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The Black Stuntmen’s Association was formed in the late ’60’s as a rebuttal to the racial discrimination faced by stuntmen and stuntwomen of color during the time. Sitting president of the BSA Willie Harris and the surviving members of the Association have been recognized for their pioneering efforts in the stunt work industry. Bill Cosby […]

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Little Matthew Smith will embark upon a historic journey early next month as he will lead a 75-piece orchestra. The feat will make Smith the youngest conductor to ever lead an orchestra of that size, besting a previous record held by a 14-year-old Venezuelan youth orchestra conductor. Smith, who resides in Nottingham in the United […]

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Since 1975, the African Heritage Cultural Center has remained a hub of Black culture for residents from its base in Miami and across the South Florida region. Aside from providing world-class instruction to area youth in the arts, many students who entered the AHCAC have gone on to stellar careers in various capacities. President Lyndon […]

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Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour made history as the first Black woman aviator for the U.S. Marines, and also became the first Black woman combat pilot across the U.S. Armed Forces. Today, Armour is a motivational speaker and author and one of the faces of a new campaign aimed at recognizing the contributions of women. Armour was […]

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Anne Moody was a civil rights activist who was immortalized via a photo showing an angry white mob physically assaulting her during a peaceful lunch counter protest in 1963. Moody ultimately chronicled her journey in an award-winning book but never sought the spotlight. Moody was born in the Centreville area of Mississippi as the eldest of […]

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Oney “Ona” Judge, also known as Oney Judge Staines, gained fame as an escaped slave who avoided the search efforts of President George Washington. Much of Judge’s story became known shortly before her death via a pair of interviews and was a valuable resource to abolitionists. Born in 1773 at Virginia’s Mount Vernon estate to […]

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Sir Derek Walcott was one of the greatest poets of his time, capturing the essence of the Caribbean in his works. The award-winning poet and playwright passed at the age of 87 in his native St. Lucia last Friday, leaving behind a towering literary legacy. Walcott was born January 30, 1930 in Cap Estate, Gros-Islet, […]

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While Elvis Presley became the face of Rock ‘N’ Roll, the true genius behind the art form was Chuck Berry. Berry passed in his home last Saturday at the age of 90, leaving behind a legendary influence that stretched far beyond rock music. Berry was born October 18, 1926 in St. Louis, Mo. The future […]

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Paul Williams was a pioneering architect who achieved several historical firsts en route to his way to becoming home designer to the stars. Along with designing homes for Southern California’s elite, Williams also designed the St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Los Angeles’ Saks Fifth Avenue, among other top designs. Williams was born February 1, 1894, […]

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In the late 1800’s, young Black girls and women looking to escape the dearth of opportunities for education and jobs in the south traveled north. In New York, the White Rose Mission was established by a pair of Black women activists who saw a need to subvert the men who often preyed on the new […]

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The case of Hocutt v. Wilson occurred this month in 1933 in North Carolina and is reportedly the first attempt to integrate a higher learning institution. While the matter was unsuccessful, it laid the  groundwork for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision some two decades later. Thomas Hocutt, then a 24-year-old student at […]

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Eli Whitney, who is credited for patenting the cotton gin machine on this day in 1794, became a topic of discussion at the top of this year’s Black History Month. Although the farmer and inventor was depicted as a Black man to some students, in fact, Whitney was a white man. Born December 8, 1765 […]