Today In Black History July 14, 1822, • Denmark Vesey Uprising in Charleston, South Carolina

On this day July 14, 1822, revolutionary Denmark Vesey planned a slave revolt to take place in Charleston, South Carolina, intending for thousands of slaves to kill their masters and sail to Haiti; instead, he was betrayed by slaves and executed.

Read More
Message to the Grassroots by Malcolm X (Full Transcript)

Here we have the full transcript of one of Malcolm X's most important speeches of his lifetime “Message to the Grassroots”. In this speech that was given during Malcolm’s time during his tenure with the Nation of Islam. Our Brother talks about the mentality between the “house negro and the field negro” and how it was relevant to the modern struggle.

November 10, 1963.

We want to have just an off-the-cuff chat between you and me — us. We want to talk right down to earth in a language that everybody here can easily understand. We all agree tonight, all of the speakers have agreed, that America has a very serious problem. Not only does America have a very serious problem, but our people have a very serious problem. America’s problem is us. We’re her problem. The only reason she has a problem is she doesn’t want us here. And every time you look at yourself, be you black, brown, red, or yellow — a so-called Negro — you represent a person who poses such a serious problem for America because you’re not wanted. Once you face this as a fact, then you can start plotting a course that will make you appear intelligent, instead of unintelligent.

Read More
Professor James Smalls talks BLACK LIVES MATTER, Malcolm X, Black Love at Nicholas Brooklyn

Dr. James Smalls is an art historian, with a focus on the intersections of race, gender, and queer sexuality in the art and visual culture of the nineteenth century, as well as the art and visual culture of the black diaspora. He is the author of Homosexuality in Art (Parkstone Press, 2003) and The Homoerotic Photography of Carl Van Vechten: Public Face, Private Thoughts (2006).

Read More
Today In Black History, May 10th 1930: The National Pan-Hellenic Council is formed

The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is a collaborative umbrella organization composed of historically African American fraternities and sororities. The nine NPHC Greek-letter organizations are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Divine Nine (D9)". The member/partner organizations have not formally adopted nor recommended the use of this term to describe their collaborative grouping. The NPHC was formed as a permanent organization on May 10, 1930, on the campus of Howard University, in Washington, D.C. with Matthew W. Bullock as the active Chairman and B. Beatrix Scott as Vice-Chairman. NPHC was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois in 1937 and is headquartered in Decatur, Georgia.

Read More
Today In Black History February 8th 1986: Debi Thomas became the first African-American Women's Singles of the U.S. Figure Skating Champion

On Feb. 8, 1986, figure skater Debi Thomas became the first African-American to win the Women's Singles of the U.S. National Figure Skating Championship competition while studying as a pre-med student at Stanford University. She was the first Black woman to win a national figure skating title. Thomas also earned the distinction of becoming the first African-American to win a medal in any Winter Olympic sport when she won a bronze medal in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.

Read More
Today In Black History February 7th 1926: Carter G. Woodson Launched Negro History Week

On Feb. 7, 1926, Carter G. Woodson, initiated the first celebration of Negro History Week which led to Black History Month, to extend and deepen the study and scholarship on African American history, all year long. Here is an essay on the history and purpose of Black History Month, followed by recommended articles and resources on Black history.

Read More