History

There aren’t many people out there who make rocket science look easy. Somehow, Dr. Mae Jemison has done it for almost 30 years with grace and style. Jemison’s claim to fame is being the first African-American woman to enter space during her trip on the Endeavor in 1992. However, her life had an ordinary start […]

If you only had 6-seconds to give an acceptance speech at the NAACP Image Awards, what would you say? Who would you thank? We put some of Black Hollywood’s finest thespians on the spot on the red carpet of the #ImageAwards and gave them the opportunity to thank the supportive people in their lives…the catch? […]

It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since Spike Lee dropped his classic joint School Daze, the film that introduced the world to Black Greek life and HBCU culture. MUST READ: We’re Feeling Old, It’s Been 20 Years Since Salt-N-Pepa’s ‘Shoop!’ [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO] If you’re a member of a Black Greek-lettered organization, or just a […]

Celebrity stylist June Ambrose has been named one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Stylists by the Hollywood Reporter. How were the winners determined? By their “A-list clients, red-carpet hits (and misses) and profitable gigs such as TV hosting, book deals, commercials.” June made the cut at #23, for her work with Diddy, Jay-Z, Kelly […]

When slavery was finally outlawed during the Civil War, few Americans took the removal of the slaves’ shackles to mean that the African should be accorded equal status with the white man. Yet, in 1903, just 40 years after the Emancipation, one man dared to envision such a future. W.E.B. Du Bois’s book, “The Souls […]

Despite the rough nature of his sport, Muhammad Ali was one of the smoothest persons ever to walk the Earth. His poetic verse and well-considered metaphors came out a time during the 1960s when boxers were better known for punching than speaking. But Muhammad Ali did speak, and spoke intelligently – in a loud, boisterous […]

If there is one person from history whose impact on the Black woman’s self-image rivals that of Oprah Winfrey, it is the hair mogul Madame C.J. Walker. Walker was the first successful Black female entrepreneur. Her insistence on involvement in both the business world and civic affairs predates Oprah’s story, and to the extent that […]

No sport has been more celebrated in the black community more than the game of basketball. From the gifted athletes, to the way the players transcended their sport and became celebrities for their athletic talents, basketball, if not America’s game, is black America’s game. Here are nine basketball players who made it so. MICHAEL JORDAN […]

In 1940, one Black novelist dared to show America what white supremacy did to one Black man. When “Native Son” appeared on America’s bookshelves, it became an instant bestseller, the first title by an African-American author selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club. It also introduced the world to the complicated protagonist of “Native Son,” Chicago’s Bigger […]

As we continue our trip down memory lane throughout Black History Month, we stop to remember the cars that have transported us through the decades.

When Booker T. Washington stepped to the podium at the Atlanta Exposition in 1895 to give a speech on race relations, two things happened. First, many fellow Black Americans, including W.E.B. Du Bois, derided his speech as “The Atlanta Compromise,” because Washington called the agitation for social equality “the extremest folly,” advocating instead slow, steady, […]

As Michelle Obama celebrates her 47th birthday today, here are 47 things you didn’t know about about the First Lady: 1. Her nickname is “Miche” (pronounced “Meesh”). 2. Her husband calls her “My Rock” 3. Her father worked the swing shift in the boiler room at Chicago’s water purification plant. 4. She grew up with […]