It's Friday, the end of the work week and the start of the weekend. This week's open threads highlighted little known or interesting black history facts in celebration of black history month. FACT 1: In 1804, Lemuel Haynes is the first African American to receive an honorary degree in U.S. history when Middlebury College awards him a Master's Degree at its second … [Read more...] about Friday Open Thread: Little Known or Interesting Black History Facts
Francis Johnson
Wednesday Open Thread: Black Firsts and Innovations
Continuing with this week's theme, I will discuss Francis Johnson and Theodore Wright. Francis Johnson, musician, composer, and bandmaster, was born in 1792 in Martinique in the West Indies and immigrated to Philadelphia in 1809 at the age of 17. By that point he had already mastered the keyed bugle and the violin. By his early 20s he was building a reputation as a … [Read more...] about Wednesday Open Thread: Black Firsts and Innovations