Little-Known Histories

You may not have heard of some of these historical figures, but they’re definitely worth exploring. Some of the subjects included:

• Kwame Alexander (1968-) was born in New York, but grew up in Virginia. He attended Virginia Tech, where he learned from Nikki Giovanni. He has focused on juvenile literature, and has written many titles, including The Crossover (Newbery Award winner) and Out of Wonder (Coretta Scott King award winner). In 2023, he turned his memoir Why Fathers Cry at Night into a podcast.
  • Recommended: Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Letters, Recipes, and Remembrances by Kwame Alexander (305.388 AL)
• Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806) was a polymath who influenced culture in a variety of ways. He used his scientific and mathematical skills to create several almanacs, which ranged from planetary projections to tide tables, and weather predictions to epidemiology. Despite the validity of his work, Banneker’s ideas were often prefaced with notations of his race. Still, he used his position and influence to petition for abolition, particularly in public correspondences with Thomas Jefferson.
  • Recommended: Benjamin Banneker: Astronomer and Mathematician by Allison Lassieur (J 921 BAN)
• Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) was born in Brooklyn to a Haitian father and a mother of Puerto Rican ancestry. The atmosphere of New York City helped him develop his artistic style, which highlighted graffiti and biting social commentary. At age 20, he held his first art show. He continued to hobnob with contemporaries, like Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, until his death in 1988.
  • Recommended: Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe (JE People History STE)
• In 1954, the Supreme Court made a landmark decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education, which stated that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” Based on a long, culturally-ingrained history of racism and prejudice, particularly in the South, this ruling began the end of racial segregation in schools throughout the U.S. Despite the ruling, some states spend years drawing out their complicity.
  • Recommended: Brown v. Board of Education: The Case Against School Segregation by Wayne Anderson (J 344.73 AN)
• The U.S. military has always had Black participants, but they were often segregated into different units. People in these regiments were called “Buffalo Soldiers,” which was a term that likely came from interactions with Indigenous populations. Buffalo Soldiers were often situation to push American expansion further westward, resulting in notable skirmishes. Despite their service, these individuals continued to face discrimination from within the military through 1951, when the last Black regiments were integrated into general groups.
  • Recommended: Buffalo Soldiers by Julia Garstecki (J 973.8 GA)
• Like her parents, Eunice Hunton Carter (1899-1970) was highly motivated to attain an education and make a difference in her community. She was the first Black woman to earn a law degree from Fordham University, and was admitted to the bar in 1938. Early in her career as assistant district attorney, she took on the mob, and led the charge to bring down Lucky Luciano. She continued to serve on committees and boards for the rest of her life.
  • Recommended: Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster by Stephen L. Carter (Eunice’s grandson) (CD 813.6 CA)
• In early 1955, 15-year old Claudette Colvin (1939-) refused to give up her seat on a bus to a White woman. Her efforts helped inspire Rosa Parks to do the same, several months later. But fellow civil rights activists didn’t publicize Colvin’s efforts, particularly as a plaintiff in a federal case to end bus segregation in Montgomery. Why? Because at the time of the case, she was pregnant and unwed. In recent years, her compelling story has come to light, and she is finally getting credit for her activism.
  • Recommended: Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose (J 921 COL)
• MacNolia Cox (1923-1976) was a spelling whiz. When she was in 8th grade, she became the first African American to win the Akron, Ohio, spelling bee. She was excited to head to Washington, D.C., to compete in the National Spelling Bee. Unfortunately, since it was 1936, she was treated differently than the other contestants due to her race. MacNolia misspelled the word “nemesis.” Despite her teacher’s attempt to change the ruling, she ended up in 5th place.
  • Recommended: How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Frank Morrison (J 921 COX)
• Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831-1895) grew up with an interest in medical treatments. From 1855-1864, Rebecca worked as a nurse. In 1864, she became the first female African American doctor (who had formal training) in the country. She lived in Massachusetts and Virginia for the rest of her life, where she was well-respected. In 2019, the Virginia Governor declared March 30 to be Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler Day.
  • Recommended: Twice as Hard: The Stories of Black Women Who Fought to Become Physicians, From the Civil War to the 21st Century by Jasmine Brown (610.922 BR)
• Thomas-Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (1762-1806) was born in present-day Haiti, to a French nobleman and an enslaved woman. He joined the French Army in 1786, and raised the ranks during the French Revolution to become a divisional general under Napoleon Bonaparte. He served as inspiration for his son’s (Alexandre Dumas) famous adventure novel, The Count of Monte Cristo.
  • Recommended: The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss (B DUMAS)
• Althea Gibson (1927-2003) spent much of her childhood playing sports in community leagues. Although Gibson didn’t initially like tennis, she quickly rose the ranks to win several tournaments. She amassed a number of firsts, including being the first Black player to win a Grand Slam tournament. Later Gibson became a professional golfer. She was a pioneer in both fields, overcoming racism and solidifying her place in American athletics.
  • Recommended: Nothing But Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson by Sue Staffacher; illustrated by Greg Couch (J 796.342092 ST)
• Matthew Henson (1866-1955) seemed to always seek adventure. He ran off to sea at age 12, working as a cabin boy before returning to the D.C. area. There he met Robert Peary, who eventually hired him as his “first man” on expeditions. They spent most of their time in the Arctic, and claimed to have been the first people to travel to the geographic North Pole. Despite being by Peary’s side, Henson’s contributions were often diminished or omitted.
  • Recommended: Onward: A Photobiography of African-American Polar Explorer Matthew Henson by Dolores Johnson (J 910.92 JO)
• Edna Lewis (1916-2006) grew up helping her grandfather on a farm community in Orange County, Virginia. She moved to New York City, and though she worked as a seamstress, she delighted in preparing delicious meals for her friends. When one friend opened a new restaurant in Manhattan, he hired her to be the chef. She prepared simple but impressive Southern meals for celebrities and dignitaries. Edna worked in the culinary world for decades. She published several cookbooks.
  • Recommended: In Pursuit of Flavor by Edna Lewis (641.59755 LE)
• Ann Lowe (1898-1981) worked as a seamstress and dressmaker from a young age, and went to design school to build her repertoire. After working for others and not receiving credit for her designs, she created her own salon. One of her most famous designs was the wedding dress of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Despite Lowe’s talents, rich clients often took advantage of her, which led her to struggle financially.
  • Recommended: By Her Own Design: A Novel of Ann Lowe, Fashion Designer to the Social Register by Piper Huguley (FICTION HUG)
  • Note: This is a fictional retelling of Ann’s story.
• Marie-Louise Coidavid (1778-1851) was a Haitian woman whose husband, Henri Christophe, was instrumental in the Haitian Revolution. When he took power as the king, she sat beside him as the nation’s queen. There was more political upheaval after the death of her husband, which led her to hide in exile for 30 years. She and her daughters eventually moved to Italy, where she died at age 72.
  • Recommended: Queen of Exiles by Vanessa Riley (FICTION RIL)
  • Note: This is a fictional retelling of Marie-Louise’s story.
• Leland Melvin (1964-) was born in Lynchburg. After graduating from Heritage High School, he became a football star at the University of Richmond, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree. After earning a Master’s degree at the University of Virginia, he began working at NASA. Melvin eventually became an astronaut, and between 2008-09, he spent more than 565 hours in space! Melvin is also famous on the Internet; every few years people rediscover his official NASA portrait, which features his dogs Roux and Zoro.
  • Recommended: Chasing Space: An Astronaut’s Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances by Leland Melvin (B MELVIN); also available as a juvenile book.
• Constance Baker Motley (1921-2005) was born in Connecticut. She wanted to go to school, but couldn’t afford it. While giving a speech within her community, a philanthropist offered her financial assistance to go to college. Motley became a lawyer in 1946, and immediately began to work for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. While continuing to work for social justice, she won a seat on the New York State Senate. In 1966, Motley became the first African American female federal judge.
  • Recommended: Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle For Equality by Tomiko Brown-Nagin (323 MO)
• Gordon Parks (1912-2006) had a difficult childhood. He faced racism, bullying, death, and more, which ended him on the streets on his own at age 15. Parks worked in a variety of jobs to support himself, using his little free time to read as much as he could. At 28, he bought a camera and soon worked for the Farm Security Administration, where he helped document American life and culture. He went on to explore other creative pursuits, including filmmaking, songwriting, painting, and writing.
  • Recommended: Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Jamey Christoph (JE People History WEA)
• Bayard Rustin (1912-1987) was an activist and community organizer, who was dedicated to dismantling systematic racial oppression through nonviolent protests. He helped organize several protests, including the March on Washington. Despite facing opposition, Bayard remained unflinching in his beliefs, which extended not only to Black and gay rights, but also to those of Japanese-Americans and Jewish people.
  • Recommended: We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin by Larry Dane Brimner (J 921 RUS)
• At a young age, Marshall “Major” Taylor (1878-1932) worked at a bicycle shop, instructing others on how to ride and entertaining them with his students and tricks. Despite facing discrimination from track owners, spectators, and fellow racers, Major was a professional cyclist by age 18, demonstrating his skill, speed, and stamina. In 1899, Major became the first Black American to win a world championship in any sport.
  • Recommended: The World’s Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America’s First Black Sports Hero by Michael Kranish (B TAYLOR)
• Mamie Till-Mobley’s (1921-2003) son, Emmett, was 14 years old and visiting family in Mississippi when he was accused of whistling at a White woman. Emmett was kidnapped, tortured, beaten, and killed by two White men, who were acquitted for his murder. At Emmett’s funeral, Mamie demanded that his casket remain open, which helped gain momentum for the Civil Rights Movement. For the rest of her life, Mamie served as an activist, public speaker, and educator.
  • Recommended: Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy; illustrated by Janelle Washington (J 921 TIL)
• Cathay Williams (1844-1893) was enslaved at her birth. She worked on a plantation in Missouri before the Civil War broke out. In 1866, she posed as a man (William Cathay) to serve in the U.S. Army. She was able to hide her identity for two years, before contracting smallpox and being discovered as a woman. The Army discharged her. Cathay ended up in Colorado, fighting several illnesses. She was denied a military pension.
  • Recommended: Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird (FICTION BIR)
  • Note: This is a fictionalized account. It is also available as a book on CD.

Click here for the full list.

The Little-Known Histories display is a partnership between the Campbell County Branch of the NAACP and the Campbell County Public Library System.

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