"Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway." -Mother Teresa
Harriet Tubman was born to enslaved parents in Dorchester County, Maryland, and originally named Araminta Harriet Ross. Her mother, Harriet “Rit” Green, was owned by Mary Pattison Brodess. Her father, Ben Ross, was owned by Anthony Thompson, who eventually married Mary Brodess. Araminta, or “Minty,” was one of nine children born to Rit and Ben …
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Born in the Deep South—in Summit, Pike County, Mississippi—in 1832, Sarah Boone made her name by inventing the ironing board. Boone was a rarity during her time, a female African-American inventor. In her patent application, she wrote that the purpose of her invention was "to produce a cheap, simple, convenient and highly effective device, particularly …
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Born on January 7, 1891, in Notasulga, Alabama, writer Zora Neale Hurston created several acclaimed works of fiction, including the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. She was also an outstanding folklorist and anthropologist who worked to record the stories and tales of many cultures, including her own African-American heritage. Her birthplace has been the …
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On this day in Black history... 1. 1985 - Grammy Awards On this day at the Grammy Awards ceremony, African-American musicians won awards in several categories. Lionel Richie's 'Can't Slow Down' won best album of 1984. Tina Turner's 'What's Love Got to Do With It' took the best record slot and earned her the title …
On this day in Black history... 1. 1983 - Pianist Eubie Blake died in Brooklyn, NY 5 days after his 100th birthday. 2. 1962 - Bus boycott started in Macon, Georgia. 3. 1956 - In 1956, the first black late-night talk show host in history, Arsenio Hall was born. 4. 1952 - Congressional Medal of Honor awarded posthumously to …
