365 days of African American discoveries, inventions, medical and scientific breakthroughs, birthdays and major accomplishments.
May 21, 1895 William B. Purvis of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania received patent number 539,542 for a…
May 22, 1940 Bernard Shaw, television news anchor, was born in Chicago, Illinois. Shaw served…
May 23, 1832 Samuel Sharpe, national hero of Jamaica, was hanged for leading the Christmas…
May 24, 1963 Elmore James, blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and band leader, died. James was…
May 25, 1849 Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins, autistic savant and piano music prodigy, was born…
May 26, 1907 Elizabeth Keckley, personal dressmaker and confidante of Mary Todd Lincoln, died. Keckley…
May 27, 1970 Mara Brock Akil, television writer and producer, was born in Los Angeles,…
May 28, 1971 Ora Mae Washington, considered by many the finest female athlete of…
May 29, 1973 Thomas J. Bradley became the first African American Mayor of Los Angeles,…
May 30, 1902 Stepin Fetchit, comedian and film actor, was born Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew…