Black History Month is coming to an end but I wanted to talk about and share some of my favorite fun facts about Black History and Black Figures! I think It’s really interesting to learn about the people who have invented something or done something extraordinary that most people don’t know about. It’s always fun learning something new and I want to bring that to light so, I researched some super interesting fun facts about black figures and I was amazed at some of the accomplishments by black figures. It was also very interesting to read some of the ones that I didn’t know as some of these details are not taught in school.
Black History fun facts:
- Most people think of Rosa Parks to be the first person to refuse to give up her seat on a bus but before her, was Claudette Colvin who was 15 at the time when she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white person.
- The earliest recorded protest against slavery was by The Quakers in 1688.
- One in four cowboys were Black, despite the stories told in popular books and movies.
- The iconic cartoon character Betty Boop was inspired by a Black jazz singer in Harlem names Esther Jones.
- The first liscended African American female pilot was named Bessie Coleman.
- Phillis Wheatly was only 12 when she became the first female African American author published.
- Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to win an oscar, wasn’t allowed to attend Gone With the Wind‘s national premier.
- Martin Luther King was assassinated on Maya Angelou’s 40th birthday. She stopped celebrating her birthday for many years following his death and she sent flowers to King’s Widow, Corretta Scott King, for more than 30 years until Corretta died in 2006.
- Matthew Henson was a key member to the first successful expedition to the North Pole and made seven separate voyages to the Arctic.
- Madam C.J. Walker was an African American entrepreneur who became the first female self-made millionaire.
- During her run for president, three separate assassination attempts were made on Shirley Chisholm
- The 6888th Batalion was an all black, all female unit of the military that delivered mail to World War II troops across England.
- Allensworth, California was an all black township and the first of its kind.
- John Baxter Taylor was the first African American to win an Olympic gold metal.
- Cathy williams, once enslaved, desguised herself as a man to serve in the U.S. Army after the Civil War.
These were just a few of my personal favorite Black History fun facts but there are loads and loads of more fun facts out there as well. I had a really fun time researching a learning some of these fun facts. So, if you ever have the time or you are looking to learn something new, look up some Black History fun facts!
Anyways, stay safe and take care,
