Black History This Week (May 7–14): Trailblazers, Triumphs & Turning Points

Explore pivotal moments in Black history from May 7–14. Celebrate Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable, founder of Chicago; Joseph R. Winters, inventor of the fire escape ladder; and William Wells Brown, the first African-American playwright. Remember the founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and the heroism of Robert Smalls. Reflect on Nelson Mandela's election as South Africa's first Black president and the legacy of Stevie Wonder.