Have you heard about Jane Bolin? She was the first Black woman to graduate from Yale Law School in 1931. She was one of only two Black students in her class at Wellesley College. Discouraged by her career advisor and her father who was a renowned black lawyer to apply to Yale Law, but she persisted. She was one of three women in her class. Other students would bully her throughout her time in school, but she stubbornly kept at it. She also later became the first Black female judge in the United States. She held that position for 40 years.
Black History 365 | #22 - Assata Shakur
While not a blood relative Assata Shakur is Tupac’s godmother. She is the sister of Mutulu Shakur, Tupac’s step-father. New Jersey prosecutors identify her as a fugitive who broke out of prison after she was convicted of killing a New Jersey state trooper. In May 1973, Shakur and two other members of the Black Liberation Army (BLA) Zayd Malik Shakur and Sundiata Acoli, were pulled over on the New Jersey Turnpike by State Trooper Werner Foerster and another highway officer. During a confrontation, a shootout ensued, killing the trooper and Zayd Malik Shakur. She surfaced in Cuba in 1984, where she was granted political asylum. She has lived in Cuba since, despite US government efforts to have her returned. She has been on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist list since 2013 and was the first woman to be added to this list. The Shakurs are one of the most influential family in America. Unfortunately they aren’t wealthy like the Rockefeller’s or thriving with future generations keeping their legacy’s going. The black freedom movement does not have monetary value. I do NOT condone police violence or violence in general, but I was not there. And therefore don’t know what truly happened, but this is the story of Assata Shakur. PEACE+POWER to the Shakur family. She is 76 years old.
Black History 365 | #10 - Sarah Boone
Did you know Sarah Boone was the first woman in Black woman in Connecticut to receive a patent, for her improvement in the design of an ironing board? The US Patent Office granted numerous patents for ironing boards before Sarah Boone received her patent in 1892. But her improvement looks like ironing board we use today. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it! It is unknown whether or not Boone benefitted financially from the commercialization of her patent. Meaning what?… she probably received NO BREAD for her innovation one would surmise.
Black History 365 | #25 - Arthur Ashe
Have you heard of Arthur Ashe? After years of being turned away, Ashe became the first Black person to play in the nation’s national championships. He won both the NCAA Division I singles and doubles championships in 1965. He became the first African American to win the U.S. Open in 1968. And went on to win various other tournaments, including the 1970 Australian Open. He also became the first African American man to win Wimbledon in 1975. He also while playing took a strong stance against South Africa’s system of Apartheid. In 1979 he had his first heart attack, but after surgery he returned to the court, but ended up retiring in 1980. In 1983, Ashe co-founded Athletes Against Apartheid. That same year, he had another surgery on his heart. He was hospitalized again five years later in 1988. That’s when he was diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). And in 1993 he died of pneumonia related to AIDS. He may have gotten AIDS from a blood transfusion during his 1983 surgery.
Black History 365 | #19 - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Did you know DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince were the first Hip-Hop acts to win a Grammy? In 1989 their song “Parents Just Don’t Understand” was nominated for Best Rap Performance. But the Grammys did not televise their presentation. Hip-Hop United together to boycott the Grammys. Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Slick Rick, Kid N’ Play, Russell Simmons…a good amount of Hip-Hop acts except Kool Moe Dee who presented the award for best R&B male vocal. J.J Fad also still went too. Maybe Kool Moe Dee let his beef with LL Cool J override his will to unite for the greater cause. Maybe J.J Fad knew Supersonic was going to be their last chance to make an impression on Hip-Hop let alone the Grammy stage, I don't know. I think we put too much weight on these outside sources for validation. I also think, forget all that, get your bread! The following year they televised the rap category, and the rest they say is history.