Category: Authors | Arthur Ashe Legacy

Recognizing James Baldwin’s Legacy

Image courtesy of The Library of Congress. On this day, August 2nd, 1924, James Baldwin, African-American essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic, was born in Harlem, New York. Throughout his […]

Spotlight on Ida B. Wells

July 15, 2016/in Abolition African American History All American History Authors Civil Rights History NAACP Opportunity Protest Reconstruction US History /by Joe

Ida B. Wells circa 1893. Photo by Mary Garrity Tomorrow marks the birthday of a towering figure in American history. On, July 16, 1862 Ida B. Wells, African-American journalist, suffragist, […]

Newly released short story by Langston Hughes

June 1, 2016/in 1960s African American History All American History Arthur Ashe Authors /by Joe

Photo by Gordon Parks for US Office of War Information Originally written in 1961, “Seven People Dancing” by Langston Hughes was just published this week in the New Yorker. Arnold Rampersad, […]

Celebrating the Legacy of Lorraine Hansberry

May 19, 2016/in 1960s African American History All American History Authors Civil Rights Protest /by Joe

Today is the birthday of playwright and writer Lorraine Hansberry, born on May 19, 1932. She is most famous for her celebrated work A Raisin in the Sun, a play […]

Chronicle of Reconstruction: The Story of John R. Lynch

February 8, 2016/in African American History All American History Authors Civil Rights Civil War Education History Opportunity Reconstruction Service /by Joe

The photo from Lynch’s 1913 book John Roy Lynch was an American politician, writer, attorney, and military officer, who was born into slavery, gained freedom in 1863 and was subsequently […]

Happy Birthday to Nikki Giovanni

June 8, 2015/in 1960s African American History All Authors History Poetry Womens History /by Joe

Nikki Giovanni is a cherished American poet, writer, commentator activist and educator. She became prominent in the 60s and 70s. A mother, a teacher, a civil rights advocate, her poetry […]

Arna Bontemps: A man of letters, and so much more

February 27, 2014/in Arna Bontemps Authors Education /by Joe

Arna Bontemps was a prominent literary figure throughout the first half of the twentieth century, particularly notable due to his influence on African American literature and culture. “His career as […]

The Last Renaissance Woman: Dorothy West

February 26, 2014/in Authors Dorothy West History Poetry Travel /by Joe

“When I was a child of 4 or 5, listening to the conversation of my mother and her sisters, I would sometimes intrude on their territory with a solemnly stated […]

Carl Van Vechten: Capturing the Era

February 21, 2014/in Authors History Poetry /by Joe

Willard Motley’s Chicago Style

February 20, 2014/in 1960s Authors Education History Travel /by Joe