While you may know about Rosa Parks or have parts of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech memorized, Black history is more than those big moments. With schools across America starting up again, we’re coming at you with a history refresher. Here are 13 Black history facts that you might not be as familiar with.
1. The Tulsa Race Massacre
In 1921, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A prosperous Black neighborhood, known as "Black Wall Street," was destroyed by a white mob, resulting in hundreds of deaths and the displacement of thousands of Black residents. It wasn’t until five years ago that Oklahoma required schools to teach students about this horrific event.
2. Bayard Rustin
An openly gay civil rights activist and strategist, Bayard Rustin was a key organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Despite his significant contributions, Rustin often remained in the background due to prejudice against his sexual orientation.
3. The Combahee River Raid
Harriet Tubman is known for her underground railroad contributions, but this was not the only mark she left on the world. During the Civil War, Harriet Tubman led Union troops in the Combahee River Raid in South Carolina. This military operation freed over 700 enslaved people and was one of the first military actions in U.S. history to be led by a woman.
4. The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
Founded in 1925, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters was the first Black labor union to receive a charter in the American Federation of Labor. A. Philip Randolph led and played a crucial role in advancing labor rights and civil rights for Black people.
5. Sarah Rector
Born in 1902, Sarah Rector was a Black girl who became wealthy at a young age after receiving a significant land allotment from the Creek Nation as part of the Dawes Act. Her story highlights the complexities of Black identity and wealth during the early 20th century.
6. The Harlem Hellfighters
The 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Harlem Hellfighters, was an all-Black unit in World War I. They spent more time in combat than any other American unit and were highly decorated by both the French and American governments for their bravery.
7. The Green Book
Published from 1936 to 1966, the Green Book was a guidebook for Black travelers listing establishments that welcomed Black patrons during the era of segregation and Jim Crow laws. It was essential for safe travel and accommodation across the United States.
8. Claudette Colvin
Before Rosa Parks, Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Montgomery, Alabama, refused to give up her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus in 1955. Her arrest and activism were influential in the Civil Rights Movement, though Parks' later actions became more widely recognized.
9. Black Feminism and Intersectionality
Black feminism emerged in response to the marginalization of Black women within both the feminist movement and the civil rights movement. It emphasizes the intersection of race, gender, and class in shaping the experiences of Black women. It also critiques the limitations of mainstream feminist and civil rights agendas that often prioritize the concerns of white women or Black men.
Intersectionality, a concept coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw, has been crucial in understanding how multiple forms of oppression intersect and compound for Black women, influencing both theory and activism in contemporary social justice movements.
10. The Impact of Black Culture
Black culture has profoundly influenced American and global culture across music, literature, art, fashion, and cuisine. From the blues and jazz to hip-hop and rap, Black musical traditions have shaped popular music worldwide.
Writers such as Toni Morrison, Langston Hughes, and Maya Angelou have made enduring contributions to literature, while artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kara Walker have challenged and redefined contemporary art. Black cuisine, including soul food and Creole cuisine, has become integral to American culinary traditions.
11. Environmental Justice and Black Communities
Environmental justice addresses the disproportionate environmental burdens borne by marginalized communities, including Black neighborhoods.
Historically, Black communities have faced higher exposure to environmental hazards such as pollution, industrial waste, and toxic chemicals due to discriminatory practices in housing, zoning, and environmental policy. Activists and scholars within the environmental justice movement have highlighted these issues. They have advocated for equitable access to clean air, water, and healthy environments for all communities, emphasizing the intersectional nature of environmental and racial justice.
12. Rebecca Lee Crumpler
In 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler graduated from the New England Female Medical College with her M.D., which made her the first Black female doctor in America. She provided care to freed slaves during the Civil War, and after, she dedicated her talents to helping the poverty-stricken. She learned all she could about diseases that primarily inflicted women and children. Although she attended college before the D9 time, she undoubtedly lived the Delta Sigma Theta values.
13. Ida B. Wells
The terms “yellow journalism” and “muckraking” are attributed to the journalistic works of Ida B. Wells. Her 1892 pamphlet about lynching changed the entire world of journalism.
Black history in America is rich with stories of strength, struggles, resilience, and faith. Nothing can hold us down.
And now, YOU are becoming part of Black history. You are changing the world with your philanthropic ways, your big heart, and your hard work. And we’re proud to keep you dressed to impress as you honor your identity, including your DST identity, by expanding your options for Delta Sigma Theta apparel.