Raven Wilkinson (born November 2, 1935) is an American dancer who is credited with being the first African-American woman to dance for a major classical ballet company. Wilkinson broke the color barrier in 1955 when she signed a contract to dance full-time with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She was promoted to soloist during her second season with the troupe, and remained … [Read more...] about Thursday Open Thread: African-American Ballet Dancers
Thursday Open Thread
Thursday Open Thread: Black Music Composers
George Theophilus Walker (born June 27, 1922) is an African-American composer, the first to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. He received the Pulitzer for his work Lilacs in 1996. … [Read more...] about Thursday Open Thread: Black Music Composers
Thursday Open Thread: Black Romance Authors
Terry McMillan (born October 31, 1951) is an American author. Her work is characterized by relatable female protagonists. McMillan was born in Port Huron, Michigan. She received a B.A. in journalism in 1977 from the University of California, Berkeley. She also attended the Master of Fine Arts program in film at Columbia University. … [Read more...] about Thursday Open Thread: Black Romance Authors
Thursday Open Thread: More African-American Firsts
Tidye Pickett (November 3, 1914 – November 17, 1986) was an American track and field athlete. She represented the United States in the 80-meter hurdles at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, becoming the first African-American woman to compete in the Olympic Games. … [Read more...] about Thursday Open Thread: More African-American Firsts
Thursday Open Thread: More African-Americans in Aviation
Jesse LeRoy Brown (October 13, 1926 – December 4, 1950) was a United States Navy officer. He was the first African-American aviator in the U.S. Navy, a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the first African-American naval officer killed in the Korean War. Brown was born on October 13, 1926 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He was one of six children born to Julia … [Read more...] about Thursday Open Thread: More African-Americans in Aviation