He founded Negro History Week in 1926 which ultimately became Black History Month at Kent State University (Ohio) in 1970. 

The month has been nationally recognized since 1976.

In 1960, four (4) students from North Carolina A&T led a sit-in at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, NC. Inspired by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the protest quickly grew to over 300 protesters. Students organized similar protest in other southern states. Lasting 5 months, Woolworth’s desegregated. The civil rights act of 1964 mandated all businesses desegregate.

Dr. Pope, a North Carolina A&T graduate, is a globally recognized expert in fraud and forensic accounting, having advised the governments of Malaysia and Great Britain as well as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 

Dr. Bath invented the device to remove cataracts in 1981, applying and receiving the patent in 1988. This made her the first African American woman to receive a patent for a medical purpose. She continued to improve the device and restored the vision to people who had not ben able to see for years. She held 4 more patents related eye laser procedures. 

Mr. Parker is known as the first African American lawyer in sport representation. He founded his company later known as Maximum Sports Management. In 1995, Parker negotiated Deion Sanders' lucrative seven year, $35 million contract, with a $13 million signing bonus, which at that time was the highest signing bonus in history. Some of other clients included: Hines Ward, Emmitt Smith and Larry Fitzgerald.

Ms. Williams is the first Black woman to design a Super Bowl logo. This is also the first time the National Football League (NFL) collaborated with a local artist. She is the queen of her Black Masking Indian tribe in New Orleans. The logo is inspired by the Black Masking Indian tradition, which is a cultural legacy that originated from the bonds between African and Native American communities in New Orleans.  

Ms. Lynn is a lawyer and sports agent. She is the first Black woman to represent an NFL draft pick (Qunnen Williams). She also represents quarterback Jalen Hurt as of 2020. She went on to receive her certification to represent NBA players. 

Mr. Williams is best known for his performance with the Washington Redskins (now Commanders) in Super Bowl XXII making him the first Black quarterback to both start and win a Super Bowl. He was named Super Bowl MVP after breaking two Super Bowl passing records: 340 yards total, and being the first to throw four touchdowns in a single quarter.

Ms. Freeland, a Spellman College student (Class of 2028), is the youngest African American woman pilot and licensed aviator in U.S. history. She piloted a single-engine plant with up to 12 passengers on February 26, 2024. 

Gloria Richardson Dandridge was a civil rights activist in Cambridge, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore. She led the Cambridge Nonviolent Action Committee (CNAC) in the early 1960s, becoming the first woman in the country to lead a grassroots origination outside the Deep South. 

Osbourn Dorsey, at 16, is credited with inventing the doorknob and doorstop in 1878. Dorsey, born in Virginia but lived in Washington, D.C., was a self-taught inventor. He began his career as a blacksmith, but he soon turned his attention to inventing. His invention was a major improvement, which were often made of wood or metal and were difficult to use. Osbourn Dorsey also invented a clothes wringer, a fire escape, and a machine for making bricks.

President Obama is the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. He was the first African-American president in U.S. history. Obama previously served as a U.S. senator representing Illinois from 2005 to 2008 and as an Illinois state senator from 1997 to 2004. In 1988, Obama enrolled in Harvard Law School, where he was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. 

Mrs. Omilami is the CEO of the largest Black-owned food bank in the Southeast region. The food bank was founded more than five decades ago by Omilami’s father, Hosea Williams, a civil rights leader who worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now called Hosea Helps, the national organization not only provides food to those in need, but also offers rental assistance, emergency shelter, 

employment help and more.

Tyler Gordon, the 14-year old self taught artist, went viral with his freehand portrait of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. He has also created works of art for an array of influencers and celebrities to include J. Lo, Kevin Hart, Kevin Durant, Missy Elliot and many more. Born deaf, Tyler also overcame stammering which caused him to be bullied in school. His mission is to help other kids fight bullying from his foundation Tongue Tied.