July 16, 1998 John Henrik Clarke, Pan-Africanist writer, historian, and professor, died. Clarke was born January 1, 1915 in Union Springs, Alabama. In 1933, Clarke left the South and moved to Harlem where he joined study circles like the Harlem History Club and the Harlem Writers’ Workshop. He was a “self-educated intellectual.” Clarke was co-founder […]
Archive | Author RSS feed for this section
Harriet E. Adams Wilson – June 28th in African American History
June 28, 1900 Harriet E. Adams Wilson, considered the first female novelist, died. Wilson was born March 15, 1825 in Milford, New Hampshire. Her father died and her mother abandoned her when she was young. As an orphan, she was made an indentured servant. After the end of her indenture, Wilson worked as a house […]
Thelma Lucille Sayles (Lucille Clifton) – June 27th in African American History
June 27, 1936 Thelma Lucille Sayles (Lucille Clifton), poet and educator, was born in Depew, New York. Clifton graduated from the State University of New York in 1955 and over the next 15 years worked for the New York State Division of Employment and the federal Office of Education. In 1996, her poetry was included […]
James Weldon Johnson – June 26th in African American History
June 26, 1938 James Weldon Johnson, author, diplomat, poet, songwriter, and civil rights activist, died. Johnson was born June 17, 1871 in Jacksonville, Florida. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree from Atlanta University in 1894 and 1904, respectively. In 1900, Johnson along with his brother, John Rosamond, co-composed “Lift […]
Octavia Estelle Butler – June 22nd in African American History
June 22, 1947 Octavia Estelle Butler, award-winning science fiction writer, was born in Pasadena, California. Butler began writing at the age of 10 and at 12 began a lifelong interest in science fiction. In 1968, she earned an associate’s degree from Pasadena City College and then participated in a number of writing workshops. Her first […]
June 14th in African American History – John Edgar Wideman
June 14, 1941 John Edgar Wideman, author and educator, was born in Washington, D. C. but grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Wideman earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was also an All-Ivy League basketball player, in 1963. He was the second African American to win […]
June 9th in African American History – Ousmane Sembene
June 9, 2007 Ousmane Sembene, writer and “Father of African film,” died. Sembene was born January 1, 1923 in Casamance, Senegal. In 1944, he was drafted into the French army to fight in World War II. In 1947, he moved to France where he discovered writers such as Claude McKay and Jacques Roumain. His first […]