Edward “Duke” Ellington
APRIL 16
1862—President Abraham Lincoln signs a bill ending slavery in Washington, D.C. Approximately nine months later he would issue the...
APRIL 2
1855—John Mercer Langston becomes the first African American elected to public office when he wins the position of clerk of Brownhelm Township,...
March 19
1620—The first Black child born in America, William Tucker, was probably born on this date in Jamestown, Va. However, some controversy surrounds...
Mati Diop talks about her award-winning film Dahomey at a 2024 press conference in Berlin. Sebastian Reuter/Getty Images
by David Murphy, University of Strathclyde
Mati...
