black history facts
On December 1, 1955, she famously refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, sparking a historic civil rights boycott.
Who is Rosa Parks?
This highly successful, long-running 90s sitcom starred Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself sent to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle.
What is The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Often hailed as the "King of Pop," his legendary 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time.
Who is Micheal Jackson?
This multi-talented poet and civil rights activist wrote the iconic, empowering poem "Still I Rise".
Who is Maya Angelou?
This legendary NBA superstar won four championships with the Lakers and Heat, earned the nickname "Shaq", and is famous for his massive personality on television.
Who is Shaquille O'Neal?
In 2021, she made civil rights history by being sworn in as the first female and first African American Vice President of the United States.
Who is Kamala Harris?
Set in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, this 2018 Marvel film became a massive cultural phenomenon.
What is Wakanda?
Known as the "Princess of R&B," this iconic 90s singer captured hearts with hits like "Are You That Somebody?" and "One in a Million" before her tragic passing in 2001.
Who is Aaliyah?
This creative cultural explosion of Black art, literature, and music took place in a specific Upper Manhattan neighborhood during the 1920s.
What is the Harlem Renaissance?
She is one of the most acclaimed performers of her generation and is a member of both the Triple Crown of Acting (winning an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony) and an EGOT winner.
Who is Viola Davis?
Celebrated on June 19th, this holiday marks the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure all enslaved people were freed.
What is Juneteenth?
In a famous Black History Month episode of this iconic Disney Channel series, Raven uses her psychic powers to expose a clothing store manager's racist hiring practices.
What is That's So Raven ?
Born in Houston, Texas, this global icon became the first Black woman to headline the Coachella music festival, an iconic 2018 performance dubbed "Beychella."
Who is Beyoncé?
This incredibly famous 19th-century abolitionist and orator wrote a bestselling 1845 autobiography detailing his escape from slavery.
Who is Frederick Douglass?
American actor, rapper, and film producer. He is widely recognized as one of Hollywood's most bankable leading men, with global box office returns spanning billions of dollars.
Who is Will Smith ?
The brilliant mathematician and NASA human computer calculated the flight trajectory for the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
Who is Kathrine Johnson?
This media mogul launched her own cable network, OWN, in 2011 after hosting her top-rated daytime talk show for 25 seasons.
Who is Oprah Winfrey?
This annual festival weekend, launched in 2001 by a prominent Black entertainment cable network, celebrates achievements in music, acting, and sports.
What are the BET Awards?
This beloved modern author wrote the bestselling book The Hate U Give, which follows a teen girl navigating life after witnessing a police shooting.
Who is Angie Thomas?
Operating under the iconic campaign slogan "Unbought and Unbossed," this trailblazing Brooklyn politician made history in 1968 as the very first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress.
Who is Shirley Chisholm?
A record-breaking track and field athlete was the first African American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games in 1960.
Who was Wilma Rudolph?
Played by Daniel Kaluuya, this talented young photographer is the main protagonist who travels upstate to meet his girlfriend's family.
Who is Chris Washington?
Formed in Atlanta in 1991, this legendary neo-soul and hip-hop live band layout became the first rap group to win an Album of the Year Grammy for their classic 2003 double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.
Who is Outkast?
He was a legendary leader of the Harlem Renaissance whose famous 1951 poem "Harlem" asks the iconic question: "What happens to a dream deferred?"
Who is Langston Hughes?
She was a brilliant civil rights activist, investigative journalist, and researcher who spent her life documenting and exposing the horrors of lynching in the American South during the 1890s.
Who is Ida B. Wells?