This Week In History, Jan. 22 – 28

Published January 27, 2017
Updated April 13, 2018

January 26, 1944: American Activist Angela Davis Is Born

Angela Davis

STRINGER/AFP/Getty ImagesU.S. activist Angela Davis gives a press conference in San Jose, California, February 1972.

Groundbreaking feminist, black power proponent, and political scholar Angela Davis was born this week in 1944 in Birmingham, Alabama. Once an influential member of the Black Panther Party, Davis’ activist streak has continued well into her 60s. Most recently, Davis took part in the Women’s March on Washington, where she spoke.

The Herero Genocide: Germany’s First Mass Killing

Herero Genocide Slaves Chains

Wikimedia CommonsHerero chained during the 1904 rebellion.

Between 1904 and 1907, imperial German forces in modern-day Namibia slaughtered between 24,000 and 100,000 of the indigenous Herero and Nama peoples. Some scholars claim that it was — four decades before the Holocaust — the first modern genocide in world history.

Read more in this heartbreaking look at the Herero genocide.

author
All That's Interesting
author
Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.