So Much History

So Much History

Embracing the African American heritage, culture, strength, and their indomitable spirit 365 days a year
Menu

Trailblazers and Pioneers - MEN

Trailblazers and Pioneers -Men are all about honoring men have made unparalleled achievements in shaping our history. Overcoming racial obstacles, their indisputable accomplishments and contributions to America are invaluable. These African American icons have overcome adversity and challenged the status quo. In this vast diverse group you will find men from all walks of life, military, medicine, politics, music, civil rights, entertainment, and so much more. Many of these men are known to many, such as Frederick Douglass and Matthew Henson, but there are a few here that are not household name and I wanted to include them. Just because they don’t get the recognition that others have, doesn’t mean that they don’t warrant our attention.

The achievements of these men were an inspiration to me. Because of the courage, resolution, audacity and determination of these men, they’ve proved and triumphed against all odds. The men depicted here, have done something noteworthy that, at least to me, are entitled a place on this list. They deserve our appreciation and applause. You may disagree, or agree, but if it starts one to think and create conversation, then it is worthwhile.

Trailblazers and Pioneers – Men doesn’t start and end with these outstanding and historic men, they are a continuation. I remember reading about these men at an early age, but did not appreciate them until years later. The more information that I found about them the more I wanted to know. Their presence that been felt in virtually every field of human endeavor. The more you dig, the more you admire and appreciate and want to explore. This is my salute to them.
Daniel Hale Williams
Alain LeRoy Locke
Charles Hamilton Houston
Eddie Robinson
Ira Aldridge
James Beckwourth
Benjamin “Pap” Singleton
Marcus Garvey
Vivien Thomas
Bass Reeves
Prince Hall
Berry Gordy
William Grant Still
John H. Johnson
Estevanico
James W.C. Pennington
Henry Ossawa Tanner
Curt Flood
Toussaint L'Ouverture
Matthew Henson
Bill Pickett
Joseph Cinqué
Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Paul Cuffee
Andrew "Rube" Foster
Frederick Douglass
/
Daniel Hale Williams is credited as the first open-heart surgery. He was a pioneer in the surgical field for Black doctors and nurses across the nation. Once he picked his career path, he pursued it vigorously and brought new techniques and ideas to the medical community.
Continue
Locke is considered the “Father of the Harlem Renaissance.” Locke has been called one of the most important philosophical thinkers of his day. His philosophical theories focused on race relations, cultural relativism, and pluralism. The first African American Rhodes scholar.
Continue
Known as "The man that killed Jim Crow", Houston became the first Black editor of the Harvard Law Review. Houston led the legal fight for Black equality for more than 20 years, winning major cases affirming the civil rights of the African American people in education and other areas.
Continue
Coach Eddie Robinson set and raised the standards of coaching in Black college football. When football at Black colleges went largely unnoticed by the White public, Robinson’s Grambling teams gained fame for sending a high number of players into the National Football League.
Continue
An American born British actor, Ira Aldridge was one of the most celebrated Shakespearean actors of the 19th century. The first Black man to play Othello in Shakespeare's tragedy in England. He was the first Black actor to gain worldwide acclaim, and to find fame in a foreign nation.
Continue
A frontiersman and mountain man, James Beckwourth was a legendary character who loved high adventure. He was an expert fur trapper, trader, scout Indian fighter and discover of the "Beckwourth Pass", an important mountain pass through the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Continue
A land promoter and Black nationalist, Singleton was a leader of what was called the "Great Exodus". He organized the movement of ten of thousands of Black colonists, known as Exodusters, from the South to find settlements in the Midwest. He was called "The Moses of the Colored Exodus".
Continue
Marcus Garvey founded the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association). Its motto was “One God! One aim! One destiny!” The UNIA's goals were to promote racial unity through education, Black colonialism, encourage racial pride, and establish worldwide commercial activity.
Continue
Vivien Thomas was a laboratory and surgical technician, who didn't have a medical degree, but played a crucial role in the operating room for thousands of children with a congenital heart condition. They were called "Blue Babies and he developed an operation that saved their lives. It was the beginning of heart surgery.
Continue
Bass Reeves was one of the earliest Black Americans to receive a commission as a deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. He spoke several tribal languages from his time living among the Native Americans. An expert sharpshooter with a rifle and pistol Reeves' devotion to duty was legendary.
Continue
He created the world's first lodge of Black Freemasonry. Hall worked diligently to abolish slavery and to secure equal rights for Blacks in America. He was also one of the early proponents of Black colonization.
Continue
He achieved fame and fortune as a record executive, producer, songwriter, film producer and TV producer. As the founder of Motown Records, Berry Gordy was responsible for creating the the highest-earning Black business in the 1960's, and helped make Detroit synonymous with soulfulness.
Continue
The “Dean of Afro-American composers”, William Grant Still was a composer, conductor, and arranger, who wrote symphonies, operas, ballets, chamber music and works for solo instruments. He was the first African American to conduct a major American orchestra in a performance of his own works.
Continue
From Negro Digest to the iconic Ebony and Jet magazines, John Johnson changed the landscape of print journalism by offering authentic portraits of both the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of Black life. He built an empire around the African American experience.
Continue
Estevanico was a scout, ambassador, and a guide for the ill-fated Narváez expedition. He was the first known African explorer in North America. The first to set foot in present-day Arizona and New Mexico. His courage and ingenuity opened the Southwest to civilization.
Continue
A teacher, clergyman, author and one of the earliest non-violent civil rights activists. In 1843, he became the first man of African descent to receive a Doctor of Divinity degree. Pennington was a prolific writer and is noted for his prose, religious leadership, and abolitionist efforts.
Continue
He was the most renowned and preeminent African American painter of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry Ossawa Tanner's work was exhibited widely in the United States and abroad. He is the first Black artist to have paintings exhibited at the Louvre in Paris.
Continue
Curt Flood revolutionize the way baseball owners and players communicate and changed baseball forever. Although he lost his case, his legal efforts educated his fellow players and the public about the reserve clause’s unfairness. Changes quickly ensued, for the betterment of baseball players.
Continue
A former slave who rose to lead a revolt that resulted in Haiti's independence from France. Toussaint L'Ouverture led the only successful slave revolt known in modern history. Haiti was the second country in the Americas, after the United States to become independent in 1783.
Continue
On April 6th 1909, Matthew Henson, Robert Peary and four Inuit Eskimos drove their dogsleds to the North Pole, where Henson planted an American flag. Henson was a navigator and a skilled craftsman. He was known as Peary's "first man", and spent 20 years trekking to the Arctic
Continue
Wild West performer, cowboy and actor, Bill Pickett is credited with inventing the sport of bulldogging. He was known for his many remarkable cowboy talents. Pickett was a superb horseman and steer handler. The first recognizable African American cowboy.
Continue
Sengbe Pieh better known as Joseph Cinqué was the courageous leader of a revolt by slaves on board the slave ship Amistad in 1839. His bold actions would ignited a diplomatic, legal and moral battle. It would bring questions about slavery to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Continue
In addition to being known to be the first person to settle in what is now Chicago, Ill, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable was a frontiersman entrepreneur and negotiator. He was fluent in Spanish, French, English, and numerous Native American dialects.
Continue
Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote about the experience of African Americans during and after the Civil War in his poems and novels. He wrote of their dreams and feelings. He also told of their hardships and racist treatment. Dunbar wrote poetry in both standard English and in dialect.
Continue
Paul Cuffee was active in the abolitionist movement. Inspired by British abolitionists who had established Sierra Leone as a colony for freed slaves, Cuffee began to recruit African Americans to emigrate to Africa. In 1815, he led a small group of Blacks to Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Continue
"The Father of Black Baseball", as he was called, Rube Foster was a pitcher, manager, executive and owner in the original Negro Leagues. Under his leadership, the Negro National League became the premier league for Black baseball players to display their talents to Major Baseball.
Continue
Frederick Douglass used his editorial voice to challenge injustices and promote the principles of equality and human dignity..
Continue
Shopping Basket