African American Historical Figures.

1. Octavius V. Catto (1839-1871)

1.1. Civil Rights Activist

1.2. Played a role in ratification of the 15th amendment

1.3. Was Assassinated in front of his home in Philadelphia on October 10t, 1871, the first Election day that African Americans could vote.

2. Bayard Rustin (1912-1987)

2.1. Civil Rights Activist

2.2. American leader for civil rights, socialism, nonviolence, and gay rights.

2.3. Key adviser to Martin Luther King Jr.

2.4. Attended Cheney University of Pennsylvania.

2.5. A gay man

2.6. Directed a one day student boycott of New York's public schools in protest against racial imbalances in the system.

2.7. Became involved in the gay rights movement.

3. James Forten (1766-1842)

3.1. Abolitionist

3.2. Attended at Anthony Benezet's Quaker school for African American children.

3.3. By age 8 he worked for Roberts Bridge's sail loft.

3.4. In 1800, he was the leader in organizing a petition that called for congress to emancipate all slaves.

3.5. His activism was recognized when he wrote and published a pamphlet denouncing the Pennsylvania legislature for prohibiting the immigration of freed black slaves from other states.

3.6. Worked as a powder boy during the Revolutionary War on the Royal Lewis sailing ship

3.7. Forten eventually owned his own business and employed 40 workers

4. Medgar Evers (1925-1963)

4.1. Civil Rights Activist

4.2. Attended Alcorn State University, majoring in business administration.

4.3. First state field secretary of the NAACP in Mississippi.

4.4. Was assassinated outside of his Mississippi home in 1963.

4.5. Evers was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943. Fought during World War II and was honorably discharged in 1946.

4.6. He was involved with Regional Council of Negro Leadership (RCNL)

4.7. He advised the group's boycott against gas stations that refused to let Black people to used their restrooms.

4.8. advocated for a new investigation into the 1955 killing of Emmett Till, an black boy who was allegedly killed for talking to a white women.