|
History Makers
From athletes, to writers, musicians, and actors, these are the history makers of the past and present that make up Black History.
|
|
| Hank Aaron One of Major League Baseball's greatest players. |
| Maya Angelou A writer and poet, her work has been recognized throughout the world. |
| Halle Berry The first African-American woman to ever win an Academy Award for Best Actress. |
| Ray Charles An American pianist, singer, and songwriter who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues. |
| Aretha Franklin Known as the 'Queen of Soul', Franklin has mastered the many genres of music, including jazz, rock, blues, pop, R&B and gospel. |
| Jimi Hendrix Was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. |
| Michael Jackson The greatest pop icon of the 20th century. |
| Michael Jordan The most infamous basketball player of all time. |
| Martin Luther King Jr. An influential and pivotal leader during the Civil Rights Movement. A national holiday is recognized for his achievements. |
| Jackie Joyner-Kersee One of the greatest female athletes of all time. |
| Barack Obama The current president of the United States of America, and the only African American to ever hold the position. |
| Rosa Parks A pioneer in the Civil Rights Movement, Parks was later called the "Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement" by the U.S. Congress. |
| Jackie Robinson The first African-American Major League Baseball player of the modern era. |
| Clarence Thomas The second African American elected to the United States Supreme Court; was named the 106th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1991. |
| Harriet Tubman She was an abolitionist, humanitarian, and Union spy during the U.S. Civil War; her work and efforts saved countless men and women through the Underground Railroad. |
| Denzel Washington The second African American man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. |
| Stevie Wonder An African American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. His work is world-renowned. |
| Tiger Woods Professional golfer whose achievements rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. |
Black
History Milestones 1850: First organization of black workers is established in New York City, called The American League of Colored Laborers. 1869: National Labor Union becomes first organization of white workers to advocate creation of black labor unions. 1869: The Colored National Labor Union is formed. 1918: First federal bureau to attempt to ease labor-related racial tensions caused by blacks leaving the South is established. 1941: The Fair Employment Practice Commission is established, which is the first federal agency to provide fair employment practices. 1945: In New York, the Ives-Quinn Act is passed. It was the first state legislation prohibiting discrimination in employment on the basis of race, creed or color. 1948: Truman signs Executive Order 9981. 1954: Supreme Court rules on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas case, which stated segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. 1955: Civil Rights Pioneer Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat to a white passenger; Montgomery Bus Boycott ensues. 1957: Martin Luther King and other African American leaders establish the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. 1963: Nearly 200,000 people join the March on Washington, where Martin Luther King delivers his infamous, "I Have a Dream" speech. 1964: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is passed, making it the first federal fair employment legislation. 1965: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is passed by Congress, which allows all colors and creeds to vote. |
