There are many monumental moments in Black History in the past 100 years. Whether it is breaking a color barrier or simply selling CDs, African Americans have come a long way since the 1920s.
- 1920s. The Harlem Renaissance was a way for African Americans to express their new found freedom. This cultural movement took place in Harlem, New York where African Americans flourished intellectually through art, music, literature and more.
- 1947. Legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball by being the first African American to sign with a major league team.
- 1955. Rosa Parks courageously refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. This began a year long bus boycott by the black community of Montgomery.
- 1963. Martin Luther King wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to advocate non-violent civil disobedience. On August 28th, King gives his “I Have a Dream Speech.”
- 1964. The Civil Rights Act is signed by President Johnson to put an end to discrimination based on race, color, religion and national origin.
- 1965. President Johnson established Affirmative Action to end discrimination in education, business and employment.
- 1968. Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated by James Earl Ray in Memphis, Tennessee. The Civil Rights Act of 1968 is signed by President Johnson to put an end to discrimination based on sale, housing and rental.
- 1997. Tiger Woods was youngest and first African American to win the U.S. Masters Tournament.
- 2002. Halle Berry made history by becoming the first African American to win an Academy Award for Best Actress. Halle won for her portrayal of Leticia Musgrove in Monster’s Ball.
- 2008. After a year campaigning, Barack Obama made history when he was elected the first African American president of the United States.
- 2010. Jay-Z is an inspiration to African American music artists. Jay-Z was named one of the most successful music artists and entrepreneurs. His two albums, Reasonable Doubt and Blueprint were in Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 greatest albums of all time.