-
First Slave Auction
20 men and women from Africa were sold in the first North America slave auction. These African men and women could be held in servitude for life by the British and international customs. -
Virginia Census
Virginia census lists 23 "Negroes" including some women. None of the women were listed as married and most of them don't have a name listed. -
Tax
Virginia legislature declared that free black women were to be taxed. However, white women servants and other white women were not required by law to pay tax. -
First Published African American Writer
Phillis Wheatley is the first African American writer to published a book and also the first women to publish a book. -
Period: to
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad helped thousands of African American men, women, and children to freedom in the Northern states and Canada. -
Freedom
Men and women of the slave ship Amistad demand the US to recognize their freedom. This symbolizes the beginning of the revolution to fight for rights for African Americans. -
Maria W. Stewart
Maria W. Stewart had four public lectures on religion and justice. She advocate for racial equality, racial rights and became a national leader for African Americans. -
Female Anti-Slavery Society
Female Anti-Slavery Society is founded in Salem, Massachusetts for African American women. -
Oberlin College
Oberlin College founded in Ohio, admitting women and African Americans as students along with white men. It is the first coeducational college and the first to accept African American students. -
Vote
Women permitted to vote for the first time at an annual convention of the American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS) -
First National Federation of Black Women's clubs.
National Federation of Afro-American Women founded by about 100 women from ten different states, the first national federation of black women's clubs. Margaret Washington was elected the first president. -
Jobs for African American Women
National Negro Health movement began to offer services to black communities, serving and including as health workers many African American women. This provides many jobs for African American women. -
Period: to
Occupations
Civilian Conservation Corp employed more than 250,000 African American women and men. -
Women at Olympics
Alice Coachman wins an Olympic gold in the high jump for women, becoming the first African American woman to win a gold medal at the Olympics. -
University of Alabama
A court ordered the University of Alabama to admit Autherine Juanita Lucy, who filed suit in 1952 (see above). She is at first admitted but barred from dormitories and dining halls. She enrolled on February 3 as a graduate student in library science, the first black student admitted to a white public school or university in Alabama. -
Dreamgirls
The musical Dreamgirls opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theater on December 20. It was later nominated for Tony Awards, including Best Musical. In 2006 it was the basis of a motion picture. The story follows a trio of women R&B singers in their achievement of success and celebrity. -
The Color Purple
The Color Purple won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize, making Alice Walker the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. -
Miss America
Vanessa Williams became first African American selected as Miss America. -
Wimbledon
Venus Williams became the first African American to win the women's title at Wimbledon since Althea Gibson.
