History Up Close
History in the Making: Angel Reese
Join WNBA star Angel Reese as she takes you through the history and triumphs of women in basketball. From Lusia Harris, the only woman drafted to the NBA, to Sheryl Swoopes and the pioneers who birthed the WNBA, Reese explains how today’s players stand on the shoulders of these trailblazers. She also shares with Black History Class the history she’s working to create for herself and the future of women’s basketball. Don’t miss this powerful look at how far women have come—and where they’re headed next!
Exclusive Interview! - Lonnie Johnson
Meet Lonnie Johnson, the NASA scientist who invented the Super Soaker—the water gun that made summers legendary! In this exclusive interview from Black History Class, discover how his childhood dreams and groundbreaking work led to a billion-dollar invention that shaped American culture. Without him, summer water fights might’ve just been water balloons...and let's be real, that's not nearly as fun.
Long Story Short
Inventors of Fun Stuff
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Roller Coaster
See how Granville T. Woods electrified roller coasters and boosted amusement park thrills!
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Super Soaker
Learn how Lonnie Johnson invented the Super Soaker and changed summer forever!
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Ice Cream Scooper
Watch how Alfred L. Cralle made enjoying ice cream sweeter with his scooper!
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Video Game Cartridges
See how Jerry Lawson changed gaming forever with the invention of the cartridge!
Inventors of Everyday Stuff
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Clock
See how Benjamin Banneker invented the first working clock, so we always know the time!
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Hair Brush
Learn how Lyda Newman’s hairbrush invention helps make sure you look good.
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Home Security System
Watch how Marie Van Brittan Brown’s innovative home security system keeps us safe!
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Door Knob
See how Osbourn Dorsey’s ingenious doorknob made life easier and more secure.
Lights, Camera, Action!
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Hidden Figures
Watch Hidden Figures: Three brilliant geniuses help launch NASA’s space missions.
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Remember the Titans
Watch Remember the Titans : A high school football team unites their community.
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Gullah Gullah Island
Watch Gullah Gullah Island: Learn about the rich Gullah culture and community.
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Sesame Street's Elmo
Watch Sesame Street: Learn how Kevin Clash brings Elmo to life and shapes TV for kids!
Let’s Dance!
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Rock-n-Roll
Watch how Chuck Berry invented rock ‘n’ roll and transformed music history forever!
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The Charleston
Discover how the Charleston dance brought rhythm and energy to the world!
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Banjo
Watch how the African invention of the banjo shaped country music and its sound!
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Soul Train
See how Don Cornelius created Soul Train, bringing hip culture into our homes!
Well-Kept Secrets
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Underground Railroad to Mexico
Watch how the Underground Railroad secretly led to freedom in Mexico!
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George Washington's Teeth
See how George Washington took teeth from enslaved people for his dentures!
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Eunice Carter
See how Eunice Carter helped take down a mob boss and change history!
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Who Was the Real Betty Boop?
Discover how singer Esther Jones inspired the character Betty Boop.
Business is Business
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Black Wall Street
Watch how Black Wall Street thrived with wealth and success built by its community!
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Sarah Rector: Child Millionaire
See how 11-year-old Sarah Rector became one of the richest Black women in America!
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Madame CJ Walker
See how Madame C.J. Walker became America’s first self-made female millionaire!
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Joseph Lee
Watch how Joseph Lee revolutionized baking and built a successful bakery empire!
Social Studies Projects
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Civil War
Learn how Harriet Tubman led a daring raid for the Union Army during the Civil War!
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American Revolution
See how James Armistead Lafayette’s crucial intel helped win the Battle of Yorktown.
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Indigenous Tribes
Discover the little-known history of Black Native Americans and their untold stories.
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Louisiana Purchase
Watch how France’s loss in the Haitian Revolution influenced the Louisiana Purchase.
Science Projects
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Biology
Watch how Daniel Hale Williams performed the first successful open-heart surgery!
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Forensics
Watch how Dr. Bennet Omalu’s discovery of CTE changed how sports handle head injuries.
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Biology
Learn how Henrietta Lacks' stolen HeLa cells sparked a bioethics debate in science.
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Physics
Watch how Frederick McKinley Jones revolutionized transportation with refrigeration.
Study Hall
STEM
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George Washington Carver
Peanut Man: George Washington Carver invents over 300 products.
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Lonnie Johnson
The Super Soaker: NASA scientist Lonnie Johnson invents the Super Soaker.
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Bessie Coleman
Flying Home: Bessie Coleman earns her international pilot’s license.
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Mae C. Jemison
Outer Space: Mae C. Jemison joins NASA and orbits the Earth.
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Vivien Thomas
Healing Hands: Vivien Thomas helps cure blue baby syndrome.
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Katherine Johnson
Human Computer: Katherine Johnson calculates the first Moon landing.
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Dr. Charles Richard Drew
Draw Blood: Dr. Charles Richard Drew invents the first large-scale blood bank.
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Garrett Morgan
Safety First: Garrett Morgan invents the gas mask and modern traffic light.
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Dr. Gladys West
Hidden Figure: Dr. Gladys West develops the global positioning system (GPS).
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Roy Clay
The Godfather: Roy Clay helps develop Hewlett-Packard’s first computer.
Culture
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Black Cowboys
First Rodeo: Black men were among the first cowboys in America.
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Hip Hop
Roc the Mic: Hip Hop is born at a block party in the Bronx in New York City.
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Black Wall Street
Color of Money: The Greenwood District builds banks, hotels, schools, and more.
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Fraternities & Sororities
Divine Nine: Black students start their own fraternities and sororities.
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Kwanzaa
First Fruits: Every year, Kwanzaa is celebrated December 26 - January 1.
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Cornrows
Her Crown: Warriors and royalty begin wearing cornrows in 3000 B.C.
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Motown Records
The Motown Sound: In 1959, Berry Gordy starts Motown Records.
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Double Dutch
Hop, Skip, and a Jump: Double Dutch has becomes a staple for young girls.
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Afrofuturism
Back to the Future: Afrofuturism combines sci-fi, history, and fantasy.
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HBCUs
Hit the Books: HBCUs provide higher education for Black students.
Civics
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The Black Panther Party
Right On: The Black Panther Party leads a revolution with action and social programs.
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Shirley Chisholm
Unbought and Unbossed: Shirley Chisholm paves the way when she runs for president.
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Memphis Sanitation Strike
I Am a Man: Sanitation workers successfully strike for their rights.
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I Have A Dream: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. risks his life for the Civil Rights Movement.
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Malcolm X
By Any Means Necessary: Malcolm X unites Black people and combats racial injustice.
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Fannie Lou Hamer
Grassroots: Fannie Lou Hamer disrupts the Democratic National Convention.
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Civil Rights Act of 1964
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
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Children's Crusade of 1963
Having a Voice: Hundreds of children protest in the Children’s Crusade of 1963.
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Brown v. Board of Education
School’s in Session: Brown v. Board of Education desegregates schools.
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Bruce's Beach
Eminent Domain: Willa and Charles Bruce open a successful California resort.
Literature
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James Baldwin
Native Son: James Baldwin is a key voice in American literature and social critic.
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Lorraine Hansberry
A Raisin in the Sun: Lorraine Hansberry takes Broadway by storm.
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Langston Hughes
I, Too: Langston Hughes gifts the Harlem Renaissance with his classic poems.
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Toni Morrison
Beloved: Celebrated novelist icon Toni Morrison wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Maya Angelou
Caged Bird: Maya Angelou becomes a world renowned poet and activist.
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August Wilson
Fences: Playwright August Wilson vividly captures Black joy and resilience.
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Zora Neale Hurston
Magnolia Flower: Zora Neale Hurston celebrates culture in her writing.
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Frederick Douglass
Narrative of the Life: Frederick Douglass pushes Abraham Lincoln to abolition.
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Octavia Butler
Wild Seed: Octavia Butler blends science fiction with profound social commentary.
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W.E.B. Du Bois
Talented Tenth: W.E.B. Du Bois advocates for empowerment through his writing.