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African-American History Timeline

From Struggle to Freedom: 1619–1865

This timeline highlights key moments in African-American history leading up to emancipation, showing the long journey of endurance, resistance, faith, education, and freedom.
1619

First Recorded Africans in English Colonial America

Africans were brought to colonial Virginia, marking the beginning of a painful and defining chapter in American history.

1640

John Punch

John Punch became one of the first legally documented enslaved Africans for life in Virginia.

1739

The Stono Rebellion

Enslaved Africans in South Carolina organized one of the earliest major rebellions for freedom.

1770

Crispus Attucks

Crispus Attucks was killed in the Boston Massacre and is remembered as one of the first casualties of the American Revolution.

1773

Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley published her book of poetry, becoming one of the first African-American literary voices in American history.

1816

The AME Church Is Founded

Richard Allen founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first independent Black denomination in the United States.

1827

Freedom’s Journal

The first African-American newspaper in the United States began publication, giving Black voices a platform for truth and advocacy.

1849

Harriet Tubman Escapes

Harriet Tubman escaped slavery and later helped others reach freedom through the Underground Railroad.

1863

The Emancipation Proclamation

President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation took effect, changing the legal status of millions of enslaved people in Confederate-held areas.

1865

The Thirteenth Amendment

The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States, except as punishment for crime.

1865

Shaw Institute Founded in Raleigh

Shaw Institute was founded in Raleigh, North Carolina, becoming the first Black college in the South.

Juneteenth reminds us that freedom was not simply announced — it had to be fought for, carried forward, taught, protected, and remembered.
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Preserving our Heritage and Moving It Forward

2026 CAPITAL CITY JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION - JUNE 20th
Capital City Juneteenth Celebration
African American
Reflections & Recognitions
Black History Spotlight

Catherine “Cathy” Hughes

Media Pioneer, Entrepreneur, and Founder of Radio One / Urban One
Catherine Liggins Hughes, born Catherine Elizabeth Woods on April 22, 1947, is an American entrepreneur, radio and television personality, and business executive. She founded Radio One, now known as Urban One, and became the first African-American woman to head a publicly traded corporation when the company went public in 1999.

Media Trailblazer

Hughes helped shape Black radio and created the urban radio format known as “The Quiet Storm” at Howard University’s WHUR.

Business History Maker

She built Radio One into Urban One, a powerful Black-owned media company reaching radio, television, digital media, and culture.

Cultural Impact

Her work has elevated Black voices, stories, businesses, and communities through media platforms created for and by the culture.

A Timeline of Building a Black Media Empire

1971
Hughes relocated to Washington, D.C., and served as a lecturer at Howard University’s School of Communications. While working in radio at Howard University, she helped increase the station’s revenue and influence.
1970s
Hughes created “The Quiet Storm” radio format at WHUR with disc jockey Melvin Lindsey, helping shape the sound and style of urban radio.
1980
Hughes purchased Washington, D.C.-based WOL-AM for $900,000 after persistent efforts to secure financing. This became the foundation of Radio One.
1999
Radio One went public, making Hughes the first African-American woman to head a publicly traded corporation.
2004
Hughes expanded into television with TV One, further strengthening her company’s role in Black media and storytelling.
2007
Urban One continued its expansion into digital media through iOne Digital, reaching audiences through NewsOne, Bossip, MadameNoire, Global Grind, and other platforms.
“My whole goal in life has been to get pertinent information to my community that they can use to uplift and improve the quality of their lives and their lifestyle.”

Capital City Juneteenth Celebration

AFRICAN AMERICAN 

REFLECTIONS & RECOGNITIONS ​​​​​​​