Black History Archives - Page 3 of 36 - The Washington Informer

Henry Blair is the second African-American to be granted a patent. He modernized agriculture when he invented mechanical corn and cotton planters in the 1830s. His inventions made farming significantly more efficient. (Courtesy photo)

Henry Blair: 19th Century Inventor and Agricultural Pioneer

by Richard D. Elliott February 19, 2025February 19, 2025

After decades of civic activism and a 1,400-mile journey from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, D.C., Dr. Opal Lee’s dream to see national recognition for Juneteenth became a reality, when former President Joe Biden enshrined June 19 as a federal holiday in 2021. (Courtesy of Chandler West, White House)

Dr. Opal Lee: A Community Advocate Born to Make a Difference

by Jada Ingleton February 19, 2025March 6, 2025

Students at Hampton University in 1899 or 1900, according to the Library of Congress. Hampton set up its students for success, as every individual enrolled in the agricultural program was required to take on a small business in crops or livestock alongside their studies for profit. This way, they received hands-on experience in both the agricultural and entrepreneurial sectors. (Courtesy of Library of Congress)

Planting Seeds of Excellence: Hampton University’s Historic Role in Black Agriculture

by Mya Trujillo February 19, 2025February 19, 2025

Carter G. Woodson

MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN: Teaching Black History

by Marian Wright Edelman February 19, 2025February 19, 2025

VIEWPOINTS

by WI Web Staff February 12, 2025February 13, 2025

Nannie Helen Burroughs opened the National Training School for Women and Girls, offering Black women an opportunity to get education and job training in D.C. She also gave the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking opportunities and encouragement during the earliest stages of the Civil Rights Movement. (Courtesy photo)

Nannie Helen Burroughs: Champion of Education for Black Women

by Richard D. Elliott, Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr. and Stacy M. Brown February 12, 2025February 13, 2025

The legacy of Anna Arnold Hedgeman, a barrier-breaking woman integral to achieving civil rights, labor rights and educational equity in the nation, continues through current work toward racial and gender equity, and overall human rights. (Courtesy photo)

Remembering Anna Arnold Hedgeman

by Lindiwe Vilakazi February 12, 2025February 13, 2025

**FILE** Elizabeth Davis, former president of Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU), is remembered as a champion for educators rights, childhood literacy, and educational equity. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)

Remembering Elizabeth Davis: A Champion for Educators Rights, Literacy, Educational Equity

by Sam Plo Kwia Collins Jr. February 12, 2025February 13, 2025

Booker T. Washington was the principal of Tuskegee Institute from the late 1880s to 1915. (Courtesy photo)

Booker T. Washington Favored Black Manual Labor, Discouraged African Americans in Unions

by James Wright Jr. February 12, 2025February 13, 2025

Septima Poinsette Clark is an unsung hero of the civil rights movement. She proved that knowledge is power through her various education workshops and citizenship schools, enriching students with the necessary information to return to their communities and empower others. (Courtesy photo)

How Septima Clark’s Education Revolutionized the Struggle for Equality

by Mya Trujillo February 12, 2025February 13, 2025