Who Was
the First?
Spotlighting the Black Americans who shattered barriers and opened doors. From the first elected official in 1768 to the first astronaut candidate who finally reached space at 90.
Featured Firsts
politics 2008 Who Was the First Black President of the United States? Barack Obama In 2008, Barack Obama made history as the 44th President, breaking a barrier that stood for over two centuries. space 1983 Who Was the First Black Astronaut? Guion Bluford Air Force officer and aerospace engineer Guion Bluford launched aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, opening the cosmos to Black Americans. sports 1947 Who Was the First Black Person to Play Major League Baseball? Jackie Robinson Jackie Robinson stepped onto Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947, shattering the color line that had divided professional baseball for six decades. entertainment 1940 Who Was the First Black Person to Win an Academy Award? Hattie McDaniel Hattie McDaniel won Best Supporting Actress for Gone with the Wind, accepting her award at a segregated ceremony in Los Angeles. business 2001 Who Was the First Black Billionaire? Robert L. Johnson Robert Johnson built Black Entertainment Television from a small cable channel into a media empire, becoming the first Black American billionaire. space 1992 Who Was the First Black Woman in Space? Mae Jemison Physician, engineer, and astronaut Mae Jemison orbited Earth 127 times aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
Browse by Category
politics Politics & Government 14 firsts documented sports Sports 18 firsts documented space Space & Military 12 firsts documented entertainment Entertainment & Arts 15 firsts documented business Business & Finance 11 firsts documented medicine Science & Medicine 12 firsts documented aviation Aviation 9 firsts documented education Education 10 firsts documented law Law & Justice 8 firsts documented civil-rights Civil Rights 5 firsts documented invention Invention & Technology 11 firsts documented