Winner of the 2024 RUSA Outstanding Reference Award
Introduces students to African-American innovators and their contributions to art, entertainment, sports, politics, religion, business, and popular culture.
While the achievements of such individuals as Barack Obama, Toni Morrison, and Thurgood Marshall are well known, many accomplished African Americans have been largely forgotten or deliberately erased from the historical record in America. This volume introduces students to those African Americans whose successes in entertainment, business, sports, politics, and other fields remain poorly understood. Dr. Charles Drew, whose pioneering research on blood transfusions saved thousands of lives during World War II; Mae Jemison, an engineer who in 1992 became the first African American woman to travel in outer space; and Ethel Waters, the first African American to star in her own television show, are among those chronicled in Forgotten African American Firsts.
With nearly 150 entries across 17 categories, this book has been carefully curated to showcase the inspiring stories of African Americans whose hard work, courage, and talent have led the course of history in the United States and around the world.
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Introduces students to African-American innovators and their contributions to art, entertainment, sports, politics, religion, business, and popular culture.
Guide to Related Topics
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Art
Brown, Grafton Tyler (18411918)
Edmondson, William (ca. 18741951)
Thomas, Alma Woodsey (18911978)
Edwards, Melvin Eugene (b. 1937)
Puryear, Martin L. (b. 1941)
Sims, Lowery Stokes (b. 1949)
Studio Museum of Harlem (founded 1968)
Business and Labor
Church, Robert Reed, Sr. (18391912)
Walker, Madam C. J. (Sarah Breedlove) (18671919)
Walker, Maggie Lena Draper (18671934)
Washington, Mary Thelma (19062005)
Johnson, John H. (19182005)
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (19251978)
Domestic Workers Union (founded 1934)
Raines, Franklin Delano (b. 1949)
WERD Atlanta (founded 1949)
Burns, Ursula (b. 1958)
Diplomacy
Bassett, Ebenezer Don Carlos (18331908)
Sampson, Edith Spurlock (19011979)
Bunche, Ralph Johnson (19041971)
Dudley, Edward Richard (19112005)
Harris, Patricia (19241985)
Young, Andrew Jackson, Jr. (b. 1932)
Film and Theater
Micheaux, Oscar (18841951)
McDaniel, Hattie (18951952)
Hall, Juanita (19011968)
Gordone, Charles Edward (19251995)
Poitier, Sidney (19272022)
Carroll, Diahann (19352019)
Berry, Halle Maria (b. 1966)
Peele, Jordan Haworth (b. 1979)
Invention
Jennings, Thomas L. (17911856)
Reed, Judy W. (ca. 1826)
Latimer, Lewis Howard (18481928)
Morgan, Garrett Augustus (18771963)
Brown, Marie Van Brittan (19221999)
Law
Allen, Macon Bolling (18161894)
Lowery, Samuel R. (1830/1832ca. 1900)
Hastie, William Henry (19041976)
Bolin, Jane Matilda (19082007)
Marshall, Thurgood (19081993)
Higginbotham, Aloysius Leon, Jr. (19281998)
Literature
Hammon, Jupiter (1711ca. 1806)
Wheatley, Phillis (ca. 17531784)
Brown, William Wells (ca. 18141884)
Ellison, Ralph Waldo (19131994)
Brooks, Gwendolyn (19172000)
Hamilton, Virginia (19362002)
Parks, Suzan-Lori (b. 1963)
Medicine
Durham, James (1762ca. 1802)
Smith, James McCune (18131865)
Peck, David Jones (ca. 18261855)
Crumpler, Rebecca Lee (18311895)
Mahoney, Mary Eliza (18451926)
Freeman, Robert Tanner (18461873)
Fuller, Solomon Carter (18721953)
Drew, Charles Richard (19041950)
Hershey, Alfred Day (19081997)
Bristow, Lonnie Robert (b. 1930)
Elders, Minnie Joycelyn (b. 1933)
Canady, Alexa Irene (b. 1950)
Military and Space Exploration
Carney, William Harvey (18401908)
Williams, Cathay (18441893)
Flipper, Henry Ossian (18561940)
First Louisiana Native Guard and First South Carolina Infantry (18621864)
Davis, Benjamin Oliver, Sr. (18801970)
Masters, Alfred (19161975)
Bluford, Guion Steward, Jr. (b. 1942)
Cadoria, Sherian Grace (b. 1943)
Smith, Merle James, Jr. (19442021)
Jemison, Mae Carol (b. 1956)
Barber, Sydney (b. 1999)
Music and Dance
Joplin, Scott (18681917)
Price, Florence Beatrice (18871953)
Still, William Grant, Jr. (18951978)
Basie, William James Count (19041984)
Fitzgerald, Ella (19171996)
Walker, George Theophilus (19222018)
Lewis, Henry Jay (19321996)
Mitchell, Arthur (19342018)
Pride, Charley Frank (19342020)
Smith, Willard Carroll Will (b. 1968) and Jeffrey Allen Townes (b. 1965)
Politics and Government
Revels, Hiram Rhodes (18271901)
Pinchback, Pinckney Benton Stewart (18371921)
Menard, John Willis (18381893)
Weaver, Robert Clifton (19071997)
Chisholm, Shirley (19242005)
Wilder, L. Douglas (b. 1931)
Moseley Braun, Carol (b. 1947)
Print Media
Stewart, Maria W. (Miller) (18031879)
Cary, Mary Ann Shadd (18231893)
Freedoms Journal (18271829)
Ruffin, Josephine St. Pierre (18421924)
Baker, Clarence Matthew Matt (19211959)
Turner, Morris Nolton Morrie (19232014)
Sleet, Moneta, Jr. (19261996)
Lewis, Matthew (b. 1930)
All-Negro Comics (1947)
Page, Clarence (b. 1947)
Wilkerson, Isabel (b. 1961)
Radio and Television
Waters, Ethel (18961977)
Howard, Bob (Howard Joyner) (19061986)
Bostic, Joseph (19081988)
Jackson, Howard Baron Hal (19152012)
Lomax, Louis E. (19221970)
Robinson, Maxie Cleveland Max (19391988)
Religion
Jones, Absalom (17461818)
Haynes, Lemuel (17531833)
Silver Bluff Baptist Church (established ca. 1775)
African Methodist Episcopal Church (founded 1816)
Holly, James Theodore (18291911)
Healy, James (18301900)
Murray, Pauli (Anna Pauline) (19101985)
Sinkford, William (b. 1946)
McKenzie, Vashti Murphy (b. 1947)
Luter, Fred, Jr. (b. 1956)
Stanton, Alysa (b. 1963)
Scholarship
Twilight, Alexander Lucius (17951857)
Payne, Daniel Alexander (18111893)
Early, Sarah Jane Woodson (18251907)
Healy, Patrick Francis (18341910)
Coppin, Fanny Jackson (18371913)
Patterson, Mary Jane (18401894)
Bouchet, Edward Alexander (18521918)
Ashmun Institute (Lincoln University) (established 1854)
Wilberforce University (established 1856)
Alexander, Sadie Tanner Mossell (18981989)
Simmons, Ruth J. (b. 1945)
Science
Brady, St. Elmo (18841966)
Haynes, Euphemia Lofton (18901980)
Cox, Elbert Frank (18951969)
Williams, Marguerite Thomas (18951991)
Blackwell, David Harold (19192010)
Moore, Willie Hobbs (19341994)
Ellis, Clarence A. (19432014)
Sports
Gans, Joseph Joe (18741910)
Johnson, Arthur John Jack (18781946)
Taylor, Marshall Walter Major (18781932)
Taylor, John Baxter (18821908)
Paige, Leroy Satchel (19061982)
Sifford, Charles Luther Charlie (19222015)
Gibson, Althea (19272003)
Elder, Lee (19342021)
Russell, William F. Bill (b. 1934)
ORee, William Eldon Willie (b. 1935)
Robinson, Frank (19352019)
Davis, Ernest Ernie (19391963)
Ashe, Arthur (19431993)
Ashley, Maurice (b. 1966)
Thomas, Debra Janine Debi (b. 1967)
Index
Hans A. Ostrom is Professor of English and African American Studies at the University of Puget Sound, USA.
J. David Macey Jr. is Professor of English and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Fort Hays State University, USA.
