Rev Martin Luther King, Jr. and Harry Belafonte in 1960s

Harry Belafonte, a legendary Black musician, actor and civil rights activist has passed away in New York City, NY on April 25, 2023. He was 96 years old.

Harry Belafonte's achievements have contributed to set a foundation for Black actors and musicians, since the 1950s. In 1954, he won a Tony Award for his performance in John Murray Anderson's "Almanac". In 1959, he became the first Black performer to win an Emmy for the TV special "Tonight with Harry Belafonte."  Harry Belafonte will likely be remembered as  a civil rights activist and a humanitarian. Working with  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he helped organize the 1963 March on Washington and supported protesters and activists financially, morrally and in other many ways. He also demonstrated against apartheid in South Africa.

Simone Biles Awarded Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden, July 7, 2022

Simone Biles,  the most decorated gymnast in the World championships history has added a new medal to her count. On Thursday, July 7, 2022, US President Joe Biden awarded Simone Biles the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. Simone Biles hence becomes the youngest person to win the Medal of Freedom.  

Sidney Poitier receiving Medal of Honor from US President Barack Obama, in 2009

Sidney Poitier, a legendary Black actor and civil rights activist has passed away in Los Angeles, CA on January 6, 2022. He was 94 years old.
His death was confirmed by the office of the prime minister of the Bahamas. Sidney Poitier  was  the first Black man even to win a Best Actor Oscar.  Sidney Poitier,  whose parents hailed from the Bahamas, was also known for being the most prominent, if not the only representative of African-Americans in mainstream cinema during the tumultous period of the American Civil Rights movement.

Homer Plessy vs Ferguson Marker in Lousiana

On Wednesday, January 5, 2022, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a pardon for civil rights activist Homer Plessy, 130 years after his arrest, trial and conviction, for protesting against racism. Homer Plessy's landmark case, Plessy v. Ferguson, was appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where all White judges ruled in a 7-1 majority against him, reinforcing the racist "separate but equal" doctrine in the U.S and setting the foundation of the Jim Crow regime in the US southern states.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Nobel Prize Laureate, Freedom struggle icon and Leader in the South African Council of Churches Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu has died on December 26, 2021. He was 90 years old. Archbishop Desmond Tutu is considered as one of African freedom heroes for the  struggle against apartheid , corruption, dictatorship, and kleptocracy. 

General Colin Luther Powell in 2000s

General Colin Luther Powell, one of the most prominent Black US military and political figures has passed away. He was 84 years old.
According to the statement from his family, he died from COVID-19 complications. General Colin Powell is well known for his firsts as a Black African American: first US Black National Security Adviser, fist Black Secretary of State, and the youngest and Black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Colin Powell, a long-time republican, was also known for endorsing the fist Black President Barack Obama, a democrat, and in the process, declining to run for president himself despite pressures from his party and republican supporters and instead endorsing other candidates, mostly democrats.