Willie Francis was an African American teenager sentenced to death in 1945 after a flawed murder trial. At 17, he survived a botched execution, becoming the first known person to survive the electric chair. However, his appeals failed, and...
Elizabeth Eckford, born on October 4, 1941, was one of the Little Rock Nine, the first group of African American students to integrate Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas in 1957. Her bravery became iconic when, on September...
Sissieretta Jones, also known as the “Black Patti,” was a renowned African American soprano and the highest-paid Black performer of the late 19th century. Trained in classical music, she captivated audiences from the White House to the grand stages...
The transatlantic slave trade was built on extreme violence, but it was never without resistance. From the moment of capture to the brutal conditions aboard slave ships, enslaved Africans fought back in every way they could. Revolts were frequent,...
Thomas Moss was a successful Black entrepreneur and postman in Memphis, Tennessee, known for co-owning the People’s Grocery, a thriving business that provided an alternative to white-owned stores in the area. In 1892, Moss was falsely accused of inciting...
The Wiriyamu Massacre, also known as Operation Marosca, was a mass killing of civilians carried out by Portuguese soldiers in December 1972 in the village of Wiriyamu, located in Mozambique’s Tete Province. The massacre was part of Portugal’s brutal...
L. Alex Wilson was a courageous African American journalist and editor who covered key civil rights events, including the Emmett Till case and the Little Rock Nine crisis. In 1957, while reporting on the integration of Little Rock Central...
The Haitian Revolution stands as one of the most important liberation struggles in human history. An entire island of enslaved people rose up and successfully won their freedom through warfare. Figures such as Toussaint L’Overture, Jean Jacques Dessalines, and...
Anna Maria Weems was a black teenager who escaped slavery in Maryland by disguising herself as a male carriage driver. At just 15, she fled her enslaver's home and traveled north, evading capture and enduring numerous challenges. After weeks...
Tom Molineaux was an African American boxer who rose from slavery to become one of the most celebrated boxer of his time. Known for his strength and skill, he gained his freedom through boxing and became famous for his...
