25 Firsts in Black History

Lucy Terry Prince The author of the first known work of African American

literature, the poem “Bars Fight”

The first African American to graduate from a college or university in the United States

John Chavis

First Black College Professor

Charles L. Reason

Alain Locke The first African-American Rhodes Scholar

George Edwin Taylor The first Black person to run for United States presidency

Ruth Simmons The first African American to be named President of an Ivy

League university

Thurgood Marshall The first Black US Supreme Court Justice

Macon Bolling Allen The first African American licensed to practice Law in the

United States

Colin Powell The first African American US Secretary of State

Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez The first Black Astronaut to travel to Space.

Bessie Coleman The first African American pilot.

John Baxter Taylor First Black Olympic Gold Medalist

William Alexander LeidesdorffFirst Black Millionaire

Ralph BuncheFirst Black Nobel Peace Prize Winner

Janelle CommissiongFirst Black Miss Universe

Nat King Cole First Black Television Show Host

Count Basie & Ella Fitzgerald

First Black Grammy Winners

Althea Gibson First Black Tennis Champion

Maurice AshleyFirst Black Chess Grandmaster

Toni Morrison First Black Nobel Prize for Literature Winner

Oscar MicheauxFirst Black film director.

Hattie McDanielFirst Black Oscar Winner.

Edward Alexander BouchetFirst African American PhD

Juanita HallFirst Black Tony Award Winner

Barack and Michelle ObamaFirst Black President and First Lady