From the vibrant spectacle of the Bud Billiken Parade to the powerful voice of the Chicago Defender, the spirit of Black Chicago resonates deeply. Earlier this month, we explored the parade’s history, touching on the legacies of Robert Sengstacke Abbott, the Defender’s founder, and David Kellum, a later contributor. Now, we delve into the remarkable…
In 2016, the AAIHS held a workshop at the University of Pennsylvania where the contributors to its forthcoming anthology, New Perspectives on the Black Intellectual Tradition, gathered to exchange chapters. The first panel featured AAIHS founder and president Christopher Cameron, Virginia Commonwealth University professor David Weinfeld, and the legendary scholar of black religion Anthea Butler. In a wide-ranging conversation on black free thought,…
“The Baháʼí Faith and African American History: Creating Racial and Religious Diversity” offers a compelling exploration of the interwoven narratives of African American history and the Baháʼí Faith in the United States. It delves into the Baháʼí community’s long-standing commitment to racial harmony and social justice, tracing its efforts from the early 20th century to…
Sydney Barber’s appointment as the U.S. Naval Academy’s first Black woman brigade commander is a historic milestone. Barber, a 21-year-old mechanical engineering major, learned of her selection and immediately shared the news with her father, a 1991 Naval Academy graduate. His emotional reaction reflected the significance of this achievement. Barber assumed the semester-long role in…
In 2020, Princeton University named Nicholas Johnson its first Black valedictorian in the institution’s 274-year history. Johnson, the valedictorian for the Class of 2020, described the honor as particularly significant considering Princeton’s ongoing efforts to address its complex history with slavery. The 22-year-old expressed surprise upon learning of his groundbreaking achievement last week. “Being Princeton’s…
James Moody was a world-renowned, Grammy award-winning jazz saxophonist and flutist. He contributed music to Baha’i events, including the Second Baha’i World Congress in 1992, even before he formally enrolled in the Baha’i Faith. Born in Georgia and raised in New Jersey, Moody pursued music despite being born with impaired hearing. He honed his saxophone…
Raphael Gamaliel Warnock (/ˈrɑːfiɛl ˈwɔːrnɒk/ RAH-fee-el WOR-nok; born July 23, 1969) is an American Baptist pastor and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Georgia since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Warnock has been the senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church since 2005. Warnock was the senior pastor of Douglas Memorial Community Church from 2001 to 2005. He came to prominence in Georgia politics as a leading activist…
Kizzmekia “Kizzy” Corbett has emerged as a prominent figure in the fight against COVID-19. As a viral immunologist, her work has been instrumental in the development of vaccines, offering hope in a global pandemic. Currently an Assistant Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Shutzer Assistant…
Baha’is refer to Abdu’l-Baha as “the perfect exemplar” of how to live as a Baha’i—in large part because of his actions affirming the nobility of every human being. Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i Faith, wrote: Abdu’l-Baha traveled to North America in 1912 and spent 239 days in the United States and Canada. While there, he took every possible…
Robert Hayden’s life was a testament to the power of art to transcend adversity. Born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1913, Hayden’s childhood was marked by trauma. His parents separated before his birth, and he was raised by foster parents in the vibrant, yet often challenging, neighborhood of Paradise Valley. His home life was fraught with…
