People, Locations, Episodes

Nkosi Johnson, HIV/AIDS Activist, born

*Nkosi Johnson was born this date in 1989. He was an African activist for AIDS; the Black face of the disease in South Africa.

At the age of two, his mother, who was terrified of her community’s reaction, if it were known that she and her child were infected, left Nkosi at a care centre for HIV-positive people. One of the directors of the center was Gail Johnson, took Nkosi home and became his de facto foster mother. For most of his 12 years his family could not afford the medicines that would probably have kept him alive through adolescence, and maybe even into adulthood.

National Voting Rights Museum and Institute Opens

*On this date in 1993, the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute (NVRMI) opened.  They envisioned a space in Selma, Alabama, that captured the essence of struggles to empower America’s people through the ballot box. Most of the founders were participants or supporters of the Voting Rights Movement of the 60s, which culminated in Selma, […]

Project 21 is Founded

*The founding of Project 21 is celebrated on this date in 1993. Project 21 is the design of The National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR).

The Haley Farm, a story

*The Haley Farm is celebrated on this date in 1994.   This retreat is a 157-acre farm that once belonged to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alex Haley. Purchased in April 1994 by the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), Haley Farm is a heartfelt, welcoming countryside retreat consisting of guest cottages, a chapel, a meeting lodge, and a library. The […]

The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights Opens

*The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights was founded on this date in 1996.  It is a non-profit strategy and action center based in Oakland, California. The stated aim of the center is to work for justice, opportunity, and peace in urban America.   It is named for Ella Baker, a twentieth-century Black activist and Virginia and North Carolina civil rights leader.  The Ella Baker Center works […]

Maxwell Frost, Activist and Politician born

*Maxwell Frost was born on this date in 1997. He is an Afro Cuban American activist and politician. From Miami, Florida, Maxwell Alejandro Frost is the son of a Puerto Rican woman of Lebanese descent and a Haitian man. His biological mother had several children and had been experiencing violence. He was adopted as an infant; his […]

Naomi Osaka, Tennis Player born

*Naomi Osaka was born on this date in 1997.  She is a Black Japanese professional tennis player.  She was born in Chūō-Ku, Osaka, in Japan, to Tamaki Osaka and Leonard François. Her mother is from Hokkaido, Japan, and her father is from Jacmel, Haiti. She has an older sister named Mari, a professional tennis player. The […]

Ayecha, a Community for Non-White Jews

The Ayecha Resource Organization is celebrated on this date. They were a global resource group for Jews of Color. Ayecha supported, strengthened, and advocated for Jews of Color and multi-racial families in the U.S.

The African Union (AU) is formed

*On this date in 2002, the African Union (AU) was formed. This African continental union consists of 55 member states located in Africa. The African Union has both political and administrative bodies. The highest decision-making organ is the Assembly of the African Union, comprised of all the heads of state or government of member states […]

The Pan-African Parliament is founded

*On this date in 2004, The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) was founded.   Also known as the African Parliament, it is the legislative body of the African Union. It held its inaugural session in March 2004. The Parliament exercises oversight and has advisory and consultative powers, having lasted for the first five years. Initially, the seat of […]

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Opens

On this date in 2004, the Public Dedication of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (NURFC) took place. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is a testimonial and tribute to freedom. It brings to life the significance and consequence of struggles for freedom around the world and throughout history, including in today’s world.

Kweisi Mfume Resigns From the NAACP

*On this date in 2004, Kweisi Mfume announced his resignation from the Presidents post of the NAACP. Saying he needs a break, Mfume announced that he was stepping down as the head of the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights group.

Bruce Gordon Elected As NAACP President

On this date in 2005, the NAACP chose Bruce Gordon as its next national president and chief executive officer.

Gordon is a retired executive with Verizon Telecommunication Inc. The final vote to confirm him was held at the NAACP July 2005 national convention in Milwaukee.

The Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation opens

*The Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation opened on this date in 2006. The institute is a leading center specializing in researching the history of slavery and serving as a research hub concerning contemporary slavery and human rights abuses in the present age. It is at the University of Hull, in Kingston […]

Green For All (Environment Organization) is Founded

*On This Earth Day, we celebrate Green For All.  Founded in September 2007, Green For All is an environmental justice organization aiming to build a green economy while lifting citizens out of poverty. It is a DC-based group that brings unions and environmentalists together to push for anti-poverty measures and a clean-energy economy. Green For All was co-founded by Van Jones, […]