Duke Ellington – One of the Originators of Big Band Jazz
Duke Ellington, an iconic figure in black history, was a songwriter, pianist, and leader of his music band. He brought so much recognition to jazz music and scored thousands of…
Countee Cullen – Poet, Playwright, Writer During the Harlem Renaissance
Countee Cullen (formerly known as Countee LeyRoy Porter) was an award-winning African American poet, novelist, and playwright during the Harlem Renaissance. He wrote in a traditional style, praised the beauty…
Amiri Baraka – Poet, Author, and Playwright
Amiri Baraka formerly known as LeRoi Jones was a renowned figure in African American History. He was a poet, playwright, and civil rights activist. He wrote in a controversial style…
Paul Laurence Dunbar – a Prolific Writer, Poet, and Novelist
Paul Laurence Dunbar, a novelist, African-American poet, and playwright, significantly contributed to Black History and American literature. Living for a brief 33 years, Paul was a pioneer of sorts. He…
Romare Bearden – African American Artist, Author, and Songwriter
Romare Bearden was a factotum of sorts, juggling between songwriting, artistry, designing, and writing. Unlike previous artists, he was born during the New Negro period, a time when the society…
August Wilson – Theaters’s Poet of Black America
August Wilson remains one of the greatest playwrights in American and Black history, as no other playwright has developed such an ambitious oeuvre. He is remembered for writing a series…
Marian Anderson- Greatest Contralto of All Time
Marian Anderson, a renowned classical music singer was one of the best contraltos of all time. Born in 1897 to John Berkley Anderson and Annie Delilah Rucker, in Philadelphia, Marian…
John Coltrane- Saxophonist, Bandleader, Musician, Composer
John Coltrane is another iconic African American whose work shaped jazz music and made an indelible mark in Black History. The acclaimed jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader is credited with…
Oscar Micheaux: The First Black Indie Filmmaker
In this episode of Black History In Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., with additional commentary from historian Donald Bogle, Vincent Brown of Harvard University, and…
Phillis Wheatley – First African American Author to Write Book of Poems
Phillis Wheatley is one of the stars that shine bright in the big story of Black History. Like a beautiful poem, her life reveals how strong we can be and…