Black History Pages

On This Day in Black History: May 26

1836

Congress passed a resolution stating that it had no authority over state slavery laws.

1926

Abd-al-Krim surrendered to the combined French, Spanish and Moroccan forces, and was then exiled to the island of Reunion.

1926

Musical maestro and jazz legend Miles Davis was born.

1937

William H. Hastie became the first African-American federal judge when he was confirmed as judge of the federal district court in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

1943

President Edwin Barclay of Liberia was the first head of state of an African country to visit the U.S.

1948

The all-white National Party, under Daniel Malan, won South Africa's general elections and immediately began instituting its policy of apartheid, or racial segregation.

1956

Althea Gibson won the French Open, becoming the first black tennis player to win a major tennis title.

1961

The Freedom Ride Coordinating Committee civil rights activist group was established in Atlanta, Georgia.

1966

Guyana gained independence from Britain.

2003

Rwandans voted to approve a new constitution that instituted a balance of power between Hutu and Tutsi.

2005

The South African Geographical Names Council unanimously approved a recommendation that the name Pretoria be changed to Tshwane.

Today's Featured Page

Sunni Ali Ber
It was not until Sunni Ali Ber, a member of the Sunni dynasty, ascended to the throne in 1464, that the rulers of Gao looked beyond the confines of the Niger valley. In 28 years he turned the kingdom of Gao into the Songhai empire. More...

Previously Featured Pages

Thomas Fuller
In 1710, Thomas Fuller was born in Africa in the area between present-day Liberia and Benin. At 14, he was brought as a slave to America and became the property of Mrs. Elizabeth Cox of Alexandria, Virginia. Known as the Virginia Calculator, Fuller exhibited extraordinary computational abilities. More...

Sundiata
Sundiata was the son of Nare Fa Maghan, king of the Mandingo, and Sogolon Conde. The union of Maghan and Sogolon was based on the prophecy that Sogolon would give Maghan a son who would be Mali's greatest king. More...

Cowrie Shells
Cowrie shells were the most popular currency within Africa. Pictures of cowrie shells adorned cave walls. The Egyptians considered them to be magical agents and also used them as currency in foreign exchange transactions. Archaeologists have excavated millions of them in the tombs of the Pharaohs. More...

The Shona
The ruins of Great Zimbabwe still stand near the modern town of Masvingo in present-day Zimbabwe. They are three hundred feet long and two hundred feet wide. The walls are thirty feet high and, in many cases, twenty feet thick. They are the symbol of important political and economic developments among the Shona-speaking peoples in the twelfth century. More...

Nana Prempeh I
Nana Prempeh reunited the Asante nation, but this period coincided with the Scramble for Africa and the British viewed African unity as an impediment to their colonial expansion. Additionally, they wanted to colonize the Gold Coast before the French in the Ivory Coast did. More...

The Dogon of Mali
For centuries, the Dogon of Mali have had an excellent understanding of the solar system, particularly the Sirius star system. More...


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	On This Day in Black History: May 26 1836 Congress passed a resolution stating that it had no authority over state slavery laws. 1926 Abd-al-Krim surrendered to the combined French, Spanish and Moroccan forces, and was then exiled to the island of Reunion. 1926 Musical maestro and jazz legend Miles Davis was born. 1937 William H. Hastie became the first African-American federal judge when he was confirmed as judge of the federal district court in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 1943 President Edwin Barclay of Liberia was the first head of state of an African country to visit the U.S. 1948 The all-white National Party, under Daniel Malan, won South Africa's general elections and immediately began instituting its policy of apartheid, or racial segregation. 1956 Althea Gibson won the French Open, becoming the first black tennis player to win a major tennis title. 1961 The Freedom Ride Coordinating Committee civil rights activist group was established in Atlanta, Georgia. 1966 Guyana gained independence from Britain. 2003 Rwandans voted to approve a new constitution that instituted a balance of power between Hutu and Tutsi. 2005 The South African Geographical Names Council unanimously approved a recommendation that the name Pretoria be changed to Tshwane. Today's Featured Page Sunni Ali Ber It was not until Sunni Ali Ber, a member of the Sunni dynasty, ascended to the throne in 1464, that the rulers of Gao looked beyond the confines of the Niger valley. In 28 years he turned the kingdom of Gao into the Songhai empire. More... Previously Featured Pages Thomas Fuller In 1710, Thomas Fuller was born in Africa in the area between present-day Liberia and Benin. At 14, he was brought as a slave to America and became the property of Mrs. Elizabeth Cox of Alexandria, Virginia. Known as the Virginia Calculator, Fuller exhibited extraordinary computational abilities. More... Sundiata Sundiata was the son of Nare Fa Maghan, king of the Mandingo, and Sogolon Conde. The union of Maghan and Sogolon was based on the prophecy that Sogolon would give Maghan a son who would be Mali's greatest king. More... Cowrie Shells Cowrie shells were the most popular currency within Africa. Pictures of cowrie shells adorned cave walls. The Egyptians considered them to be magical agents and also used them as currency in foreign exchange transactions. Archaeologists have excavated millions of them in the tombs of the Pharaohs. More... The Shona The ruins of Great Zimbabwe still stand near the modern town of Masvingo in present-day Zimbabwe. They are three hundred feet long and two hundred feet wide. The walls are thirty feet high and, in many cases, twenty feet thick. They are the symbol of important political and economic developments among the Shona-speaking peoples in the twelfth century. More... Nana Prempeh I Nana Prempeh reunited the Asante nation, but this period coincided with the Scramble for Africa and the British viewed African unity as an impediment to their colonial expansion. Additionally, they wanted to colonize the Gold Coast before the French in the Ivory Coast did. More... The Dogon of Mali For centuries, the Dogon of Mali have had an excellent understanding of the solar system, particularly the Sirius star system. More... Copyright © 1996-2008 5x5 Media and African Images. All rights reserved.