It was interesting to hear my mom tell me tales earlier today of how Juneteenth used to be celebrated. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years...

Here is a clip of Lena Horne (1917 – 2010) in one of my favorite old...

I originally posted this list on my teen site earlier this week. AA Book Reading List Suggestions List compiled by Shelia M. Goss Below is a list of books either by or about African-American pioneers. The books can be found at your local library or from an online retailer. The early black history movement, Carter G. Woodson, and Lorenzo Johnston Greene. Dagbovie, Pero Gaglo Carter G. Woodson : the father of Black history...

Social activist Dorothy Height was born in Richmond, Virginia, on March 24, 1912. At an early age, she moved with her family to Rankin, Pennsylvania. While in high school, Height was awarded a scholarship to New York University for her oratory skills, where she studied and earned her master’s degree. Height began her career working as a caseworker with the New York City Welfare Department, but at the age of twenty-five, she began her...

In the 1948 summer Olympics, Alice Coachman became the first African American woman to win a gold medal. According to the New Georgia Encylopedia, Few athletes have dominated a sport as thoroughly as Alice Coachman dominated the high jump. Named to five All-American teams, she won a gold medal in the 1948 Olympics, becoming the first African American woman to do so. She has been inducted into eight halls of fame. Born in 1923 in Albany,...

My nephew’s mom was named after the woman I’m highlighting today–Septima Poinsette Clark (1898-1987). I found out a few weeks ago that Septima’s mother communicated with Ms. Clark on numerous occasions and that’s how she ended up with the unique name. Who is Septima Poinsette Clark? She was an American educator and civil rights activist. She is known as the “Queen mother” or “Grandmother of...