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Benjamin O. Davis Sr. (July 1, 1877 – November 26, 1970)  For day 13 of Black History Month, we’d like to highlight Brigadier General Benjamin O. Davis Sr., an American officer and educator, who became the first African American to rise to the rank of Brigadier General in the United States Army. Immediately after graduating from Howard University in 1898, he enlisted in the United States Army to serve in the Spanish-American War. He achieved the rank of First Lieutenant with the 8th Volunteer Infantry, an all African-American unit. In 1899, he reenlisted as a private and joined the 9th Calvary. He...

Annie Easley (April 1933 – June 2011)  For day 12 of Black History Month, we’d like to highlight Annie Easley, an American computer scientist, rocket scientist and mathematician. In 1955, she came across a newspaper story about a pair of twin sisters who were working as “computers,” performing mathematical computations for engineers at NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), which was a predecessor to NASA and the same NACA that Hidden Figure Katherine Johnston worked at in Virginia. She applied for the job and two weeks later she was hired. Her first role was as a “computer,” like the twins she had read...

Morris (Morrie) Turner (December 1923 – January 2014) For day 11 of Black History Month, we’d like to highlight Morrie Turner, an American artist, cartoonist and creator of the comic strip “Wee Pals”, the first American syndicated comic strip with an integrated cast of characters. Morrie Turner was raised in Oakland, California and attended school at Cole Elementary,  McClymonds High School and Berkeley High School. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the military during World War 2, and served as a mechanic with the Tuskegee Airmen. During his time in the military, he also did illustrations that ended up being picked up...

Dr. Alexa Canady (November 1950 – present) For day nine of Black History Month, we’d like to highlight Dr. Alexa Canady, an American medical doctor and educator, who specialized in pediatric neurosurgery and was the first African-American woman to become a neurosurgeon. Her career initially got off to a rough start, as she almost dropped out of college due to what she describes as, “a crisis of confidence.” She first attended the University of Michigan and it was there, that she got an opportunity to work in a genetics lab and found her love for medicine. After graduating with her Bachelor of...

21 years ago today, Dead Prez released their debut album "Let's Get Free". Some tracks which are featured on the We've Been Protesting timeline and on the Spotify playlist, are Hip-Hop (video below), Police State and We Want Freedom. Upon its release, the album was considered to be a return to politically conscious rap and the most politically conscious rap since Public Enemy. "...This real hip-hop and it don't stop 'Til we get the po-po off the block..." Lyrics: https://genius.com/Dead-prez-hip-hop-lyrics