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In 1937, Zora Neale Hurston published Their Eyes Were Watching God, a novel that would become a cornerstone of African American literature.

In 1903, W.E.B. Du Bois published The Souls of Black Folk, a seminal collection of essays that offered profound insights into the African American experience.

In 1954, Thurgood Marshall achieved a landmark victory that would forever alter the American legal landscape.

In 1979, Octavia E. Butler published Kindred, a groundbreaking novel that would cement her place in literary history.

In 1968, Audre Lorde published her first poetry collection, The First Cities, marking a significant moment in American literature.

In 1960, amidst the fervor of the civil rights movement, Ella Baker orchestrated a pivotal gathering at her alma mater, Shaw University.

In the mid-1800s, Nathan "Nearest" Green, an African American enslaved on a Tennessee farm, imparted his whiskey-making expertise to a young Jack Daniel.

In 2007, at the age of 85, Betty Reid Soskin embarked on a new chapter as a park ranger at the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California.

In 1975, MaVynee Betsch, affectionately known as the "Beach Lady," redirected her life from a promising opera career to become a fervent environmental activist.

In the 1970s, Hazel M. Johnson, residing in Chicago's Altgeld Gardens public housing, became acutely aware of the severe health issues plaguing her community.

In the mid-1990s, Lisa Gelobter played a pivotal role in developing Macromedia Shockwave, a groundbreaking multimedia platform that enabled the creation of dynamic web content.

In 1958, Eunice W. Johnson transformed a simple fundraising event into a groundbreaking celebration of African American fashion.

In the early 1900s, Anita Patti Brown captivated audiences with her powerful soprano voice, earning the moniker "the Bronze Tetrazzini."

In 1919, Claude Albert Barnett founded the Associated Negro Press (ANP), a pioneering international news agency dedicated to serving Black newspapers.

James McCune Smith (April 18, 1813 – November 17, 1865) was a pioneering physician, apothecary, abolitionist, and author.

Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders, born Minnie Lee Jones on August 13, 1933, in Schaal, Arkansas, is a pioneering physician and public health advocate.

In 1896, inventor John Thomas White of New York City patented an improved lemon squeezer.

In 1884, Moses Fleetwood Walker made history as the first Black man to play Major League Baseball.

In the early 20th century, Marjorie Stewart Joyner transformed the beauty industry with her innovative Permanent Waving Machine.

In the late 19th century, Hugh M. Browne emerged as a transformative leader in education and social reform.