March 1, 1841 Blanche Kelso Bruce, the first elected African American United States senator to serve a full term, was born enslaved in Prince Edward County, Virginia. Because his father was white, he was able to legally free Bruce and arrange for a trade apprenticeship.
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February 10th in African American History – Grace Towns Hamilton
February 10, 1907 Grace Towns Hamilton, the first African American woman elected to the Georgia General Assembly, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Hamilton earned her bachelor’s degree in 1927 from Atlanta University and her master’s degree in psychology from Ohio State University in 1929.
February 7th in African American History – Allen B. West
February 7, 1961 Allen B. West, the first African American Republican Congressman from Florida since Reconstruction, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. West earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983 from the University of Tennessee and his Master of Arts degree in 1986 from Kansas State University, both in political science.
February 6th in African American History – Walter Edward Fauntroy
February 6, 1933 Walter Edward Fauntroy, pastor, civil rights activist and former Congressman, was born in Washington, D.C. Fauntroy earned his Bachelor of Arts degree Cum Laude from Virginia University in 1955 and earned his Bachelor of Divinity degree from Yale University in 1958.
January 6th in African American History – Louis Emanuel Martin, Jr.
January 6, 1997 Louis Emanuel Martin, Jr., journalist, publisher, and civil rights activist, died. Martin was born November 18, 1912 in Shelbyville, Tennessee, but grew up in Savannah, Georgia. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Michigan in 1934 and in 1936 was hired as a reporter for the […]
January 1st in African American History – Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm
January 1, 2005 Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm, educator and politician, died. Chisholm was born November 30, 1924 in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Brooklyn College in 1946 and her Master of Arts degree in elementary education from Columbia University in 1952. From 1953 to 1959, she was director […]
December 20th in African American History – Leopold Sedar Senghor
December 20, 2001 Leopold Sedar Senghor, poet and the first President of Senegal, died. Senghor was born October 9, 1906 in Joal, Senegal. His father was a successful businessman and this allowed him to attend the best schools in Senegal and earn a scholarship to study in France where he graduated from the University of […]