black history

Meet Esther Jones, The Black Performer Who Inspired ‘Betty Boop’

A child singer and dancer, Esther Lee Jones inspired Paramount to create the cartoon character Betty Boop in 1930 — but she never received any credit or royalties.

By Bernadette Giacomazzo • Mar 19, 2026

Meet Esther Jones, The Black Performer Who Inspired ‘Betty Boop’

A child singer and dancer, Esther Lee Jones inspired Paramount to create the cartoon character Betty Boop in 1930 — but she never received any credit or royalties.

By Bernadette Giacomazzo • March 19, 2026

The Story Of Ronald McNair, The Pioneering Black Astronaut Who Died In The Challenger Disaster

Just the second Black astronaut to ever go to space, Ronald McNair died tragically on January 28, 1986 when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded right after takeoff.

By Genevieve Carlton • Mar 13, 2026

The Story Of Ronald McNair, The Pioneering Black Astronaut Who Died In The Challenger Disaster

Just the second Black astronaut to ever go to space, Ronald McNair died tragically on January 28, 1986 when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded right after takeoff.

By Genevieve Carlton • March 13, 2026

‘He Wasn’t A Typical Gangster’: Inside The Wild Life Of Harlem Godfather Bumpy Johnson

Known for being a fearsome crime boss, Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson ruled the Harlem neighborhood of New York City in the mid-20th century.

By Hannah McKennett • Mar 10, 2026

‘He Wasn’t A Typical Gangster’: Inside The Wild Life Of Harlem Godfather Bumpy Johnson

Known for being a fearsome crime boss, Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson ruled the Harlem neighborhood of New York City in the mid-20th century.

By Hannah McKennett • March 10, 2026

Inside The Remarkable Story Of Jack Johnson, The First Black Heavyweight Champion

Known as the "Galveston Giant," Jack Johnson made history as the first African American to hold the world heavyweight boxing championship.

By Austin Harvey • Feb 20, 2026

Inside The Remarkable Story Of Jack Johnson, The First Black Heavyweight Champion

Known as the "Galveston Giant," Jack Johnson made history as the first African American to hold the world heavyweight boxing championship.

By Austin Harvey • February 20, 2026

The Little-Known Story Of World War II Hero Charles Jackson French And The 15 Sailors He Saved

When the USS Gregory sank on September 5, 1942, a mess hall officer named Charles Jackson French dragged a raft full of his wounded crewmates to safety through shark-infested waters.

By Kaleena Fraga • Feb 18, 2026

The Little-Known Story Of World War II Hero Charles Jackson French And The 15 Sailors He Saved

When the USS Gregory sank on September 5, 1942, a mess hall officer named Charles Jackson French dragged a raft full of his wounded crewmates to safety through shark-infested waters.

By Kaleena Fraga • February 18, 2026

A Stop On The Underground Railroad Has Been Discovered Hidden Inside New York’s Historic Merchant’s House

The Merchant's House Museum in Manhattan was built by abolitionist Joseph Brewster in 1832 — and a secret passage behind its walls now appears to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad.

By Cara Johnson • Feb 17, 2026

News

A Stop On The Underground Railroad Has Been Discovered Hidden Inside New York’s Historic Merchant’s House

The Merchant's House Museum in Manhattan was built by abolitionist Joseph Brewster in 1832 — and a secret passage behind its walls now appears to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad.

By Cara Johnson • February 17, 2026

The Story Of C.P. Ellis, The KKK Leader Whose 1971 Meeting With A Black Activist Changed His Life

When C.P. Ellis was tasked with working with Ann Atwater to desegregate Durham, North Carolina schools, he was an "Exalted Cyclops" of the KKK. Ten days later, he was a strong supporter of the civil rights movement.

By Genevieve Carlton • Feb 6, 2026

The Story Of C.P. Ellis, The KKK Leader Whose 1971 Meeting With A Black Activist Changed His Life

When C.P. Ellis was tasked with working with Ann Atwater to desegregate Durham, North Carolina schools, he was an "Exalted Cyclops" of the KKK. Ten days later, he was a strong supporter of the civil rights movement.

By Genevieve Carlton • February 6, 2026

The Unlikely Story Of Sarah Rector, The Oklahoma Teenager Who Became A Millionaire Oil Baron

By the time she turned 18, Sarah Rector's net worth was estimated at over $1 million — about $28 million today. And it all came from undesirable land that the federal government gave her.

By Gina Dimuro • Feb 5, 2026

The Unlikely Story Of Sarah Rector, The Oklahoma Teenager Who Became A Millionaire Oil Baron

By the time she turned 18, Sarah Rector's net worth was estimated at over $1 million — about $28 million today. And it all came from undesirable land that the federal government gave her.

By Gina Dimuro • February 5, 2026

Meet Rachel Knight, The Enslaved Woman Who Helped Found The Free State Of Jones

During the Civil War, Rachel Knight joined forces with a white Southern Unionist named Newton Knight — and helped him wage a guerrilla campaign against Confederates in Mississippi.

By Jessica O'Connor • Feb 4, 2026

Meet Rachel Knight, The Enslaved Woman Who Helped Found The Free State Of Jones

During the Civil War, Rachel Knight joined forces with a white Southern Unionist named Newton Knight — and helped him wage a guerrilla campaign against Confederates in Mississippi.

By Jessica O'Connor • February 4, 2026

The True Story Of Julianna Farrait, The Wife Of ‘American Gangster’ Frank Lucas

A former beauty queen from Puerto Rico, Julianna Farrait fell madly in love with Harlem drug trafficker Frank Lucas in the 1960s — then started dealing drugs herself.

By Kaleena Fraga • Jan 24, 2026

The True Story Of Julianna Farrait, The Wife Of ‘American Gangster’ Frank Lucas

A former beauty queen from Puerto Rico, Julianna Farrait fell madly in love with Harlem drug trafficker Frank Lucas in the 1960s — then started dealing drugs herself.

By Kaleena Fraga • January 24, 2026