African-Americans are an

ethnic group An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. The first achievements by African-Americans in diverse fields have historically marked footholds, often leading to more widespread cultural change. The shorthand phrase for this is "breaking the color barrier". One commonly cited example is that of

Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line ...

, who became the

first African-American African-Americans are an ethnic group in the United States. The first achievements by African-Americans in diverse fields have historically marked footholds, often leading to more widespread cultural change. The shorthand phrase for this is "brea ...

of the modern era to become a

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

player in 1947, ending 60 years of segregated

Negro leagues The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and, to a lesser extent, Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be ...

17th century

1670s

1670

* First African-American to own land in Boston: Zipporah Potter Atkins

18th century

1730s–1770s

1738

* First free African-American community: Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose (later named

Fort Mose Fort Mose Historic State Park (originally known as Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose, and later Fort Mose; alternatively, Fort Moosa or Fort Mossa), is a former Spanish fort in St. Augustine, Florida. In 1738, the governor of Spanish Florida, Ma ...

) in

Spanish Florida Spanish Florida ( es, La Florida) was the first major European land claim and attempted settlement in North America during the European Age of Discovery. ''La Florida'' formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, ...

1746

* First known African-American (and slave) to compose a work of literature:

Lucy Terry Lucy Terry Prince, often credited as simply Lucy Terry (1733–1821), was an American settler and poet. Kidnapped in Africa and enslaved, she was taken to Rhode Island, America. Her future husband purchased her freedom before their marriage in 17 ...

with her poem " Bars Fight", composed in 1746🖉 and first published in 1855 in Josiah Holland's "History of Western Massachusetts

1760

* First known African-American published author:

Jupiter Hammon Jupiter Hammon (October 17, 1711 – ca. 1806) was an American writer who is known as a founder of African-American literature, as his poem published in 1761 in New York was the first by an African American in North America. He published both po ...

(poem "An Evening Thought: Salvation by Christ with Penitential Cries", published as a

broadside Broadside or broadsides may refer to: Naval * Broadside (naval), terminology for the side of a ship, the battery of cannon on one side of a warship, or their near simultaneous fire on naval warfare Printing and literature * Broadside (comic ...

)

1767

* First African-American clockmaker, Peter Hill, was born.

1768

* First known African-American to be elected to public office: Wentworth Cheswell, town constable in Newmarket, New Hampshire.

1773

* First known African-American woman to publish a book: Phillis Wheatley (''Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral'') * First separate African-American church: Silver Bluff Baptist Church, Aiken County, South CarolinaThis claim is contested by the First Baptist Church, Petersburg, Virginia (1774) and the First Colored Baptist Church, renamed First African Baptist Church,

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...

(recognized 1788, first congregation 1773).

1775

* First African-American to join the Freemasons:

Prince Hall Prince Hall (1807) was an American abolitionist and leader in the free black community in Boston. He founded Prince Hall Freemasonry and lobbied for education rights for African American children. He was also active in the back-to-Africa moveme ...

1778

* First African-American U.S. military regiment: the 1st Rhode Island Regiment

1780s–1790s

1783

* First African-American to formally practice medicine: James Derham, who did not hold an M.D. degree. (See also: 1847)

1785

* First African-American ordained as a Christian minister in the United States: Rev.

Lemuel Haynes Lemuel Haynes (July 18, 1753 – September 28, 1833) was an American clergyman. A veteran of the American Revolution, Haynes was the first black man in the United States to be ordained as a minister. Haynes was a native of West Hartford, Conne ...

. He was ordained in the Congregational Church, which became the

United Church of Christ The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination based in the United States, with historical and confessional roots in the Congregational, Calvinist, Lutheran, and Anabaptist traditions, and with approximatel ...

1792

* First major African-American Back-to-Africa movement: 3,000 Black Loyalist slaves, who had escaped to British lines during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

for the promise of freedom, were relocated to

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

and given land. Later, 1,200 chose to migrate to West Africa and settle in the new British colony of Settler Town, which is present-day

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierr ...

1793

* First African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church founded:

Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of gestati ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

was founded by Richard Allen

1794

* First African Episcopal Church established: Absalom Jones founded

African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas (AECST) was founded in 1792 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the first black Episcopal Church in the United States. Its congregation developed from the Free African Society, a non-denominational group f ...

, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

19th century

1800s

Alexander Lucius Twilight (daguerrotype)

1804

* First African-American ordained as an Episcopal priest: Absalom Jones in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1807

* First African-American Presbyterian Church in America
First African Presbyterian Church
founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by John Gloucester a former slave.

1810s

1816

* Richard Allen founded the first fully independent African-American denomination:

African Methodist Episcopal Church The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the AME Church or AME, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination. It adheres to Wesleyan-Arminian theology and has a connexional polity. The African Methodist Episcopal ...

(AME), based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and mid-Atlantic states

1817

* The First African Baptist Church was the first African-American church west of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...

. It had its beginnings in 1817 when

John Mason Peck John Mason Peck (1789–1858) was an American Baptist missionary to the western frontier of the United States, especially in Missouri and Illinois. A prominent anti-slavery advocate of his day, Peck also founded many educational institutions a ...

and the former enslaved John Berry Meachum began holding church services for African Americans in St. Louis. Meachum founded the First African Baptist Church in 1827. Although there were ordinances preventing blacks from assembling, the congregation grew from 14 people at its founding to 220 people by 1829. Two hundred of the parishioners were slaves, who could only travel to the church and attend services with the permission of their owners.

1820s

1821

* First African-American to hold a

patent A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an enabling disclosure of the invention."A ...

: Thomas L. Jennings, for a dry-cleaning process

1822

* First African-American captain to sail a whaleship with an all-black crew: Absalom Boston there were 6 black owners of 7 whaling trips before Absalom Boston's in 1822. https://www.skipfinley.com/ Whaling Captains of Color - America's First Meritocracy, US Naval Institute Press, 2019; pg. 47 - 51; pg. 166 - 168

1823

* First African-American to receive a degree from an American college:

Alexander Twilight Alexander Lucius Twilight (September 23, 1795 – June 19, 1857) was an American educator, minister and politician. He is the first African-American man known to have earned a bachelor's degree from an American college or university, graduati ...

Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all 5 ...

(See also: 1836)

1827

* First African-American owned-and-operated newspaper: ''

Freedom's Journal ''Freedom's Journal'' was the first African-American owned and operated newspaper published in the United States. Founded by Rev. John Wilk and other free Black men in New York City, it was published weekly starting with the 16 March 1827 issue. ...

'', founded in New York City by Rev.

Peter Williams Jr. Peter Williams Jr. (1786–1840) was an African-American Episcopal priest, the second ordained in the United States and the first to serve in New York City. He was an abolitionist who also supported free black emigration to Haiti, the black republ ...

and other free blacks.

1830s

1832

* First governor of African descent in what is now the US:

Pío Pico Don Pío de Jesús Pico (May 5, 1801 – September 11, 1894) was a Californio politician, ranchero, and entrepreneur, famous for serving as the last governor of California (present-day U.S. state of California) under Mexican rule. A member of t ...

, an

Afro-Mexican Afro-Mexicans ( es, afromexicanos), also known as Black Mexicans ( es, mexicanos negros), are Mexicans who have heritage from sub-Saharan Africa and identify as such. As a single population, Afro-Mexicans include individuals descended from both ...

, was the last governor of Alta California before it was ceded to the US. Like all Californios, Pico automatically became a US citizen in 1848.

1836

* First African-American elected to serve in a state legislature:

, Vermont (See also: 1823) * First African-American to found a town and establish a planned community: Free Frank McWorter ( New Philadelphia, Illinois)

1837

* First formally trained African-American medical doctor: Dr James McCune Smith of New York City, who was educated at the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, and returned to practice in New York. (See also: 1783, 1847)

1840s

1845

* First African-American licensed to practice law: Macon Allen from the Boston

bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar ( ...

1847

* First African-American to graduate from a U.S. medical school: Dr. David J. Peck ( Rush Medical College) (See also: 1783, 1837) * First African-American president of any nation: Joseph Jenkins Roberts,

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast� ...

1849

* First African-American college professor at a predominantly white institution: Charles L. Reason,

New York Central College New York Central College, commonly called New York Central College, McGrawville, and simply Central College, was the first college in the United States founded on the principle that all qualified students were welcome. It was thus an abolitionist ...

1850s

Hiram Rhodes Revels - Brady-Handy-(restored)

1851

* First African-American member of the

Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

(Jesuits): Patrick Francis Healy (See also: 1866, 1874)

1853

* First novel published by an African-American: '' Clotel; or, The President's Daughter'', by William Wells Brown, then living in London.Because it was published in the U.K., the book is not the first African-American novel published in the United States. This credit goes to one of two disputed books: Harriet Wilson's '' Our Nig'' (1859), brought to light by

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Henry Louis "Skip" Gates Jr. (born September 16, 1950) is an American literary critic, professor, historian, and filmmaker, who serves as the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African Ame ...

in 1982; or Julia C. Collins' ''The Curse of Caste; or The Slave Bride'' (1865), brought to light by William L. Andrews, an

English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...

professor at the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...

, and Mitch Kachun, a history professor at Western Michigan University, in 2006. Andrews and Kachun document ''Our Nig'' as a novelized autobiography, and argue that ''The Curse of Caste'' is the first fully fictional novel by an African American to be published in the U.S.

1854

* First African-American Catholic priest:

James Augustine Healy James Augustine Healy (April 6, 1830 – August 5, 1900) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the first African American to serve as a Catholic priest or bishop. With his predominantly European ancestry, Healy passed for ...

(see 1875 and 1886) * First institute of higher learning created to educate African-Americans: Ashmun Institute in

, renamed Lincoln University in 1866. (See also firsts in 1863)

1858

* First published play by an African-American: ''The Escape; or, A Leap for Freedom'' by William Wells Brown * First African-American woman college instructor: Sarah Jane Woodson Early, Wilberforce College * First African-American woman to graduate from a medical course of study at an American university: Sarah Mapps Douglass * First African-American Missionary Bishop of

: Francis Burns of Windham, N.Y. of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

1860s

1861

* First North American military unit with African-American officers: 1st Louisiana Native Guard of the Confederate Army * First African-American

US federal government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a f ...

civil servant: William Cooper Nell

1862

* First African-American woman to earn a B.A.: Mary Jane Patterson, Oberlin College * First recognized U.S. Army African-American combat unit: 1st South Carolina Volunteers

1863

* First college owned and operated by African-Americans:

Wilberforce University Wilberforce University is a private historically black university in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans. It participates i ...

in OhioFounded earlier; not fully owned and operated by African-Americans until 1863. (See also: 1854) * First African-American president of a college: Bishop Daniel Payne (Wilberforce University)

1864

* First African-American woman in the United States to earn an M.D.: Dr. Rebecca Davis Lee Crumpler

1865

* First African-American field officer in the U.S. Army: Martin Delany * First African-American attorney admitted to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court: John Stewart Rock * First African-American to be commissioned as captain in the Regular U.S. Army: Orindatus Simon Bolivar Wall, known as OSB Wall

1866

* First African-American to earn a Ph.D.: Father Patrick Francis Healy from University of Leuven, Belgium (See also 1851, 1874) * First African-American woman enlistee in the U.S. Army: Cathay Williams * First African-American woman to serve as a professor: Sarah Jane Woodson Early; Xenia, Ohio's Wilberforce University hired her to teach Latin and English

1868

* First elected African-American

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

: Oscar Dunn (

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is bord ...

). * First African-American mayor: Pierre Caliste Landry, Donaldsonville, Louisiana * First African-American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives: John Willis Menard. His opponent contested his election, and opposition to his election prevented him from being seated in Congress. (See also: 1870)

1869

* First African-American U.S.

diplomat A diplomat (from grc, δίπλωμα; romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state or an intergovernmental institution such as the United Nations or the European Union to conduct diplomacy with one or more other states or interna ...

Ebenezer Don Carlos Bassett Ebenezer Don Carlos Bassett (October 16, 1833 – November 13, 1908) was United States Ambassador to Haiti from 1869 to 1877. He was the first African American diplomat and the fourth U.S. ambassador to Haiti since the two countries established ...

, minister to

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and s ...

* First African-American woman school principal: Fanny Jackson Coppin ( Institute for Colored Youth) * First African-American to receive a dental degree and become a

dentist A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry (the diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity and other aspects of the craniofacial c ...

Robert Tanner Freeman Robert Tanner Freeman (18461873) was an American dentist. As one of the first six students to attend the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, he became the first African American to graduate with a dental degree in the United States on March 10, 18 ...

1870s

1870

* First African-American to vote in an election under the

15th Amendment to the United States Constitution The Fifteenth Amendment (Amendment XV) to the United States Constitution prohibits the federal government and each state from denying or abridging a citizen's right to vote "on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." It was ...

, granting voting rights regardless of race: Thomas Mundy Peterson * First African-American to graduate from

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher ...

Richard Theodore Greener Richard Theodore Greener (1844–1922) was a pioneering African Americans, African-American scholar, excelling in elocution, philosophy, law and classics in the Reconstruction era. He broke ground as Harvard College's first Black graduate in 18 ...

. * First African-American elected to the U.S. Senate, and first to serve in the U.S. Congress:

Hiram Rhodes Revels Hiram Rhodes Revels (September 27, 1827Different sources list his birth year as either 1827 or 1822. – January 16, 1901) was an American Republican politician, minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and a college administrator. ...

( R– MS).Revels, the

Mississippi State Senate The Mississippi Senate is the upper house of the Mississippi Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Senate, along with the lower Mississippi House of Representatives, convenes at the Mississippi State Capitol ...

's Adams County representative, was elected by the U.S. Senate in January 1870 to fill an unexpired term. * First African-American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives: Joseph Rainey (R- SC).Rainey, a South Carolina state senator, was elected to fill the seat vacated by B. Franklin Whittemore. Rainey took his seat on December 12, 1870. John Willis Menard was actually the first African-American elected to the House (1868) but he was denied his seat. * First African-American acting governor: Oscar James Dunn of

from May until August 9, 1871, when sitting Governor Warmoth was incapacitated and chose to recuperate in Mississippi. (See also: Douglas Wilder, 1990)

1871

* First African-American page in the United States House of Representatives: Alfred Q. Powell, who was appointed in 1871 by Charles H. Porter (R-VA), with recommendations from William Henry Harrison Stowell (R-VA) and James H. Platt Jr. (R-VA).

1872

* First African-American midshipman admitted to the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

John H. Conyers James Henry Conyers (October 24, 1855 - November 29, 1935) (born in South Carolina), on September 21, 1872 was the first African-American person admitted to the United States Naval Academy. Early life James H. Conyers was born in Charleston, South ...

(nominated by Robert B. Elliott of

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

). * First African-American governor (non-elected): P. B. S. Pinchback of

(See also: Douglas Wilder, 1990) * First African-American nominee for

Vice President of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice p ...

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1817 or 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became ...

by the Equal Rights Party.Douglass did not seek the nomination or campaign after being nominated.

1873

* First African-American speaker of the

Mississippi House of Representatives The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi. According to the state constitution of 1890, it is to comprise no more than 122 members elected fo ...

, and of any state legislature:

John R. Lynch John Roy Lynch (September 10, 1847 – November 2, 1939) was an American writer, attorney, military officer, author, and Republican politician who served as Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives and represented Mississippi in ...

1874

* First African-American president of a major college/university: Father Patrick Francis Healy, S.J. of Georgetown College. (See also: 1851, 1863, 1866) * First African-American to preside over the House of Representatives as Speaker ''pro tempore'': Joseph Rainey

1875

* First African-American Roman Catholic bishop: Bishop

, of Portland, Maine. (See also: 1854)

1876

* First African-American to earn a

doctorate degree A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''li ...

from an American university: Edward Alexander Bouchet (

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

Ph.D.,

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which ...

; also first African-American to graduate from Yale, 1874). (See also: 1866)

1877

* First African-American graduate of West Point and first African-American commissioned officer in the U.S. military:

Henry Ossian Flipper Henry Ossian Flipper (March 21, 1856 – April 26, 1940) was an American soldier, engineer, former slave and in 1877, the first African American to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point, earning a commission as a ...

. * First African-American elected to

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...

, George Washington Henderson.

1878

* First African-American police officer in Boston, Massachusetts: Sergeant

Horatio J. Homer Horatio J. Homer (1848–1923) was Boston's first African-American police officer. He was hired by the Boston Police Department in 1878 and served on the force for 40 years. Early life Homer was born in Farmington, Connecticut, on May 24, 1848 ...

. * First African-American baseball player in organized

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professiona ...

: John W. "Bud" Fowler.

1879

* First African-American to graduate from a formal nursing school:

Mary Eliza Mahoney Mary Eliza Mahoney (May 7, 1845 – January 4, 1926) was the first African-American to study and work as a professionally trained nurse in the United States. In 1879, Mahoney was the first African American to graduate from an American school of nu ...

, Boston, Massachusetts. * First African-American to play major league baseball: Possibly

William Edward White William Edward White (October 1860 – March 29, 1937) was a 19th-century American baseball player. He played as a substitute in one professional baseball game for the Providence Grays of the National League, on June 21, 1879. Work by the Society ...

; he played as a substitute in one professional baseball game for the Providence Grays of the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...

, on June 21, 1879. Work by the

Society for American Baseball Research The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is a membership organization dedicated to fostering the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball primarily through the use of statistics. Established in Cooperstown, New ...

(SABR) suggests that he may have been the first African-American to play major league baseball, predating the longer careers of Moses Fleetwood Walker and his brother Weldy Walker by five years; and

by 68 years.

1880s

1880

* First African-American to command a U.S. ship: Captain Michael Healy. * First African-American world champion in pedestrianism, a 19th-century forerunner to

racewalking Racewalking, or race walking, is a long-distance discipline within the sport of athletics. Although a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times. Race judges carefully asse ...

and ultramarathons: Frank Hart.

1881

* First African-American whose signature appeared on U.S. paper currency: Blanche K. Bruce, Register of the Treasury.

1882

* First fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for African-Americans:

Virginia State University Virginia State University (VSU or Virginia State) is a public historically Black land-grant university in Ettrick, Virginia. Founded on , Virginia State developed as the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of hi ...

1883

* First known African-American woman to graduate from one of the Seven Sisters colleges:

Hortense Parker Hortense Parker Gilliam, born Hortense Parker (1859–1938), was the first known African-American graduate of Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, in 1883. She taught music and piano at elementary school in Kansas City, Missouri from 1906 to 1913. That ...

(

Mount Holyoke College Mount Holyoke College is a private liberal arts women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is the oldest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of elite historically women's colleges in the Northeastern United States. ...

) *First African-American woman to earn a PhD. Nettie Craig-Asberry June 12, 1883 earns her doctoral degree in music from the University of Kansas one month shy of her 18th birthday.

1884

* First African-American to play

at the major-league level: Possibly Moses Fleetwood Walker, but see also

in 1879. (See also:

, 1947) * First African-American woman to hold a patent: Judy W. Reed, for an improved dough kneader, Washington, D.C. * First African-American to enlist in the U.S. Signal Corps: William Hallett Greene * First African-American to lead a political party's National Convention:

, Republican National Convention. * First African-American to deliver a keynote address at a political party's National Convention:

, Republican National Convention.

1886

* First

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

priest publicly known at the time to be African-American:

Augustine Tolton John Augustus Tolton (April 1, 1854 – July 9, 1897), baptized Augustine Tolton, was the first Catholic priest in the United States publicly known to be Black. (The Healy brothers, who preceded him, all passed for White.) Tolton was ordaine ...

, Quincy and Chicago, Illinois (See also: 1854)

1890s

1890

* First African-American woman to earn a dental degree in the United States: Ida Rollins,

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

. * First African-American to record a best-selling phonograph record: George Washington Johnson, "The Laughing Song" and "The Whistling Coon." *First woman and African-American to earn a military pension for their own military service: Ann Bradford Stokes.

1891

* First African-American

police officer A police officer (also called a policeman and, less commonly, a policewoman) is a warranted law employee of a police force. In most countries, "police officer" is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. In some, the use of the ...

in present-day New York City: Wiley Overton, hired by the

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

Police Department prior to 1898 incorporation of the five boroughs into the City of New York. (See also: Samuel J. Battle, 1911)

1892

* First African-American to sing at Carnegie Hall:

Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones (January 5, 1868 or 1869 – June 24, 1933) was an American soprano. She sometimes was called "The Black Patti" in reference to Italian opera singer Adelina Patti. Jones' repertoire included grand opera, light o ...

* First African-American named to a

College Football All-America Team The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best college football players in the United States at their respective positions. The original use of the term ''All-America'' seems to have been to the 1889 College Football ...

William H. Lewis William Henry Lewis (November 28, 1868 – January 1, 1949) was an African-American pioneer in athletics, law and politics. Born in Virginia to freedmen, he graduated from Amherst College in Massachusetts, where he had been one of the first Africa ...

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of highe ...

1895

* First African-American woman to work for the

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...

Mary Fields Mary Fields (''circa'' 1832–1914), also known as Stagecoach Mary and Black Mary, was the first African American female star route mail carrier in the United States. She was not an employee of the United States Post Office Department, which ...

* First African-American to earn a

(Ph.D.) from

W.E.B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt Du Bois ( ; February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) was an American-Ghanaian sociologist, socialist, historian, and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois grew up i ...

1898

* First African-American appointed to serve as U.S. Army Paymaster: Richard R. Wright

1899

* First African-American to achieve

world championship A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

in any sport: Major Taylor, for 1-mile

track cycling Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using purpose-designed track bicycles. History Track cycling has been around since at least 1870. When track cycling was in its infancy, it ...

20th century

1900s

1901

* First African-American invited to dine at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...

Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American c ...

1902

* First African-American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player: Harry Lew (New England Professional Basketball League) (See also: 1950) * First African-American professional

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...

player: Charles Follis * First African-American boxing champion: Joe Gans, a lightweight (See also: 1908)

1903

* First Broadway musical written by African-Americans, and the first to star African-Americans: ''

In Dahomey ''In Dahomey: A Negro Musical Comedy'' is a landmark 1903 American musical comedy described by theatre historian Gerald Bordman as "the first full-length musical written and played by blacks to be performed at a major Broadway house."Bordman, G ...

'' * First African-American woman to found and become president of a bank:

Maggie L. Walker Maggie Lena (née Draper Mitchell) Walker (July 15, 1864 – December 15, 1934) was a businesswoman and teacher. In 1903, Walker became both the first African American woman to charter a bank and the first African American woman to serve as ...

, St. Luke Penny Savings Bank (since 1930 the Consolidated Bank & Trust Company), Richmond, Virginia

1904

* First Greek-letter fraternal organization founded by African-Americans: Sigma Pi Phi * First African-American to participate in the Olympic Games, and first to win a medal:

George Poage George Coleman Poage (November 6, 1880 – April 11, 1962) was an American track and field athlete. He was the first black and the first African-American athlete to win a medal in the Olympic Games, winning two bronze medals at the 1904 game ...

(two bronze medals)

1906

* First intercollegiate Greek-letter organization founded by African-Americans:

Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the 1905–1906 school year at Cornell University but later evolved in ...

(ΑΦΑ), at

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...

1907

* First African-American

Greek Orthodox The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...

priest and missionary in America: Very Rev. Fr. Robert Josias Morgan

1908

* First African-American

heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the W ...

boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...

champion: Jack Johnson (See also: 1902) * First African-American Olympic gold medal winner: John Taylor (

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

medley relay team). (See also: DeHart Hubbard, 1924) * First intercollegiate Greek-letter sorority established by African-Americans:

Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. () is the first intercollegiate historically African American sorority. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at the historically black Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of sixteen s ...

(ΑΚΑ) at Howard University

1910s

1910

* First African-American female millionaire:

Madam C. J. Walker Madam C.J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove; December 23, 1867 – May 25, 1919) was an African American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. She is recorded as the first female self-made millionaire in America in the '' G ...

* First African-American woman to be recorded commercially: Daisy Tapley (Recording source- Library of Congress)

1911

* First intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity founded by African-Americans at a

historically black college Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. Mo ...

Omega Psi Phi Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. () is a historically African-American fraternity. The fraternity was founded on November 17, 1911, by three Howard University juniors Edgar Amos Love, Oscar James Cooper and Frank Coleman, and their faculty a ...

(ΩΨΦ), at Howard University * First African-American

in New York City: Samuel J. Battle, following the 1898 incorporation of the five boroughs into the City of New York, and the hiring of three African-American officers in the Brooklyn Police Department. Battle was also the NYPD's first African-American

sergeant Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other ...

(1926),

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

(1935), and

parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...

commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...

(1941). (See also: Wiley Overton, 1891) * First African-American attorney admitted to the

American Bar Association The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. Founded in 1878, the ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of aca ...

: Butler R. Wilson (June 1911),

William Henry Lewis William Henry Lewis (November 28, 1868 – January 1, 1949) was an African-American pioneer in athletics, law and politics. Born in Virginia to freedmen, he graduated from Amherst College in Massachusetts, where he had been one of the first Africa ...

(August 1911), and William R. Morris (October 1911) * First African-American elected to the

Pennsylvania General Assembly The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania ...

: Harry W. Bass (1911).

1914

* First African-American military pilot: Eugene Jacques Bullard

1915

* First African-American alderman of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

: Oscar Stanton De Priest

1916

* First African-American to play in a Rose Bowl game: Fritz Pollard,

Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...

* First African-American to become a

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

in the U.S. Army:

Charles Young Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...

* First African-American woman to become a licensed

pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...

: Ella P. Stewart

1917

* First African-American woman to win a major sports title:

Lucy Diggs Slowe Lucy Diggs Slowe (July 4, 1885 – October 21, 1937) was an American educator and athlete, and the first Black woman to serve as Dean of Women at any American university. She was a founder of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the first sorority foun ...

, American Tennis Association

1919

* First African-American special agent for the FBI:

James Wormley Jones James Wormley Jones (September 22, 1884 – December 11, 1958) was an African-American policeman and World War I veteran, who is best known for having been the first African-American FBI special agent. Early life Jones was born in Fort Monroe ...

* First African-American women appointed as police officers: Cora I. Parchment at the New York Police Department (NYPD) and

Georgia Ann Robinson Georgia Ann Robinson (née Hill; May 12, 1879 – September 21, 1961) was an American police officer and community worker who was the first African American woman to be appointed a police officer at the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD); she w ...

, by the

Los Angeles Police Department The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), officially known as the City of Los Angeles Police Department, is the municipal police department of Los Angeles, California. With 9,974 police officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the third-lar ...

(LAPD) * First African-American to direct a

feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

Oscar Micheaux Oscar Devereaux Micheaux (; January 2, 1884 – March 25, 1951) was an author, film director and independent producer of more than 44 films. Although the short-lived Lincoln Motion Picture Company was the first movie company owned and controlle ...

( The Homesteader)

1920s

1920

* First African-American NFL football players: Fritz Pollard ( Akron Pros) and Bobby Marshall ( Rock Island Independents) * First African-American

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

s of the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. ...

: Robert Elijah Jones and Matthew Wesley Clair.

1921

* First African-American woman to become an aviation pilot, first American to hold an international pilot license: Bessie Coleman * First African-American NFL football

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...

: Fritz Pollard, co-head coach, Akron Pros, while continuing to play

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. Th ...

* First African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in the U.S.:

Georgiana Rose Simpson Georgiana Rose Simpson (1865–1944) was a philologist and the first African-American woman to receive a PhD in the United States. Simpson received her doctoral degree in German from the University of Chicago in 1921. Early life and education ...

. Simpson received her doctoral degree in German from the University of Chicago in 1921. * First African-American to found a

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the pr ...

: Harry Pace (

Black Swan Records Black Swan Records was an American jazz and blues record label founded in 1921 in Harlem, New York. It was the first widely distributed label to be owned, operated, and marketed to African Americans. (Broome Special Phonograph Records was the firs ...

)

1923

* First African-American woman to earn a degree in library science:

Virginia Proctor Powell Florence Virginia Proctor Powell Florence (October 1, 1897 – April 3, 1991) was a trailblazer in both African-American history and the history of librarianship. In 1923 she became the first black woman in the United States to earn a degree in library sc ...

.175 Years of Black Pitt People and Notable Milestones. (2004). Blue Black and Gold 2004: Chancellor Mark A. Norenberg Reports on the Pitt African American Experience, 44. Retrieved on 2009-05-22. She earned the degree (Bachelor of Library Science) from what is now part of the

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...

1924

* First African-American to win individual

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...

gold medal: DeHart Hubbard (

long jump The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a takeoff point. Along with the triple jump, the two events that measure jumping for distance as a ...

1924 Summer Olympics The 1924 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1924), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIIe olympiade) and also known as Paris 1924, were an international multi-sport event held in Paris, France. The o ...

). (See also: John Taylor, 1908)

1925

* First African-American

Foreign Service Officer A Foreign Service Officer (FSO) is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U ...

: Clifton R. Wharton Sr.

1927

* First African-American to become an officer in the

New York Fire Department The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), is an American department of the government of New York City that provides fire protection services, technical rescue/special operations services, ...

in New York City: Wesley Augustus Williams. * First African-American to star in an international motion picture:

Josephine Baker Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted Fran ...

in '' La Sirène des tropiques''.

1928

* First post-

Reconstruction Reconstruction may refer to: Politics, history, and sociology * Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company *''Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Unio ...

African-American elected to U.S. House of Representatives: Oscar Stanton De Priest ( Republican;

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

) * First African-American woman to serve in a state legislature: Minnie Buckingham Harper,

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...

1929

* First African-American sportscaster: Sherman "Jocko" Maxwell ( WNJR,

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat, seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County and the second largest city within the New Yo ...

)

1930s

1931

* First African-American composer to have their symphony performed by a leading orchestra: William Grant Still, ''Symphony No. 1'', by Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra * First African-American woman to graduate from Yale Law School: Jane Matilda Bolin

1932

* First African-American on a presidential ticket in the 20th century:

James W. Ford James W. “Jim” Ford (December 22, 18931957) was an activist, a politician, and the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Communist Party USA in the years 1932, 1936, and 1940. Ford was born in Alabama and later worked as a party organizer for t ...

(

Communist Party USA The Communist Party USA, officially the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA), is a communist party in the United States which was established in 1919 after a split in the Socialist Party of America following the Russian Rev ...

, as vice-presidential candidate running with William Z. Foster) * First African-American Ph.D. in anthropology: William Montague CobbHarrison and Harrison, 1999. African-American Pioneers in Anthropology. New York: University of Illinois Press.

1933

* First African-American woman to earn a doctorate in psychology: Inez Prosser

1934

* First African-American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat:

Arthur W. Mitchell Arthur Wergs Mitchell, Sr. (December 22, 1883 – May 9, 1968), was a U.S. Representative from Illinois. For his entire congressional career from 1935 to 1943, he was the only African American in Congress. Mitchell was the first African American ...

(Illinois) * First

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...

set up for African-American

domestic worker A domestic worker or domestic servant is a person who works within the scope of a residence. The term "domestic service" applies to the equivalent occupational category. In traditional English contexts, such a person was said to be "in service ...

s by Dora Lee Jones

1936

* First African-American to conduct a major U.S.

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

: William Grant Still ( Los Angeles Philharmonic) * First African-American women selected for the Olympic Games: Tidye Pickett and Louise Stokes. Stokes did not compete; Picket competed in the 80-meter hurdles

1937

* First African-American federal magistrate:

William H. Hastie William Henry Hastie Jr. (November 17, 1904 – April 14, 1976) was an American lawyer, judge, educator, public official, and civil rights advocate. He was the first African American to serve as Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, as a ...

(later the first African-American governor of the

United States Virgin Islands The United States Virgin Islands,. Also called the ''American Virgin Islands'' and the ''U.S. Virgin Islands''. officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and an unincorporated and organized territory ...

)

1938

* First African-American woman federal agency head:

Mary McLeod Bethune Mary Jane McLeod Bethune ( McLeod; July 10, 1875 – May 18, 1955) was an American educator, philanthropist, humanitarian, womanist, and civil rights activist. Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935, established the organi ...

( National Youth Administration) * First African-American woman elected to a state legislature: Crystal Bird Fauset (

)

1939

* First African-American to star in their own television program: Ethel Waters, ''The Ethel Waters Show'', on NBC

1940s

1940

* First African-American to win an Oscar: Hattie McDaniel ( Best Supporting Actress, '' Gone with the Wind'', 1939) * First African-American to be portrayed on a U.S.

postage stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the f ...

* First African-American flag officer: BG

Benjamin O. Davis Sr. Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr. (May 28, 1880 – November 26, 1970) was a United States Army general. In 1940, he became the first African-American to rise to the rank of brigadier general. He was the father of Air Force General Benjamin O. Davis Jr ...

, U.S. Army * First African-American to earn a doctorate in library science: (

Eliza Atkins Gleason Eliza Atkins Gleason (December 15, 1909 – December 15, 2009) was the first African American to receive a doctorate in Library Science. In 1941, she established and became the first Dean of the School of Library Service at Atlanta University and ...

, who earned it from the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

)

1941

* First African-American to give a White House Command Performance: Josh White

1942

Marian Anderson christens the liberty ship Booker T

* First African-American to be awarded the Navy Cross: Doris Miller * First African-American member of the

U.S. Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through co ...

Alfred Masters Alfred Masters (February 5, 1916 – June 16, 1975) was an American member of the United States Marine Corps. Masters was the first African American member of the Marine Corps at his swearing-in on June 1, 1942, in Oklahoma City and then his firs ...

* First African-American to captain a U.S. Merchant Marine ship, the : Hugh Mulzac

1943

* Martin A. Martin, first African-American to become a member of the Trial Bureau of the

United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United Stat ...

, was sworn in on May 31, 1943. * First African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics: Euphemia Haynes, from

Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private Roman Catholic research university in Washington, D.C. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by U.S. ...

1944

* First African-American commissioned officers in the U.S. Navy: The " Golden Thirteen" * First African-American commissioned as a U.S. Navy officer from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps:

Samuel Gravely Samuel Lee Gravely Jr. (June 4, 1922 – October 22, 2004) was a United States Navy officer. He was the first African American in the U.S. Navy to serve aboard a fighting ship as an officer, the first to command a Navy ship, the first fleet comman ...

* First African-American female Navy officers: Lieutenant Harriet Ida Pickens and Ensign Frances Wills * First African-American to receive a contract with a major U.S. opera company:

Camilla Williams Camilla Ella Williams (October 18, 1919 – January 29, 2012) was an American operatic soprano who performed nationally and internationally. After studying with renowned teachers in New York City, she was the first African American to receive a ...

* First known African-American

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

artist: Matt Baker in ''Jumbo Comics'' #69 for Fiction HouseMatt Baker
at the Grand Comics Database
Archived
from the original on April 24, 2015. Artist credits were not routinely given in comic books in the 1940s, so comprehensive credits are very difficult if not impossible to ascertain. * First African-American reporter to attend a U.S. presidential news conference: Harry McAlpin

1945

* First African-American member of the New York City Opera:

Todd Duncan Robert Todd Duncan (February 12, 1903 – February 28, 1998) was an American baritone opera singer and actor. One of the first African-Americans to sing with a major opera company, Duncan is also noted for appearing as Porgy in the premier produ ...

* First African-American

officer:

Frederick C. Branch Frederick Clinton Branch (May 31, 1922 – April 10, 2005) was the first African-American officer of the United States Marine Corps. Early life and education Branch was born in Hamlet, North Carolina, the fourth son of an African Methodist Episco ...

* First African-American was sworn in as a Navy nurse: Phyllis Mae Dailey * First African-American woman to enter the Coast Guard:

Olivia Hooker Olivia Juliette Hooker (February 12, 1915 – November 21, 2018) was an American psychologist and professor. She was one of the last known survivors of the Tulsa race massacre of 1921, and the first African-American woman to enter the U.S. Coast ...

1946

* First African-American to sign a contract with an NFL team in the modern (post-World War II) era: Kenny Washington

1947

* First African-American

player of the modern era:

( Brooklyn Dodgers). (See also:

, 1879; Moses Fleetwood Walker, 1884) * First African-American

player Player may refer to: Role or adjective * Player (game), a participant in a game or sport ** Gamer, a player in video and tabletop games ** Athlete, a player in sports ** Player character, a character in a video game or role playing game who is ...

in the

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league b ...

: Larry Doby (

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...

). * First African-American consensus college All-American basketball player: Don Barksdale * First

produced entirely by African-Americans: '' All-Negro Comics'' * First African-American full-time faculty member at a predominantly white law school:

William Robert Ming William Robert Ming Jr. (May 7, 1911 – June 30, 1973) was an American lawyer, attorney with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and law professor at University of Chicago Law School and Howard University School ...

(

University of Chicago Law School The University of Chicago Law School is the law school of the University of Chicago, a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. It is consistently ranked among the best and most prestigious law schools in the world, and has many dis ...

) * First African-American female member of the U.S. House and Senate press galleries:

Honorary Academy Award The Academy Honorary Award – instituted in 1950 for the 23rd Academy Awards (previously called the Special Award, which was first presented at the 1st Academy Awards in 1929) – is given annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of M ...

for his portrayal of " Uncle Remus" in ''

Song of the South ''Song of the South'' is a 1946 American live-action/animated musical drama film directed by Harve Foster and Wilfred Jackson; produced by Walt Disney and released by RKO Radio Pictures. It is based on the Uncle Remus stories as adapted b ...

'', 1946) (See also:

Sidney Poitier Sidney Poitier ( ; February 20, 1927 – January 6, 2022) was an American actor, film director, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He received two competitive ...

, 1964) * First African-American on an Olympic basketball team and first African-American Olympic gold medal basketball winner: Don Barksdale, in the

1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London 1948) were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London, England, United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus ...

* First African-American to design and construct a professional

golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". ...

: Bill Powell * First African-American U.S. Navy aviator: Jesse L. Brown * First African-American composer to have an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

performed by a major U.S. company: William Grant Still (''Troubled Island'', New York City Opera) * First African-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal:

Alice Coachman Alice Marie Coachman Davis (November 9, 1923 – July 14, 2014) was an American athlete. She specialized in high jump and was the first black woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Biography Early life and education Alice Coachman was born on Nov ...

* First African-American since

to enroll at a traditionally white university of the South: Silas Hunt (

University of Arkansas Law School The University of Arkansas School of Law is the law school of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a state university. It has around 445 students enrolled in its Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Master of Law (LL.M) programs and is home ...

) * First known African-American star of a regularly scheduled network television series: Bob Howard, ''The Bob Howard Show''While considered a network for regulatory reasons, CBS TV was viewable only locally in 1948. By 1956, CBS and other networks were viewable nationwide. (See also: 1956) * First African-American man to graduate from

Oregon State College Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering ...

William Tebeau William Henry Tebeau (November 23, 1925 – July 5, 2013) in 1948 became the first African-American man to graduate from Oregon State College. He was an engineer for ODOT for 36 years. A residence hall at OSU and Highway 126 between Eugene an ...

* First African-American female reporter to travel with a U.S. president ( Harry S. Truman's election campaign):

Alice Allison Dunnigan Alice Allison Dunnigan (April 27, 1906 – May 6, 1983) was an American journalist, civil rights activist and author.James, p. 183. Dunnigan was the first African-American female correspondent to receive White House credentials,U.S. Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy is ...

: Wesley Brown *First African-American to chair a committee of the United States Congress: Representative William Dawson. * First African-American to hold the rank of

Ambassador of the United States Ambassadors of the United States are persons nominated by the president to serve as the country's diplomatic representatives to foreign nations, international organizations, and as ambassadors-at-large. Under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S ...

: Edward R. Dudley, ambassador, and previously minister, to

(See also: 1869) * First African-American to win an MVP award in

( Brooklyn Dodgers,

) (See also: Elston Howard, 1963) * First African-American-owned and -operated radio station: WERD, established October 3, 1949 in Atlanta, Georgia by Jesse B. Blayton Sr. * First African-American woman president of an

NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&n ...

chapter nationwide: Florence LeSueur of Boston's NAACP chapter. * First African-American women to earn a

doctor of veterinary medicine A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...

degree: Jane Hinton and Alfreda Johnson Webb

1950s

1950

* First African-American to win a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

: Juanita Hall ( Best Featured Actress in a Musical, ''

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

'') * First African-American to win a

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made ...

Gwendolyn Brooks Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (June 7, 1917 – December 3, 2000) was an American poet, author, and teacher. Her work often dealt with the personal celebrations and struggles of ordinary people in her community. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poet ...

(Book of poetry, ''Annie Allen'', 1949) * First African-American to win the

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiolo ...

Ralph Bunche Ralph Johnson Bunche (; August 7, 1904 – December 9, 1971) was an American political scientist, diplomat, and leading actor in the mid-20th-century decolonization process and US civil rights movement, who received the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize ...

* First African-American to receive a " lifetime" appointment as federal judge:

, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit * First African-American woman to compete on the world tennis tour: Althea Gibson * First African-American solo singer to have a #1 hit on the '' Billboard'' charts: Nat King Cole ("

Mona Lisa The ''Mona Lisa'' ( ; it, Gioconda or ; french: Joconde ) is a half-length portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. Considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, it has been described as "the best kno ...

"), topped "Best Sellers in Stores" chart on July 15 (See also: Mills Brothers, 1943; Count Basie, 1947; Tommy Edwards, 1958; The Platters, 1959) * First African-American delegate to the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...

: Edith S. Sampson (See also: 1961) * First African-American NBA basketball players:

Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton (born Clifton Nathaniel; October 13, 1922 – August 31, 1990) was an American professional basketball and baseball player. He is best known as one of the first African Americans to play in the National Basketball ...

(

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...

), Chuck Cooper (basketball), Chuck Cooper (Boston Celtics), and Earl Lloyd (Washington Capitols). Note: Harold Hunter (basketball), Harold Hunter was the first to sign an NBA contract, signing with the Washington Capitols on April 26, 1950. However, he was cut from the team during training camp and did not play professionally. (See also: 1902)

1951

* First African-American named to the College Football Hall of Fame: Duke Slater, Iowa Hawkeyes football, University of Iowa (1918–1921) * First African-American quarterback to become a regular starter for a Professional gridiron football, professional football team: Bernie Custis (Hamilton Tiger-Cats)

1952

* First African-American driver in NASCAR: Wendell Scott (See also: 2015) * First African-American woman elected to a U.S. State legislature (United States), state senate: Cora Brown, (Michigan) * First African-American U.S. Marine Corps aviator: Frank E. Petersen * First African-American woman to be nominated for a national political office: Charlotta Bass, Vice President (Progressive Party (United States, 1948), Progressive Party) (See also: 2000, 2020) * First African-American baseball player to appear in or win a College World Series: Don Eaddy

1953

* First African-American

player to play in the NBA All-Star Game: Don Barksdale in the 1953 NBA All-Star Game * First African-American quarterback to play in the National Football League during the modern (post-World War II) era: Willie Thrower (Chicago Bears)

1954

* First African-American U.S. Navy Diver: Carl Brashear * First individual African-American woman as subject on the cover of ''Life (magazine), Life'' magazine: Dorothy Dandridge, November 1, 1954 * First African-American page for the U.S. Supreme Court, and first to be enrolled in the Thomas Jefferson Building#Capitol Page School, Capitol Page School: Charles V. Bush

1955

* First African-American member of the Metropolitan Opera: Marian Anderson * First African-American male dancer in a major ballet company: Arthur Mitchell (dancer), Arthur Mitchell (New York City Ballet); also first African-American principal dancer of a major ballet company (NYCB), 1956. (See also: 1969) * First African-American pilot of a scheduled US airline: August Martin (cargo airline Seaboard World Airlines, Seaboard & Western Airlines) (See also: 1964) * First African-American to serve as a presidential executive assistant: E. Frederic Morrow, appointed by President Eisenhower as Administrative Officer for Special Projects.

1956

* First African-American star of a nationwide network TV show: Nat King Cole of The Nat King Cole Show, NBC (See also: 1948) * First African-American to break the color barrier in a bowl game in the Deep South: Bobby Grier (American football player), Bobby Grier, (Pittsburgh Panthers in the 1956 Sugar Bowl) * First African-American The Championships, Wimbledon, Wimbledon tennis champion: Althea Gibson (doubles, with Englishwoman Angela Buxton); also first African-American to win a Grand Slam (tennis), Grand Slam event (French Open). * First African-American United States Secret Service, U.S. Secret Service agent: Charles Gittens * First African-American to win the Cy Young Award as the top pitcher in

, in the award's inaugural year: Don Newcombe ( Brooklyn Dodgers) * First African-American woman to become president of a four-year, fully accredited liberal arts college: Willa Beatrice Player (Bennett College)

1957

* First African-American female Wimbledon Tennis Champion: Althea Gibson * First African-American assistant coach in the NFL: Lowell Perry, Lowell W. Perry (See also: 1966) * First African-American to win

's Rawlings Gold Glove Award, Gold Glove, in the award's inaugural year: Willie Mays (History of the New York Giants (baseball), New York Giants)While two black players won Gold Gloves that year, only Mays is African-American. The other, Minnie Miñoso, is Afro-Cuban. * First African-American to work as a botanist at the United States National Arboretum: Roland Jefferson

1958

* First African-American flight attendant: Ruth Carol Taylor (Mohawk Airlines) *First African-American to reach number-one on the Billboard Hot 100: Tommy Edwards (It's All in the Game (song)#"It's All in the Game", It's All in the Game)

1959

* First African-American Grammy Award winners, in the award's inaugural year: Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie (two awards each) * First African-American television journalist: Louis Lomax * First African-American to win a major national player of the year award in college basketball: Oscar Robertson, Oscar Robertson Trophy, USBWA Player of the YearIn 1998, the award would be renamed the Oscar Robertson Trophy after its first recipient. (in that award's inaugural year)

1960s

* First African-American to win the Heisman Trophy: Ernie Davis * First African-American to serve on a U.S. district court: James Benton Parsons, appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois * First African-American delegate to the NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization: Edith S. Sampson (See also: 1950) * First African-American to go over Niagara Falls: Nathan Boya a.k.a. William FitzGerald * First African-American to join the PGA Tour: Charlie Sifford

1962

* First African-American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Baseball Hall of Fame:

(See also: Satchel Paige, 1971) * First African-American coach in

: Buck O'Neil, John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil (Chicago Cubs) * First African-American attorney general of a state: Edward Brooke (Massachusetts) (See also: 1966) * First African-American student admitted to the University of Mississippi: James Meredith

1963

* First African-American bank examiner for the United States Department of the Treasury: Roland Burris * First African-American to graduate from the University of Mississippi: James Meredith * First African-American named as Time (magazine), ''Time'' magazine's Time Person of the Year, Man of the Year: Martin Luther King Jr. * First African-American to win a NASCAR NASCAR Cup Series#Strictly Stock and Grand National, Grand National event: Wendell Scott * First African-American police officer of the NYPD to be named a precinct commander: Lloyd Sealy, commander of the NYPD's 28th Precinct in Harlem. * First African-American to be named

MVP: Elston Howard (New York Yankees) (See also: Jackie Robinson, 1949) * First African-American Chess title, chess master: Walter Harris * First African-American to appear as a series regular on a primetime dramatic television series: Cicely Tyson, "East Side/West Side" (CBS). * First African-American to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award: Diahann Carroll, for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role, for the episode "A Horse Has a Big Head, Let Him Worry" of ''Naked City (TV series), Naked City'' (See also: 1968) * First African-Americans inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Basketball Hall of Fame: New York Renaissance, inducted as a team. (See also: Bob Douglas, 1972; Bill Russell, 1975; Clarence Gaines, 1982) * First African-American to graduate from the United States Air Force Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy: Charles V. Bush.

1964

* First African-American to join the LPGA, Ladies Professional Golf Association: Althea Gibson * First African-American pilot for a major commercial airline: David E. Harris, American Airlines (See also: 1955 and Marlon Green) * First movie with African-American interracial marriage: ''One Potato, Two Potato'', actors Bernie Hamilton and Barbara Barrie, written by Orville H. Hampton, Raphael Hayes, directed by Larry Peerce * First African-American baseball player to be named the

World Series MVP: Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals

1965

* First African-American nationally Print syndication, syndicated cartoonist: Morrie Turner (''Wee Pals'') * First African-American title character of a

series: Lobo (Dell Comics), Lobo (Dell Comics).The first Black superhero, Marvel's Black Panther (comics), Black Panther, introduced in ''Fantastic Four'' #52 (July 1966), is African, not African-American. This is also true of the first Black character to star in his own mainstream comic-book feature, Waku, Prince of the Bantu, who headlined one of four features in the multiple-character omnibus series ''Jungle Tales'' (September 1954 – September 1955), from Marvel's 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics (1950s), Atlas Comics. (See also: The Falcon, 1969, and Luke Cage, 1972) * First African-American star of a network television drama: Bill Cosby, ''I Spy (1965 TV series), I Spy'' (co-star with Robert Culp) * First African-American cast member of a daytime soap opera: Micki Grant who played Peggy Nolan Harris on ''Another World (TV series), Another World'' until 1972. * First African-American ''Playboy'' Playboy Playmate, Playmate centerfold: Jennifer Jackson (model), Jennifer Jackson (March issue) * First African-American the United States Air Force, U.S. Air Force General: Benjamin O. Davis Jr., Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. (Three-star General) * First African-American woman

: Patricia Roberts Harris, ambassador to Luxembourg * First African-American NFL Official (gridiron football), official: Burl Toler, field judge/head linesman * First African-American to win a national chess championship: Frank Street Jr. (U.S. Amateur Championship) * First African-American Solicitor General of the United States, United States Solicitor General: Thurgood Marshall (See also: 1967)

1966

* First African-American man to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and first African-American to win a Primetime Emmy Award: Bill Cosby, ''I Spy (1965 TV series), I Spy'' * First team with five African-American starters to win the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, NCAA basketball tournament: 1965–66 Texas Western Miners men's basketball team, 1965–66 Texas Western Miners basketball team * First African-American coach in the National Basketball Association: Bill Russell (Boston Celtics) * First African-American model on the cover of a ''Vogue (magazine), Vogue'' (British ''British Vogue, Vogue'') magazine: Donyale Luna * First post-

African-American elected to the U.S. Senate (and first African-American elected to the U.S. Senate by Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, popular vote): Edward Brooke ( Republican; Massachusetts) (See also: 1962) * First African-American Cabinet of the United States, Cabinet secretary: Robert C. Weaver (United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Housing and Urban Development) * First African-American

umpire (baseball), umpire: Emmett Ashford * First African-American NFL broadcaster: Lowell W. Perry (CBS, on Pittsburgh Steelers games) (See also: 1957) * First African-American fire commissioner of a major U.S. City: Robert O. Lowery of the New York City Fire Department * First African-American mayor in Ohio: Robert C. Henry of Springfield, Ohio.

1967

* First African-American to win a PGA Tour event: Charlie Sifford (1967 Travelers Championship, Greater Hartford Open Invitational) * First African-American elected mayor of a large US city: Carl Stokes, Carl B. Stokes (Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio) * First African-American appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States: Thurgood Marshall (See also: 1965) * First African-American selected for astronaut training: Robert Henry Lawrence Jr. * First African-American to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Emlen Tunnell * First African-American interracial kiss on network Broadcast programming, television: entertainers Nancy Sinatra (Italian-American) and Sammy Davis Jr. (African-American) on Sinatra's variety special ''Movin' with Nancy, Movin' With Nancy'', airing December 11 on NBC (See also: 1968)

1968

* First African-American interracial kiss on a network television drama: Nyota Uhura, Uhura, played by Nichelle Nichols (African-American), and James T. Kirk, Captain Kirk, played by William Shatner (white Canadian): ''Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek'': "Plato's Stepchildren" (See also: 1967) * First African-American man to win a Grand Slam tennis event: Arthur Ashe (US Open (tennis), US Open) (See also: Althea Gibson, 1956; Serena Williams, 2003) * First African-American coach to win an NBA Championship: Bill Russell * First African-American woman elected to U.S. House of Representatives: Shirley Chisholm (New York (state), New York) * First African-American appointed as a United States Assistant Secretary of State: Barbara M. Watson * First African-American to start at quarterback in the modern era of professional football: Marlin Briscoe (Denver Broncos, American Football League, AFL) * First African-American Officer (armed forces), commissioned officer awarded the Medal of Honor: Riley L. Pitts * First fine-arts museum devoted to African-American work: Studio Museum in Harlem * First African-American actress to star in her own television series where she did not play a domestic worker: Diahann Carroll in ''Julia (American TV series), Julia'' (see also: 1963) * First African-American woman as a presidential candidate: Charlene Mitchell (See also: Shirley Chisholm, 1972) * First African-American woman reporter for ''The New York Times'': Nancy Hicks Maynard * First African-American starring character of a comic strip: Danny Raven in ''Dateline: Danger!'' by Al McWilliams and John Saunders.

1969

* First African-American superhero: The Falcon (comics), Falcon, Marvel Comics' ''Captain America (comic book), Captain America'' #117 (September 1969). (See also: Lobo, 1965 and Luke Cage, 1972) * First African-American graduate of Harvard Business School: Lillian Lincoln * First African-American director of a major Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood motion picture: Gordon Parks (''The Learning Tree'') * First African-American founder of a classical training school and the company of ballet: Arthur Mitchell (dancer), Arthur Mitchell, Dance Theatre of Harlem (See also: 1955) * First African-American woman to appear on the Grand Ole Opry: Linda Martell * First African-American to own a commercial airliner: Warren Wheeler (Wheeler Airlines)

1970s

1970

* First African-American to head an Episcopal diocese: John Burgess (bishop), John Melville Burgess, diocesan bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, Massachusetts * First African-American U.S. Navy Master Diver: Carl Brashear (See also: 1954; 1968) * First African-American member of the New York Stock Exchange: Joseph L. Searles III * First African-American NCAA Division I basketball coach: Will Robinson (basketball), Will Robinson (Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball, Illinois State University)At the time, the NCAA had not yet adopted its three-division system. Illinois State was in the NCAA University Division, which became Division I in 1973. The NCAA retroactively considers University Division members to have been Division I members. * First African-American contestant in the Miss America pageant: Cheryl Browne (Miss Iowa) * First African-American woman (and first woman) to become a Physician assistant, physician's assistant: Joyce Nichols * First African-American actress to win a Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmy Award: Gail Fisher for ''Mannix'' (see also: 1971) * First African-American basketball player to win the NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award, NBA All-Star MVP, the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, NBA Finals MVP, and the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, NBA MVP all in the same season: Willis Reed (

) * First African-American to initiate the concept of free agency. He refused to accept a trade following the 1969 season, ultimately appealing his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. The trend of free agency expanded across the entire landscape of professional sports for all races and all cultures: Curt Flood (St. Louis Cardinals)Although Flood's legal challenge was unsuccessful, it brought about additional solidarity among players as they fought against baseball's reserve clause and sought free agency. * First African-American to become director of a major library system in America: Clara Stanton Jones, as director of the Detroit Public Library * First African-American to perform at a List of Super Bowl halftime shows, Super Bowl halftime show: Lionel Hampton (Super Bowl IV)

1971

* First African-American pitcher to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Baseball Hall of Fame: Satchel Paige (See also: Jackie Robinson, 1962) * First African-American president of the New York City Panel for Educational Policy, New York City Board of Education: Isaiah Edward Robinson Jr. * First African-American to win a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award: Gail Fisher for ''Mannix'' (see also: 1970) * First African-American female jockey in the United States: Cheryl White (jockey), Cheryl White * First African-American to appear by herself on the cover of ''Playboy'': Darine Stern (October issue) * First African-American to become president of the Public Library Association: Effie Lee Morris

1972

* First African-American to campaign for the United States presidency in a major political party and to win a U.S. presidential primary/caucus: Shirley Chisholm (Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, New Jersey primary) (See also: 1968) * First African-American superhero to star in own comic-book series: Luke Cage, Marvel Comics' ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'' #1 (June 1972). (See also: Lobo, 1965, and the Falcon, 1969) * First African-American National Basketball Association general manager: Wayne Embry * First African-American interracial romantic kiss in a mainstream comics magazine: "The Men Who Called Him Monster", by the writer Don McGregor (See also: 1975) and artist Luis Garcia, in Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror fiction, horror-comics magazine ''Creepy (magazine), Creepy'' #43 (Jan. 1972) (See also: 1975) * First African-American interracial male kiss on network television: Sammy Davis Jr. (African-American) and Carroll O'Connor (Caucasian) in ''All in the Family'' * First African-American inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Basketball Hall of Fame: Team-owner and coach Bob Douglas, in the category of "contributor" (See also: New York Renaissance, 1963; player Bill Russell, 1975; coach Clarence Gaines, 1982) * First African-American female Broadway theatre, Broadway director: Vinnette Justine Carroll (''Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope'') * First African-American comic-book creator to receive a "created by" cover-credit: Wayne Howard (''Midnight Tales'' #1)

1973

* First African-American artistic director of a professional regional theater: Harold Scott (director), Harold Scott (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park) * First African-American List of James Bond villains, Bond villain in a James Bond movie: Yaphet Kotto, playing Live and Let Die (film), Mr. Big/Dr. Kananga, ''Live and Let Die''. * First African-American Bond girl, Bond Girl in a James Bond movie: Gloria Hendry (playing Bond girl, Rosie Carver), ''Live and Let Die (film), Live and Let Die''. * First African-American elected mayor of Los Angeles: Tom Bradley (American politician), Tom Bradley * First African-American psychologist in the United States Air Force, U.S. Air Force: John D. Robinson (psychologist), John D. Robinson * First African-American woman mayor of a U.S. metropolitan city: Doris A. Davis, Compton, California * First African-American woman Pornographic film, adult film star, Desiree West.

1974

* First African-American model on the cover of U.S. ''Vogue (magazine), Vogue'' magazine: Beverly Johnson * First African-American NBA Coach of the Year Award, NBA Coach of the Year: Ray Scott (basketball), Ray Scott (Detroit Pistons)

1975

* First African-American elected mayor, and first mayor, of Washington, D.C.: Walter Washington * First African-American game show host: Adam Wade (singer), Adam Wade (CBS' ''Musical Chairs (1975 game show), Musical Chairs'') * First African-American General (United States), four-star general: Daniel James Jr. * First African-American inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Basketball Hall of Fame List of players in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as a player: Bill Russell (See also: New York Renaissance, 1963; Bob Douglas, 1972; Clarence Gaines, 1982) * First African-American interracial couple in a TV-series cast: ''The Jeffersons'', actors Franklin Cover (Caucasian) and Roxie Roker (African-American) as Tom and Helen Willis, respectively; series creator: Norman Lear * First African-American interracial romantic kiss in a color comic book: ''Amazing Adventures'' #31 (July 1975), feature "Killraven: Warrior of the Worlds", characters Killraven, M'Shulla Scott and List of Marvel Comics characters: F, Carmilla Frost, by writer Don McGregor and artist P. Craig Russell (See also: 1972) * First African-American manager in

: Frank Robinson (

) * First African-American model on the cover of ''Elle (magazine), Elle'' magazine: Beverly Johnson * First African-American psychologist in the U.S. Navy: John D. Robinson (psychologist), John D. Robinson * First African-American to play in a men's major golf championships, men's major golf championship: Lee Elder (1975 Masters Tournament, The Masters) * First African-American to be named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, Super Bowl MVP in NFL: Franco Harris (Pittsburgh Steelers). Of mixed heritage, Harris was also the first Italian-American to win the award. * First African-American women named as ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine's Time Person of the Year, Person of the Year: Barbara Jordan and Addie L. Wyatt

1976

* First African-American female elected officer of an international labor union: Addie L. Wyatt * First African-American to become president of the American Library Association: Clara Stanton Jones, who served as its acting president from April 11 to July 22 in 1976 and then its president from July 22, 1976, to 1977 * First African-American to win a major party nomination for statewide office in the Southern United States since the Reconstruction era: Asa T. Spaulding Jr.

1977

* First African-American, and first woman, appointed director of the Peace Corps: Carolyn R. Payton * First African-American drafted to play professional basketball, first woman to dunk in a professional women's game: Cardte Hicks * First African-American woman in the Cabinet of the United States, U.S. Cabinet: Patricia Roberts Harris, United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development * First African-American woman whose signature appeared on U.S. currency: Azie Taylor Morton, the 36th Treasurer of the United States * First African-American publisher of mainstream gay publication: Alan Bell (''Gaysweek'') * First African-American woman to join the Daughters of the American Revolution: Karen Batchelor * First African-American

General manager (baseball), general manager: Bill Lucas (baseball), Bill Lucas (Atlanta Braves) * First African-American woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest: Pauli Murray. *First African-American to work as a registrar for a major scientific museum: Margaret Santiago.

1978

* First African-American broadcast network news anchor: Max Robinson * First African-American woman pilot for a major commercial airline: Jill E. Brown, Texas International Airlines * First African-American woman to advance to the rank of captain in the Navy: Joan C. Bynum

1979

* First African-American U.S. Marine Corps general officer: Frank E. Petersen * First African-American to win a Daytime Emmy Award for lead actor in a soap opera: Al Freeman Jr. (Ed Hall (One Life to Live), Ed Hall in ''One Life to Live'') * First African-American woman ordained in the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), the largest of three denominations that later combined to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: Earlean Miller * First African-American head coach of an NCAA Division I-A football program: Willie Jeffries (Wichita State Shockers football, Wichita State).

1980s

1980

* First African-American-oriented cable channel: BET * First African-American woman to graduate from (and to attend) the

U.S. Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy is ...

: Janie L. Mines, graduated in 1980

1981

* First African-American to play in the National Hockey League, NHL: Val James (Buffalo Sabres)The NHL had fielded black players for more than 20 years, with the first being Willie O'Ree in 1958, but all past black players were Black Canadians and not African-Americans. In 1996, Mike Grier (Edmonton Oilers) became the first to have been both born and exclusively trained in the U.S., per

1982

* First African-American inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Basketball Hall of Fame List of coaches in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as a coach: Clarence Gaines (See also: New York Renaissance, 1963; Bob Douglas, 1972; Bill Russell, 1975) * First African-American U.S. Army General (United States), four-star General: Roscoe Robinson Jr.

1983

* First African-American astronaut: Guion Bluford (Space Shuttle Challenger, Challenger mission STS-8).Cosmonaut Arnaldo Mendez was the first person of African descent in space, in 1980. * First African-American mayor of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

: Harold Washington * First African-American Miss America: Vanessa Williams, Vanessa L. Williams (A few weeks before the end of her reign as Miss America, Williams learned that Penthouse magazine would be publishing unauthorized nude photographs of her in an upcoming issue. Amid growing media controversy and scrutiny, Williams resigned as Miss America in July 1984 (under pressure from the Miss America Organization) and was replaced by first runner-up Miss New Jersey Suzette Charles, who was also African-American.) * First African-American owners of a major metropolitan newspaper: Robert C. Maynard, Robert C. and Nancy Hicks Maynard (''Oakland Tribune'') * First African-American artist to have a music video shown on MTV: Michael Jackson

1984

* First African-American to win a delegate-awarding U.S. presidential primary/caucus: Jesse Jackson (Louisiana, the District of Columbia, South Carolina, Virginia, and one of two separate Mississippi contests). * First African-American New York City Police Commissioner: Benjamin Ward * First African-American coach to win the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship: John Thompson (basketball), John Thompson (1983–84 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team, Georgetown)

1985

* First African-American to become a member of the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels precision flying team: Donnie Cochran. Also first African-American to command the team (1994). * First African-American female general: Sherian Cadoria

1986

* First African-American Formula One auto racing, racecar driver: Willy T. RibbsLewis Hamilton became the first black Formula One racer in 2006, but he is a British citizen of Grenadan ancestry, and not an African-American. Willy T. Ribbs, Ribbs did not compete in a race, but drove a Formula One car professionally in January 1986 as a tester for the Brabham–BMW in Formula One#Brabham, ATS, Arrows, Benetton and Ligier (1982–1988), BMW at Autódromo do Estoril, Estoril, Portugal. (See also: Ribbs, 1991) * First African-American musicians inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in the inaugural class: Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, and Little Richard * First African-American woman (Shirley A.Ajayi) was given a part for 6 months on a TV show as a psychic in 1986 in Chicago, Illinois.Shirley had to audition with other psychics to get the part. She then was taught marketing at the John Hancock center by her boss who ran the TV show.For safety reasons she was renamed Aura!Bio available:book "Aura The Ebony Princess."

1987

*First African-American woman, and first woman, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Aretha Franklin * First African-American Radio City Music Hall Rockette: Jennifer Jones (Rockette), Jennifer Jones * First African-American man to sail around the world solo: Teddy Seymour

1988

* First African-American to win a medal at the Winter Olympics (a bronze in figure skating): Debi Thomas * First African-American woman elected to a U.S. judgeship, and first appointed to a state supreme court: Juanita Kidd Stout * First African-American candidate for President of the United States to obtain ballot access in all 50 states: Lenora Fulani * First African-American NFL referee: Johnny Grier * First African-American quarterback to start (and to win) a Super Bowl: Doug Williams (quarterback), Doug Williams (Super Bowl XXII)

1989

* First African-American NFL coach of the modern era: Art Shell, History of the Los Angeles Raiders, Los Angeles Raiders * First African-American mayor of New York City: David Dinkins * First African-American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: Colin Powell * First African-American woman, and first woman, ordained bishop in the Episcopal Church: Barbara Harris (bishop), Barbara Clementine Harris * First African-American Democratic National Committee, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee: Ron Brown

1990s

1990

* First elected African-American Governor (United States), governor: Douglas Wilder (Virginia) (See also: P. B. S. Pinchback, 1872) * First African-American elected president of the ''Harvard Law Review'': Barack Obama (See also: 2008, 2009) * First African-American Miss USA: Carole Gist * First African-American ''Playboy'' List of Playboy Playmates of the Year, Playmate of the Year: Renee Tenison

1991

* First African-American to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 auto racing, auto race: Willy T. Ribbs (See also: Ribbs, 1986) * First African-American female Mayor of the District of Columbia, mayor of Washington, D.C.: Sharon Pratt, Sharon Pratt Kelly

1992

* First African-American female astronaut: Dr. Mae Jemison (Space Shuttle Endeavour) * First African-American woman elected to U.S. Senate: Carol Moseley Braun (

) * First African-American woman to moderate a United States presidential debates, Presidential debate: Carole Simpson (second debate of 1992 campaign) * First African-American to sail solo around the world following the Age of Sail route around the southern tips of South America (Cape Horn) and Africa (Cape of Good Hope), avoiding the Panama Canal, Panama and Suez Canal, Suez Canals: Bill Pinkney * First African-American

manager (baseball), manager to reach (and win) the World Series: Cito Gaston (Toronto Blue Jays) 1992 World Series * First African-American to direct an animated film: Bruce W. Smith (Bébé's Kids)

1993

* First African-American United States Secretary of Commerce: Ron Brown * First African-American woman, and first woman, appointed as United States Secretary of Energy, U.S. Secretary of Energy: Hazel R. O'Leary * First African-American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Prize for Literature: Toni Morrison * First African-American woman named United States Poet Laureate, Poet Laureate of the United States: Rita Dove; also the youngest person named to that position * First African-American appointed Office of National Drug Control Policy, Director of the National Drug Control Policy: Lee P. Brown * First African-American Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: David Satcher * First African-American appointed Surgeon General of the United States: Joycelyn Elders * First African-American to serve as home plate umpire for World Series game: Charlie Williams (umpire), Charlie Williams for Game 4 of the 1993 World Series * First African-American to be inducted as a List of Grand Ole Opry Members, member of the Grand Ole Opry: Charley Pride

1994

* First African-American female director of a major-studio movie: Darnell Martin (Columbia Pictures' ''I Like It Like That (film), I Like It Like That'') * First African-American to win the United States Amateur Championship (golf), United States Amateur Championship: Tiger Woods

1995

* First African-American inductee to the Radio Hall of Fame, National Radio Hall of Fame: Hal Jackson * First African-American Sergeant Major of the Army: Gene McKinney, Gene C. McKinney * First African-American Miss Universe: Chelsi Smith * First African-American Personal Diarist to a President of the United States (President William J. Clinton) (Janis F. Kearney)

1996

* First African-American U.S. Navy Admiral (United States), four-star admiral: J. Paul Reason * First African-American Major League Baseball, MLB general manager to win the World Series: Bob Watson (New York Yankees), 1996 World Series

1997

* First African-American to win a men's major golf championships, men's major golf championship: Tiger Woods (Masters Tournament, The Masters) * First African-American model to appear on the cover of ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition'': Tyra Banks * First African-American List of UFC champions, UFC champion: Maurice Smith (kickboxer), Maurice Smith * First African-American Director of the National Park Service: Robert Stanton (park director), Robert Stanton

1998

* First African-American appointed United States Secretary of Labor, U.S. Secretary of Labor: Alexis Herman * First African-American female rear admiral in the U.S. Navy: Lillian E. Fishburne, Lillian Fishburne * First African-American Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard: Vincent W. Patton III * First African-American to play in the Presidents Cup: Tiger WoodsWoods' mixed ancestry – ¼ Chinese people, Chinese, ¼ Thai people, Thai, ¼ African-American, ⅛ White American, white, and ⅛ Native Americans in the United States, Native American – also makes him the first Asian-American to achieve this feat. He is also the first of only four golfers of primarily non-European descent to win a men's major, with the others being Vijay Singh (an Indians in Fiji, Indian Fijian), Michael Campbell (a Māori people, Māori from New Zealand), and Yang Yong-eun, Y.E. Yang (South Korean). * First African-American to Lying in state, lie in honor at the United States Capitol, U.S. Capitol: Jacob ChestnutNote: Individuals lying in state have five guards of honor, representing the five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Individuals lying in honor have the United States Capitol Police, U.S. Capitol Police as civilian guards of honor. (See also: 2005, 2019)

1999

* First African-American to be awarded the Grandmaster (chess), Grandmaster title in chess: Maurice Ashley * First African-American Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps: Alford L. McMichael * First African-American CEO of a Fortune 500 company: Franklin Raines of Fannie Mae * First African-American female university president: Shirley Ann Jackson at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

21st century

2000s

2000

* First African-American nominated for

by a Federal Election Commission-recognized and federally funded political party: Ezola Foster, Ezola B. Foster (See also: 1952, 2020;FEC established 1975) * First African-American to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame: Charley Pride

2001

Colin Powell official Secretary of State photo

* First Jamaican-American United States Secretary of State, Secretary of State: Colin Powell * First African-American president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: The Most Reverend Wilton Daniel Gregory * First African-American president of the Unitarian Universalist Association: Rev. William G. Sinkford * First African-American president of an Ivy League university: Ruth Simmons, Ruth J. Simmons at

* First African-American woman National Security Advisor (United States), National Security Advisor: Condoleezza Rice (See also: 2005) * First Black billionaires, African-American billionaire: Robert L. Johnson, founder of BET, Black Entertainment Television (see also 2002) * First African-American woman billionaire: Sheila Johnson

2002

* First African-American to become majority owner of a Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, U.S. major sports league team: Robert L. Johnson (Charlotte Hornets, Charlotte Bobcats, NBA)Announced as Bobcats owner in December 2002, although the team did not begin to play until . (see also 2001) * First African-American Winter Olympic Games, Winter Olympic gold medal winner: Vonetta Flowers (two-woman bobsleigh) * First African-American woman combat pilot in the United States Armed Forces, U.S. Armed Forces: Captain Vernice Armour, USMC (See also: 2008) * First African-American to be ranked #1 in tennis: Venus Williams * First African-American to be named ITF World Champions, year-end world champion by the International Tennis Federation: Serena Williams * First African-American Arena Football League head coach to win ArenaBowl: Darren Arbet (San Jose SaberCats), ArenaBowl XVI * First African-American general manager in the National Football League: Ozzie Newsome (Baltimore Ravens)

2003

* First African-American to win a Career Grand Slam (tennis), Grand Slam in tennis: Serena Williams (See also: Althea Gibson, 1956; Arthur Ashe, 1968) * First African-American

president: Dennis Archer

2004

* First African-American inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame: Charlie Sifford * First African-American NBA general manager to win the NBA Finals: Joe Dumars (Detroit Pistons), 2004 NBA Finals * First African-American Canadian Football League head coach to reach (and win) the Grey Cup: Pinball Clemons (Toronto Argonauts), 92nd Grey Cup

2005

* First African-American woman United States Secretary of State, Secretary of State: Condoleezza Rice (See also: 2001) *First African-American women to lead a major transportation agency in the U.S. serving on the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, BART Board of Directors: Carole Ward Allen and Lynette Sweet * First African-American woman United States Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard aviator: Jeanine Menze * First African-American woman, and first woman, to Lying in state, lie in honor at the United States Capitol, U.S. Capitol: Rosa Parks (See also: 1998, 2019)

2006

* First African-American to command a United States Marine Corps division: Walter E. Gaskin, Major General Walter E. Gaskin * First African-American individual Winter Olympic Games, Winter Olympic gold medal winner: Shani Davis (men's 1,000-meter speed skating) * First African-American to reach the peak of Mount Everest: Sophia Danenberg * First African-American woman to receive Dharma transmission in Zen Buddhism: Merle Kodo Boyd * First African-American quarterback inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Warren Moon

2007

* First known African-American woman to reach the North Pole: Barbara Hillary (adventurer), Barbara Hillary * First African-American White House Chief Usher: Stephen W. Rochon, Stephen Rochon *First African-American NFL head coaches to reach the Super Bowl: Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy, Super Bowl XLISmith and Dungy both reached this milestone on the same day, although Smith was technically the first due solely to scheduling. The NFC Championship Game, NFC and AFC Championship Games are always held on the same day. In the NFL playoffs, 2006–07, playoffs that followed the 2006 NFL season, the NFC game was played first. * First African-American NFL coach to win a Super Bowl: Tony Dungy (Super Bowl XLI)

2008

* First African-American to be nominated as a major-party U.S. presidential candidate: Barack Obama, Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party * First African-American elected President of the United States: Barack Obama * First African-American to referee a Super Bowl game: Mike Carey (American football), Mike Carey (Super Bowl XLII) * First African-American woman elected Speaker of a : Speakers of state lower houses in the United States, state House of Representatives: List of Speakers of the California State Assembly, California Rep. Karen Bass * First African-American to be appointed to the United States Senate by a state governor: Roland Burris * First African-American woman combat pilot in the United States Air Force: Major Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell (See also: 2002) * First African-American NFL general manager to win the Super Bowl: Jerry Reese (New York Giants), Super Bowl XLII

2009

* First African-American President of the United States: Barack Obama * First African-American First Lady of the United States: Michelle Obama * First African-American chair of the Republican National Committee: Michael Steele * First African-American United States Attorney General: Eric Holder * First African-American woman List of ambassadors of the United States to the United Nations, United States Ambassador to the United Nations: Susan Rice * First African-American Office of the United States Trade Representative, United States Trade Representative: Ron Kirk * First African-American woman Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency: Lisa P. Jackson * First African-American White House Social Secretary: Desirée Rogers * First African-American to appear by himself on a circulating U.S. coin: Duke Ellington (District of Columbia and United States Territories quarters, District of Columbia quarter). * First African-American List of administrators and deputy administrators of NASA, Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Charles Bolden, Charles F. Bolden Jr. * First African-American woman rabbi: Alysa Stanton * First African-American woman Chief executive officer, CEO of a Fortune 500 company: Ursula Burns, Xerox, Xerox Corporation. * First African-American doubles team to be named ITF World Champions, year-end world champion by the International Tennis Federation: Serena Williams, Serena Williams sisters, and Venus Williams

2010s

2010

* First African-American female to be elected state Attorney General in the United States: Kamala Harris (California) (See also: 2020 and 2021) * First African-American to win the Stanley Cup: Dustin Byfuglien with the Chicago Blackhawks

2011

* First African-American Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons: Charles E. Samuels Jr. * First African-American admitted to the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College: Sandra Lawson

2012

* First African-American to be re-elected President of the United States: Barack Obama * First African-American Combatant Commander of United States Central Command: Lloyd Austin * First African-American elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC): Fred Luter * First African-American woman to take command of a navy missile destroyer: Monika Washington Stoker

2013

* First African-American U.S. senator from the former Confederate States of America, Confederacy since

: Tim Scott * First African-American president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: Cheryl Boone Isaacs * First African-American United States Secretary of Homeland Security: Jeh Johnson

2014

* First African-American woman Admiral (United States), four-star admiral: Michelle Howard, Michelle J. Howard * First African-American senator to be elected in the South since

: Tim Scott, elected in South Carolina * First African-American player named to the USA Curtis Cup Team: Mariah Stackhouse

2015

* First African-American to lead a major intelligence agency: Vincent Stewart, Vincent R. Stewart, Defense Intelligence Agency * First African-American commissioner of a Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, major North American sports league: Jeffrey Orridge, Canadian Football League * First African-American woman United States Attorney General, Attorney General of the United States: Loretta Lynch * First African-American female principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre: Misty Copeland * First African-American to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame: Wendell Scott (See also: 1952) * First African-American sole anchor of a network evening newscast: Lester Holt * First African-American elected as presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church: Michael Curry (bishop), Bishop Michael Curry * First African-American female

president: Paulette Brown

2016

* First African-American president of a major broadcast TV network: Channing Dungey * First African-American Librarian of Congress: Dr. Carla Hayden

2017

* First African-American CEO of a Major League Baseball team: Derek Jeter

2018

* First African-American woman to headline Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Coachella: Beyoncé, giving rise to the nickname Beyoncé 2018 Coachella performance, Beychella * First African-American to play for Team USA Hockey in the Olympic Games: Jordan Greenway * First African-American artist commissioned for US president portrait to be displayed in the Smithsonian: Kehinde Wiley * First African-American artist commissioned for US first-lady portrait to be displayed in the Smithsonian: Amy Sherald * First African-American List of presidents of the American Psychiatric Association, president of the American Psychiatric Association: Altha Stewart * First African-American woman to be major party nominee for state governor: Stacey Abrams * First African-American superintendent of the United States Military Academy: Darryl A. Williams * First African-American woman U.S. Marine Corps general officer: Lorna Mahlock

2019

* First African-American woman to be the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health: Dr. Ngozi Ezike * First African-American general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Peter M. Johnson * First African-American (and first historian) secretary of the Smithsonian Institution: Lonnie Bunch * First African-American female director of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited institution: Denise Verret * First African-American elected official to lie in state at the United States Capitol, U.S. Capitol: Representative Elijah Cummings (See also: 1998, 2005)

2020s

2020

Kamala Harris Vice Presidential Portrait

* First African-American to be nominated as a major party U.S. vice-presidential candidate: Kamala Harris, Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party (See also: 2010 and 2021) *First African-American, (and first Asian American) and first female elected

: Kamala Harris * First African-American to be appointed as a military Chief of Staff and first African-American to lead any branch of the United States Armed Forces: Charles Q. Brown Jr. * First African-American president of an NFL team: Jason Wright (Washington Commanders) * First African-American Professor of Poetry, first African-American woman Professor and first Distinguished Visiting Poetry Professor of the Iowa Writers' Workshop: Tracie Morris * First African-American elected official to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol United States Capitol rotunda, Rotunda: John Lewis (See also: 1998, 2005) * First African-American Catholic cardinal: Wilton Daniel Gregory, Wilton Gregory

2021

*First African-American, (and first Asian-American) and first female

: Kamala Harris (See also: 2010 and 2020) *First African-American (and first Asian-American) and first female Presiding Officer of the United States Senate, President of the United States Senate: Kamala Harris *First African-American (first female and first Asian-American) to serve as Acting President of the United States: Kamala Harris *First List of African-American United States senators, African-American Democratic U.S. senator to represent a former Confederate States of America, Confederate state in the United States Senate: Raphael Warnock, elected in Georgia. *First African-American United States Secretary of Defense: Lloyd Austin * First full-time female African-American NFL coach: Jennifer King (Washington Commanders). * First African-American president of the American Civil Liberties Union: Deborah Archer * First African-American woman to serve on the Supreme Court of Missouri: Robin Ransom * First African-American to win the 93rd Scripps National Spelling Bee, Scripps National Spelling Bee: Zaila Avant-garde * First African-American U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York: Damian Williams (lawyer), Damian Williams * First African-American NCAA ice hockey coach: Kelsey Koelzer * First African-American Connecticut State Comptroller: Natalie Braswell

2022

* First African-American woman and first woman to be the police commissioner of the New York Police Department: Keechant Sewell * First African-American woman to appear on U.S. currency (a Quarter (United States coin), quarter): Maya Angelou * First African-American woman nominated, confirmed to, and sworn into the Supreme Court of the United States: Ketanji Brown Jackson * First African-American represented in the National Statuary Hall Collection:

* First African-American Marine Corps four-star general: Michael Langley * First African-American governor-elect of the U.S. state of Maryland: Wes Moore. * First African-American Attorney General-elect of the U.S. state of Maryland: Anthony Brown (Maryland politician), Anthony Brown (politician)

Notes

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

* *

External links

* * * * * – Interviews with six African-American "firsts", including the first black governor, the first black billionaire, and the first black Ivy League president. * {{African American topics Lists of firsts, African-American African American-related lists, African-American firsts Social history of the United States American culture United States history timelines