James Alan McPherson (September 16, 1943 – July 27, 2016) was an American essayist and short-story writer. He was the first African-American writer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and was included among the first group of artists who received a MacArthur Fellowship. At the time of his death, McPherson was a professor emeritus of fiction at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. … [Read more...] about Friday Open Thread: Black History Facts
History
Thursday Open Thread: Black History Facts
Darrin Phillip Gayles is the first openly gay black man to serve on the United States District Court of the Southern District of Florida. Gayles was nominated by President Barack Obama to the court on February 6, 2014, to a seat vacated by Judge Patricia A. Seitz. Gayles was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 17, 2014. … [Read more...] about Thursday Open Thread: Black History Facts
Wednesday Open Thread: Black History Facts
Dale Brown Emeagwali (born December 24, 1954) is an American microbiologist and cancer researcher. Emeagwali’s scientific accomplishments include the discovery of the existence of isozymes of kynurenine formamidase in the bacterium Streptomyces paravulus. Prior to her findings, this isozyme was only known to exist in higher organisms. She also proved that cancer gene expression … [Read more...] about Wednesday Open Thread: Black History Facts
Tuesday Open Thread: Black History Facts
Letitia Woods Brown (October 24, 1915 – August 3, 1976) was an African American researcher and historian. Earning a master's degree in 1935 from Ohio State University and a Ph.D. in 1966 from Harvard University, she served as a researcher and historian for over four decades and became one of the first black woman to earn a PhD from Harvard University in history. As a teacher, … [Read more...] about Tuesday Open Thread: Black History Facts
Saturday Open Thread: Unsung Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement
Myles Falls Horton (July 9, 1905 – January 19, 1990) was an American educator, socialist and co-founder of the Highlander Folk School, famous for its role in the Civil Rights Movement (Movement leader James Bevel called Horton "The Father of the Civil Rights Movement"). Horton taught and heavily influenced most of the era's leaders. They included Dr. Martin Luther King … [Read more...] about Saturday Open Thread: Unsung Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement