Little Known Black History Facts

By: Ayana Bryant-Weekes 

The A Team Talk Show could not let the month of February go by without acknowledging the brilliant African Americans achievements that came before us. Enjoy these little known Black History Facts in honor of Black History Month.  

Richard Allen

Born a slave in Philadelphia on February 14, 1764 Richard Allen was an African American clergyman and founder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. He was first Pastor of a black group that withdrew from Methodist Episcopal Church. When the AME church was organized, Richard Allen was consecrated as its first Bishop. 

Mary Elizabeth Mahoney 

In 1879 she was the first African American to study and work as a professionally trained nurse in the United States. She was also one of the first African Americans to graduate from a nursing school which is now Howard University. She also co-founded the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses which strived to lift the standard for everyday life for African American registered nurses. 

Nat "The Bush Doctor" 

He opened his first hair shop in 1963 at just 23 years old called Nat's Hair Care Clinic. Originally nicknamed The Hair Doctor, once 'The Afro' made its trending debut, he made his focus the treatment of The Fro, not just the styling of it and thus became known as  The Bush Doctor. 

Zelda Wynn Valdes 

An African American fashion/costume designer who owned and opened the first shop on Broadway in 1948 in New York City called "Chest Zelda". It was the first in this area to be owned by an African American. She became famous because of her design for the iconic Playboy Bunny costume but she has also dressed the likes of Dorothy Dandridge, Marian Anderson, Josephine Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Joyce Bryant, Maria Cole, Edna Robinson, and Mae West. 

This is the scene of the Greenwood District "The Black Wall Street" on June 1, 1921. The wealthiest African American community in the United States was completely destroyed during the Tulsa Race Riot.