Gloria Richardson

Civil rights activist Gloria Richardson was born in 1922 in Baltimore, Maryland. Richardson was a founder and leader of the Cambridge Nonviolent Action Committee, which focused on a broader range of issues than other civil rights campaigns, including housing discrimination and inadequate healthcare. She was a key figure in what was known as the Cambridge Movement, and led sit-ins to desegregate bowling alleys, movie theaters, and restaurants. In 1963, civil rights protests in Cambridge and the response by white supremacists grew violent. This ultimately led to Richardson meeting with Attorney General Robert Kennedy, as well as other activists, local leaders, and DOJ officials to negotiate the "Treaty of Cambridge". The agreement called for a yearlong halt to demonstrations in return for desegregation.

Gloria Richardson died in 2021 at the age of 99.

Mae Jamison

Artist Paints the First Full-Color Hyperrealistic Portrait of Female African-American Women

Artist: Jade Yasmeen

Do you prefer baths or showers?

Fave Fashion Look: Stripes

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Black history: Did you know?

Phillis Wheatley was only 12 when she became the first female African American author published.

Despite Phyllis Wheatley’s fame, we know surprisingly little about her early life. She was taken from her home in Africa when she was seven or eight, and sold to the Wheatley family in Boston. The family taught her to read and write, and encouraged her to write poetry as soon as they witnessed her talent for it. In 1773, Phyllis published her first poem, making her the first African American to be published. She was only 12 at the time.

Read more: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/phillis-wheatley

Beyond the Stars: Mae Jemison’s Odyssey ✨

Happy Black History Month!

This Black History Month, we spotlight the extraordinary life of Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to travel in space. Born on October 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama, and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Jemison’s journey into the stars is a testament to the power of dreams and determination.

From an early age, Jemison showed a keen interest in science and space, but noticed the absence of women astronauts. She pursued her passion relentlessly, earning a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and an M.D. from Cornell Medical College. Before joining NASA, Jemison was a general practitioner and served in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone and Liberia, where she managed health care for other volunteers. In 1987, Jemison’s dream became reality when she was selected for NASA’s astronaut program. On September 12, 1992, aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor on mission STS-47, Jemison became the first African American woman to travel in space, serving as a mission specialist. During her eight-day mission, she conducted experiments on weightlessness and motion sickness, contributing valuable data to the field.

Jemison’s honors include induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, the National Medical Association Hall of Fame, and the Texas Science Hall of Fame, among others. Her story is not just one of breaking barriers in space exploration, but also of inspiring generations to pursue their dreams, regardless of birth and obstacles.

For more information on Mae Jemison’s groundbreaking journey and contributions to science and humanity, the National Archives holds numerous resources that illuminate the lives and achievements of African American pioneers:

Angella Ferguson

Angella Ferguson was born in 1925 in Washington, DC. Ferguson conducted groundbreaking research on sickle cell disease. She developed a blood test to diagnose this condition in infants. By 2010, this test had become the standard in 40 states.

Eartha Kitt. Beautiful and talented..

How’s the view?

Alma Woodsey Thomas (1891-1978) "Astronauts’ Glimpse of the Earth" [acrylic on canvas, 1974]

"Beauty Within" by renLo 

New Feature in Every Day Fashion: Style for the Mainstream

I hope these daily updates help open your eyes and educate you about the ways fashion is utilized and communicated every day.

When I was growing up in the ’60s and ’70s I was continually surrounded by two things-fashion and music. Today, although we live a more laid-back lifestyle where dressing down is the norm, fashion and style are still all around us on a daily basis. It could be in the way an Indian waiter ties his green turban for work or a co-worker wears cuffed Dickies, a black tee, and Dr. Martens. Regardless,…

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Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first Black woman to become a doctor of medicine in the United States.

After moving to Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1852, Rebecca Crumpler worked as a nurse for eight years. At that time, the lack of official schools of nursing meant she required no formal training for the job. But she certainly wasn't afraid of some hard work. She was admitted into the New England Female Medical College in 1860 and graduated four years later with her M.D.

After the end of the Civil War in 1865, Dr. Crumpler moved to Richmond, Virginia to provide medical care for the freed slaves who would otherwise have no one else to turn to. She dedicated herself to the understanding of diseases that particularly afflicted women and children, and when she eventually returned to Massachusetts, she opened her own clinic in Boston. She saw poverty stricken patients and treated them regardless of their ability to pay her.

Read more: https://www.nps.gov/people/dr-rebecca-lee-crumpler.htm