Established in 1831 by Elizabeth Harvey in Harveysburg, the Elizabeth Harvey Free Black School was the first school for freed African American children in Ohio. Harvey had 25 pupils in her first class. (Harmon Museum: Art, History & Culture, 6.14.2026)

John Mercer Langston (December 14, 1829 – November 15, 1897) was an African American abolitionist, attorney, educator, activist, diplomat, and politician. He was the founding dean of the law school at Howard University and helped create the department, During his tenure he was coauthor of the Civil Rights Act of 1875, the blueprint used for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He was the first president of what is now Virginia State University, a historically black college. He was e

Stanley Andrisse (born September 8, 1983)[1] is an American endocrinologist scientist and writer. He is a tenured associate professor at the Howard University College of Medicine and Georgetown Medical Center. His research considers Type 2 diabetes, the pathways of insulin resistant states, and metabolic disease. He is the author of From Prison Cells to PhD: It is Never Too Late to Do Good, and director of an outreach program that supports formerly incarcerated people into co

Shirley Anita Chisholm (November 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005) was an American politician who, in 1968, became the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress. Chisholm represented New York's 12th congressional district, a district centered in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn for seven terms from 1969 to 1983.

Thomas L. Jennings (c. 1791 – February 12, 1859) was an African-American inventor, tradesman, entrepreneur, and abolitionist in New York City, New York. He has the distinction of being the first African-American patent-holder in history; he was granted the patent in 1821 for his novel method of dry cleaning. Jennings' invention, along with his business expertise, yielded a significant personal fortune, much of which he put into the abolitionist movement in the United States.

Clara Brown (January 1, 1800 – October 23, 1885) was a former enslaved woman from Virginia and Kentucky who became a community leader and philanthropist. She helped formerly enslaved people become settled during Colorado's Gold Rush. She was known as the "Angel of the Rockies" and made her mark as "Colorado's first black settler and a prosperous entrepreneur". (Wikipedia, 5.20.2026)

Freedom House Ambulance Service was the first emergency medical service in the United States to be staffed by paramedics with medical training beyond basic first aid. Founded in 1967 to serve the predominantly Black Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it was staffed entirely by African Americans. (Wikipedia, 5.20.2026)

Delilah Beasley (September 9, 1867 – August 18, 1934), was an American historian and newspaper columnist for the Oakland Tribune in Oakland, California.[1][2] Beasley was the first African American woman to be published regularly in a major metropolitan newspaper (Wikipedia, 5.20.2026).

Christina Jenkins (December 25, 1920 – November 23, 2003) was an African-American scientist and is considered a pioneer in cosmetology. Jenkins created an invention which presented a new way for women of color to utilize hair extensions for styles and coined the term "hair weave." She obtained a patent, and trained cosmetologists in the technique, and licensed cosmetologists to teach the technique. (Wikipedia, 5.20.2026)

An Oberlin native was a member of the historic 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, or the "six triple eight” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23XYuPs2lkk

Two visionary African American sisters, Maude Terry and Amaza Lee Meredith, launched a project to create Sag Harbor's Azurest subdivision. Seventy years ago, two visionary African American sisters, Maude Terry and Amaza Lee Meredith, launched a project to create Sag Harbor’s Azurest subdivision in partnership with one of Long Island’s most famous realtors, Daniel Gale, and his wife, Elsie.

Gladys Brown West (née Gladys Mae Brown; October 27, 1930 – January 17, 2026) was an American mathematician. She was known for her contributions to mathematical modeling of the shape of the Earth, and her work on the development of satellite geodesy models, which were later incorporated into the Global Positioning System (GPS). West was inducted into the United States Air Force Hall of Fame in 2018. She was awarded the Webby Lifetime Achievement Award for the development of s

Bayard Rustin (1912–1987) was a key American civil rights leader, activist, and strategist whose work advanced racial justice, nonviolence, labor rights, and human dignity. He was the principal organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and a close advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., helping to teach and promote nonviolent protest. Rustin worked alongside leaders such as A. Philip Randolph and Ella Baker, supported Freedom Rides, strengthened the South

Alice Augusta Ball (1892–1916) was a brilliant African-American chemist whose work brought healing and hope to thousands suffering from Hansen’s disease (leprosy). Born in Seattle, she excelled in science from a young age and went on to earn advanced degrees in chemistry and pharmacy, becoming one of the first African-American women to publish in a major scientific journal. While working in Hawaiʻi, Ball developed a groundbreaking medical treatment that transformed chaulmoog

Dr. Herbert Charles Smitherman Sr. was a trailblazing chemist whose impact stretches from the laboratory to your household shelves. As the first African American to be employed at Procter & Gamble (P&G) with a doctorate-level degree, he broke racial barriers in corporate America and dedicated his career to both scientific innovation and advocating for future generations of Black scientists.

Simon of Cyrene was a man who was forced to help Jesus carry the cross to his crucifixion , an event described in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. A passerby from the city of Cyrene in North Africa, he was compelled by Roman soldiers to carry the crossbeam, as detailed in several biblical translations.

Celebrated 8/31/2025 Consuelo Clark-Stewart was an American physician and the first African American woman to practice medicine in Ohio....

https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/brown-marie-van-brittan-1922-1999/