• Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks was born on November 30, 1912
• Awarded a fellowship for photography from the Rosenwald Fund in 1941
• Photography: Dinner Time at Mr. Hercules Brown’s Home in 1944
• Photography: Car Loaded with Furniture on Highway in 1945
• Photography: Ferry Commuters in 1946
• Photography: Grease Plant Worker in 1946
• Authored Flash Photography in 1947
• First African-American staff photographer and writer for Life Magazine in 1948
• Authored The Learning Tree in 1964
• Authored A Choice of Weapons in 1967
• Co-founder of Essence magazine in 1968
• Editorial Director of Essence magazine from 1968-71
• Wrote, produced, and directed the film The Learning Tree in 1969
• Directed the film Shaft in 1971
• Awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP in 1972
• Directed and composed the musical score for the film Shaft’s Big Score in 1972
• Authored To Smile in Autumn in 1979
• Awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Thiel College in 1984
• Awarded National Medal of Arts by the National Endowment of the Arts in 1988
• Parks died at the age of 93 on March 7, 2006

The Gordan Parks Foundation

Thomas L. Jennings was an African-American abolitionist, tailor, and dry cleaner who resided in New York City, New York. On March 3, 1821, Jennings became the first African-American to be granted a patent for his dry cleaning process known as dry scouring – which eventually transformed into modern day dry cleaning. During this era, slaves could not own the rights to their own inventions, as it was legally the property of their owner. Nevertheless, Jennings was a free man and therefore retained the rights of his invention. Jennings was a devout abolitionist who used the profits from his invention to free his family from slavery. He also used his money to further fund the abolitionist agenda. He served as assistant secretary of the First Annual Convention of the People of Color in addition to being the founder and president of the Legal Rights Association. Jennings died in 1856.

Sources:
Jessie Carney Smith, Black Firsts 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Historical Events, Visible Ink Press; 2nd edition (December 1, 2002)

• William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born on February 23, 1868
• Graduated from Great Barrington High School in 1884
• Earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Fisk University in 1888
• Earned his Master of Arts from Harvard University in 1891
• Earned Doctorate in History from Harvard University in 1895
• Assistant instructor in sociology at the University of Pennsylvania 1896-97
• Professor of history, sociology and economics at Atlanta University
• Editor of The Crisis Magazine at the NAACP
• Authored The Negro in Business in 1899
• Authored Souls of Black Folk in 1903
• Co-founded The Niagara Movement in 1905
• Authored Voice of the Negro II in 1905
• Co-founded the NAACP in 1909
• Authored The Negro in 1915
• Awarded Spingarn Medal in 1920
• Authored The Gift of Black Folk in 1924
• Authored Black Reconstruction in 1935
• Awarded Lenin Peace Prize in 1959
• Du Bois died at the age of 95 on August 27, 1963

• Jesse Owens was born on September 12, 1913
  • Attended East Technical High School
  • Tied world record in 100 m dash at the National High School Championship in 1933
  • Attended Ohio State University
  • Won a record 8 individual medals in the NCAA
  • At Big Ten Meet, broke world records in 220 yd low hurdles, long jump, and 220 yd dash on May 25, 1935
  • Berlin Olympics: captured 4 gold medals: 100 m & 200 m sprint, long jump, 4 x 100 m relay in 1936
  • Inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1970
  • Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976
  • Living Legends Award in 1979
  • Died at the age of 66 on March 31, 1980
  • Posthumously awarded Congressional Gold Medal in 1990

• Carter Godwin Woodson was born on December 19, 1875
• Graduated from Douglass High School in 1897
• Became principal of Douglass High School in 1900
• Earned his Bachelor of Literature degree from Berea College in 1903
• Earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Chicago in 1908.
• Earned doctorate from Harvard University in 1912
• Historian, educator, author, publisher, and journalist
• Founder of Association for the Study of African-American Life and History in 1915
• Authored The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 in 1915
• Founded The Journal of Negro History 1916
• Became Dean of the School of Liberal Arts at Howard University in 1920
• Founded The Associated Publishers in 1920
• Authored The History of the Negro Church in 1922
• Established Negro History Week in February 1926, which later expanded to Black History Month
• Authored The Mis-Education of the Negro in 1933
• Founded the Negro History Bulletin in 1937
• Died at the age of 74 on April 3, 1950

The Nicholas Brothers were a famous African-American team of dancing brothers that consisted of Fayard & Harold Nicholas. A friend of mine sent me a video of their famous routine from the movie Stormy Weather and it was simply amazing. Their style of tap dancing was a composite of acrobatic technique, fabulous athleticism, and fearless innovation. Growing up in Philadelphia, neither brothers had any formal dance training. They would eventually go on to become stars of the jazz circuit during the height of the Harlem Renaissance. They also had successful careers performing on stage, film, and television. With all due respect to modern performers of today; nothing matches the sheer energy that the Nicholas Brothers display when they launch into their routines. No CGI or stunt doubles required. Ladies and gentlemen – enjoy.