Steward’s Mate First Class Charles Walter David was an African American Coast Guardsman, responsible for saving ninety-three people from a torpedoed naval cutter. David was born on June 20, 1917 in New York, New York. Many details about his early life are unknown. By the … Read MoreCharles Walter David Jr. (1917-1943)
Reby Cary, educator, community activist, politician, entrepreneur and World War II veteran, was born on September 9, 1920, in Fort Worth, Texas, to Reverend Smith and Maggie B. Cary. A graduate of I. M. Terrell High School in 1937, he received his Bachelor of Arts … Read MoreReby Cary (1920-2018)
In the post-World War II years Harvey Clarence Russell Jr. paved the way for African American businessmen in corporate America. As one of the first black executives for a major American company, Russell made a name as a trailblazer and business titan in his time. He has … Read MoreHarvey Clarence Russell, Jr. (1918-1998)
Dr. Olivia Juliette Hooker is one of the last known survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riots. Born in 1915 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, at the age of six, she lived through the Ku Klux Klan destroying her family’s home along with the 35-block “Black Wall … Read MoreOlivia J. Hooker (1915-2018)
“Image Ownership: Public Domain” Michael Augustine Healy was an American captain in the United States Revenue Cutter Service, which is commonly known now as the United States Coast Guard. As such, he was the first African American officer in the Coast Guard. Healy was known … Read MoreMichael Augustine Healy (1839–1904)
John Lovick is one of the most successful African American politicians in Washington state history. He has held a number of political positions at the state and county level and is currently a member of the Washington State House of Representatives for the 44th District … Read MoreJohn Lovick (1951- )
