Harry Belafonte was an entertainer, he was born in 1927 in Harlem New York to a Jamaican mother and father. Belafonte was a singer, songwriter and actor. He was the ‘King of Calypso’, often referred to this for his Trinidadian
Juneteenth
Juneteenth, why is this a significant date? In theory the slaves were freed by way of the ratification 13th amendment by Georgia on December 6, 1865. Yet this elusive status freedom didn’t come directly, rather it came indirectly by way
Stokely Carmichael
Stokely Carmichael born in Trinidad in 1941, but later moved to Harlem, New York in 1952. He attended the mostly white Bronx High Schoo of Science, and later attended Howard University where he joined the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).
Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz recorded 23 gold albums, she was also known as one the most popular salsa performers of all time. Born in Havana, Cuba on October 21, 1925, Celia Cruz rose to fame as a singer in Cuba during the
Fannie Lou Hammer
Fannie Lou Hammer was a powerful voice in the civil rights and voting rights movements. She was a co-founder and vice-chairmen of the Freedom Democratic Party, she represented the party at the 1964 democratic convention. Hammer’s activism began in the
Daniel Hale Williams
Daniel Hale Williams was an African American surgeon. He lived from Jan 18, 1856 – August 4, 1931. He had a variety of careers before becoming a surgeon. Daniel H. Williams started working at the age of 17, initially starting
Cheikh Anta Diop
(1923-1986)Cheikh Anta Diop was a Historian, Egyptologist, Physicist, Author, Politician and Pan Africanist. He was born in Senegal, completed his undergraduate education in Senegal and eventually went to Paris to continue graduate studies. While in Paris Cheikh studied at the
Ivan Van Sertima
Dr. Ivan Van Sertima was a Professor, author, linguist, and an anthropologist. Van Sertima has made extensive contributions in each of the fields he has worked and studied in. Originally from Georgetown, Guyana he was born in 1935. Ivan studied
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Garvey lived from August 17, 1887 – June 10, 1940. He was a Jamaican born political activist, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator. A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without
Black Caesar
Black Caesar was an African Chief that was tricked into stepping foot on a ship where he was then sold into slavery. He escaped the slave ship with the help of a sailor that he befriended and eventually the two