# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sesame Street: Elmo and Venus Williams Imagine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sesame Street: Lena Horne and Kermit Sing Bein' Green

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sesame Street: Lena Horne and Muppets Sing The Alphabet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sesame Street - Jackie Robinson recites the Alphabet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sesame Street - Jackie Robinson recites the Alphabet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sesame Street: Arthur Ashe Does the Alphabet

# data[].attributes.body
Start at 0:55

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Man who Mailed Himself to Freedom | Henry Box Brown

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Henry "Box" Brown | Underground Railroad | PBS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Henry "Box" Brown Precipitating factor that motivated Brown's escape: Henry "Box" Brown was born enslaved in Louisa County, Virginia in 1815. When he was 15, he was sent to Richmond to work in a tobacco factory. His life was filled with unrewarded drudgery, although he had it better than most of his enslaved peers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When Brian Paupaw was 14, a local drug dealer he was loosely familiar with picked him up after school. The dealer knew some of Paupaw's junior high friends and often hung around the school. He offered Paupaw a ride home, but along the way, they made a detour.

The man brought Paupaw to an apartment where Paupaw watched women pack crack cocaine into plastic bags at the living room table while the dealer showed off his firearms. Paupaw says he was being recruited to sell drugs, and while a part of him envied the respect the dealer commanded, along with the money he often flaunted, Paupaw knew what happened to those who got into this line of work. He was raised in a rough part of Brooklyn, N.Y., in the 1980s, and every other day or so, it seemed, someone in the neighborhood was shot or stabbed.

Paupaw, who is Black, didn't want to dive into the drugs or the violence. He says he just wanted to skateboard but remembers thinking that it was just a "white kid" thing.

Before too long, he was dealing drugs himself, something he says he continued to do until he cleaned up his act and got into college. It was there that a friend got him onto a skateboard and then a snowboard soon after. As he looks back, it was an experience that changed his life in ways he couldn't have expected.

Snowboarding became his love and his mission

Now 47, Paupaw often sees his younger self in the kids he's trying to help these days. He and his business partner, Omar Diaz, 52, spend their weekends shuttling kids from Brooklyn to upstate New York and northwest New Jersey for a day in the mountains. Together, the two men have provided kids from low-income communities with the opportunity to get into snowboarding, keeping them on the slopes and off the streets through their Hoods to Woods Foundation.

More than 200 kids have passed through the program since it launched in 2009, according to Diaz. It runs for five weeks every winter. A bus picks up the kids in Brooklyn each Saturday morning and takes them to the mountains, where they're given everything they need - including equipment and lessons - to confidently navigate their way down the slopes.

The goal isn't to create the next Olympic gold medalist or X Games superstar, according to Paupaw. He sees the mission as bigger than that.

"If that's what someone wants to do, then there's an avenue for them, you know, but I'd rather focus on just getting these kids off the block. Just that one Saturday makes a huge impact," he says. "Some kids may not have the best environment. Some kids live in shelters. Some kids have parents that deal with alcoholism and drug abuse. This is a way for them to just leave that."

The program creates opportunity many kids don't have

Their work has also helped scores of kids, most of whom are Black or other children of color, gain exposure to a sport that has, for nearly all its history, been disproportionately white. According to data from the National Ski Areas Association, some 87.5% of visitors to ski areas during the 2020-2021 season were white; just 5.8% were Hispanic or Latino, and only 1.5% were Black.

That same lack of diversity in recreational winter sports has been on display at this year's Winter Olympics in Beijing, where Team USA has 48 athletes participating in the snowboarding competition, none of whom are Black and only a small fraction of whom are people of color.

Like other popular winter sports, the sheer price tag associated with snowboarding has been the primary barrier to entry for many children. The minimum equipment needed to get down the hill - board, boots and bindings - can run just shy of $1,000, a sum that doesn't account for necessities such as a jacket, snow pants, gloves, goggles, thermal layers and a helmet, totaling hundreds more. And that's just the gear. Lift tickets and season passes have soared in recent years, with skiers and riders paying upward of $200 a day at some U.S. resorts.

But cost is only part of the equation. Kenneth Shropshire, a professor of global sport at Arizona State University, says children have a hard time picturing themselves in sports like snowboarding if they don't have role models who look like them to set an example.

"You don't see yourself out there, and sort of as we watch the Olympics this time around, just the limited number of people of color that are there, you know, it's tough to imagine being someone that you can't see," Shropshire says.

It started with a shared vision - and lots of unanswered phone calls

It's a feeling that Diaz and Paupaw were all too familiar with when they first met in 2008. Paupaw, a motion graphics designer by day, was showing his short film Hoods to Woods,the story of his passion for the outdoors as a Black snowboarder, in a retail rental space in Manhattan. After the movie ended, he stood at the front of the audience and laid out his dream of sharing the sport with underprivileged kids from the Greater New York City area.

Paupaw wanted to share the experience, not just the sport, he explains, because when he's snowboarding, he feels like a kid again. All of life's problems just sort of disappear, at least for a little bit.

"Even though I had a decade riding prior to him, I was just doing it for me, for fun. But what he said that night resonated with me," Diaz says. He waited for Paupaw outside the venue and told him, "We should definitely make this happen, bring it to the community, 'cause we know that a lot of people that look like us will never have an opportunity in a million years to do this."

And thus the Hoods to Woods Foundation was born.

Getting the program started proved more difficult than either Paupaw or Diaz had imagined, though. It took nearly a year, but they finally got everything lined up. Diaz, who works as an internal auditor, admits that this is largely attributed to Paupaw's persistence to get others on board.

Once a day, every day, for weeks on end, Paupaw would call Mountain Creek Resort in New Jersey to try to get discounted lift tickets for the kids. At first, those calls went unanswered. At times, he contemplated giving up. Instead, he doubled down and began calling twice a day.

The manager of the resort eventually called Paupaw back and offered free lift tickets for the kids. "If you want something, you gotta keep being persistent," he says. "The squeaky wheel gets the oil."

More than a decade later, Hoods to Woods has grown from four kids piled into a 1990-something Honda Civic on its pilot trip in 2009 to more than 20 kids bouncing around in a coach bus.

The foundation recently received its first-ever set of grants from the Share Winter Foundation and the outdoor clothing company Arc'teryx, but it has historically relied on donations and fundraising efforts to operate.

Fortunately for Diaz and Paupaw, individuals across the industry, including professional riders and brand representatives, have continually stepped up to lend their support.

"Since Day 1, there were so many brands and professional riders. So many people put their hand out and asked, 'What can we do?' " Diaz says.

That included his old friend, Russell Winfield, who is widely recognized as the first Black professional snowboarder.

About a year ago, Winfield teamed up with the now-deceased head of Louis Vuitton's menswear, Virgil Abloh, to design a limited-edition snowboard for Ride Snowboards. It was released at the beginning of February and has already sold out. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Hoods to Woods, as well as to Abloh's "Post-Modern" Scholarship Fund to support the next generation of Black leaders in the fashion industry.

"Snowboarding is a really important part of my life. It's my freedom. It's my inspiration," Winfield says. "I was lucky. My parents had the means, and honestly, that's how I did it. I couldn't have done it without them. I'm just trying to help further stuff."

The collaboration not only raised several thousand dollars for Hoods to Woods, but it helped with exposure. Diaz and Paupaw say they've received a tidal wave of support since the board came out.

Nevertheless, there will more than likely always be more kids than the foundation is capable of helping. "The wackiest thing for me is turning people down because we don't have enough," Paupaw says. "It's hard having a waiting list. Like, 'OK, well, if a spot opens up, we'll let you know.' That's the thing that's always bothered me."

"It's worth fighting for"

The foundation also doesn't have any full-time employees. Instead, it depends on volunteers like Serigne Diao to get the job done. The 21-year-old Brooklyn native spent six seasons with Hoods to Woods as a participant until he left for college in 2019.

He had never even considered getting into snowboarding before he learned about the program through his church. None of his family members or friends were into snow sports, and the price tag that comes with breaking into the sport was an enormous deterrent.

Diao says he volunteers because "snowboarding was such a big part of my life in terms of just how it changed my mentality of things and conquering new obstacles. I knew this was something worth keeping around and teaching younger generations with the same opportunity that I had."

Programs like Hoods to Woods didn't exist for Paupaw and Diaz when they were growing up. Diaz moved from the Dominican Republic to New Jersey when he was 11 and got into snowboarding through skateboarding. He was constantly teased by his peers for participating in activities perceived as reserved for wealthy white kids. He did it anyway.

As for Paupaw,he believes things would have gone differently for him as a kid had similar programs been available when he was growing up. It's what keeps him going, he says.

"I see how important it is to never give up on trying to create something great for your community," says Paupaw. "It's worth fighting for."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Snowboarding was his passion. Making the sport more inclusive became his mission

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When Brian Paupaw was 14, a local drug dealer he was loosely familiar with picked him up after school. The dealer knew some of Paupaw's junior high friends and often hung around the school. He offered Paupaw a ride home, but along the way, they made a detour.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
"Reaching for Greatness: A Parents' Guide to Programs and Resources to Help Their Children Succeed!" by Regina Jingles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When you think about your "typical" snowboarders, inner-city kids don't usually
come to mind. One organization wants to change your perceptions, and in the interim,
Here's our informative and insightful Q & A:
"open your mind" to the wonders of snowboarding.

Meet Brian Paupaw, Founder of "Hoods to Woods," a non-profit organization based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. In just a few short years, "Hoods to Woods" has managed to make an inaccessible sport, "accessible."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
reaching for greatness:  a parents' guide to programs and resources to help their children succeed

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When you think about your "typical" snowboarders, inner-city kids don't usually come to mind. One organization wants to change your perceptions, and in the interim, Here's our informative and insightful Q & A: "open your mind" to the wonders of snowboarding. Meet Brian Paupaw, Founder of "Hoods to Woods," a non-profit organization based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The year she became the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize, Brooks told her editor that in a life filled with housework, writing 'is the only work in which I am interested.'

In 1944 an editor at Harper & Brothers contacted Richard Wright, the author of Native Son, to ask his opinion of poems submitted for publication by a Chicago woman named Gwendolyn Brooks. Wright responded:

"They are hard and real, right out of the central core of Black Belt Negro life in urban areas. ... There is no self-pity here, not a striving for effect. She takes hold of reality as it is and renders it faithfully. There is not so much an exhibiting of Negro life to whites in these poems as there is an honest human reaction to the pain that lurks so colorfully in the Black Belt. ... She easily catches the pathos of petty destinies; the whimper of the wounded; the tiny incidents that plague the lives of the desperately poor, and the problem of color prejudice among Negroes. ... Only one who has actually lived and suffered in a kitchenette could render the feeling of lonely frustration as well as she does: - of how dreams are drowned out by the noises, smells, and the frantic desire to grab one's chance to get a bath when the bathroom is empty. Miss Brooks is real and so are her poems."

In 1950, the year Gwendolyn Brooks became the first African-American to win the Pulitzer Prize, her editor asked her what made her write. Brooks answered that she wrote "to prove to others (by implication, not by shouting) and to such among themselves who have yet to discover it, that they are merely human beings, not exotics." She wrote while "scrubbing, washing, ironing, cooking: dropping the mop, broom, soap, iron or carrot grater to write down a line, or word." Writing, she said, "is the only work in which I am interested."

When the galleys of Annie Allen were ready, the editor, Elizabeth Lawrence, sent them to Wright, Langston Hughes and Alfred Kreymborg, a poet, anthologist and chess master who had long been a figure in the New York literary scene. His critique: "Though this volume weighs little in the hand, it weighs much in the heart and the mind."

Kreymborg had been on the Pulitzer Prize poetry juries for 1948 and 1949, and he returned to judge for 1950, with Annie Allen among the books entered.

The jury that year faced some challenges. William Carlos Williams, long a friend and colleague of Kreymborg's, had published both a Selected Poems and the first parts of Paterson in 1949. He was in his mid-60s and had never won a Pulitzer Prize. Robert Frost's Complete Poems came out that year as well. He was 75 and had won the prize four times. His friend, Louis Untermeyer, was on the jury with Kreymborg.

The third member, serving on the Poetry jury for the eighth consecutive year, was Henry Seidel Canby, a noted English professor at Yale. Canby described in his letter to the dean of Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism how the three men had arrived at their choice.

Here is the letter.

'A volume of great originality, real distinction and high value'

Dean Carl W. Ackerman
Graduate School of Journalism
Columbia University
New York 27, N.Y.

Dear Doctor Ackerman:

I have the honor to submit herewith the recommendations of the Advisory Committee, consisting of myself, Louis Untermeyer, and Alfred Kreymborg, for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry this year.

The finest book of poetry this year is very naturally the Complete Poems of Robert Frost, which summarizes his whole career. For various good reasons, the Committee feels it would be most unwise to give the award to this book, unless no other worthy candidate was in sight. I quote the statement of Mr. Untermeyer, with which I entirely agree, that a fifth award to Mr. Frost would actually be a double or triple or quadruple award to a body of poems already so distinguished, for these are in all probability much his finest poems:

"If the judges were to award the prize literally to the best book of the year, the prize would have to be given to the Complete Poems of Robert Frost. As the title indicates, this is the cumulative work of the greatest living American poet, possibly the greatest poet living today. But - and it is an important "but" - Frost has received the award four times ... and, with the exception of a few added titles, for the same poems! A further 'honor' to Frost would be not only superfluous but so repetitious as to seem silly. In addition, an award to Frost would be a confession that current poetry is so lifeless that we have to turn again to the one poet we can cite as a contemporary tradition."

There is another important contribution to poetry this year which also deserves a special statement. Mr. William Carlos Williams has been steadily growing in stature and published in 1949 a book of Selected Poems and the first three sections of his long poem called Paterson. A number of Mr. Williams's briefer poems have already taken their places in anthologies, but he lacks self-criticism, and his total output so far is frequently distinguished by an extreme of obscurity. This is especially true of his long poem. There is every reason to believe that his new Selected Poems, to be published in 1950, will be much more representative of what he can do, and less full of failures. Also, it is at least possible that the fourth section of his Paterson, also to be published this year, may throw some light, at present absent, on the significance of the whole. We do not feel inclined to recommend him for a Pulitzer Prize this year. We believe that next year it will be possible to form a much sounder judgment, either positive or negative.

Fortunately, among the other books of poems submitted for an award is a volume of great originality, real distinction and high value as a book, as well as poetry. Some years ago, Gwendolyn Brooks, a Negro writer of unusual ability, published A Street in Bronzeville, which made a great impression on all its readers and had what is unusual for poetry today - a wide sale. In 1949 she published Annie Allen, a much better book, and indeed, in our opinion, the outstanding volume of the year, if you exclude Robert Frost. No other Negro poet has written such poetry of her own race, of her own experiences, subjective and objective, and with no grievance or racial criticism as the purpose of her poetry. It is highly skillful and strong poetry, out of the heart, but rich with racial experience. I quote from Mr. Alfred Kreymborg, with whose opinion I entirely agree:

"A few years ago, Gwendolyn Brooks, the young Chicago poet, made her debut in book form with A Street in Bronzeville, a small Spoon River Anthology of the Negro. This was followed last year by Annie Allen, an even finer volume, which introduces further characters out of her South Side background, with Annie herself as the central figure with her peregrinations from childhood through girlhood to womanhood. These Notes, as the author modestly calls her varied lyrics and ballads, are finally developed in a single short narrative, The Anniad, whose title deftly parodies The Aeneid and whose intellectual sweep over common experience is not only brilliant but profound in its tragic and tragicomic implications. The book as a whole gives evidence that the poet firmly resisted temptations of special pleading, the bane of most social verse in our time. Her work is truly objective, never propagandistic, and above all original.

"Gwendolyn Brooks has twice received Guggenheim Fellowships and a Grant from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In recommending that she receive the 1949 Award for Poetry from the Pulitzer Committee, for which the judges voted unanimously, they feel that a wider public will be drawn toward an artist of outstanding merit."

There are, as is usually the case in a Pulitzer contest, a group of seven books, all of them of high competence, and all deserving great praise. These are the following:

Orpheus, Muriel Rukeyser
Elegies, Muriel Rukeyser
An Acre in the Seed (posthumous), Theodore Spencer
Live Another Day, John Ciardi
Aspects of Proteus, Hyam Plutzik
Volume II, Jose Garcia Villa
Walk Through Two Landscapes, Dilys Bennett Laing
The Tears of the Blind Lions, Thomas Merton

There are potential takers of the Pulitzer Prize in the future in this group, but the Committee unanimously does not wish to recommend this year any one of them.

I may say that we have seldom been more satisfied than with our choice of Annie Allen.

I am

Yours very truly,
Henry S. Canby

For the committee:
Henry Seidel Canby
Alfred Kreymborg
Louis Untermeyer

Main sources: A Life of Gwendolyn Brooks, by George E. Kent, Harper, 1990; Pulitzer Prize files. Also consulted: "The Visual Imagery of Gwendolyn Brooks," by Linda Somers, master's thesis, English department, Atlanta University, August, 1971; "Bronze by Gold," by Stanley Kunitz, Poetry magazine, April 1950, pp. 52-56; The Indignant Generation: A Narrative History of African American Writers and Critics, 1934-1960, by Lawrence P. Jackson, Princeton University Press, 2011.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The year she became the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize, Brooks told her editor that in a life filled with housework, writing 'is the only work in which I am interested.' In 1944 an editor at Harper & Brothers contacted Richard Wright, the author of Native Son, to ask his opinion of poems submitted for publication by a Chicago woman named Gwendolyn Brooks.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Gwendolyn Brooks, in full Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks, (born June 7, 1917, Topeka, Kan., U.S.-died Dec. 3, 2000, Chicago, Ill.), American poet whose works deal with the everyday life of urban blacks. She was the first African American poet to win the Pulitzer Prize (1950), and in 1968 she was named the poet laureate of Illinois.

Brooks graduated from Wilson Junior College in Chicago in 1936. Her early verses appeared in the Chicago Defender, a newspaper written primarily for that city's African American community. Her first published collection, A Street in Bronzeville (1945), reveals her talent for making the ordinary life of her neighbours extraordinary. Annie Allen (1949), for which she won the Pulitzer Prize, is a loosely connected series of poems related to an African American girl's growing up in Chicago. The same theme was used for Brooks's novel Maud Martha (1953).

The Bean Eaters (1960) contains some of her best verse. Her Selected Poems (1963) was followed in 1968 by In the Mecca, half of which is a long narrative poem about people in the Mecca, a vast, fortresslike apartment building erected on the South Side of Chicago in 1891, which had long since deteriorated into a slum. The second half of the book contains individual poems, among which the most noteworthy are "Boy Breaking Glass" and "Malcolm X." Brooks also wrote a book for children, Bronzeville Boys and Girls (1956). The autobiographical Report from Part One (1972) was an assemblage of personal memoirs, interviews, and letters; it was followed, though much later, by Report from Part Two (1996). Her other works include Primer for Blacks (1980), Young Poet's Primer (1980), To Disembark (1981), The Near-Johannesburg Boy, and Other Poems (1986), Blacks (1987), Winnie (1988), and Children Coming Home (1991).

In 1985-86 Brooks was Library of Congress consultant in poetry (now poet laureate consultant in poetry), and in 1989 she received a lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts. She became a professor of English at Chicago State University in 1990, a position she held until her death.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Gwendolyn Brooks | American poet and educator

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Gwendolyn Brooks, American poet whose works deal with the everyday life of urban blacks. She was the first African American poet to win the Pulitzer Prize (1950), and in 1968 she was named the poet laureate of Illinois. Brooks graduated from Wilson Junior College in Chicago in 1936. Her early

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Three museums in Wichita are displaying the work of artist Gordon Parks starting this month. A notable author, filmmaker and musician, the Kansas native is most famous for his photographs, which documented poverty and segregation during the civil rights movement..

Filling the gallery space of The Kansas African American Museum in Wichita are dozens of black-and-white images. The museum is in the former Calvary Baptist Church, built in 1917; the building is described as "a monument to human endurance," and that "the people who worshiped here endured painful racial segregation and fought those conditions with dignity."

It's a fitting place to show the work of Gordon Parks.

Displayed on a wall at the exhibit is a quote by Parks: "I picked up a camera because it was my choice of weapons against what I hated most about the universe: racism, intolerance and poverty."

Parks was born in Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1912, and he grew up around violent racism, segregation and crushing poverty. His mother died when he was 14, and after moving in with unwelcoming relatives in Minnesota, he quickly found himself homeless, fending for himself.

Museum director Mark McCormick says it's these difficult experiences that inspired Parks to find his voice.

"You have to have something to say, and the power of his experiences are reflected in the photography and the subjects that he wanted to shoot," he says.

One of Parks' lesser-known series features snapshot photographs of a Methodist summer camp in northern New York. The assignment was to photograph integrated summer camps. The photos depict campers swimming, helping cook dinner, and playing games. According to McCormick, showing black and white kids doing these things together came as a shock to people in the 1940's.

"What it reminded me of are those camps that I've heard about that bring kids from Palestine and Israel together," he says.

"I picked up a camera because it was my choice of weapons against what I hated most about the universe: racism, intolerance and poverty."

All of Parks' photographs seem to perfectly capture the emotion and expression of their subjects. The faces of the children and adults attending this summer camp show joy and even boredom, but no turmoil, no anger; it's important, considering they were taken in the summer of 1943-the same summer in which 34 people, most of them black, were killed in race riots in Detroit.

McCormick says Parks provided a megaphone for black communities across the country at a time when many of their concerns were being ignored.

"I grew up here in Wichita getting my hair cut at Professional Barber Shop, which, at the time, was at 21st and Grove. And there was a picture of Gordon Parks on the wall. The barbers in there used to talk about him, and how much they admired him," McCormick says.

"And as luck would have it, when I was a cub reporter in Louisville, Kentucky, the Louisville Association of Black Communicators had a film festival honoring Mr. Parks. They had invited him, but they weren't sure if he was coming or not. He showed up. And again, I'm an intern and I'm watching all of these mid-career and late-career journalists surround him like children. That gave me a sense of how big of a star he was."

McCormick was able to speak with Parks at that event, which he says is one the great honors of his life. But despite the love and respect many Kansans felt for Gordon Parks, the feelings weren't always mutual. His childhood memories of living in Fort Scott, with the daily threat of racial violence, troubled Parks for decades, according to McCormick.

"For years he really wanted nothing to do with the state," McCormick says. "He witnessed some things as a kid, experienced some things as a kid, that really severed his ties with the state."

Parks returned to Fort Scott in 1950 on a photo assignment. He found that even after 25 years, the racial tensions hadn't changed much.

McCormick says it was Charles McAfee, a notable African-American architect who still lives and works in Wichita, who began working to reunite Parks with his home state. An event was held at Wichita State University in 2000 to honor Parks' work, and from there a renewed connection was made.

"Mr. Parks told Mr. McAfee, 'If you can find a place for my art, my photographs, my papers, you can have them,'" McCormick says.

Not only did The Kansas African American Museum receive many items from Gordon Parks, but over time, so has the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University. The school has one of the largest collections in the world.

Among its collection is a selection of images that ran in Life magazine's March 8, 1968, edition. The photos show the living conditions of the Fontanelle family in Harlem, New York, a place accustomed to poverty, violence and racial tension. The editors at Life wanted Parks to find out where this tension and violence in Harlem was coming from.

"Why are they rioting? Why are they angry?" says the Ulrich Museum of Art's Jennifer Lane. "And so, he went and he documented this family and their living conditions, and it shows a pretty clear reason why somebody might not be very happy."

The dimly lit photos show a run-down apartment. There are large holes in the walls; laundry is done in a bathtub; the youngest child, Richard, is so hungry that he resorts to eating plaster from the walls.

"This is poverty," Lane says. "It's almost claustrophobic this situation that is shown here."

Not only did Parks provide the photographs, he also wrote the article for the Life magazine layout. It describes horrific domestic violence and drug addiction within the Fontanelle family. It's clear that the assignment hit home for Parks. To begin the photo essay, he wrote a clear message to the mostly white audience of Life magazine:

"We are not so far apart as it might seem. There is something about both of us that goes deeper than blood or black and white. It is our common search for a better life, a better world. My children's needs are the same as your children's. I too am America. America is me."

It's through photo essays like this that Parks is remembered as an important figure in the civil rights movement. Hanging on the walls of the Ulrich are his images of Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam, black gang leaders in Harlem and the famous portrait of an impoverished black woman standing in front of an American flag.

In all of his assignments, he had a gift of embedded himself with his subjects, gaining their comfort and their trust.

"Life couldn't have sent anybody else because he would just blend in amongst the people," Lane says. "Wherever he went, they would just go about their life. People can be guarded and be careful about what is shown, but they didn't do that with Gordon."

Parks died a decade ago in New York City at the age of 93. He is remembered not only through his photographs, but his books, poetry, films and music.

Parks' work is currently on display at the Ulrich of Museum of Art and The Kansas African American Museum through mid-April. The Wichita Art Museum will feature his work starting Jan. 30.

--
Follow Sean Sandefur on Twitter @SeanSandefur. To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Photographer Gordon Parks' Work Was Weapon Against 'Racism, Intolerance And Poverty'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Three museums in Wichita are displaying the work of artist Gordon Parks starting this month. A notable author, filmmaker and musician, the Kansas native is most famous for his photographs, which documented poverty and segregation during the civil rights movement.. Filling the gallery space of The Kansas African American Museum in Wichita are dozens of black-and-white images.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Gordon Parks, one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century, was a humanitarian with a deep commitment to social justice. He left behind an exceptional body of work that documents American life and culture from the early 1940s into the 2000s, with a focus on race relations, poverty, civil rights, and urban life. Parks was also a distinguished composer, author, and filmmaker who interacted with many of the leading people of his era-from politicians and artists to athletes and other celebrities.

Born into poverty and segregation in Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1912, Parks was drawn to photography as a young man when he saw images of migrant workers in a magazine. After buying a camera at a pawnshop, he taught himself how to use it. Despite his lack of professional training, he won the Julius Rosenwald Fellowship in 1942; this led to a position with the photography section of the Farm Security Administration (FSA) in Washington, D.C., and, later, the Office of War Information (OWI). Working for these agencies, which were then chronicling the nation's social conditions, Parks quickly developed a personal style that would make him among the most celebrated photographers of his era. His extraordinary pictures allowed him to break the color line in professional photography while he created remarkably expressive images that consistently explored the social and economic impact of poverty, racism, and other forms of discrimination.

In 1944, Parks left the OWI to work for the Standard Oil Company's photo documentary project. Around this time, he was also a freelance photographer for Glamour and Ebony, which expanded his photographic practice and further developed his distinct style. His 1948 photo essay on the life of a Harlem gang leader won him widespread acclaim and a position as the first African American staff photographer and writer for Life. Parks would remain at the magazine for two decades, covering subjects related to racism and poverty but also fashion and entertainment, and taking memorable pictures of such figures as Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., and Stokely Carmichael. His most famous images, for instance American Gothic (1942) and Emerging Man (1952), capture the essence of his activism and humanitarianism and have become iconic, defining their generation. They also helped rally support for the burgeoning civil rights movement, for which Parks himself was a tireless advocate as well as a documentarian.

Parks was a modern-day Renaissance man, whose creative practice extended beyond photography to encompass fiction and nonfiction writing, musical composition, filmmaking, and painting. In 1969 he became the first African American to write and direct a major Hollywood studio feature film, The Learning Tree, based on his bestselling semiautobiographical novel. His next film, Shaft (1971), was a critical and box-office success, inspiring a number of sequels. Parks published many books, including memoirs, novels, poetry, and volumes on photographic technique. In 1989 he produced, directed, and composed the music for a ballet, Martin, dedicated to the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.

Parks spent much of the last three decades of his life evolving his style, and he continued working until his death in 2006. He was recognized with more than fifty honorary doctorates, and among his numerous awards was the National Medal of Arts, which he received in 1988. Today, archives of his work reside at a number of institutions, including the Gordon Parks Foundation, Pleasantville, New York; the Gordon Parks Museum in Fort Scott, Kansas, and Wichita State University in Wichita; and the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and the Smithsonian Institution, all in Washington, D.C.

Parks' work is in the permanent collections of major museums, among them the Art Institute of Chicago; the Baltimore Museum of Art; the Cincinnati Art Museum; the Detroit Institute of Arts; the International Center of Photography, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art, all in New York; the Minneapolis Institute of Art; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Saint Louis Art Museum; the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C.; and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond.

In recent years, Parks has been the subject of a number of solo exhibitions, all accompanied by illustrated publications, organized by the Gordon Parks Foundation with other institutions. These include: Gordon Parks: The Atmosphere of Crime, Museum of Modern Art (2020); Gordon Parks X Muhammad Ali, Nelson Atkins Museum of Art (2020); Gordon Parks: The Flávio Story, Instituto Moreira Salles, São Paulo (traveled; 2017-2019); Gordon Parks: The New Tide, Early Work 1940-1950, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. (traveled; 2018-2019); I Am You: Selected Works 1942-1978, C/O Berlin (traveled; 2017-2018); Invisible Man: Gordon Parks and Ralph Ellison in Harlem, Art Institute of Chicago (2016); Gordon Parks: Back to Fort Scott, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2015); Gordon Parks: Segregation Story, High Museum of Art, Atlanta (2014-2015); Gordon Parks: The Making of an Argument, New Orleans Museum of Art (2013-2014); and Gordon Parks: A Harlem Family 1967, The Studio Museum in Harlem (2012-2013).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Gordon Parks Foundation permanently preserves the work of Gordon Parks, makes it available to the public through exhibitions, books, and electronic media and supports artistic and educational activities that advance what Gordon described as "the common search for a better life and a better world."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Willie O'Ree, byname of William O'Ree, (born October 15, 1935, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada), the first Black hockey player to play in a National Hockey League (NHL) game. He debuted with the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum on January 18, 1958.

Growing up in New Brunswick

William O'Ree was raised in a large family in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He was the youngest of 13 children of parents Rosebud and Harry. O'Ree's grandparents came to Canada from the United States through the Underground Railroad to escape slavery. While O'Ree was growing up, only two Black families lived in Fredericton. O'Ree's father, Harry, was a civil engineer who worked in the city's road maintenance industry.

O'Ree started playing hockey at age three and organized hockey at age five. He instantly had a passion for the game. O'Ree played regularly on the backyard rink of the family home and skated to school when weather permitted. In The Autobiography of Willie O'Ree: Hockey's Black Pioneer, O'Ree wrote that colour was never an issue on those early rinks:

The fact that I was black never came up when we played as kids. You could have been purple with a green stripe down the middle of your forehead, and it wouldn't have mattered. It was only later, when I became older, that I learned what "colour barrier" meant.

Early career and serious eye injury

When O'Ree was 14 years old, he played organized hockey with his brother Richard, who was in his 20s and taught Willie how to body check. By the time O'Ree was 15, he was playing for the Fredericton Falcons in the New Brunswick Amateur Hockey Association.

Over the next three years, O'Ree progressed through the Fredericton hockey system. In 1951-52 he played with the Fredericton Merchants of the York County Hockey League and three games with the Fredericton Capitals of the New Brunswick Senior Hockey League. After a season with the Junior Capitals, O'Ree made a step up to the senior ranks for a full season in 1953-54. While with the Fredericton Capitals, O'Ree played in the Allan Cup tournament, where he scored seven goals in seven games.

At age 19 O'Ree moved to Québec and played the 1954-55 season with the Quebec Frontenacs of the Quebec Junior Hockey League, where he had 27 goals and 17 assists for 44 points in 43 games.

During the 1955-56 season, while O'Ree was playing for the Kitchener Canucks of the Ontario Hockey Association, O'Ree lost about 95 percent of the vision in his right eye after he was hit by a puck that also broke his nose and cheekbone. He was advised by a doctor to stop playing hockey, but he was back on the ice within two months. However, O'Ree could not tell anyone about the injury. According to NHL bylaws, he would not be eligible to play, as the league forbade players blind in one eye from competing, and O'Ree was determined to make the NHL. To compensate for his blindness while playing left wing, O'Ree had to turn his head far over his right shoulder.

The Quebec Aces

O'Ree returned to playing hockey in Québec after one year in Ontario and was eighth in team scoring with the Quebec Aces in the 1956-57 season (22 goals and 12 assists for 34 points). O'Ree would go on to play two more seasons with the Aces in 1957-58 and 1958-59.

As an organization, the Aces had a history of integration. From 1949 to 1953 Herb Carnegie, a Black hockey player from Toronto, starred for the Aces in the Quebec Senior Hockey League. Carnegie, who played one season with Jean Béliveau, had 77 goals and 121 assists for 198 points in four seasons with Quebec. A member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, Carnegie was one of the best players in hockey history to have never played professionally.

While playing with the Quebec Aces, O'Ree played on the same line with Stan Maxwell, another Black Canadian. Like O'Ree, Maxwell played for the Aces from 1956 to 1959.

NHL debut

For the 1957-58 season, the Aces formed a working relationship with the NHL's Boston Bruins. The relationship meant that Aces players could be called up to the Bruins at any time. O'Ree was, and he made history on January 18, 1958, when he became the first Black hockey player to play a game in the National Hockey League. (The Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens that night, 3-0.) After playing only two games for the Bruins in the 1957-58 season, O'Ree returned to the team in the 1960-61 season and scored 4 goals and 10 assists for 14 points in 43 regular-season games. On January 1, 1961, O'Ree also became the first Black player to score a goal in the NHL, in a 3-2 win over the Canadiens.

The fact that O'Ree was the first Black player to play in the NHL received little interest at the time. His debut wasn't mentioned in either The Boston Globe or The New York Times, and a Canadian sportswriter at the time wrote that O'Ree "was greeted with no emotion, no applause and, above all, no animosity." O'Ree's NHL debut may have caused little reaction in Montreal because local sports fans were already familiar with O'Ree, who had played occasionally in Montreal as a member of the Quebec Aces.

Post-NHL years

After his short time in Boston, O'Ree went on to play 14 more years of hockey with the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens of the Eastern Professional Hockey League, the Los Angeles Blades and San Diego Gulls of the Western Hockey League, the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League, and the San Diego Mariners of the Pacific Coast League. One major reason why O'Ree was able to prolong his career was because he moved from left wing to right wing in 1964-65 at the age of 29. The Los Angeles Blades were weak at right wing, and head coach Alf Pike had O'Ree change positions. O'Ree delivered instant results, recording 38 goals that season, a personal best.

O'Ree did, however, experience racial taunts from opposing players and fans. One night while playing in Virginia in the 1972-73 AHL season, fans tossed cotton balls and a black cat onto the ice. While playing with the Bruins in the 1960-61 season, O'Ree was the victim of racial taunts from a Chicago Black Hawks player. The player also butt-ended O'Ree with his stick and knocked out some of his teeth. O'Ree retaliated by breaking his stick over the player's head, and a brawl broke out. According to O'Ree, throughout his time playing hockey he was treated worse in the United States than in Canada.

In 1998 O'Ree became the NHL's Director of Youth Development and an ambassador for the NHL Diversity program. He traveled throughout North America to promote grassroots hockey programs, with a focus on serving economically disadvantaged children. In 2003 O'Ree was named the Lester Patrick Trophy winner for his outstanding service to hockey in the United States. In 2010 O'Ree received the Order of Canada for his outstanding service to youth development and promoting hockey within North America. O'Ree also received the Order of New Brunswick (2005) and was named an honoured member of the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 1984. In 2018 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Jeremy Freeborn The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
The original version of this entry was published by The Canadian Encyclopedia .

Learn More in these related Britannica articles:

National Hockey League (NHL), organization of professional ice hockey teams in North America, formed in 1917 by four Canadian teams, to which the first U.S. team, the Boston Bruins, was added in 1924. The NHL became the strongest league in North America and in 1926 took permanent possession of the...

Boston Bruins, American professional ice hockey team based in Boston that plays in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Bruins have won the Stanley Cup six times (1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972, and 2011). Established in 1924, the Bruins were the...

Montreal Canadiens, Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The oldest continually operating team in the National Hockey League (NHL), the Canadiens have won more Stanley Cup titles than any other team (24) and are the most successful franchise in league history....

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Willie O'Ree, the first Black hockey player to play in a National Hockey League game when he debuted with the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum on January 18, 1958. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018. Learn more about O'Ree's life and career in this article.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Curtis is a comic strip that details the day-to-day life of a close-knit contemporary African-American family living in the inner city. It can be humorous, thought-provoking, topical in subject and have bursts of pure zany fantasy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Jessica Curry Mortonis a New York Times bestselling author, mom-favorite blogger, and work-at-home mama who lives with her husband and three children Parker, Ava, and Cash. Jessica's blog, Happy Mama, Happy Babies, is an authentic motherhood and lifestyle platform that shares her family's adventures, growth chronicles, and everything in between.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Jessica Curry Morton is a New York Times bestselling author, mom-favorite blogger, and work-at-home mama who lives with her husband and three children Parker, Ava, and Cash. Jessica's blog, Happy Mama, Happy Babies, is an authentic motherhood and lifestyle platform that shares her family's adventures, growth chronicles, and everything in between.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Toni Stone (born July 17, 1921, St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.-died November 2, 1996, Alameda, California) was an American baseball player who, as a member of the Negro American League 's Indianapolis Clowns, was the first woman to ever play professional baseball as a regular on a big-league team.

Stone's love for the game began when she was a child. At age 10 she played in a league sponsored by a cereal company. At age 15 she began playing with the St. Paul Giants, a men's semiprofessional team. After graduating from high school, Stone moved to California to live with her sister. She soon began playing centre field for the American Legion team. From there she moved to the San Francisco Sea Lions, where her batting average was .280. Stone then secured a position with the Negro league All Star team. In 1949 she began playing second base for the minor league New Orleans Creoles, and in 1953 she joined the Indianapolis Clowns, playing the same position.

Able to run 100 yards in 11 seconds and maintaining a .243 batting average while with the Clowns, Stone was taunted at times by teammates, once being told, "Go home and fix your husband some biscuits." She was undeterred, however, and, during an exhibition game in 1953, she hit a single off a fastball pitch delivered by legendary player Satchel Paige. After playing 50 games with the Clowns, Stone was traded to the Kansas City Monarchs, where she retired at the end of the 1954 season.

Stone then worked as a nurse, mainly caring for her husband, Aurelious Alberga (some 40 years her senior), until he died in 1987. In 1991 Stone and other players from the Negro leagues were honoured by the Baseball Hall of Fame, and in 1993 she was inducted into the Women's Sports Hall of Fame.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Toni Stone, American baseball player who, as a member of the Negro American League's Indianapolis Clowns, was the first woman to ever play professional baseball as a regular on a big-league team. Learn more about Stone's life and accomplishments in this article.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Educational Videos for Students (Cartoons on Bullying, Leadership & More)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Booker T. Washington is an Icon in Black History! Check out our Top 5 Fun Facts!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
📚 Read Aloud | I Am Harriet Tubman by Brad Meltzer | CozyTimeTales

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Althea Gibson: The Story of Tennis' Fleet-of-Foot-Girl | Storytime Read Aloud

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Little People, Big Dreams: Muhammad Ali | READ ALONG with Hana Ali | PBS KIDS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
I am Jackie Robinson by Brad Meltzer | READ ALOUD

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Xavier Riddle & the Secret Museum | Arthur Ashe Plays Tennis  | PBS KIDS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
"Radiant Child: Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat" by Javaka Steptoe | PBS Books Storytime

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images

Quick Facts
"I have never regarded myself as a crusader. I don't consciously beat the drums for any cause, not even the negro in the United States.""People thought I was ruthless, which I was. I didn't give a darn who was on the other side of the net. I'd knock you down if you got in my way."

Althea Gibson became the first African American tennis player to compete at the U.S. National Championships in 1950, and the first Black player to compete at Wimbledon in 1951.

After Althea Gibson won the women's singles and doubles at Wimbledon in 1957, a ticker tape parade was held in her honor when she returned home to New York City.

Althea Gibson had won 56 singles and doubles championships by the time she turned pro in 1959.

Althea Gibson was the first African American tennis player to compete at the U.S. National Championships in 1950, and the first Black player to compete at Wimbledon in 1951.

Who Was Althea Gibson?

Althea Gibson developed a love of tennis at an early age, but in the 1940s and '50s, most tournaments were closed to African Americans. Gibson kept playing (and winning) until her skills could no longer be denied, and in 1951, she became the first African American to play at Wimbledon. Gibson won the women's singles and doubles at Wimbledon in 1957 and won the U.S. Open in 1958.

Early Life and Career

Althea Neale Gibson was born on August 25, 1927, in Silver, South Carolina. Gibson blazed a new trail in the sport of tennis, winning some of the sport's biggest titles in the 1950s, and broke racial barriers in professional golf as well.

At a young age, Gibson moved with her family to Harlem, a neighborhood in the borough of New York City. Gibson's life at this time had its hardships. Her family struggled to make ends meet, living on public assistance for a time, and Gibson struggled in the classroom, often skipping school altogether. However, Gibson loved to play sports - especially paddle tennis - and she soon made a name for herself as a local paddle tennis champion. Her skills were eventually noticed by musician Buddy Walker, who invited her to play tennis on local courts.

After winning several tournaments hosted by the local recreation department, Gibson was introduced to the Harlem River Tennis Courts in 1941. Incredibly, just a year after picking up a racket for the first time, she won a local tournament sponsored by the American Tennis Association, an African American organization established to promote and sponsor tournaments for Black players. She picked up two more ATA titles in 1944 and 1945. Then, after losing one title in 1946, Gibson won 10 straight championships from 1947 to 1956. Amidst this winning streak, she made history as the first African American tennis player to compete at both the U.S. National Championships (1950) and Wimbledon (1951).

Making History

Gibson's success at those ATA tournaments paved the way for her to attend Florida A&M University on a sports scholarship. She graduated from the school in 1953, but it was a struggle for her to get by. At one point, she even thought of leaving sports altogether to join the U.S. Army. A good deal of her frustration had to do with the fact that so much of the tennis world was closed off to her. The white-dominated, white-managed sport was segregated in the United States, as was the world around it.

The breaking point came in 1950, when Alice Marble, a former tennis No. 1 herself, wrote a piece in American Lawn Tennis magazine lambasting her sport for denying a player of Gibson's caliber to compete in the world's best tournaments. Marble's article caught notice, and by 1952 - just one year after becoming the first Black player to compete at Wimbledon - Gibson was a Top 10 player in the United States. She went on to climb even higher, to No. 7 by 1953.

In 1955, Gibson and her game were sponsored by the United States Lawn Tennis Association, which sent her around the world on a State Department tour that saw her compete in places like India, Pakistan and Burma. Measuring 5 feet, 11 inches, and possessing superb power and athletic skill, Gibson seemed destined for bigger victories.

In 1956, it all came together when she won the French Open. Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles followed in both 1957 and 1958. (She won both the women's singles and doubles at Wimbledon in 1957, which was celebrated by a ticker-tape parade when she returned home to New York City.) In all, Gibson powered her way to 56 singles and doubles championships before turning pro in 1959.

For her part, however, Gibson downplayed her pioneering role. "I have never regarded myself as a crusader," she states in her 1958 autobiography, I Always Wanted to Be Somebody. "I don't consciously beat the drums for any cause, not even the negro in the United States."

Photo: Getty Images

Commercial Success

As a professional, Gibson continued to win - she landed the singles title in 1960 - but just as importantly, she started to make money. She was reportedly paid $100,000 for playing a series of matches before Harlem Globetrotter games. For a short time, too, the athletically gifted Gibson turned to golf, making history again as the first Black woman ever to compete on the pro tour.

But failing to win on the course as she had on the courts, she eventually returned to tennis. In 1968, with the advent of tennis' Open era, Gibson tried to repeat her past success. She was too old and too slow-footed, however, to keep up with her younger counterparts.

Later Years and Death

Following her retirement, in 1971, Gibson was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She stayed connected to sports, however, through a number of service positions. Beginning in 1975, she served 10 years as commissioner of athletics for New Jersey State. She was also a member of the governor's council on physical fitness.

But just as her early childhood had been, Gibson's last few years were dominated by hardship. She nearly went bankrupt before former tennis great Billie Jean King and others stepped in to help her out. Her health, too, went into decline. She suffered a stroke and developed serious heart problems. On September 28, 2003, Gibson died of respiratory failure in East Orange, New Jersey.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"I have never regarded myself as a crusader. I don't consciously beat the drums for any cause, not even the negro in the United States." "People thought I was ruthless, which I was. I didn't give a darn who was on the other side of the net.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jackie Joyner-Kersee | Biography & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Jackie Joyner-Kersee: Jackie Joyner-Kersee, American athlete who was considered by many to be the greatest female athlete ever. At the 1986 Goodwill Games in Moscow, she became the first person to score more than 7,000 points in the heptathlon. Learn more about Joyner-Kersee's life and career.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Muhammad Ali | Biography, Bouts, Record, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Muhammad Ali was a charismatic and fearless boxing legend who fascinated the world with his unmatched skills in the ring and unwavering commitment to social justice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In honor of Black History Month check out these sports stars who changed the game both on and off the field.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Biggest African American Children's Bookstore - EyeSeeMe

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover the largest collection of great African American books for children in United States at Eye See Me. Browse top 10 African American books today!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It all started with a Facebook Live video! Just a regular day in St. Louis...

Sidney Keys III, 13 year old rising entrepreneur, decided to take his love for reading to the next level and create Books n Bros Reading Club at the young age of 10! Having multiple meet ups with different boys, ages 7-13 years old, he is paving the way for change.

Books n Bros is not only encouraging literacy within Black Culture & African American Literature, but also Entrepreneurship, Financial Literacy and Endless Possibilities!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sidney Keys III, 13 year old rising entrepreneur, decided to take his love for reading to the next level and create Books n Bros Reading Club at the young age of 10! Having multiple meet ups with different boys, ages 7-13 years old, he is paving the way for change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
16-year-old activist, philanthropist, and "future president" Mari Copeny is on the front lines of tackling America's water crisis head on, and helping kids to embrace their power through equal opportunity. When the Flint Water Crisis began instead of feeling helpless Mari decided to use her voice to help out her community and to fight for the kids in Flint. Since then she has expanded her efforts to help communities across the nation dealing with toxic drinking water.

"My generation will fix this mess of a government. Watch us."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
16-year-old activist, philanthropist, and "future president" Mari Copeny is on the front lines of tackling America's water crisis head on, and helping kids to embrace their power through equal opportunity. When the Flint Water Crisis began instead of feeling helpless Mari decided to use her voice to help out her community and to fight for the kids in Flint.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Get the Shark Tank Special While Supplies Last!

Let our founder, Mikaila, explain the origin of Me & the Bees Lemonade:
When I was just four, I got stung by a bee and then got stung again less than a week later! Naturally, I didn't enjoy the bee stings at all and I became scared of bees. But then after doing some research about them, I became fascinated and learned all about what they do for me and our ecosystem. Around that same time, my family encouraged me to make a product for a couple of children's business competitions - the Acton Children's Business Fair and Austin Lemonade Day. So I put on my thinking cap. I thought about some ideas. While I was thinking, my Great Granny Helen, who lived in Cameron, South Carolina, sent my family a 1940s cookbook, which included her special recipe for flaxseed lemonade. So then I thought, what if I make something that helps honeybees and uses my Great Granny Helen's lemonade recipe? I decided to give her beloved lemonade a new twist by adding honey from bees, instead of only sugar. That's how Be Sweet Lemonade was born! However, we had to change the name due to a copyright issue so we decided to call it Me & the Bees Lemonade because we give a percentage of sales to help save the bees. We are now celebrating more than 10 years in "buzzness!"
Mikaila started her lemonade at youth entrepreneurial events and at her lemonade stand out in front of her home, donating a percentage of the profits to local and international organizations fighting hard to save the honeybees. That is why she touts: "Buy a Bottle...Save a Bee."

Her little idea from more than 10 years ago continues to grow and grow...by more than 500 percent since the company's humble Austin, Texas-based beginnings. Today, the award-winning, ready-to-drink Me & the Bees Lemonades in five refreshing flavors is buzzing off the shelves of Whole Foods Market, The Fresh Market, World Market, H-E-B stores across Texas and Kroger stores in Houston. It is also available at a growing number of restaurants, food trailers and natural food delivery companies.

When not traveling for speaking events to share her stories of being a social entrepreneur, leading workshops on how to save the bees, or participating in social entrepreneurship panels, you can find Mikaila coming up with ideas to help the Healthy Hive Foundation, a nonprofit to further help the mission of saving the pollinators.

And of course, she's working hard as a high school student, loving Spanish, science and rock climbing classes. Find Mikaila on Facebook and Instagram pages where followers can 'like' interesting facts about bees, honey and Me & the Bees Lemonade.

Mikaila's first book, Bee Fearless, Dream Like a Kid, launched in August 2020. Published by Penguin Random House, it is about her adventures in being a social entrepreneur and heading up a purpose-based brand aimed at offering premium, all-natural lemonades in a way that helps save the bees.

7 DAYS OF GIVEAWAYS CELEBRATION!

It's my birthday and I've always thought it's better to give than to receive!!

So, as a token of my appreciation, I am celebrating by giving back to you. Join in on the fun. #MikailaTurns13

Enter Here!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our Sweet Story Let our founder, Mikaila, explain the origin of Me & the Bees Lemonade: When I was just four, my family encouraged me to make a product for a Children's business competition (the Acton Children's Business Fair) and Austin Lemonade Day. So I put on my thinking cap.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Maya Penn (born February 10, 2000) is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, animator, artist, and the CEO of her eco-friendly fashion company Maya's Ideas.

Penn was born and raised in Atlanta. She started her company in 2008 at the age of 8. She spoke at the TEDWomen event in San Francisco, which was streamed live on TED.com. She has done 2 official TEDTalks and 1 TEDxTalk. Penn is also an animator and artist, drawing cartoon characters from an early age. She is the creator of an animated series called The Pollinators which focuses on the importance of bees and other pollinators. She premiered a clip of The Pollinators and another animated series called Malicious Dishes at TEDWomen 2013.

Penn has made herself known as a supporter and member of One Billion Rising and Girls, Inc. In 2011, she founded her own nonprofit organization, Maya's Ideas 4 The Planet. Penn was named to Oprah's SuperSoul 100 list of visionaries and influential leaders in 2016.

Maya has also been featured in various magazines, podcasts, TV and radio programmes, and guest edited the 17th Edition of Eluxe Magazine, which focused on sustainability and Generation Z.

FF* First Maya Penn TED talk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Maya Penn (born February 10, 2000) is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, animator, artist, and the CEO of her eco-friendly fashion company Maya's Ideas. Penn was born and raised in Atlanta. She started her company in 2008 at the age of 8. She spoke at the TEDWomen event in San Francisco, which was streamed live on TED.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marley Dias (born January 4, 2005) is an American activist and writer. While Dias was in 6th grade, in November 2015, she launched a campaign called #1000BlackGirlBooks to collect 1,000 books with black female protagonists to donate for black girls at other schools.

Dias, named after reggae singer Bob Marley, is of Jamaican and Cape Verdean descent. She was born in Philadelphia and grew up in West Orange, New Jersey. Her mother, Janice Johnson Dias, is co-founder of the GrassROOTS Community Foundation.

When Dias was age 11, she complained to her mother that all of her mandatory readings were books about white boys and dogs. She said, "There wasn't really any freedom for me to read what I wanted." After speaking with her mother, Dias decided to start a book drive, #1000BlackGirlBooks, to bring more attention to literature featuring black female protagonists, with the goal to collect 1,000 books to donate for black girls to other schools. The book drive focuses specifically on books in which black girls are the main characters, not minor or background characters. Within a few months, more than 9,000 books were collected. Many of these books have been sent to a children's book drive in Jamaica. The campaign also called public attention to the lack of diversity in children's literature. Dias attended West Orange High School in West Orange, New Jersey, graduating in 2022.[citation needed ] She is currently attending Harvard University.

Dias released a book, Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!, under Scholastic in the spring of 2018.

Dias appeared on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore and as co-host of the Girls Can Do program.

She interviewed people like Misty Copeland, Ava DuVernay, and Hillary Clinton for Elle.com in her capacity as editor of the online Elle-sponsored 'zine, Marley Mag.

Dias hosted her first Netflix show that was revealed in September called "Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices". "Dias serves as the host and executive producer of the series, whose books and conversations center on themes of identity, respect, justice and action. Guests include: Chicago native, rapper, actor and writer Common; actor and author Lupita Nyong'o; comedian, actor and author Tiffany Haddish; actor and "Little" executive producer Marsai Martin; singer, actor and poet Jill Scott; actor and activist Kendrick Sampson; actor and author Grace Byers; actor Caleb McLaughlin; TV personality Karamo Brown; ballerina and author Misty Copeland and author Jacqueline Woodson" writes the Chicago Tribune.

Since 2021, Dias has been the Ambassador for the National Education Association's Read Across America program.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Marley Dias (born January 4, 2005) is an American activist and writer. While Dias was in 6th grade, in November 2015, she launched a campaign called #1000BlackGirlBooks to collect 1,000 books with black female protagonists to donate for black girls at other schools.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jamia Wilson reading 'Young, Gifted and Black'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Black Youth Trailblazers to Follow in 2021! - Channel Kindness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We’re here to celebrate the kind, brave, and powerful ways Black youth trailblazers are using their platforms every single day to make a difference in the world. Aged 10 to 21, all of these activists – whose advocacy issues range from sustainability, racial justice, STEM, literacy, LGBTQ+, and repre…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mae Jemison: First African American Woman in Space | Biography

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Desegregation of Schools

In its Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision, issued May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation of America's public schools was unconstitutional.

Until the court's decision, many states across the nation had mandatory segregation laws, or Jim Crow laws, requiring African American and white children to attend separate schools. Resistance to the ruling was so widespread that the court issued a second decision in 1955, known as Brown II, ordering school districts to integrate "with all deliberate speed."

Little Rock Central High School

In response to the Brown decisions and pressure from the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP), the Little Rock, Arkansas, school board adopted a plan for gradual integration of its schools.

The first institutions to integrate would be the high schools, beginning in September 1957. Among these was Little Rock Central High School, which opened in 1927 and was originally called Little Rock Senior High School.

Two pro-segregation groups formed to oppose the plan: The Capital Citizens Council and the Mother's League of Central High School.

Who Were the Little Rock Nine?

Despite the virulent opposition, nine students registered to be the first African Americans to attend Central High School. Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Thelma Mothershed, Melba Patillo, Gloria Ray, Terrence Roberts, Jefferson Thomas and Carlotta Walls had been recruited by Daisy Gaston Bates, president of the Arkansas NAACP and co-publisher of the Arkansas State Press, an influential African American newspaper.

Daisy Bates and others from the Arkansas NAACP carefully vetted the group of students and determined they all possessed the strength and determination to face the resistance they would encounter. In the weeks prior to the start of the new school year, the students participated in intensive counseling sessions guiding them on what to expect once classes began and how to respond to anticipated hostile situations.

The group soon became famous as the Little Rock Nine.

Orval Faubus

On September 2, 1957, Governor Orval Faubus announced that he would call in the Arkansas National Guard to prevent the African American students' entry to Central High, claiming this action was for the students' own protection. In a televised address, Faubus insisted that violence and bloodshed might break out if Black students were allowed to enter the school.

The Mother's League held a sunrise service at the school on September 3 as a protest against integration. But that afternoon, federal judge Ronald Davies issued a ruling that desegregation would continue as planned the next day.

Elizabeth Eckford

The Little Rock Nine arrived for the first day of school at Central High on September 4, 1957. Eight arrived together, driven by Bates.

Elizabeth Eckford's family, however, did not have a telephone, and Bates could not reach her to let her know of the carpool plans. Therefore, Eckford arrived alone.

The Arkansas National Guard, under orders of Governor Faubus, prevented any of the Little Rock Nine from entering the doors of Central High. One of the most enduring images from this day is a photograph of Eckford, alone with a notebook in her hand, stoically approaching the school as a crowd of hostile and screaming white students and adults surround her.

Eckford later recalled that one of the women spat on her. The image was printed and broadcast widely in the United States and abroad, bringing the Little Rock controversy to national and international attention.

Ronald Davies

In the following weeks, federal judge Ronald Davies began legal proceedings against Governor Faubus, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower attempted to persuade Faubus to remove the National Guard and let the Little Rock Nine enter the school.

Judge Davies ordered the Guard removed on September 20, and the Little Rock Police Department took over to maintain order. The police escorted the nine African American students into the school on September 23, through an angry mob of some 1,000 white protesters gathered outside. Amidst ensuing rioting, the police removed the nine students.

The following day, President Eisenhower sent in 1,200 members of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and placed them in charge of the 10,000 National Guardsmen on duty. Escorted by the troops, the Little Rock Nine attended their first full day of classes on September 25.

Numerous legal challenges to integration continued throughout the year, and Faubus repeatedly expressed his wish that the Little Rock Nine be removed from Central High.

Although several of the Black students had positive experiences on their first day of school, according to a September 25, 1957, report in The New York Times, they experienced routine harassment and even violence throughout the rest of the year.

Melba Patillo, for instance, was kicked, beaten and had acid thrown in her face. At one point, white students burned an African American effigy in a vacant lot across from the school. Gloria Ray was pushed down a flight of stairs, and the Little Rock Nine were barred from participating in extracurricular activities.

Minnijean Brown was expelled from Central High School in February 1958 for retaliating against the attacks. Harassment went beyond the students: Gloria Ray's mother was fired from her job with the State of Arkansas when she refused to remove her daughter from the school. The 101st Airborne and the National Guard remained at Central High School for the duration of the year.

Ernest Green

On May 25, 1958, Ernest Green, the only senior among the Little Rock Nine, became the first African American graduate of Central High.

In September 1958, one year after Central High was integrated, Governor Faubus closed all of Little Rock's high schools for the entire year, pending a public vote, to prevent African American attendance. Little Rock citizens voted 19,470 to 7,561 against integration and the schools remained closed.

Other than Green, the rest of the Little Rock Nine completed their high school careers via correspondence or at other high schools across the country. Eckford joined the Army and later earned her General Education Equivalency diploma. Little Rock's high schools reopened in August 1959.

Did you know? Civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. attended graduation ceremonies at Central High School in May 1958 to see Ernest Green, the only senior among the Little Rock Nine, receive his diploma.

Little Rock Nine Aftermath

Several of the Little Rock Nine went on to distinguished careers.

Green served as assistant secretary of the federal Department of Labor under President Jimmy Carter. Brown worked as deputy assistant secretary for workforce diversity in the Department of the Interior under President Bill Clinton. Patillo worked as a reporter for NBC.

The group has been widely recognized for their significant role in the civil rights movement. In 1999, President Clinton awarded each member of the group the Congressional Gold Medal. The nine also all received personal invitations to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009.

Jefferson Thomas became the first of the Little Rock Nine to die when he succumbed to pancreatic cancer at the age of 67 on September 5, 2010. After graduating from Central High, Thomas served in the Army in Vietnam, earned a business degree and worked as an accountant for private companies and the Pentagon.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Little Rock Nine - Definition, Names & Facts | HISTORY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine Black students who enrolled at formerly all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in September 1957. Their attendance at the school was a test of Brown v. Board of Education, a landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling that declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ruby Bridges (born September 8, 1954, Tylertown, Mississippi, U.S.) American activist who became a symbol of the civil rights movement and who was, at age six, the youngest of a group of African American students to integrate schools in the American South.

Bridges was the eldest of eight children, born into poverty in the state of Mississippi. When she was four years old, her family moved to New Orleans. Two years later a test was given to the city's African American schoolchildren to determine which students could enter all-white schools. Bridges passed the test and was selected for enrollment at the city's William Frantz Elementary School. Her father was initially opposed to her attending an all-white school, but Bridges's mother convinced him to let Bridges enroll.

Of the six African American students designated to integrate the school, Bridges was the only one to enroll. On November 14, 1960, her first day, she was escorted to school by four federal marshals. Bridges spent the entire day in the principal's office as irate parents marched into the school to remove their children. On Bridges's second day, Barbara Henry, a young teacher from Boston, began to teach her. The two worked together in an otherwise vacant classroom for an entire year. Every day as the marshals escorted Bridges to school, they urged her to keep her eyes forward so that-though she could hear the insults and threats of the angry crowd- she would not have to see the racist remarks scrawled across signs or the livid faces of the protesters. Bridges's main confidants during this period were her teacher and Robert Coles, a renowned child psychologist who studied the reaction of young children toward extreme stress or crisis. Toward the end of the year, the crowds began to thin, and by the following year the school had enrolled several more Black students.

Bridges's bravery inspired the Norman Rockwell painting The Problem We All Live With (1963), which depicts the young Bridges walking to school between two sets of marshals, a racial epithet marking the wall behind them. Her story was also recounted in Coles's children's book The Story of Ruby Bridges (1995), which has his conversations with her as its foundation. In 1993 she began working as a parent liaison at Frantz, which had by that time become an all-Black school. Bridges also spoke about her youthful experiences to a variety of groups around the country. Her memoir, Through My Eyes, was released in 1999, the same year that she established the Ruby Bridges Foundation, which used educational initiatives to promote tolerance and unity among schoolchildren. In 2009 she published the children's book Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ruby Bridges | Biography, Books, Accomplishments, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ruby Bridges, American activist who became a symbol of the civil rights movement and who was, at age six, the youngest of a group of African American students to integrate schools in the American South. Learn more about Bridges's life and accomplishments in this article.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Tiger Woods, byname of Eldrick Woods, (born December 30, 1975, Cypress, California, U.S.), American golfer who enjoyed one of the greatest amateur careers in the history of the game and became the dominant player on the professional circuit in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 1997 Woods became the first golfer of either African American or Asian descent to win the Masters Tournament, one of the most prestigious events in the sport. With his victory at the 2001 Masters, Woods became the first player to win consecutively the four major tournaments of golf-the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open (Open Championship), and the PGA Championship.

Woods was the child of an African American father and a Thai mother. A naturally gifted player, he took up golfing at a very young age and soon became a prodigy, taking swings on a television program when he was two years old and shooting a 48 over nine holes at age three. In 1991, at age 15, he became the youngest winner of the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship; he also captured the 1992 and 1993 Junior Amateur titles. In 1994 he came from six holes behind to win the first of his three consecutive U.S. Amateur Championships. He enrolled at Stanford University in 1994 and won the collegiate title in 1996. After claiming his third U.S. Amateur title, Woods left college and turned professional on August 29, 1996. Playing as a pro in eight PGA events in 1996, he won two titles and was named the PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year.

Tiger Woods© Keiichi Sato

Woods was able to generate such club speed that he routinely hit drives of more than 300 yards. His booming long game, coupled with his expert putting and chipping and his reputation for mental toughness, made him an intimidating opponent and a popular player among fans. At the 1997 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, Woods shot a tournament record 270 over 72 holes and finished 12 strokes ahead of the rest of the field in one of the most-dominating performances in the history of professional golf. In 1999 he became the first golfer in more than two decades to win eight PGA tournaments in a year. His six consecutive victories (1999-2000) tied Ben Hogan's 1948 streak, the second longest in PGA history; Byron Nelson holds the record with 11 straight wins. In June 2000 Woods again made history with his record-breaking win at the U.S. Open. He became the first player to finish the tournament at 12 under par, tying Jack Nicklaus for the lowest 72-hole score (272), and Woods's 15-stroke victory was the largest winning margin at a major championship. On July 23, 2000, Woods became the fifth player in golf history, and the youngest, to complete the career Grand Slam of the four major championships by winning the British Open. (In 1930, when Bobby Jones won the only calendar-year Grand Slam, the four major tournaments were the U.S. Open, the British Open, the U.S. Amateur, and the British Amateur championships.) Woods's victory by a comfortable 8 strokes was a record-setting 19 strokes under par. He won back-to-back Masters titles in 2001 and 2002.

Woods, Tiger© Jerry Coli/Dreamstime.com

In 2005, after a drought of 10 winless major tournaments, Woods won the Masters and the British Open. He dominated the tour the following year, winning nine events, including the British Open and the PGA Championship. In 2007 he defended his title at the latter tournament to claim his 13th major championship. Some two months after undergoing knee surgery in 2008, Woods captured his third U.S. Open title in his first tournament back on the tour, completing his third career Grand Slam, a feat matched only by Nicklaus. Woods's dramatic U.S. Open victory-which involved an 18-hole play-off round followed by a sudden-death play-off-aggravated the damage to his knee, and the following week he withdrew from the remainder of the 2008 golf season in order to have more-extensive knee surgery. His return to the sport in 2009 featured a number of tournament wins but no major titles for the first time since 2004. Also in 2009 Woods's unprecedented streak of having never lost a major tournament when leading or coleading after 54 holes was broken at 14 when he lost the PGA Championship after being ahead by two strokes before the final round.

Save 30% off a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now

In November 2009 Woods was involved in an early morning one-car accident outside his home in Orlando, Florida. The unusual circumstances of the crash led to a great deal of media scrutiny into his personal life. It was revealed that Woods, who had married Elin Nordegren in 2004, had a number of extramarital affairs, and his infidelity-which clashed with his solid-citizen reputation that had helped him earn hundreds of millions of dollars in endorsements over the years-became national news. The following month, Woods announced that he was taking an indefinite leave from golf in order to spend more time with his family. He returned to the sport in April 2010 for the Masters Tournament. Although Woods finished in the top five at both the Masters and the U.S. Open, his 2010 golf season was a disappointment that included no tournament wins and the worst four-round score of his professional career. In addition, he and Nordegren divorced in August of that year.

Woods's difficulties on the golf course continued in 2011 as he failed to win an official PGA tournament. His drought finally ended on March 25, 2012, when he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational; it was his first PGA victory in some 30 months. In July 2012 Woods won the AT&T National tournament for his 74th career PGA victory, passing Nicklaus for the second highest win total in tour history. In March 2013 he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational for an eighth time-tying a PGA record for most career victories in a single tournament in the process-and regained the number one world ranking for the first time in nearly two and a half years. Although Woods failed to win a major in 2013, his five event wins during the season helped him retain his top ranking through the end of the year. However, his following year was disastrous, as he missed long stretches of the PGA season because of persistent back pain and played in just nine PGA Tour events in 2014, with his best finish in those tournaments being a tie for 25th place. Woods's struggles on the course persisted into 2015. He appeared in only 11 events that year, missing the cut in consecutive majors (the U.S. and British opens) for the first time in his career, and ended his season in September to undergo another surgery on his back. Woods struggled to recover from that surgery, and he missed the entire 2016 golf season.

In January 2017 he made his first appearance in a PGA Tour event in 17 months. However, he played in just that tournament before announcing that he would undergo another back surgery that would force him to miss the remainder of the 2017 season. Woods's personal life again came to the forefront in May 2017 when he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a combination of sleep and pain medications. He subsequently revealed that he was receiving "professional help" to manage his medication intake. Woods returned to the PGA Tour in January 2018, and he subsequently played a full tour season. He capped off his improbable comeback from his series of potentially career-ending injuries by winning the Tour Championship tournament in September, his first victory in five years. In April 2019 Woods stunned the golfing world by winning the Masters for the first time in 14 years, setting a new record for the longest span between wins in that tournament and becoming at age 43 the second oldest golfer, after Nicklaus, to win a green jacket.

The recipient of various honours, Woods was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. Pres. Donald Trump in 2019.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tiger Woods | Biography, Majors, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tiger Woods, American golfer who was one of the greatest players of all time and won 15 major tournaments, the second highest total in golf history. In 1997 Woods became the first golfer of either African American or Asian descent to win the Masters Tournament, one of the most prestigious events in the sport.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Charles L. Sifford (June 2, 1922 - February 3, 2015) was an American professional golfer. He helped black golfers to be part of the PGA of America. Sifford was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2004, Sifford became the first African American inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. In November 2014, President Barack Obama awarded him the 2014 Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Sifford died in Cleveland, Ohio from complications from a stroke at the age of 92.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Charles L. Sifford (June 2, 1922 - February 3, 2015) was an American professional golfer. He helped black golfers to be part of the PGA of America. Sifford was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2004, Sifford became the first African American inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

# data[].attributes.body
This is one of my favorite days in baseball! I get chills seeing everyone wearing the number 42!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jackie Robinson | Biography, Statistics, Number, Facts, & Legacy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Jackie Robinson, the first Black baseball player to play in the American major leagues during the 20th century. He famously broke the color line of Major League Baseball (MLB) when he appeared on the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. A baseball icon, his number was retired across MLB in 1997.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Established in 1973 by Rachel Robinson to perpetuate the memory of her husband, the Jackie Robinson Foundation administers one of the nation's premier scholarship and leadership development programs for minority college students. With the opening in 2022 of the Jackie Robinson Museum in New York City, JRF will inspire and challenge the general public around the ideals embodied in the legacy of its namesake.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
JACKIE ROBINSON BIOGRAPHY Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia in [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
William Darrell " Bubba" Wallace Jr. (born October 8, 1993) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 23 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing.

Wallace was previously a development driver in Toyota's driver development program where he drove part-time for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series and full-time for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series. He then moved over to Ford and their driver development program and competed full-time for Roush Fenway Racing in the Xfinity Series. After competing in select Cup Series races for Richard Petty Motorsports in their famous No. 43 as an injury replacement for Aric Almirola, Wallace became a full-time driver for RPM in the same car when Almirola left the team, which was his first full-time ride in the Cup Series.

Wallace has been the only full-time African American driver in NASCAR's three national series (Cup, Xfinity, and Truck) each year he has competed in them. He is the only African American driver to win more than once in any of these series, which has made him one of the most successful African American drivers in the history of NASCAR. In addition, in June 2020, Wallace became known for his activism on racial justice in response to the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests, which led to NASCAR strengthening their actions and efforts in this area, highlighted by them banning the display of the Confederate flag at their tracks.

Racing career

Early career

Wallace started racing in the Bandolero and Legends car racing series, as well as local late model events, at the age of nine. In 2005, he won 35 of the Bandolero Series' 48 races held that year; in 2008 he became the youngest driver to win at Franklin County Speedway in Virginia.

K&N Pro Series/Drive for Diversity

In 2010, Wallace began competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, a regional and developmental series. Wallace drove for Rev Racing as part of NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program, and was signed as a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing. He won his very first race in the series, at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, becoming the youngest driver ever to win at the track, he was also the youngest, which began as the Busch North Series in 1987. He also won later in the year at Lee USA Speedway in New Hampshire, on his way to finishing third in series points and winning the series' Rookie of the Year award. He was the first African American to win the Rookie of the Year award in a NASCAR series. Wallace's 2011 season would see him winning three times, at Richmond International Raceway, Columbus Motor Speedway, and Dover International Speedway, and he finished second in points to Max Gresham.

Wallace moved to race directly for Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2012 season. Racing the entire K&N East Series season along with four to six selected races in the Nationwide Series, Wallace won the second East event of the year at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, his first win with JGR.

In 2018, Wallace returned to K&N East at Watkins Glen driving the No. 27 Chevrolet for Jefferson Pitts Racing to provide him with extra road course seat time before the Cup Series race later that weekend.

Xfinity Series

Wallace made his national series debut in the Xfinity Series in late May, driving the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota for JGR at Iowa Speedway; he ran in the top ten for most of the event, finishing 9th. After posting further top ten finishes in his next two starts in the series, Wallace won his first career Nationwide Series pole at Dover International Speedway in late September.

In 2014, he returned to the Nationwide Series for Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 20, starting in May at Talladega Superspeedway where he would finish 34th after being involved in The Big One while running 13th. He ran only one more Nationwide race that year, at Daytona in July with Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" campaign sponsoring where he would finish a strong 7th.

Following the 2014 season, it was expected that Wallace would move up to the Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing in a full-time ride, with the owner Joe Gibbs claiming they would have "a big program" for the young driver. After the team struggled to find sponsorship for more than 15 races, on December 8, 2014, Wallace announced he had been granted his request to leave JGR and seek other opportunities. Later, it was reported he had signed a deal to compete in the Xfinity Series for Roush Fenway Racing for 2015 with Chad Norris as his crew chief. On December 18, 2014, RFR officially announced that they had signed Wallace to compete full-time in the No. 6 Ford Mustang in 2015, with sponsors and crew members to be announced at a later date. On January 28, 2015, at NASCAR Media Day, it was announced that Wallace would drive the No. 6 Ford EcoBoost Mustang. Wallace started the season with a 12th-place finish at Daytona and earned 14 top-tens to finish 7th in the final point standings. He was beaten by Daniel Suárez for Rookie of the Year by a single top-ten finish.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it.

Wallace finished 6th in the season opener at Daytona. He dropped to 11th in points but earned his best career finish at Dover International Speedway finishing 2nd to the dominant Erik Jones and making the inaugural Xfinity Series chase. He made it to the round of 8 before being eliminated after the penultimate race at Phoenix.

After finishing 33rd in the season-opening race at Daytona, Wallace finished in sixth place five consecutive times. However, at Bristol, Wallace struggled. After starting from last, Wallace was trapped a lap down throughout the race, eventually getting caught up in a late crash. Wallace would finish the race in 33rd. At Charlotte, Wallace would run upfront for a majority of the race, even leading for 3 laps, but a late-race pit stop relegated him behind the top ten. Wallace got loose and hit the wall with a few laps to go costing him a top ten and finishing 28th. However, despite being fourth in the Drivers' Championship standings, Roush Fenway announced that they would be suspending operations of Wallace's Xfinity Series team following the Pocono race weekend due to sponsorship issues.

Wallace signed with Biagi-DenBeste Racing to drive the No. 98 Ford at Chicagoland Speedway where he would score a 10th-place finish.

Truck Series

In February 2013, it was announced that Wallace would run a full season in the Camping World Truck Series in the No. 54 Toyota owned by Kyle Busch Motorsports. At Rockingham Speedway in April Wallace, following accidental contact with Ron Hornaday Jr., was turned by Hornaday under a caution flag, his truck hitting the outside wall. Hornaday was penalized for the contact by being sent to the rear of the field; after the race, Hornaday was penalized 25 championship points and assessed a $25,000 fine, in addition to being placed on probation for the remainder of the season. The situation was compared to an incident at the 2011 WinStar World Casino 350K where Kyle Busch deliberately wrecked Hornaday at Texas Motor Speedway.

On October 26, 2013, Wallace became the first African-American driver to win in one of NASCAR's national series since 1963, winning the Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. The only previous win by an African-American driver was by Wendell Scott in the Grand National Division on December 1, 1963. Wallace finished 8th in points in his rookie season.

In 2014, Wallace returned to the Camping World Truck Series full-time in the No. 54. In June, Wallace won the Drivin' for Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park. Three weeks later, he battled Kyle Larson and Ron Hornaday Jr. for the win at Eldora Speedway. Wallace held off a hard charging Larson, who wrecked his car trying to catch him, and beat Hornaday by a 5.489-second margin to win the second annual Mudsummer Classic. Wallace switched to the No. 34 for the Kroger 200 at Martinsville in tribute to Wendell Scott, and led the most laps en route to his second straight victory in the race. Wallace won his final race with KBM, the season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway, beating Larson again to earn his first non-short track victory. Wallace's four wins along with nine top fives and 14 top tens led to a third-place finish in points.

Wallace returned to the Camping World Truck Series at Michigan in August, driving the No. 99 Truck for MDM Motorsports, and ended up winning the race, holding off Christopher Bell and Kyle Busch who rounded out the top three. However, Wallace's truck was discovered to have had illegal vent holes, resulting in an L1-level penalty that suspended crew chief Shane Huffman for one race and penalized the No. 99 team ten points.

In May, Wallace once again returned to the Truck Series, driving the No. 20 for Young's Motorsports at Kansas. He finished 14th after running out of fuel from 5th with 4 laps to go.

In March, Wallace returned to the Truck Series for the TruNorth Global 250 at Martinsville and Vankor 350 at Texas, driving the No. 22 for AM Racing. He filled in for the team's driver/owner, Austin Wayne Self, following his suspension. Wallace would finish 10th and 20th, respectively, in these two races. Self would then be reinstated before the next race (at Dover) and he returned to his truck.

In March 2021, Wallace joined Spencer Davis Motorsports to drive their No. 11 in the Pinty's Dirt Truck Race on Bristol Motor Speedway's dirt layout. For this race, the truck was fielded in a partnership with Hattori Racing Enterprises. He finished 11th in the race.

On June 5, 2017, Richard Petty Motorsports announced plans to have Wallace drive the team's No. 43 Ford in place of injured Aric Almirola, making Wallace the first African-American to race in the Cup Series since Bill Lester in 2006. In qualifying for his Cup debut at the Pocono 400, he was able to advance to the second round and start 16th. During the race, Wallace suffered from speeding penalties on pit road, including one while he was serving an earlier pass-through penalty; at one point, he nearly missed his pit stall because he looked for his Xfinity pit sign instead of the No. 43. He went on to finish 26th and one lap down. After congratulating Ryan Blaney in Victory Lane, Wallace passed out and required medical attention. He later stated, "This is the third time this is happened. I get so pissed off at myself that I just pass out."

Wallace earned a finish of 11th at Kentucky after being involved in a last-lap wreck.

After Aric Almirola announced his departure from Richard Petty Motorsports, team owner Richard Petty announced in an interview that he and the team were working on hiring Wallace as the new driver of the No. 43 in 2018. Wallace was officially introduced to the team as their new driver on October 25, 2017. He is the first African-American driver to have a full-time Cup ride since Wendell Scott in 1971.

Prior to the season-opening Daytona 500, Wallace received support from National Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton. He drove the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro to finish second behind Austin Dillon, the highest finish by a full-time rookie driver in race history, after beating Denny Hamlin to the start/finish line by .002 seconds. Wallace, however, scored only two additional top-10 finishes at the spring Texas race and the fall Phoenix race. He finished 28th place in the final point standings.

In October 2018, Wallace was named in Ebony magazine's Power 100 list, joining the ranks of Stephen Curry, Antonio Brown, Venus Williams and former President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama.

Despite continuing to have mediocre finishes in the 2019 season, Wallace displayed his full potential with RPM at the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race by winning the second stage of the Monster Energy Open and finishing fifth in the All-Star Race. His other highlight of the early-to-mid summer was at Watkins Glen, when he spun Kyle Busch off the track on lap 61.

At the Brickyard 400, Wallace had one of the best runs of his career by finishing third after running top 10 all day long. He continued to show improvements to his finishes during the season, notably at Richmond, where he started 37th and finished 12th.

At the Charlotte Roval, Wallace finished 24th after Alex Bowman spun him out on lap 42 after Wallace gave Bowman the middle finger gesture on several laps. Wallace retaliated after the race by splashing water on Bowman's face. NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell said on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio that officials plan to have a conversation with Wallace about the altercation. On October 5, Wallace apologized to Jeff Gordon, AMR NASCAR Safety medical director Dr. Angela Fiege, and Hendrick Motorsports executive Jeff Andrews for getting them splashed during the incident, but stated that he does not regret what he did to Bowman.

On November 9, Wallace was fined $50,000 and docked 50 points for intentionally manipulating competition at Texas when he spun his car on the track after experiencing a tire failure. He once again finished 28th in the final points standings.

For the 2020 season, Wallace was reunited with crew chief Jerry Baxter, who worked with him in the Truck Series. In the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas, Wallace finished sixth for his best finish on a 1.5-mile track. When the season was halted after four races due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he was 18th in points.

During the stoppage, he participated in the NASCAR-sanctioned eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, where he made headlines at the sim racing league's Bristol event for quitting early by choice after wrecking on the 11th lap. Wallace responded to fan criticism by mocking how easily they got offended over a video game. In response, his main sponsor Blue-Emu dropped its sponsorship of the virtual No. 43 car. Blue-Emu executive vice president Ben Blessing said that Wallace's outburst would have been unacceptable during a physical race. As Blessing saw it, Wallace's outburst was not the act of a NASCAR driver, but of "someone like my 13-year-old son who broke his controller playing some game where he builds houses." Later in the Pro Invitational season, after initially posting a tweet seeking a spotter for the event at Talladega, Wallace announced that he would "opt-out," stating that practicing for the iRacing events was too difficult: "I simply get burnt out after a day. Not the games fault, just been like that for years."

Wallace scored a second top ten in the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol after starting 36th. Further top tens came in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis and FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan with ninth-place finishes in both. In the regular season-ending Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, he recorded a fifth-place finish despite being involved in a late-race wreck.

On September 10, Wallace announced he would leave RPM at the end of the 2020 season. He finished 22nd in the points standings.

2021: 23XI racing and first career win

On September 21, 2020, Michael Jordan announced he and NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin had created a NASCAR team, named 23XI Racing with Wallace serving as the first driver in the No. 23. Wallace was replaced by Ty Dillon in the 2021 Busch Clash as Wallace was not eligible to compete in the race. After qualifying fourth for the Daytona 500, he finished second in his Bluegreen Vacations Duel to Austin Dillon. He was classified 17th in the Daytona 500 after being involved in a fiery last-lap wreck. Wallace scored a second place finish at the August Daytona Race. He originally placed third, but due to a post-race car inspection failure on the No. 17 car of Chris Buescher, his result was increased to second, equaling his best ever Cup Series result at the 2018 Daytona 500. On October 4, 2021, Wallace earned his first career Cup win at Talladega after the race was shortened due to rain. Wallace is the first Black driver to win a Cup Series race since Wendell Scott in 1963. Wallace also scored the first win for a McDonald's-sponsored car since Jimmy Spencer in 1994.

Noose investigation

On June 21, 2020, a member of Wallace's team reported to NASCAR that a noose had been placed in Wallace's garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway, which NASCAR president Steve Phelps relayed to Wallace in the evening. The organization condemned the act as "heinous" and said they would consult with law enforcement. Wallace stated that he was "incredibly saddened" by the "painful reminder of how much further we have to go as a society and how persistent we must be in the fight against racism", but also praising his fellow drivers that are "driving real change and championing a community that is accepting and welcoming of everyone". Before the GEICO 500 race the next day, the drivers and crews pushed Wallace's car to the front of pit road in a show of solidarity, a gesture that drivers Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick proposed.

A day after the race, an investigation by the FBI concluded that Wallace was not the victim of a hate crime: the alleged noose was a pull-down rope with a loop, in the style of a hangman's knot, that was located on an overhead door, and had been in the garage since the fall Talladega race in 2019. The FBI's determination led to people criticizing Wallace on social media as "fake" and questioning his integrity. Wallace stated in interviews that although he was relieved that he was not specifically targeted, he was frustrated by the backlash he received. He nonetheless vowed not to let the incident or the subsequent "hoax" allegations "break" him. He added that regardless of "whether [it was] tied in 2019" or "wasn't directed at me ... somebody tied a noose".

On June 25, 2020, NASCAR released a photo of the noose taken by security. In a teleconference later that day, Phelps explained NASCAR had inspected every garage at the sanctioning body's 29 tracks, with 11 garages containing pull-down ropes tied in knots but only Wallace's being tied into a noose. Although the individual responsible was not identified, Phelps announced that NASCAR would require sensitivity and unconscious bias training for its personnel and that "Bubba Wallace and the 43 team had nothing to do with this."

Two weeks after the GEICO 500, on July 6, President Donald Trump tweeted that Wallace should apologize for the investigation, branding it a hoax while adding it and NASCAR's Confederate flag ban "has caused lowest ratings EVER!" Trump's ratings claim was refuted by Fox Sports executive vice president Michael Mulvihill, who said the ratings had increased by eight percent since the 2020 season resumed in May, while Wallace received support from figures like Johnson, driver Tyler Reddick, and basketball player LeBron James.

Philanthropy

Wallace founded and runs the Live to be Different Foundation. He was also the National Motorsports Press Association's Pocono Spirit Award winner for the second quarter of 2020, and the recipient of the Comcast Community Champion of the Year award for 2020.

Black Lives Matter

In May 2020, after the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, Wallace began to speak out about the abuse of African Americans by the police, becoming the face of stock car racing's involvement in the Black Lives Matter movement. On June 8, 2020, he called on NASCAR to prohibit displays of the Confederate battle flag at NASCAR races. In 2015, after the publication of photographs showing the white man who killed nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina, posing with the flag, the organization began asking fans not to display the flag at its races. However, many fans in the South continued to hoist the Confederate flag at races. On June 10, 2020, NASCAR officially banned the display of the flag at its events.

In the 2020 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 NASCAR race at Martinsville Speedway, Wallace's car had a special paint scheme to honor Black Lives Matter. The car featured an illustration of black and white hands interlocking together on the hood of the car, the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on the side, and the phrase "Compassion, Love, Understanding" on both the hood and the back bumper. Richard Petty, owner of Richard Petty Motorsports, contributed to the livery by adding a peace symbol on the rear quarter-panel of the car that features hands of all colors circling inside the peace symbol. The livery was made after Richard Petty Motorsports failed to secure a primary sponsorship for the race. The team later suggested the idea to Wallace to run an all-black car to honor the movement. Wallace finished 11th after securing top-ten finishes in both stages, his career-best at Martinsville in the Cup Series.

Personal life

Wallace was born in Mobile, Alabama, and raised in the city of Concord, North Carolina, where he attended Northwest Cabarrus High School.[citation needed ]

Born to a black mother and a white father, Wallace is the son of Darrell Wallace Sr. and Desiree Wallace. His father is the owner of an industrial cleaning company, and his mother is a social worker who ran track at the University of Tennessee.

Wallace is best friends with fellow NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney. The two had first met when they raced Bandoleros in their youth.

In 2019, Wallace revealed that he dealt with and continues to deal with depression for most of his racing career. After others reached out to him to thank him for bringing awareness to depression, Wallace said he did not know it was such a widespread problem; for him, being depressed was an honest answer to a media question.

On July 23, 2019, Wallace posted photos of Richard Petty autographing his left forearm. He vowed to have Petty's signature tattooed if the photos were retweeted 43,000 times. The goal was made by the morning of July 25. Less than a month later, Wallace had Petty's signature tattooed on the back of his right thigh.

Wallace is a Christian. In an interview with in 2020, Wallace clarified that his criticism of Michael McDowell after an incident at that year's All-Star Race was not meant as an attack on McDowell's Christian faith as some had perceived. "A lot of people took that as attacking his faith and it definitely wasn't that. I have nothing against that. I'm a Christian myself. When you go disrespectful, then that shows the character that you are. That's what I was getting at." Wallace's wrecked front bumper from the incident was put up for auction and raised $20,034 for the Christian non-profit organization Motor Racing Outreach.

In 2017, Wallace voiced the character Bubba Wheelhouse in the 2017 Pixar film .

Leading up to the 2018 Daytona 500, he starred in the Facebook Watch series Behind the Wall: Bubba Wallace.

Wallace and 23XI co-owner Denny Hamlin appear in the music video for Post Malone's 2021 song " Motley Crew".

Motorsports career results

( key) ( Bold - Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics - Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * - Most laps led.)

Daytona 500

Xfinity Series

Camping World Truck Series

* Season still in progress
¹ Ineligible for series points

K&N Pro Series East

ARCA Racing Series

( key) ( Bold - Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics - Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * - Most laps led.)

References

External links

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
William Darrell " Bubba" Wallace Jr. (born October 8, 1993) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 23 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bubba Wallace NASCAR driver page | Stats, Results, Bio | NASCAR.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Official Bubba Wallace NASCAR driver page with latest stats, race results, videos, news, photo galleries, team information, bio and more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tennis Trick Shots ft. Serena Williams | Dude Perfect

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sisters: Venus and Serena Williams (Literally Cultured Read Aloud)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Biography: Venus and Serena Williams - Tennis Stars

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to Serena’s World. The official site of Serena Williams.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This article was most recently revised and updated by

Venus Williams , in full Venus Ebony Starr Williams, (born June 17, 1980, Lynwood, California, U.S.), American tennis player who-along with her sister Serena -redefined the sport with her strength and superb athleticism.

Like her sister Serena, Venus was introduced to tennis on the public courts in Los Angeles by her father, who early on recognized her talent and oversaw her development. She turned professional in 1994 and soon attracted attention for her powerful serves and ground strokes. In 1997 she became the first unseeded U.S. Open women's finalist in the open era; she lost to Martina Hingis. In 2000 Williams won both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and she successfully defended her titles in 2001.

At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Williams captured the gold medal in the singles competition and claimed a gold medal with her sister in the doubles event. In 2002 Serena defeated Venus in the finals of the French Open, the U.S. Open, and Wimbledon, but in 2005 Venus captured the Wimbledon championship. She struggled with injuries and competed in only a few tournaments the following year but went on to win her fourth Wimbledon in 2007. In 2008 Venus defeated Serena for a fifth career Wimbledon title, placing her fifth all-time in women's Wimbledon singles championships. That same year the Williams sisters won their second Olympic gold medal in tennis doubles, this time in Beijing. The following year they met again at the finals of Wimbledon, though this time Serena prevailed.

In the ensuing years, Venus's play declined, though in 2016 she won her 49th tournament. She did not return to a Grand Slam singles final until the 2017 Australian Open, where she lost to Serena. Later that year Venus reached the finals at Wimbledon but was defeated.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Amy Tikkanen.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Venus Williams | Biography, Titles, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Venus Williams, American tennis player who, along with her sister Serena, redefined the sport with her strength and superb athleticism. Venus captured the singles title at Wimbledon five times (2000-01, 2005, and 2007-08), and she twice won the U.S. Open (2000-01). Learn more about her life and career.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Serena Williams' 40 Greatest Moments! | US Open

# data[].attributes.body
Love watching her play tennis!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Serena Williams, (born September 26, 1981, Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.), American tennis player who revolutionized women's tennis with her powerful style of play and who won more Grand Slam singles titles (23) than any other woman or man during the open era.

Williams grew up in Compton, California. The family included her parents-Oracene Price, a nurse, and Richard Williams, who founded a security service-and Venus Williams, her older sister. Price also had three daughters from a previous marriage. While both parents encouraged Serena and Venus Williams to play tennis, it was Richard Williams who largely taught them the sport, taking the two girls to the public courts in the area. He was known as a strict coach, and the sisters spent long hours practicing. In 1991 the family moved to Florida so that Serena and Venus Williams could attend a tennis academy. Serena Williams turned professional in 1995, one year after her older sister. Possessing powerful serves and ground strokes and superb athleticism, they soon attracted much attention. Many predicted that Venus would be the first Williams sister to win a Grand Slam singles title, but it was Serena who accomplished the feat, winning the 1999 U.S. Open. At that tournament the sisters won the doubles event, and, over the course of their careers, the two teamed up for 14 Grand Slam doubles titles.

At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, Serena and Venus Williams won gold medals in the doubles event. After several years of inconsistent play, Serena Williams asserted herself in 2002 and won the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open, defeating Venus Williams in the finals of each tournament. At the latter tournament, Serena Williams also garnered attention by wearing a catsuit. Long interested in fashion, Williams became noted for bold outfits that highlighted her strength and challenged traditional-and typically conservative-dress codes. Displaying her trademark tenacity, Williams won the Australian Open in 2003 and thus completed a career Grand Slam by having won all four of the slam's component tournaments. Later that year she was also victorious at Wimbledon; both of her Grand Slam wins in 2003 came after she had bested her sister in the finals. In 2005 Williams won the Australian Open again. Beset by injury the following year, she rebounded in 2007 to win her third Australian Open. Serena and Venus Williams won their second doubles tennis gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Later that year Serena Williams won the U.S. Open for a third time. In 2009 she captured her 10th Grand Slam singles title by winning the Australian Open. Later that year she won her third Wimbledon singles title, once again defeating her sister. Williams defended her titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2010. She subsequently battled various health issues that kept her off the court for almost a year.

In 2012 Williams captured her fifth Wimbledon singles title. A month later at the London Olympic Games, she won a gold medal in the singles event, becoming the second woman (behind Steffi Graf) to win a career Golden Slam. She also teamed with her sister to win the doubles event. Later that year Williams claimed her 15th Grand Slam singles title with a victory at the U.S. Open. In 2013 she won her second French Open singles championship and fifth U.S. Open singles title. Williams successfully defended her U.S. Open championship in 2014, which gave her 18 career Grand Slam titles, tying her with Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova for the second highest women's singles total of the open era. The following year she captured her sixth Australian Open. Williams then won the 2015 French Open-her 20th total Grand Slam singles championship. She continued her torrid streak at Wimbledon, winning a straight-set final to capture her sixth career Wimbledon singles title. Williams again won Wimbledon in 2016, giving her 22 career Grand Slam singles titles, which tied her with Graf for the most Slams in the open era for both women and men. Williams broke Graf's record at the 2017 Australian Open, where she defeated her sister in the final.

In April 2017, Williams announced that she was pregnant (she had gotten engaged to Alexis Ohanian, cofounder of the website Reddit, in December 2016) and would miss the remainder of the 2017 season. In September she gave birth to a daughter, and two months later she married Ohanian. Williams returned to tennis in March 2018. She failed to win a tournament that year, though she reached the finals at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. The latter loss proved controversial as Williams was penalized a game after arguing with the chair umpire over a code violation. In 2019 she was again defeated in the finals at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. At the 2020 ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, Williams won her first singles event in some three years.

Williams reached the semifinals of the 2021 Australian Open but lost to Naomi Osaka. Later that year she was forced to withdraw from both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open because of injuries. After missing the first half of the 2022 season, Williams competed at Wimbledon but was defeated in the first round. She later was interviewed for Vogue magazine and revealed that she would be retiring after the upcoming U.S. Open. Williams stated that she was "evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me."

Williams's activities outside of tennis include ventures relating to fashion, beauty, and accessories. Her autobiography, On the Line (written with Daniel Paisner), was published in 2009.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Serena Williams | Biography, Titles, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Serena Williams is an American tennis player who revolutionized women's tennis with her powerful style of play and who won more Grand Slam singles titles (23) than any other woman or man during the open era. Learn more about Williams's life and career, including her various titles.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Arthur Ashe becomes the first African-American man to win the US Open! | US Open 1968

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Simone Biles Stuns With New Triple Double on Floor | Champions Series Presented By Xfinity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"My journey to the 2016 Olympics started on a daycare field trip. You might think that going from a girl in foster care to being an Olympic gold medalist in Rio de Janeiro is the most amazing part of my journey. It isn't. It's how I got there - or more accurately, who got me there - that is most miraculous. I'm going to tell you a story. My story. How my faith and my family made my wildest dreams come true. And how embracing a dream can give you courage to soar."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"My journey to the 2016 Olympics started on a daycare field trip. You might think that going from a girl in foster care to being an Olympic gold medalist in Rio de Janeiro is the most amazing part of my journey. It isn't.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Misty Copeland Dances Romeo + Juliet, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux & White Swan at Vail Dance 2015

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sesame Street: Stretch with Misty Copeland and Elmo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Misty Copeland | Biography, Performances, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Misty Copeland: Misty Copeland, American ballet dancer who, in 2015, became the first African American female principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). Her inspiring story made her a role model and a pop icon. She appeared in music videos, on Broadway, and in film. Read more about Copeland's life and career.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Rising star Misty Copeland makes history as the first African American Female Principal Dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre.

When she discovered ballet, however, Misty was living in a shabby motel room, struggling with her five siblings for a place to sleep on the floor. A true prodigy, she was dancing en pointe within three months of taking her first dance class and performing professionally in just over a year: a feat unheard of for any classical dancer.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Rising star Misty Copeland makes history as the first African American Female Principal Dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. When she discovered ballet, however, Misty was living in a shabby motel room, struggling with her five siblings for a place to sleep on the floor.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sesame Street - Snuffy taps and raps with Savion

# data[].attributes.headline
Savion Glover Dancing with the Celebration Dance Company

# data[].attributes.subject
Savion Glover Dancing with the Celebration Dance Company

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Savion Glover performs "Din Daa Daa" with the Celebration Dance Company

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Savion Glover, (born November 19, 1973, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.), American dancer and choreographer who became known for his unique pounding style of tap dancing, called "hitting." He brought renewed interest in dance, particularly among youths and minorities.

As a young child, Glover displayed an affinity for rhythms, and at age four he began taking drumming lessons. Deemed too advanced for the class, however, he then enrolled at the Newark Community School of the Arts and soon became the youngest person in the school's history to receive a full scholarship. At age seven he began taking tap lessons and quickly developed a passion for rhythm tap, a form that uses all parts of the foot to create sound. His talent attracted the attention of a choreographer for the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid, and Glover served as an understudy before taking the lead role in 1984. He returned to Broadway in 1989, performing in the musical revue Black and Blue, and was nominated for a Tony Award. A role in the motion picture Tap (1989) followed. Glover, who had long made a point of learning as much as he could from old tap masters, soon began teaching tap classes. He also developed his own tap style, which he christened "free-form hard core," while working with dancers such as Gregory Hines, Henry Le Tang, and Sammy Davis, Jr.

In 1990 Glover created his first choreography, for a festival at New York City's Apollo Theater. Two years later he became the youngest-ever recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant. He portrayed a young Jelly Roll Morton in the musical Jelly's Last Jam, which debuted in Los Angeles in 1991 before opening on Broadway the following year and touring in 1994. In 1995 Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk opened Off-Broadway. Glover choreographed and starred in the musical, which featured a series of vignettes that chronicled African American history. A huge success, the show soon moved to Broadway, and in 1996 it won four Tony Awards, including a best choreographer award for Glover.

Glover's numerous other appearances included a regular role (1990-95) on the children's television show Sesame Street. In 2000 Glover appeared in director Spike Lee's film Bamboozled, and in 2001 he made an appearance in Bojangles, a television biopic of tap dancer Bill ("Bojangles") Robinson starring Hines. He premiered "Classical Savion," a production that featured him tapping to classical music, in New York City in 2005; the show later toured the United States. The next year he formed his own production company, which oversaw his HooFeRzCLuB School for Tap and produced later shows, including "Sole Power" (2010). Glover also choreographed the tap dances performed by the penguin Mumble in the computer-animated Happy Feet (2006) and Happy Feet Two (2011).

After a 10-year absence, Glover returned to Broadway in 2016, choreographing Shuffle Along; or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed. He earned a Tony nomination for his work. In 2018 Glover directed and choreographed a production of Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope at the New York City Center, and the following year he premiered the work Lady5 @ Savion Glover's BaRoQUe'BLaK TaP café, at the Joyce Theater, New York.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Savion Glover | Biography, Dance, Tap Dancing, Sesame Street, Happy Feet, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Savion Glover, American dancer and choreographer who became known for his unique pounding style of tap dancing, called 'hitting.' He brought renewed interest in dance, particularly among youths and minorities. He developed his own tap style, which he christened 'free-form hard core.'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Gregory Hines Solo Tap Scene   White Nights

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
White Nights, Mikhail Baryshnikov & Gregory Hines

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Quick Facts

Name

Gregory Hines

Birth Date

February 14, 1946

Death Date

August 9, 2003

Place of Birth

New York City, New York

Place of Death

Los Angeles, California

Full Name

Gregory Oliver Hines

Gregory Hines began dancing as a child and went on to launch a successful Broadway, television and film career. His notable movies include The Cotton Club and White Nights.

Synopsis

Born in New York City in 1946, Gregory Hines studied dance from an early age and performed with family members at the Apollo Theater. In the 1970s he launched a Broadway career and later starred in movies including The Cotton Club and White Nights.

Profile

Tap dancer, actor, director, musician. Born February 14, 1946 in New York City. Involved in show business at an early age, Hines grew up as a member of Hines, Hines, and Dad alongside his father and older brothers. He studied dance with master tap dancer Henry Le Tang and spent much of his early career dancing at the Apollo Theater, gleaning knowledge from such fellow performers as the Nicholas Brothers and Sandman Sims.

In 1973, he left Hines, Hines, and Dad to form a jazz-rock group called Severance. But the smooth-as-silk tap dancer soon returned to New York where he launched a distinguished Broadway career that won him a Tony award in 1992 for the headlining role in George C. Wolfe's musical tribute Jelly's Last Jam.

In 1981, Hines landed his first film role, as a Roman slave in Mel Brooks' History of the World-Part 1, as a last-minute replacement for an ailing Richard Pryor. That role proved a stepping stone in Hines' film career, and he went on to star in a range of movies, including 1984's The Cotton Club and White Nights opposite Mikhail Baryshnikov the following year. He also exhibited his comedic timing in such films as Renaissance Man in 1994. That same year, he made his directorial debut with Bleeding Hearts.

In 1987, Hines released an album, simply titled Gregory Hines. He also starred in the short-lived CBS sitcom The Gregory Hines Show, in which he played a single father having trouble reentering the dating scene.

Hines has a daughter Daria with his first wife, Patricia Panella. He has a son Zachary and a stepdaughter Jessica with his second wife, Pamela Koslow.

Gregory Hines died of cancer in Los Angeles August 9, 2003 at the age of 57.

Related Videos

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Name Gregory Hines Birth Date February 14, 1946 Death Date August 9, 2003 Place of Birth New York City, New York Place of Death Los Angeles, California Full Name Gregory Oliver Hines Gregory Hines began dancing as a child and went on to launch a successful Broadway, television and film career.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Martha Graham | Biography, Dance Style, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Martha Graham: Martha Graham, influential American dancer, teacher, and choreographer of modern dance whose ballets and other works were intended to 'reveal the inner man.' She gave modern dance new depth as a vehicle for the intense and forceful expression of primal emotions. Learn more about Graham's life and career.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Born: January 5, 1931
Rogers, Texas
Died: December 1, 1989
New York, New York
African American dancer and choreographer

Alvin Ailey founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and won international fame as both a dancer and choreographer, a creator and arranger of dance performances.

Rough beginning

Alvin Ailey Jr. was born to Alvin and Lula Elizabeth Ailey on January 5, 1931, in Rogers, Texas. He was an only child, and his father, a laborer, left the family when Alvin Jr. was less than one year old. At the age of six, Alvin Jr. moved with his mother to Navasota, Texas. As he recalled in an interview in the New York Daily News Magazine, "There was the white school up on the hill, and the black Baptist church, and the segregated [only members of one race allowed] theaters and neighborhoods. Like most of my generation, I grew up feeling like an outsider, like someone who didn't matter."

In 1942 Ailey and his mother moved to Los Angeles, California, where his mother found work in an aircraft factory. Ailey became interested in athletics and joined his high school gymnastics team and played football. An admirer of dancers Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and Fred Astaire (1899-1987), he also took tap dancing lessons at a neighbor's home. His interest in dance grew when a friend took him to visit the modern dance school run by Lester Horton, whose dance company (a group of dancers who perform together) was the first in America to admit members of all races. Unsure of what opportunities would be available for him as a dancer, however, Ailey left Horton's school after one month. After graduating from high school in 1948, Ailey considered becoming a teacher. He entered the University of California in Los Angeles to study languages. When Horton offered him a scholarship in 1949 Ailey returned to the dance school. He left again after one year, however, this time to attend San Francisco State College.

Early career

For a time Ailey danced in a nightclub in San Francisco, California, then he returned to the Horton school to finish his training. When Horton took the company east for a performance in New York City in 1953, Ailey was with him. When Horton died suddenly, the young Ailey took charge as the company's artistic director. Following Horton's style, Ailey choreographed two pieces that were presented at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in Becket, Massachusetts. After the works received poor reviews from the festival manager, the troupe broke up.

Despite the setback, Ailey's career stayed on track. A Broadway producer invited him to dance in House of Flowers, a musical based on Truman Capote's (1924-1984) book. Ailey continued taking dance classes while performing in the show. He also studied ballet and acting. From the mid-1950s through the early 1960s Ailey appeared in many musical productions on and off Broadway, among them: The Carefree Tree; Sing, Man, Sing; Jamaica; and Call Me By My Rightful Name. He also played a major part in the play Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright.

In 1958 Ailey and another dancer with an interest in choreographing recruited dancers to perform several concerts at the 92nd Street Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Association in New York City, a place where modern dances and the works of new choreographers were seen. Ailey's first major piece, Blues Suite, was inspired by blues music. The performance drew praise. Ailey then scheduled a second concert to present his own works, and then a third, which featured his most famous piece, Revelations. Accompanied by the elegant jazz music of Duke Ellington (1899-1974), Revelations pulled the audience into African American religious life.

Established own dance company

In 1959 Ailey established the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, a group of eight black dancers. One year later, the theater became the resident dance company at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. By the mid-1960s Ailey, who struggled with his weight, gave up dancing in favor

of choreography. He also oversaw business details as the director of his ambitious dance company. By 1968 the company had received funding from private and public organizations but still had money problems, even as it brought modern dance to audiences around the world. Ailey also had the leading African American soloist (a person who performs by oneself) of modern dance, Judith Jamison (1944-). Having employed Asian and white dancers since the mid-1960s, Ailey had also integrated (included people of different races) his company. In 1969 the company moved to Brooklyn, New York, as the resident dance company of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, an arts center with three theaters.

In the early 1960s the company performed in Southeast Asia and Australia as part of an international cultural program set up by President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963). Later the company traveled to Brazil, Europe, and West Africa. Ailey also choreographed dances for other companies, including Feast of Ashes for the Joffrey Ballet and Anthony and Cleopatra for the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center in New York City. Ailey worked on projects with other artists, including one with Duke Ellington for the American Ballet Theater. For Ailey the decade peaked with the performance of Masekela Language, a dance based on the music of Hugh Masekela, a black South African trumpeter who lived in exile for speaking out against apartheid (South Africa's policy of separation based on race).

Ailey's Cry

By the late 1970s Ailey's company was one of America's most popular dance troupes. Its members continued touring around the world, with U.S. State Department backing. They were the first modern dancers to visit the former Soviet Union since the 1920s. In 1971 Ailey's company was asked to return to the City Center Theater in New York City after a performance featured Ailey's celebrated solo, Cry. Danced by Judith Jamison, she made it one of the troupe's best known pieces.

Dedicated to "all black women everywhere-especially our mothers," the piece depicts the struggles of different generations of black American women. It begins with the unwrapping of a long white scarf that becomes many things during the course of the dance, and ends with an expression of belief and happiness danced to the late 1960s song, "Right On, Be Free." Of this and of all his works Ailey told John Gruen in The Private World of Ballet, "I am trying to express something that I feel about people, life, the human spirit, the beauty of things...."

Later years

Ailey suffered a breakdown in 1980 that put him in the hospital for several weeks. At the time he had lost a close friend, was going through a midlife crisis, and was experiencing money problems. Still, he continued to work, and his reputation as a founding father of modern dance grew during the decade.

Ailey received many honors for his choreography, including a Dance magazine award in 1975; the Springarn Medal, given to him by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1979; and the Capezio Award that same year. In 1988 he was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors prize. Ailey died of a blood disorder on December 1, 1989. Thousands of people flocked to the memorial service held for him at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

For More Information

Ailey, Alvin, with A. Peter Bailey. Revelations: The Autobiography of Alvin Ailey. Secaucus, NJ: Carol Pub. Group, 1995.

Dunning, Jennifer. Alvin Ailey: A Life in Dance. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1996.

Probosz, Kathilyn Solomon. Alvin Ailey, Jr. New York: Bantam Books, 1991.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Born: January 5, 1931 Rogers, Texas Died: December 1, 1989 New York, New York African American dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and won international fame as both a dancer and choreographer, a creator and arranger of dance performances. Alvin Ailey Jr.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at The 92nd Street Y in New York City. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the perception of American dance.

The Ailey company has gone on to perform for an estimated 25 million people at theaters in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents-as well as millions more through television broadcasts, film screenings, and online platforms.

In 2008, a U.S. Congressional resolution designated the Company as "a vital American cultural ambassador to the world" that celebrates the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance heritage. When Mr. Ailey began creating dances, he drew upon his "blood memories" of Texas, the blues, spirituals, and gospel as inspiration, which resulted in the creation of his most popular and critically acclaimed work, Revelations. Although he created 79 ballets over his lifetime, Mr. Ailey maintained that his company was not exclusively a repository for his own work.

Today, the Company continues Mr. Ailey's mission by presenting important works of the past and commissioning new ones. In all, more than 235 works by over 90 choreographers have been part of the Ailey company's repertory.

Before his untimely death in 1989, Alvin Ailey named Judith Jamison as his successor, and over the next 21 years, she brought the Company to unprecedented success. Ms. Jamison, in turn, personally selected Robert Battle to succeed her in 2011, and The New York Times declared he "has injected the company with new life."

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater gratefully acknowledges The Joan & Sandy Weill Global Ambassador Fund, which provides vital support for Ailey's national and international tours.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn more about the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Company. Led by Alvin Ailey, the renowned company has performed in 48 states and 71 countries.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
JOSEPHINE BAKER nine songs at Carnegie Hall 1973 RARE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Who was Josephine Baker?

What was Josephine Baker's early life like?

How did Josephine Baker get famous?

What awards did Josephine Baker win?

This article was most recently revised and updated by

Josephine Baker, original name Freda Josephine McDonald, (born June 3, 1906, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.-died April 12, 1975, Paris, France), American-born French dancer and singer who symbolized the beauty and vitality of Black American culture, which took Paris by storm in the 1920s.

Baker grew up fatherless and in poverty. Between the ages of 8 and 10 she was out of school, helping to support her family. As a child Baker developed a taste for the flamboyant that was later to make her famous. As an adolescent she became a dancer, touring at 16 with a dance troupe from Philadelphia. In 1923 she joined the chorus in a road company performing the musical comedy Shuffle Along and then moved to New York City, where she advanced steadily through the show Chocolate Dandies on Broadway and the floor show of the Plantation Club.

In 1925 she went to Paris to dance at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in La Revue Nègre and introduced her danse sauvage to France. She went on to become one of the most popular music-hall entertainers in France and achieved star billing at the Folies-Bergère, where she created a sensation by dancing seminude in a G-string ornamented with bananas. She became a French citizen in 1937. She sang professionally for the first time in 1930, made her screen debut as a singer four years later in Zouzou, and made several more films before World War II curtailed her career.

During the German occupation of France, Baker worked with the Red Cross and the Résistance, and as a member of the Free French forces she entertained troops in Africa and the Middle East. She was later awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honour with the rosette of the Résistance. After the war much of her energy was devoted to Les Milandes, her estate in southwestern France, from which she began in 1950 to adopt babies of all nationalities in the cause of what she defined as "an experiment in brotherhood" and her "rainbow tribe." She adopted a total of 12 children. She retired from the stage in 1956, but to maintain Les Milandes she was later obliged to return, starring in Paris in 1959. She traveled several times to the United States to participate in civil rights demonstrations. In 1968 her estate was sold to satisfy accumulated debt. She continued to perform occasionally until her death in 1975, during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of her Paris debut.

Her life was dramatized in the television movie The Josephine Baker Story (1991) and was showcased in the documentary Joséphine Baker. Première icône noire (2018; Josephine Baker: The Story of an Awakening).

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Patricia Bauer.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Josephine Baker | Biography, Children, Movies, Banana Skirt, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Josephine Baker, American-born French dancer and singer who symbolized the beauty and vitality of Black American culture, which took Paris by storm in the 1920s. She was one of the most popular music-hall entertainers in France and was also known for her work with the French Resistance during World War II.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sidney Poitier Receives an Honorary Award: 2002 Oscars

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sidney Poitier receives an Honorary Oscar for his body of work at the 74th Annual Academy Awards. Denzel Washington presents the award. See more 2002 Oscar highlights: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ8RjvesnvDOAnDI2g-GkoVne_963XQs7 Become an Oscar Insider: http://www.oscars.org/insider/ Check out our Academy Originals: https://www.youtube.com/user/AcademyOriginals ABOUT THE ACADEMY The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hattie McDaniel - The First African-American To Win An Oscar | Mini Bio | BIO

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This article was most recently revised and updated by

Hattie McDaniel, (born June 10, 1895, Wichita, Kansas, U.S.-died October 26, 1952, Hollywood, California), American actress and singer who was the first African American to win an Academy Award. She received the honour for her performance as Mammy in Gone with the Wind (1939).

McDaniel was raised in Denver, Colorado, where she early exhibited her musical and dramatic talent. She left school in 1910 to become a performer in several traveling minstrel groups and later became one of the first Black women to be broadcast over American radio. With the onset of the Great Depression, however, little work was to be found for minstrel or vaudeville players, and to support herself McDaniel went to work as a bathroom attendant at Sam Pick's club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Although the club as a rule hired only white performers, some of its patrons became aware of McDaniel's vocal talents and encouraged the owner to make an exception. McDaniel performed at the club for more than a year until she left for Los Angeles, where her brother found her a small role on a local radio show, The Optimistic Do-Nuts; known as Hi-Hat Hattie, she became the show's main attraction before long.

Two years after McDaniel's film debut in 1932, she landed her first major part in John Ford's Judge Priest (1934), in which she had an opportunity to sing a duet with humorist Will Rogers. Her role as a happy Southern servant in The Little Colonel (1935) made her a controversial figure in the liberal Black community, which sought to end Hollywood's stereotyping. When criticized for taking such roles, McDaniel responded that she would rather play a maid in the movies than be one in real life; and during the 1930s she played the role of maid or cook in nearly 40 films, including Alice Adams (1935), in which her comic characterization of a grumbling, far-from-submissive maid made the dinner party scene one of the best remembered from the film. She is probably most often associated with the supporting role of Mammy in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind, a role for which she became the first African American to win an Academy Award.

At the end of World War II, during which McDaniel organized entertainment for Black troops, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and other liberal Black groups lobbied Hollywood for an end to the stereotyped roles in which McDaniel had become typecast, and consequently her Hollywood opportunities declined. Radio, however, was slower to respond, and in 1947 she became the first African American to star in a weekly radio program aimed at a general audience when she agreed to play the role of a maid on The Beulah Show. In 1951, while filming the first six segments of a television version of the popular show, she had a heart attack. She recovered sufficiently to tape a number of radio shows in 1952 but died soon thereafter of breast cancer.

Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Subscribe Now

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Adam Augustyn, Managing Editor, Reference Content.

Learn More in these related Britannica articles:

Academy Award, any of a number of awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, located in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., to recognize achievement in the film industry. The awards were first presented in 1929, and winners receive...

Gone with the Wind, American epic film, released in 1939, that was one of the best known and most successful films of all time. It enjoyed a more-than-30-year reign as the all-time Hollywood box office champion, and it won eight Academy Awards (in addition to two honorary awards). Based on...

Minstrel show, an American theatrical form, popular from the early 19th to the early 20th century, that was founded on the comic enactment of racial stereotypes. The tradition reached its zenith between 1850 and 1870. Although the form gradually disappeared from the professional theatres and became purely...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hattie McDaniel | Biography, Movies, Oscar, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hattie McDaniel, American actress and singer who was the first African American to win an Academy Award. She received the honor for her performance as Mammy in Gone with the Wind (1939). Her other notable films included The Little Colonel and Alice Adams (both 1935). Learn more about McDaniel's life and career.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sidney Poitier, (born February 20, 1927, Miami, Florida, U.S.), Bahamian American actor, director, and producer who broke the colour barrier in the U.S. motion-picture industry by becoming the first African American actor to win an Academy Award for best actor (for Lilies of the Field [1963]) and the first Black movie star. He also redefined roles for African Americans by rejecting parts that were based on racial stereotypes.

Early life and work

Poitier was born prematurely in the United States while his parents were visiting from The Bahamas. While some references give his birth year as 1924, most sources, including Poitier himself, indicate that he was born in 1927. He grew up on Cat Island, Bahamas, and returned as a teenager to the United States, where he enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II and served a brief stint in a medical unit. Upon his discharge, he applied to the American Negro Theatre (ANT) in New York City. Refused a place because of his accent, he practiced American enunciation while listening to the accents of radio voices and reapplied to ANT six months later. This time he was accepted, and he began studying acting while appearing in a series of ANT productions. In 1946 he made his Broadway debut in Lysistrata.

Hollywood trailblazer

Poitier's first credited film role was Dr. Luther Brooks, a Black doctor who treats a bigoted white criminal, in No Way Out (1950). The movie established a significant pattern both for Poitier himself and for the Black actors who followed him: by refusing roles that played to racial stereotypes, Poitier pushed the restrictive boundaries set by Hollywood and made inroads into the American mainstream. He next appeared in Cry, the Beloved Country (1951), an adaptation of Alan Paton's novel about a murder in apartheid South Africa; Poitier portrayed a reverend. Another of his notable early roles was Gregory Miller, an alienated high school student in the 1955 film adaptation of Evan Hunter's novel The Blackboard Jungle (1954). Although he had a budding film career, Poitier continued to perform in live theatre and won critical acclaim on Broadway in 1959 with his starring role in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun. He also starred in the 1961 film adaptation of the drama.

In the gripping drama Edge of the City (1957), Poitier starred as a dockworker whose friendship with a white coworker ( John Cassavetes) raises the ire of a racist union boss. Band of Angels (1957) also examined racial tensions. Set at the time of the American Civil War, the melodrama featured Poitier as a rebellious overseer whose boss ( Clark Gable) buys the daughter (Yvonne De Carlo) of a once-wealthy family, who, after her father's death, discovers she is part Black and is sold into slavery. In The Defiant Ones (1958), Poitier was cast as a prisoner who escapes with a white inmate ( Tony Curtis); the two must overcome their racial prejudices in order to elude the police. The film, which was considered provocative at the time because of its call for racial harmony, earned Poitier an Oscar nomination for best actor; he became the first African American male performer to earn a nod in the lead category. He also earned acclaim for his work in Porgy and Bess (1959); he portrayed the disabled Porgy, who loves Bess ( Dorothy Dandridge), a drug addict being pursued by a number of suitors.

Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. Subscribe today

Poitier made history as Homer Smith, an ex-GI who helps nuns build a chapel in Lilies of the Field (1963). His Academy Award win marked the first time a competitive Oscar had been awarded to an African American male. (James Baskett had received an honorary Oscar in 1948 for his role as Uncle Remus in Song of the South [1946].) Poitier was also just the second Black actor to win an Academy Award ( Hattie McDaniel had won a best supporting actress Oscar for Gone with the Wind [1939]). After appearing in the biblical epic The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), Poitier portrayed a man who befriends a blind girl (Elizabeth Hartman) in A Patch of Blue (1965); the moving drama also starred Shelley Winters as her abusive mother.

After the western Duel at Diablo (1966), Poitier starred in a series of acclaimed films. In To Sir, with Love (1967), he portrayed a charismatic schoolteacher who earns the respect of his students at an inner-city school. Next was In the Heat of the Night (1967), a crime drama that focused on the uneasy partnership that develops between a bigoted white Southern police chief (played by Rod Steiger) and Virgil Tibbs, an intellectual Black Philadelphia detective (Poitier). The film received the Oscar for best picture, and Poitier later reprised the role in They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970) and The Organization (1971). Poitier's other movie from 1967 was Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, in which he portrayed the fiancé of a white woman (Katharine Houghton) who takes him home to meet her liberal parents ( Spencer Tracy, in his last film, and Katharine Hepburn). The success of the movies made Poitier the top box-office draw of the year.

Poitier as a director

In 1972 Poitier made his directorial debut with Buck and the Preacher, an amiable western in which he played a con-man preacher; his costars were Harry Belafonte and Ruby Dee. He next helmed A Warm December (1973), a melodrama that featured Poitier as a widowed doctor who falls in love with a woman (Esther Anderson) who has sickle cell anemia. Both films were disappointments at the box office, but the comedy Uptown Saturday Night (1974) was an enormous hit, thanks to the chemistry between Poitier and costars Bill Cosby and Belafonte. Poitier then reteamed with Cosby on Let's Do It Again (1975) and A Piece of the Action (1977).

Poitier did not act in Stir Crazy (1980), which featured Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor as a pair of losers who are mistakenly sent to prison; the film was an enormous box-office hit. Poitier had less success with Hanky Panky (1982), which teamed Wilder and his real-life wife, Gilda Radner, and Fast Forward (1985), a musical about break dancers. Cosby returned for Poitier's last directorial effort, Ghost Dad (1990), but the film failed to match their earlier successes.

Return to acting

After more than a decadelong break from acting, in 1988 Poitier appeared in the action thrillers Shoot to Kill and Little Nikita. His other films include Sneakers (1992) and The Jackal (1997), but most of his later credits were made-for-television movies, notably Separate but Equal (1991) and Mandela and de Klerk (1997), in which he played Thurgood Marshall and Nelson Mandela, respectively. His final role was in The Last Brickmaker in America (2001), a TV movie about a grieving widower whose job is becoming obsolete.

In 2001 Poitier, the recipient of many prestigious acting awards, was presented with an honorary Academy Award for "his remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human being." A dual citizen of the United States and The Bahamas, he served as ambassador to Japan for The Bahamas from 1997 to 2007. In 2009 he was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom. Poitier chronicled his experiences in This Life (1980) and The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (2000). Life Beyond Measure: Letters to My Great-Granddaughter (2008) was a volume of advice and insights in epistolary form. He also released a suspense novel, Montaro Caine, in 2013.
Michael Barson The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Learn More in these related Britannica articles:

...soldier who has gone AWOL, Sidney Poitier as the black stevedore who befriends him, and Jack Warden as their sadistic boss. Ritt's follow-up film, No Down Payment (1957), was a forgettable glossy soap opera set in the suburbs. More typical of Ritt's work to come was The Long, Hot Summer ...

Sidney Poitier, Amiri Baraka, Ossie Davis, and Harry Belafonte also joined the guild in the 1950s. Members contributed to various African American journals, such as The Crisis, the official magazine of the...

It starred Sidney Poitier as a veteran whose travels around the United States are interrupted when he agrees to help a group of German nuns in Arizona build a chapel. For his performance, Poitier became the first African American to win an Academy Award for best actor,...

born

February 20, 1927 (age 93)
Miami, Florida

notable works

awards and honors

related facts and data

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sidney Poitier | Biography, Movies, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sidney Poitier, Bahamian American actor, director, and producer who broke the color barrier in the U.S. motion-picture industry by becoming the first African American actor to win an Academy Award for best actor (for Lilies of the Field [1963]) and the first Black movie star. Learn more about his life and career.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Courtesy Russell James Smith (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Sugar Hill Gang, known as the first nationally popular African American hip-hop group, comprised three members: Mike Wright (Wonder Mike), Henry Jackson (Big Bank Hank), and Guy O' Brien (Master Gee), all from Englewood, New Jersey. The group is best known for its 1979 hit single, "Rapper's Delight," which was also the first hip hop single to rank in the top 40 hits and to become part of a multi-platinum selling album. Rapper's Delight is also credited with popularizing hip hop as a new musical genre.

Wright, Jackson and O'Brien were discovered and signed to Sugar Hill Records by producer Sylvia Robinson and her husband, record tycoon, Joe Robinson. Sylvia Robinson had become aware of the large block parties that sprang up in the New York area, which featured a new style of music defined as underground hip hop. Robinson met Wright, Jackson, and O'Brien at one of these parties where the three were performers and signed them to the Sugar Hill label. They were given the stage name, Sugar Hill Gang and soon afterward they recorded "Rapper's Delight."

With a recording contract and air time on radio stations, the group easily became the most popular hip hop group in the country. In 1979 they also became the first hip hop group to perform on American Bandstand. At the time "Rapper's Delight" was ranked #36 hit on the U.S. pop chart and #4 on the Rhythm & Blues chart.
The lyrics to "Rapper's Delight" sung by Big Bank Hank, were originally written by Grandmaster Caz, a former hip hop artist for Chic records. However, Grandmaster Caz did not receive any royalties for this. A lawsuit filed by Chic's Nile Rodgers for copyright infringement was settled out of court in 1979.

Although "Rapper's Delight" was an instant hit, the Sugar Hill Gang would never reach the top of the charts again. They released three albums: Sugar Hill Gang (1980), 8th Wonder (1982) and Jump on It (1999). Although considered to be a one hit wonder group, the Sugar Hill Gang opened doors for African Americans into the music industry through hip hop, a genre today dominated by African Americans. "Rapper's Delight" is still a major influence today. Rolling Stone Magazines ranked it #248 of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The group continues to tour today.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Sugar Hill Gang, known as the first nationally popular African American hip-hop group, comprised three members: Mike Wright (Wonder Mike), Henry Jackson (Big Bank Hank), and Guy O' Brien (Master Gee), all from Englewood, New Jersey. The group is best known for its 1979 ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Run-DMC, also spelled Run-D.M.C., American rap group that brought hip-hop into the musical and cultural mainstream, introducing what became known as "new-school" rap. The members were Run (original name Joseph Simmons; b. November 14, 1964, New York, New York, U.S.), DMC (also spelled D.M.C.; original name Darryl McDaniels; b. May 31, 1964, New York, New York), and Jam Master Jay (original name Jason Mizell; b. January 21, 1965, New York, New York-d. October 30, 2002, New York).

Formed in 1982 in Hollis-a middle-class, predominantly African American section of the New York City borough Queens-Run-DMC was managed by Russell Simmons, who was the brother of group member Run and was cofounder of Def Jam, one of the most successful Black-owned record companies. Run, whose nickname came from his quick turntable manipulation, began his musical career as a deejay for old-school rapper Kurtis Blow. Later Run, DMC, and Jam Master Jay began performing in New York City clubs. In 1983 Profile Records released the group's groundbreaking single "It's Like That"/"Sucker MCs," which featured a spare, forceful rhythm track and overlapping vocals (group members interweaving lines and words). Not only was their sound different, so, too, was their dress. Whereas earlier rap stars fashioned their looks after the spangled superhero costumes of 1970s funk acts like Parliament-Funkadelic and Rick James, Run-DMC appeared in their signature bowler hats, black leather jackets, unlaced Adidas athletic shoes, and black denim pants, establishing the more casual look of hip urban youth as de rigueur stage wear for rappers.

They were the first rappers to have a gold album- Run-D.M.C. (1984)-and the first rap act to appear on MTV, becoming popular with the cable channel's largely white audience via their fusion of hardcore hip-hop and screaming guitar solos on hits such as "Rock Box" (1984) and a 1986 remake of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" (featuring the song's hard-rocking originators). Other hits by Run-DMC included "King of Rock" (1985), "My Adidas" (1986), which led to the first endorsement deal between hip-hop artists and a major corporation, and "It's Tricky" (1987). Although the group never officially disbanded, their recording and performing activities decreased significantly in the 1990s. In 2002 Jam Master Jay was fatally shot at a recording studio in Jamaica, Queens. Run-DMC was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009 and received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 2016.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Run-DMC, American rap group that brought hip-hop into the musical and cultural mainstream, introducing what became known as 'new-school' rap. Its members were Joseph Simmons (Run), Darryl McDaniels (DMC, or D.M.C.), and Jason Mizell (Jam Master Jay). Learn more about the group's history and music.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Who Is Chaka Khan?

Born on March 23, 1953, in Great Lakes, Illinois, singer Chaka Khan achieved great success as part of the soul-funk band Rufus, delivering hits like "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing" and "Hollywood." She embarked on a solo career in the late '70s and made waves on the charts again with tunes like "I'm Every Woman," "I Feel for You," "This Is My Night" and "Through the Fire." A phenomenal vocalist, Khan has won numerous Grammy Awards.

Early Singing Career

Chaka Khan was born Yvette Marie Stevens on March 23, 1953, in Chicago, Illinois. Known for her powerful voice, her great volume of curly hair and her charismatic stage presence, Khan first exploded on to the music scene in the 1970s. She formed her first group, the Crystalettes, with her sister Yvonne when she was only 11 years old. Some of Khan's early musical heroines include Billie Holiday and Gladys Knight. The sisters later became involved in the Afro-Arts Theater and started another musical group known as the Shades of Black.

In 1969, Khan became active in the Black power movement, joining the Black Panther Party and working with the organization's free breakfast program for children. Around this time, she took on a new name: Chaka Adunne Aduffe Yemoja Hodarhi Karifi. She also said goodbye to her formal education, dropping out from high school.

Big Hits With Rufus

'Rufus'

In the early 1970s, after performing with a few other groups, Khan joined the band Rufus, which had a strong R&B and funk sound. The world got its first taste of Khan's powerhouse vocals when the group released its eponymous debut album in 1973, which spawned such modest hits as "Whoever's Thrilling You" and "Feel Good."

'Rags to Rufus,' 'Tell Me Something Good'

The follow-up album, Rags to Rufus (1974), was a smash commercially and critically. Stevie Wonder penned for the band the hit single "Tell Me Something Good," which sold more than a million copies. The group also scored a Grammy Award for best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus for the song.

'Sweet Thing,' 'Ain't Nobody'

Rufus, which was renamed Rufus featuring Chaka Khan and then Rufus & Chaka Khan, continued to have a number of successes over the coming years. The band scored a Top 10 pop hit with the zestful "Once You Get Started," and Khan helped write the single "Sweet Thing," which climbed to the top of the R&B charts and was also a Top 5 pop hit. Later hits included the introspective ballad "Hollywood," about the pitfalls of the famed locale, as well as the gleeful "Do You Love What You Feel" and the no-nonsense "Ain't Nobody."

Solo Albums and Songs

'Chaka,' 'Naughty'

While she recorded with Rufus until the early 1980s, Khan debuted as a solo artist in the late 1970s. In 1978 she released Chaka, which featured the No. 1 R&B hit and empowerment anthem "I'm Every Woman," written by Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Khan's second solo album, 1980's Naughty, offered the popular singles "Clouds," also penned by Ashford and Simpson, and "Papillon (aka Hot Butterfly)." And in a twist of synchronicity, she won two Grammy Awards as a solo artist and one as a member of Rufus in 1983.

'I Feel for You,' 'Through the Fire'

The next year, however, Chaka the solo artist reigned supreme. Covering a Prince song, she made major moves on the charts with "I Feel for You," a Top 5 smash. Featuring one of the most famous rap cameos of all time by Melle Mel, the infectious track incorporated elements of rap, R&B and electronic dance music. It also won Khan another Grammy Award in 1984. Other hits from the album include "This Is My Night" and "Through the Fire."

'What Cha' Gonna Do for Me'

During the 1980s and early '90s, Khan established herself as a steady presence on the R&B charts with Top 20 hits like "What Cha' Gonna Do for Me," "Got to Be There," "(Krush Groove) Can't Stop the Street," "It's My Party," "Love You All My Lifetime" and "You Can Make the Story Right."

'I'll Be Good to You,' 'The Woman I Am'

Though the popularity of Khan's albums eventually declined with shifting musical trends, she still put forth critically acclaimed music. She won another Grammy in 1990 for her duet with the legendary Ray Charles on "I'll Be Good to You," from Quincy Jones' 1989 Back on the Block album, and another one in 1992 for The Woman I Am. Khan also became known for her contributions to the soundtracks for the films Clockers and Waiting to Exhale, both from 1995. Later in the decade, she released the well-received Prince-produced set Come 2 My House (1998).

'What's Going On,' 'ClassiKhan'

In 2002, Chaka Khan scored her eighth Grammy Award-this time for her cover of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" with the Funk Brothers. Experimenting with different musical styles, she released an album of standards with the London Symphony Orchestra, entitled ClassiKhan, in 2004.

'Funk This'

Making her first original recording in years, Khan returned to the studio to create Funk This (2007), a diverse mix of songs and guests. The ballad "Angel" came from a poem she wrote while high years earlier, while the uptempo "Disrespectful" paired Khan with one of her musical protégées, Mary J. Blige. And on the cover of "You Belong to Me," she sang with Michael McDonald, a former member of the Doobie Brothers. She also included a few more remakes on the album, including tracks by Prince, Jimi Hendrix and Joni Mitchell.

'Hello Happiness'

Khan returned to the airwaves in 2016 with the single "I Love Myself," with portions of sales going to the domestic abuse organization Face Forward as well as STOMP Out Bullying. She also sang with two of her siblings on that year's dance track "House of Love," by FOMO. In 2018, Khan released "Like Sugar," which became the first single from her 2019 album, Hello Happiness.

Theater and Book

While living in London in the 1990s, Khan branched out into acting, appearing as Sister Carrie in the musical Mama, I Want to Sing.

In 2003, the artist shared her life story with the world in her autobiography, Chaka! Through the Fire. In it, she detailed her career as well as her years of substance abuse. Chaka described the loneliness she felt while touring. She was often away from her two children, which only compounded her sadness and guilt. Chaka told JET magazine, "I think a big part of my drug thing was escaping from those feelings." She also revealed that she had a history of bad luck when it came to relationships.

In 2008, Chaka Khan made her Broadway debut and appeared as the character Sofia in the musical The Color Purple, based on the book by Alice Walker.

Personal Life and Rehab

Twice married and divorced, Khan gave birth to daughter Milini in 1973 and son Damien in 1979.

Toward the end of the 1990s, she established the Chaka Khan Foundation, which provides education programs to at-risk children and helps low-income families with autistic children.

In 2004, Khan faced a personal tragedy when Damien was arrested and charged with murder. He and a friend had been fighting in her home when Damien accidentally shot the other man. Rallying her family together, Khan attended the trial and testified on her son's behalf. He was found not guilty in 2006.

In July 2016, Khan announced that she and her sister Yvonne (aka Taka Boom) would be entering rehab due to prescription drug addictions, having been moved to do so after the overdose-related death of Prince.

"The tragic death of Prince has had us both rethinking and reevaluating our lives and priorities," Khan said in an official statement. "We knew it was time to take action to save our lives. My sister and I would like to thank everyone for their support, love and prayers."

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Born on March 23, 1953, in Great Lakes, Illinois, singer Chaka Khan achieved great success as part of the soul-funk band Rufus, delivering hits like "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing" and "Hollywood."

# data[].attributes.body
Ms. Pfeiffer and her father love this song!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Singer and pianist Fats Domino was an American rhythm-and-blues artist whose innovative music helped lay the foundation for rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950s.

# data[].attributes.body
One of Ms. Pfeiffer's favorites!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This article was most recently revised and updated by

Louis Armstrong (born August 4, 1901, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.-died July 6, 1971, New York, New York) was the leading trumpeter and one of the most influential artists in jazz history.

Early life and career

Although Armstrong claimed to be born in 1900, various documents, notably a baptismal record, indicate that 1901 was his birth year. He grew up in dire poverty in New Orleans, Louisiana, when jazz was very young. As a child he worked at odd jobs and sang in a boys' quartet. In 1913 he was sent to the Colored Waifs Home as a juvenile delinquent. There he learned to play cornet in the home's band, and playing music quickly became a passion; in his teens he learned music by listening to the pioneer jazz artists of the day, including the leading New Orleans cornetist, King Oliver. Armstrong advanced rapidly: he played in marching and jazz bands, becoming skillful enough to replace Oliver in the important Kid Ory band about 1918, and in the early 1920s he played in Mississippi riverboat dance bands.

King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band

Fame beckoned in 1922 when Oliver, then leading a band in Chicago, sent for Armstrong to play second cornet. Oliver's Creole Jazz Band was the apex of the early, contrapuntal New Orleans ensemble style, and it included outstanding musicians such as the brothers Johnny and Baby Dodds and pianist Lil Hardin, who married Armstrong in 1924. The young Armstrong became popular through his ingenious ensemble lead and second cornet lines, his cornet duet passages (called "breaks") with Oliver, and his solos. He recorded his first solos as a member of the Oliver band in such pieces as "Chimes Blues" and "Tears," which Lil and Louis Armstrong composed.

Solo career

Encouraged by his wife, Armstrong quit Oliver's band to seek further fame. He played for a year in New York City in Fletcher Henderson's band and on many recordings with others before returning to Chicago and playing in large orchestras. There he created his most important early works, the Armstrong Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings of 1925-28, on which he emerged as the first great jazz soloist. By then the New Orleans ensemble style, which allowed few solo opportunities, could no longer contain his explosive creativity. He retained vestiges of the style in such masterpieces as "Hotter than That," "Struttin' with Some Barbecue," "Wild Man Blues," and "Potato Head Blues" but largely abandoned it while accompanied by pianist Earl Hines ("West End Blues" and "Weather Bird"). By that time Armstrong was playing trumpet, and his technique was superior to that of all competitors. Altogether, his immensely compelling swing; his brilliant technique; his sophisticated, daring sense of harmony; his ever-mobile, expressive attack, timbre, and inflections; his gift for creating vital melodies; his dramatic, often complex sense of solo design; and his outsized musical energy and genius made these recordings major innovations in jazz.

Armstrong was a famous musician by 1929, when he moved from Chicago to New York City and performed in the theatre review Hot Chocolates. He toured America and Europe as a trumpet soloist accompanied by big bands; for several years beginning in 1935, Luis Russell's big band served as the Louis Armstrong band. During this time he abandoned the often blues-based original material of his earlier years for a remarkably fine choice of popular songs by such noted composers as Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin, and Duke Ellington. With his new repertoire came a new, simplified style: he created melodic paraphrases and variations as well as chord-change-based improvisations on these songs. His trumpet range continued to expand, as demonstrated in the high-note showpieces in his repertoire. His beautiful tone and gift for structuring bravura solos with brilliant high-note climaxes led to such masterworks as "That's My Home," "Body and Soul," and "Star Dust." One of the inventors of scat singing, he began to sing lyrics on most of his recordings, varying melodies or decorating with scat phrases in a gravel voice that was immediately identifiable. Although he sang such humorous songs as "Hobo, You Can't Ride This Train," he also sang many standard songs, often with an intensity and creativity that equaled those of his trumpet playing.

Louis and Lil Armstrong separated in 1931. From 1935 to the end of his life, Armstrong's career was managed by Joe Glaser, who hired Armstrong's bands and guided his film career (beginning with Pennies from Heaven, 1936) and radio appearances. Though his own bands usually played in a more conservative style, Armstrong was the dominant influence on the swing era, when most trumpeters attempted to emulate his inclination to dramatic structure, melody, or technical virtuosity. Trombonists, too, appropriated Armstrong's phrasing, and saxophonists as different as Coleman Hawkins and Bud Freeman modeled their styles on different aspects of Armstrong's. Above all else, his swing-style trumpet playing influenced virtually all jazz horn players who followed him, and the swing and rhythmic suppleness of his vocal style were important influences on singers from Billie Holiday to Bing Crosby.

Movies and other works

In most of Armstrong's movie, radio, and television appearances, he was featured as a good-humoured entertainer. He played a rare dramatic role in the film New Orleans (1947), in which he also performed in a Dixieland band. This prompted the formation of Louis Armstrong's All-Stars, a Dixieland band that at first included such other jazz greats as Hines and trombonist Jack Teagarden. For most of the rest of Armstrong's life, he toured the world with changing All-Stars sextets; indeed, "Ambassador Satch" in his later years was noted for his almost nonstop touring schedule. It was the period of his greatest popularity; he produced hit recordings such as "Mack the Knife" and "Hello, Dolly!" and outstanding albums such as his tributes to W.C. Handy and Fats Waller. In his last years ill health curtailed his trumpet playing, but he continued as a singer. His last film appearance was in Hello, Dolly! (1969).

Legacy

More than a great trumpeter, Armstrong was a bandleader, singer, soloist, film star, and comedian. One of his most remarkable feats was his frequent conquest of the popular market with recordings that thinly disguised authentic jazz with Armstrong's contagious humour. He nonetheless made his greatest impact on the evolution of jazz itself, which at the start of his career was popularly considered to be little more than a novelty. With his great sensitivity, technique, and capacity to express emotion, Armstrong not only ensured the survival of jazz but led in its development into a fine art.

Armstrong's autobiographies included Swing That Music (1936) and Satchmo: My Life in New Orleans (1954). The house that he shared with his fourth wife, Lucille Wilson, in Queens, New York City, from 1943 until his death in 1971 was preserved as the Louis Armstrong House Museum, which also maintained his archives.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Louis Armstrong | Biography, Facts, What a Wonderful World, Nickname, & Songs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Louis Armstrong, the leading trumpeter and one of the most influential artists in jazz history. He was also a bandleader, singer, film star, and comedian. With his great sensitivity, technique, and capacity to express emotion, Armstrong led in the development of jazz into a fine art.