs moved through the city attacking Black residents, destroying businesses, and killing people in the open. It is often called the...
On January 8, 1811, along the sugar plantations of Louisiana’s German Coast, enslaved Africans rose up in one of the boldest acts of resistance in American history. Led by Charles Deslondes, the uprising would become the largest slave rebellion...
The Maxim gun, invented in 1884 by American-born engineer Hiram Maxim, was the world’s first fully automatic machine gun. Capable of firing 500 to 600 bullets per minute, it gave small European forces a staggering advantage over much larger...
In the early nineteenth century, European missionaries poured into West Africa convinced they were bringing light to a “dark continent.” Many did not last long enough to preach. Disease, especially malaria, killed them with ruthless speed. Among the few...
Andrew Watson was a Scottish footballer who made history as the world’s first Black international football player and captain. Playing for Scotland between 1881 and 1882, he was a pioneer in the sport, achieving success at a time when...
For millions of enslaved Black families in the United States, January 1 was never a day of joy. While the world around them celebrated the New Year with music, laughter, and hope, enslaved families faced dread and sorrow. They...
For the millions of Africans brought to the Americas in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the Bible occupied a paradoxical place. In the hands of enslavers, it became a tool of control, a weapon wielded to justify cruelty...
In nineteenth-century Europe, Africans were rare sights in royal courts, and when present, they were often treated less as ordinary people and more as symbols of curiosity and status. One such figure was John Panzio, an African man who...
