Forgotten African American Firsts

Hans A. Ostrom is Professor of English and African American Studies at the University of Puget Sound, USA.J. David Macey Jr. is Professor of English and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Fort Hays State University, USA.

• Guide to Related Topics Preface Acknowledgments IntroductionArtBrown, Grafton Tyler (1841–1918)Edmondson, William (ca. 1874–1951) Thomas, Alma Woodsey (1891–1978) Edwards, Melvin Eugene (b. 1937) Puryear, Martin L. (b. 1941) Sims, Lowery Stokes (b. 1949) Studio Museum of Harlem (founded 1968)Business and LaborChurch, Robert Reed, Sr. (1839–1912) Walker, Madam C. J. (Sarah Breedlove) (1867–1919) Walker, Maggie Lena Draper (1867–1934) Washington, Mary Thelma (1906–2005) Johnson, John H. (1918–2005) Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (1925–1978) Domestic Workers Union (founded 1934) Raines, Franklin Delano (b. 1949) WERD Atlanta (founded 1949) Burns, Ursula (b. 1958)Diplomacy Bassett, Ebenezer Don Carlos (1833–1908) Sampson, Edith Spurlock (1901–1979) Bunche, Ralph Johnson (1904–1971) Dudley, Edward Richard (1911–2005) Harris, Patricia (1924–1985) Young, Andrew Jackson, Jr. (b. 1932)Film and Theater Micheaux, Oscar (1884–1951) McDaniel, Hattie (1895–1952) Hall, Juanita (1901–1968) Gordone, Charles Edward (1925–1995) Poitier, Sidney (1927–2022) Carroll, Diahann (1935–2019) Berry, Halle Maria (b. 1966) Peele, Jordan Haworth (b. 1979)Invention Jennings, Thomas L. (1791–1856) Reed, Judy W. (ca. 1826) Latimer, Lewis Howard (1848–1928) Morgan, Garrett Augustus (1877–1963) Brown, Marie Van Brittan (1922–1999)Law Allen, Macon Bolling (1816–1894) Lowery, Samuel R. (1830/1832–ca. 1900)Hastie, William Henry (1904–1976) Bolin, Jane Matilda (1908–2007) Marshall, Thurgood (1908–1993) Higginbotham, Aloysius Leon, Jr. (1928–1998)LiteratureHammon, Jupiter (1711–ca. 1806) Wheatley, Phillis (ca. 1753–1784) Brown, William Wells (ca. 1814–1884) Ellison, Ralph Waldo (1913–1994) Brooks, Gwendolyn (1917–2000) Hamilton, Virginia (1936–2002) Parks, Suzan-Lori (b. 1963)MedicineDurham, James (1762–ca. 1802) Smith, James McCune (1813–1865) Peck, David Jones (ca. 1826–1855) Crumpler, Rebecca Lee (1831–1895) Mahoney, Mary Eliza (1845–1926) Freeman, Robert Tanner (1846–1873) Fuller, Solomon Carter (1872–1953) Drew, Charles Richard (1904–1950) Hershey, Alfred Day (1908–1997) Bristow, Lonnie Robert (b. 1930) Elders, Minnie Joycelyn (b. 1933) Canady, Alexa Irene (b. 1950)Military and Space ExplorationCarney, William Harvey (1840–1908) Williams, Cathay (1844–1893) Flipper, Henry Ossian (1856–1940) First Louisiana Native Guard and First South Carolina Infantry (1862–1864) Davis, Benjamin Oliver, Sr. (1880–1970) Masters, Alfred (1916–1975) Bluford, Guion Steward, Jr. (b. 1942) Cadoria, Sherian Grace (b. 1943) Smith, Merle James, Jr. (1944–2021) Jemison, Mae Carol (b. 1956) Barber, Sydney (b. 1999)Music and Dance Joplin, Scott (1868–1917) Price, Florence Beatrice (1887–1953) Still, William Grant, Jr. (1895–1978) Basie, William James “Count” (1904–1984) Fitzgerald, Ella (1917–1996) Walker, George Theophilus (1922–2018) Lewis, Henry Jay (1932–1996) Mitchell, Arthur (1934–2018) Pride, Charley Frank (1934–2020) Smith, Willard Carroll “Will” (b. 1968) and Jeffrey Allen Townes (b. 1965)Politics and Government Revels, Hiram Rhodes (1827–1901) Pinchback, Pinckney Benton Stewart (1837–1921) Menard, John Willis (1838–1893) Weaver, Robert Clifton (1907–1997) Chisholm, Shirley (1924–2005) Wilder, L. 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(1922–1970) Robinson, Maxie Cleveland “Max” (1939–1988)Religion Jones, Absalom (1746–1818) Haynes, Lemuel (1753–1833) Silver Bluff Baptist Church (established ca. 1775) African Methodist Episcopal Church (founded 1816) Holly, James Theodore (1829–1911) Healy, James (1830–1900) Murray, Pauli (Anna Pauline) (1910–1985) Sinkford, William (b. 1946) McKenzie, Vashti Murphy (b. 1947)Luter, Fred, Jr. (b. 1956) Stanton, Alysa (b. 1963)Scholarship Twilight, Alexander Lucius (1795–1857) Payne, Daniel Alexander (1811–1893) Early, Sarah Jane Woodson (1825–1907) Healy, Patrick Francis (1834–1910) Coppin, Fanny Jackson (1837–1913) Patterson, Mary Jane (1840–1894) Bouchet, Edward Alexander (1852–1918) Ashmun Institute (Lincoln University) (established 1854) Wilberforce University (established 1856) Alexander, Sadie Tanner Mossell (1898–1989) Simmons, Ruth J. 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