African-American history | ROUTES

Lisa Leslie

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:22:53 +0000

Lisa Leslie (born 1972) is a former pro basketball star and Olympian, a coach, and activist. Here is a clip of her making the very

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We Can’t Deny, Fashion Empowers!

Jeff Oppenheim — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:04:33 +0000

Let’s face it, fashion inspires us as women – our own stylings as well as that of other women. I reflect on this as I

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What is it about Girls and Color

Jeff Oppenheim — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:01:20 +0000

Most women will tell you, fashion empowers! Racial discrimination blends with gender inequality and affects women not just nationally but globally. Even the United Nations

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Musicians Launch “Dear American Orchestras” Campaign

Jeff Oppenheim — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:59:06 +0000

As Routes concludes its indepth series covering the many concert offerings of the Gateways Music Festival this year, we find ourselves part of a movement

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list of 20 historical African-Americans plus ron’s role model

Ronald Bunn — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:46:46 +0000

Dorothy Irene Height was an American civil rights and women’s rights activist. She focused on the issues of African-American women, including unemployment, illiteracy, and voter

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So, What IS Afrofuturism?

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:39:14 +0000

Words and expressions can have a heyday. They can be buzzworthy. Extra popular. Used frequently and with special emphasis. In recent years, but especially in

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US Olympic Hall of Famer Wilma Rudolph

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:36:16 +0000

Wilma Rudolph (June 23, 1940 – November 12, 1994) is an outstanding athlete and a role model for the ages. Ms. Rudolph is remembered mostly

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ellen’s original MBL , Why so few African-American Players?

Ellen Levitt — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:34:12 +0000

The Negro Leagues. Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell. Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays. Roy Campanella, Monte Irvin, Ernie Banks, Dave

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James Augustus Van Der Zee — Harlem Renaissance Historian

Ronald Bunn — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:51:41 +0000

James Augustus Van Der Zee was pioneering African-American photographer who made significant contributions to the art world during the Harlem Renaissance. Born on June 29

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Billie Holiday née Eleanor Gough McKay | 10/1977 ron’s version

Ronald Bunn — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:48:01 +0000

Eleanor Gough McKay was born, April 7, 1915. However, she was “born again” at “Amateur Night” at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and renamed Billie

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Cultural Wrap-Up May 27, 2025 | Gladys Knight …

Ronald Bunn — Tue, 27 May 2025 11:51:00 +0000

🌟 Birthday Spotlight Gladys Knight (Born May 28, 1944 – Atlanta, GA)The “Empress of Soul,” Gladys Knight led the Pips to international fame with her powerhouse

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Cultural Wrap-Up May 23, 2025 | Patti LaBelle …

Ronald Bunn — Fri, 23 May 2025 12:57:00 +0000

🌟 Birthday Spotlights On May 24, 2025, Patti LaBelle, the Godmother of Soul, celebrated her 81st birthday. Following last year’s grand 80th birthday bash at The Glasshouse in NYC—attended

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Cultural Wrap-Up: Janet Jackson, Hazel Scott – May 16, 2025

Ronald Bunn — Fri, 16 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

ROUTES: A Guide to African-American Culture✨ CULTURAL WRAP-UP — FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2025 🎉 Birthday Spotlight: Janet Jackson (b. May 16, 1966)Janet Damita Jo Jackson

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Cultural Wrap-Up: Stevie Wonder, Harry Wills – May 13, 2025

Ronald Bunn — Tue, 13 May 2025 12:33:00 +0000

✨ ROUTES: A Guide to African-American CultureCULTURAL WRAP-UP — TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2025 🎉 Birthday Spotlight: Stevie Wonder (b. May 13, 1950)There are voices that

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✍🏾 Closing Reflection of The African-American Valor Series

Ronald Bunn — Sat, 10 May 2025 12:12:37 +0000

ROUTES: A Guide to African-American Culture✨ Valor Series Wrap-Up A Legacy in Uniform The African-American Valor Series began as a tribute — and became a

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Cultural Wrap-Up: Ghostface Killah – May 9, 2025

Ronald Bunn — Fri, 09 May 2025 12:18:00 +0000

✨ ROUTES: A Guide to African-American CultureCULTURAL WRAP-UP — FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2025 🎉 Birthday Spotlight: Ghostface Killah (b. May 9, 1970)Ghostface Killah — born Dennis Coles

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Cultural Wrap-Up: Willie Mays, Stevie Wonder – May 6, 2025

Ronald Bunn — Tue, 06 May 2025 12:05:00 +0000

ROUTES: A Guide to African-American Culture✨ CULTURAL WRAP-UP — FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2025 🎉 Birthday Spotlight: Willie Mays (b. May 6, 1931)The “Say Hey Kid”

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Cultural Wrap-Up May 20, 2025 | Ronald Isley, Busta Rhymes, Fats Waller

Ronald Bunn — Fri, 02 May 2025 20:46:27 +0000

🌟 Birthday Spotlight: Ronald Isley (Born May 21, 1941) Ronald Isley, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the iconic lead singer and founding member of The

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✨Cultural Wrap-Up: James Brown, Friday, May 2, 2025

Ronald Bunn — Fri, 02 May 2025 12:56:00 +0000

ROUTES: A Guide to African-American Culture✨ Cultural Wrap-Up – Friday, May 2, 2025 🎉 James Brown (Born May 3, 1933) — the Godfather of Soul.

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Don’t Block Your Blessings: Fighting Erasure and Finding Cultural Resilience

Ronald Bunn — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:26:00 +0000

Publisher’s Statement A couple of days ago I was in a state of Annoyance. Maybe it was the internet, maybe it was resilience or maybe

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✨ Cultural Wrap-Up: Duke Ellington, Aretha Franklin, Muddy Waters – April 29, 2025

Ronald Bunn — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 12:30:00 +0000

ROUTES: A Guide to African-American Culture✨ Cultural Wrap-Up – Tuesday, April 29, 2025 🎉 Birthday Spotlight: Duke Ellington (b. April 29, 1899)Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington didn’t

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✨ ROUTES | Cultural Wrap-Up – Friday, April 25, 2025

Ronald Bunn — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:00:00 +0000

ROUTES: A Guide to African-American Culture✨ Cultural Wrap-Up – Friday, April 25, 2025 🎉 Birthday Spotlight Born April 25, 1917, Ella Fitzgerald redefined vocal jazz.

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✨ ROUTES | Cultural Wrap-Up – Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Ronald Bunn — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 16:00:00 +0000

ROUTES: A Guide to African-American Culture✨ Cultural Wrap-Up – Tuesday, April 22, 2025 🎉 Birthday Spotlight On this day in 1922, Charles Mingus was born

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🪖 CQ Brown: From Fighter Pilot to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs

Ronald Bunn — Sun, 20 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

As a young Air Force pilot, Charles Q. CQ Brown Jr. never imagined he would one day lead the entire U.S. military. Yet in 2023,

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🪖 NATO & African-American Soldiers in WWII: European Perspectives

Ronald Bunn — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

When African-American soldiers landed in Europe during World War II, they were fighting not only fascism abroad but racism within their own ranks. Yet, many

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The First to Fall: Crispus Attucks and the Echos of History

Ronald Bunn — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:06:01 +0000

Founding Martyr of African-American Military Valor Prologue to the African-American Valor Series Before the Buffalo Soldiers rode west or the Tuskegee Airmen soared into battle,

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🪖 The Montford Point Marines: Integrating the U.S. Marine Corps

Ronald Bunn — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Before the world knew of the Tuskegee Airmen or the Navy’s integration, another group of African-American warriors was breaking barriers. The Montford Point Marines —

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🪖 Colin Powell: Harlem’s Son Who Led the U.S. Military

Ronald Bunn — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

From the streets of the Bronx and Harlem to the Situation Room at the White House, Colin Powell rose to become one of the most

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🪖 African-Americans in Vietnam: Bravery in a Divided America

Ronald Bunn — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

African-Americans in Vietnam were caught in a dual struggle — fighting for their country abroad while battling discrimination within their own ranks and back home.

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The Tuskegee Airmen: Fighting Racism at 15,000 Feet

Ronald Bunn — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

A Bold Experiment in a Divided Nation In 1941, as war threatened Europe and the Pacific, the U.S. military — under pressure from civil rights

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Josephine Baker: Entertainer, Spy, and Civil Rights Icon

Ronald Bunn — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

While much of the world knew Josephine Baker as a captivating performer, few realized that behind the stage lights and rhinestones, she was also a

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Benjamin O. Davis Jr.: The General Who Led the Tuskegee Airmen

Ronald Bunn — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The son of the first Black general, General Benjamin O. Davis Jr.: The Tuskegee Airmen’s Legendary Commander carved his own path as the leader of

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Dorie Miller: African-American Hero of Pearl Harbor

Ronald Bunn — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

On December 7, 1941, as Japanese bombs tore through the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Doris “Dorie” Miller, a Black mess attendant aboard the USS West

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Sgt. Henry Johnson: The One-Man Army of WWI

Ronald Bunn — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Sgt. Henry Johnson wasn’t just a soldier. He was a man who stood when everything around him said fall back. He fought not only for

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The Harlem Hellfighters: WWI’s Forgotten Black Warriors

Ronald Bunn — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

They were told they didn’t belong in uniform—but they marched through France as heroes, fought in the trenches longer than any American regiment, and came

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Benjamin O. Davis Sr.: The U.S. Army’s First Black General

Ronald Bunn — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

A quiet warrior. A historic first. In 1940, Benjamin O. Davis Sr. became the first Black general in the U.S. Army. With quiet dignity and

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Robert Smalls: From Enslaved Pilot to Civil War Hero and Congressman

Ronald Bunn — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

In the coastal port of Beaufort, South Carolina, young Robert Smalls was raised in the home of his enslaver. By his teens, he had mastered

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Buffalo Soldiers: Pioneers of Black Military Excellence

Ronald Bunn — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 12:49:00 +0000

Formed in the wake of the Civil War, the Buffalo Soldiers were among the first Black regiments in the U.S. Army. Their legacy—built through fierce

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Harriet Tubman: The Soldier, Spy, and Hero of the Combahee River Raid

Ronald Bunn — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Harriet Tubman, celebrated for leading hundreds to freedom through the Underground Railroad, also made history as a fearless soldier and spy. Her leadership in the

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Lt. Henry O. Flipper: The Fight for Justice in a Military That Erased Him

Ronald Bunn — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 16:08:04 +0000

Born into slavery but driven by brilliance and discipline, Lt. Henry O. Flipper became the first African American graduate of West Point. His military career

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2025 Black History Month Achievement Award to Lucas Rodrigues

Ronald Bunn — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 17:21:12 +0000

It gives me great pleasure to acknowledge the enthusiastic participation of Lucas Rodrigues of Rio De Janiero, Brazil in the daily ROUTES’ 2025 Black History

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Rise to Ruin

Ronald Bunn — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 15:29:06 +0000

Welcome to the “Rise to Ruin” crossword puzzle, where we delve into the intricate and often contentious intersection of sexual misconduct allegations and defamation claims.

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February 28: Sarah Vaughan

Ronald Bunn — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 14:57:29 +0000

A Daily Journey Through Black History Month The Ultimate Songstress Story As Black History Month comes to a close, there is no better way to

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February 27: Wilma Rudolph

Ronald Bunn — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

A Daily Journey Through Black History Month The Fastest Woman in the World Story Wilma Rudolph faced severe health challenges from an early age, including

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February 26: Sidney Poitier

Ronald Bunn — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

The First Black Leading Man in Hollywood A Daily Journey Through Black History Month Story The historic Academy Award win in 1963 for Lilies of

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February 25: Paul Robeson

Ronald Bunn — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 14:42:00 +0000

Cultural Icon and Activist A Daily Journey Through Black History Month Story Paul Robeson was a true Renaissance man whose multifaceted talents and deep commitment

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Roberta Flack Interviewed written by Chris Albertson

Chris Albertson — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 18:49:47 +0000

The following, previously unpublished interviews with Roberta Flack were conducted four years apart, in 1974 and 1978. ROUTES readers may recall that Ms. Flack, at

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ROUTES Magazine bids farewell to an icon —ROBERTA FLACK

Ronald Bunn — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 18:45:20 +0000

Originally published in October 1978, ROUTES Magazine‘s in‐depth feature on Chris Albertson Interview: Roberta Flack (READ IT HERE.) captured the emergence of a rare musical

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February 24: Katherine Johnson

Ronald Bunn — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 11:24:35 +0000

A Daily Journey Through Black History Month Breaking Barriers in Space Story Katherine Johnson, a pioneering mathematician at NASA, played a crucial role in advancing

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February 23: Marian Anderson

Ronald Bunn — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:58:56 +0000

A Daily Journey Through Black History Month The Voice of the Movement Story Marian Anderson, a world-renowned contralto, was a trailblazer who shattered racial barriers

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February 22: Berry Gordy

Ronald Bunn — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

A Daily Journey Through Black History Month The Godfather of Black Music Story Berry Gordy, born in 1929 in Detroit, Michigan, is the visionary founder

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February 20: Duke Ellington

Ronald Bunn — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

A Daily Journey Through Black History Month The Icon of Jazz Composition Story Duke Ellington, born in 1899, is widely regarded as one of the

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February 21: Fannie Lou Hamer

Ronald Bunn — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:26:17 +0000

A Daily Journey Through Black History Month “The Feminist and Civil Rights Icon” Story On February 26, 1963, Fannie Lou Hamer gave her famous testimony

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