Wednesday Open Thread - Little Known Black History Facts

Happy Hump Day P.O.U. Family and lurkers!

We are going to continue on with this week's theme, Little Known Black History facts.

Actor, singer, and civil rights activist Paul Robeson was once considered for a U.S. vice presidential spot on Henry A. Wallace's 1948 Progressive Party ticket.

An heirloom tomato variety, originating in Russia, is named after actor, athlete and civil rights activist Paul Robeson. Performer Paul Robeson was conversant in more than 20 languages.


Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles founded the first college for black women in the United States in 1881. The school was named Spelman College after Laura Celestia Spelman Rockefeller, the wife of John D. Rockefeller, who made a sizeable donation to the school.  

African-American baseball legend Jackie Robinson had an older brother, Matthew, who won a silver medal in the 200-yard dash in the 1936 Olympics. He came in second to Jesse Owens.

Before Branch Rickey offered future hall-of-famer Jackie Robinson the contract that integrated professional baseball, he personally tested Robinson's calm reactions to the racial slurs and insults he knew the player would have to endure.

After retiring from baseball, hall-of-famer Jackie Robinson helped establish the African-American owned and controlled Freedom Bank.


Reverend Al Sharpton preached his first sermon at the age of four, and toured with world-famous gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson.

Run of Run-D.M.C. is the brother of hip-hop promoter Russell Simmons.




 

Mamie Smith was the first African-American artist to make a blues record. The album, which brought blues into the mainstream, sold a million copies in less than a year.

***Information courtesy of About.com and Wikipedia.org***