Pontiac Black History
About Black History Month
In 1915, Carter G. Woodson, a historian keenly interested in education, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. It was through this organization that he began pressing for a “Negro History Week” as a mechanism for exploring the contributions of Black Americans. This dream became reality in 1926. Woodson chose the second week of February because two persons he felt had dramatically affected the lives of Black Americans were born during that month: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. It would be much later, in 1976, when the now-renamed Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History would succeed in promoting this week into Black History Month.
Come See What's Happening in Pontiac
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If you have any event you would like to add to our calendar, click here
The City of Pontiac has a rich legacy of having a strong pioneering African American community. There are many black firsts in Pontiac dating back to the 1800’s.
During this month of February, you can read fresh facts that are specific to our community. These facts will be reflective of the various “Black Firsts” in our community in reverse chronological order, starting with 1969.
Click on one of the images below to read details about each of these historic black figures and events.
Click here for Pontiac Black History 1820 to 1968
Today's Pontiac Black Firsts Fresh Facts 1969 - Today
Other Black History Facts
On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama became the first African American President of the United States of America http://www.biography.com/people/barack-obama-12782369
On January 20, 2021, Kamala Harris became not only the first female Vice President of the United States, but also the first African American and Asian American to be come Vice President. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamala_Harris
Marian Anderson was the first African American soloist in 1955 at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC. http://www.biography.com/people/marian-anderson-9184422
Harriet Tubman escaped slavery and led hundreds of other slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad. She also became a spy for the Union Army http://www.biography.com/people/harriet-tubman-9511430
William Christopher Handy became known as the "Father of the Blues". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._C._Handy
Phillis Wheatley is known as the first published African American poet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillis_Wheatley
Booker T. Washington was an African American educator who believed in uplifting yourself through education and economic advancement. http://www.bartleby.com/1004/
Lewis H. Latimer was the only African American member of Thomas A. Edison's team of scientists. He helped pave the way in the development of the electric light bulb. https://www.biography.com/people/lewis-howard-latimer-9374422
Andrew J. Beard invented the rotary engine on July 5, 1892. http://blackinventor.com/andrew-beard/
Granville T. Woods Woods invented more than a dozen devices to improve electric railway cars and much more for controlling the flow of electricity. https://www.biography.com/people/granville-t-woods-9536481
Guion S. Bluford, Jr. was the first African American in space. http://www.biography.com/people/guion-s-bluford-213031
Frederick D. Gregory was the first African American space shuttle commander.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_D._Gregory
Bernard A. Harris, Jr. was the first African American to walk in space. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_A._Harris_Jr.
Elijah McCoy invented an automatic oiling device that allowed machines to be lubricated while they were still in use. Some say that this is where the expression "the real McCoy" originated. http://www.biography.com/people/elijah-mccoy-9391300
Garrett Augustus Morgan invented the automatic traffic signal, as well as, the gas mask used by soldiers in World War I and by firemen in the early 1900's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrett_A._Morgan
Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress. http://www.biography.com/people/shirley-chisholm-9247015#personal-life-and-legacy
Maya Angelou is a world famous poet, historian, author, singer and civil rights activist. She is both a Grammy and Horatio Alger award winner. http://www.biography.com/people/maya-angelou-9185388
Sojourner Truth was a true force in the abolitionist movement, as well as, a preacher. She added the women's rights movement to her cause in 1859. http://www.biography.com/people/sojourner-truth-9511284
George Washington Carver discovered 300 uses for peanuts and hundreds more uses for soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. https://www.biography.com/people/george-washington-carver-9240299
Jan Ernst Matzeliger invented a machine to make shoes that lasted in 1883. http://www.biography.com/people/jan-matzeliger-21317107#invention-of-the-lasting-machine
Crispus Attucks is remembered as one of the first men to lose his life for the cause of American independence at the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2p24.html
In 1915, Carter G. Woodson, a historian keenly interested in education, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. It was through this organization that he began pressing for a “Negro History Week” as a mechanism for exploring the contributions of Black Americans. This dream became reality in 1926. Woodson chose the second week of February because two persons he felt had dramatically affected the lives of Black Americans were born during that month: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. It would be much later, in 1976, when the now-renamed Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History would succeed in promoting this week into Black History Month.Come See What's Happening in Pontiac
click on event for more information
If you have any event you would like to add to our calendar, click here
| Black History Month Videos Click here to visit our Black History Month Video Page, profiling a different person in history. |
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| Date | Event |
| Year-Round |
 Motor Cities National Area Wayside SignsHistoric signs telling the story of places, events and people that helped shape Pontiac. These signs can be found throughout the city. This sign about Rosa Parks is just outside City Hall. |
| Year-Round | Displays in City Hall |
 Hayes Jones Gold Medal Display |
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| Pontiac Public Library | Mr. Hill Harper |
| Saturday, February 10, 2024 12-2 p.m. 60 East Pike, Pontiac, MI 48342 |
 - Copy.jpg) Renowned Author and Keynote Speaker will host the annual essay contest for Black History MonthClick here to download the flyer |
The City of Pontiac has a rich legacy of having a strong pioneering African American community. There are many black firsts in Pontiac dating back to the 1800’s.
During this month of February, you can read fresh facts that are specific to our community. These facts will be reflective of the various “Black Firsts” in our community in reverse chronological order, starting with 1969.
Click on one of the images below to read details about each of these historic black figures and events.
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Today's Pontiac Black Firsts Fresh Facts 1969 - Today
| 1969 - Elaine Eason received accreditation as a Medical Records Technician in Oakland County; and was hired as the first black supervisor of Medical Records at Pontiac General Hospital (currently known as North Oakland Medical Center). |
| 1971 – The Fall of this year brought busing to integrate the Pontiac School District. |
| 1971 – Anne D. Russell was appointed as the first black Assistant Principal at Pontiac Central High School. |
| 1971 – R. Clayton Jones was appointed as the first black Executive Director of the Pontiac Housing Commissions. |
| 1972 – Charlie Harrison Jr., Democrat, was elected as the first black State Representative for District 62. |
| 1972 – Christopher Brown became the first black 50th District Court Judge. Judge Brown went on to be elected to six consecutive terms before retiring. |
| 1974 – Gloria Hardiman Carlisle was elected as he first black President of the Pontiac School District Board |
| 1975 – Anna Baker Lane was appointed as first black Acting Pontiac Librarian. |
| 1977 – Dr. Odell Nails was appointed as the first black Superintendent of the Pontiac School District. |
| 1978 – James Wright was named the first black President of Pontiac General Hospital (also known as North Oakland Medical Center). |
| 1979 – Willie Redmond became first black Personnel Director of Clinton Valley. |
| 1980 – Ernest Russell appointed as first black Principal of Pontiac Central High School. |
| 1981 – Larry Lewis was hired as the first black City of Pontiac Planner. |
| 1981 – Wilma Ray Bledsoe was named as the first black Vice President of Oakland University. |
| 1981 – R. Clayton Jones was elected as the first black National President of the National Association of Housing. |
| 1982 – Thomas Gracey appointed as the first black Deputy Pontiac Police Chief. |
| 1982 – Clayton R. Jones became the first black Director of the Pontiac Stadium Authority. |
| 1982 – Wallace E. Holland was elected as Pontiac’s first black full-time Mayor. |
| 1983 – Elaine Eason became the first black Director of Medical Records at Clinton Valley Center. |
| 1983 - Wilvem Charli Yarbro not only became the first black female firefighter, but also the first female firefighter |
| 1986 – Dr. Joanne Holbert was appointed as the first black female Deputy Mayor. |
| 1988 – Dr. LaBarbara Gragg was hired as the first black female Superintendent of the Pontiac School District. |
| 1990 – Joy Holland was appointed as the first black Director of Clinton Valley. |
| 1990 – Gloria Hardiman Carlisle was the first black elected to Oakland County Intermediate School Board. |
| 1991 – Henry Wallace was appointed as the first black Captain of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department. |
| 1994 – Jeffrey Hawkins was appointed as the first black Fire Chief. |
| 1994 – Sandra Combs Birdiett became the first black Metro-Editor at the Oakland Press. |
| 1994 – Kathy Kinnard was elected as the first black female to City Council in District One. |
| 1996 – Jeremy Thomas Rawls, 12 years old, served as Student Ambassador to Hawaii. |
| 1996 – Sandra C. Birdiett became the first black member of the Oakland Press Editorial Board |
| 1997 – Alexandria Riley at the age of 11 years old served as Youth Anchor on Cable Channel 44, Inside Pontiac. |
| 1998 – Pamela Chambers became the first black female Lieutenant of the Pontiac Police Department. |
| 1999 – Pamela Chambers became the first black female Captain of the Pontiac Police Department. |
| 2000 - George Phifer became the first black male Lieutenant of the Pontiac Police Department |
| 2001 - George Phifer became the first black male Captain of the Pontiac Police Department |
| 2002– Captain George Phifer became the first black Director for City of Pontiac Homeland Security. |
| 2003– Captain Pamela Chambers became the first female black Director for City of Pontiac Homeland Security. |
| 2003 – Claude Billy Williams was named as the first black Director of the Pontiac Public Library. |
| 2003 – Cynthia Thomas-Walker became not only the first black female 50th District Court Judge, but also the first female 50th District Court Judge. |
| 2014 - Deirdre Waterman became not only the first black female Mayor of the City of Pontiac, but also the first female Mayor of Pontiac. |
| 2014 - Patrice Waterman became not only the first black female President of the City Council, but also the first female President of the City Council |
| 2018 - Deirdre Waterman became the first Pontiac Mayor to be re-elected to consecutive terms. |
Other Black History Facts
On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama became the first African American President of the United States of America http://www.biography.com/people/barack-obama-12782369
On January 20, 2021, Kamala Harris became not only the first female Vice President of the United States, but also the first African American and Asian American to be come Vice President. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamala_Harris
Marian Anderson was the first African American soloist in 1955 at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC. http://www.biography.com/people/marian-anderson-9184422
Harriet Tubman escaped slavery and led hundreds of other slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad. She also became a spy for the Union Army http://www.biography.com/people/harriet-tubman-9511430
William Christopher Handy became known as the "Father of the Blues". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._C._Handy
Phillis Wheatley is known as the first published African American poet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillis_Wheatley
Booker T. Washington was an African American educator who believed in uplifting yourself through education and economic advancement. http://www.bartleby.com/1004/
Lewis H. Latimer was the only African American member of Thomas A. Edison's team of scientists. He helped pave the way in the development of the electric light bulb. https://www.biography.com/people/lewis-howard-latimer-9374422
Andrew J. Beard invented the rotary engine on July 5, 1892. http://blackinventor.com/andrew-beard/
Granville T. Woods Woods invented more than a dozen devices to improve electric railway cars and much more for controlling the flow of electricity. https://www.biography.com/people/granville-t-woods-9536481
Guion S. Bluford, Jr. was the first African American in space. http://www.biography.com/people/guion-s-bluford-213031
Frederick D. Gregory was the first African American space shuttle commander.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_D._Gregory
Bernard A. Harris, Jr. was the first African American to walk in space. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_A._Harris_Jr.
Elijah McCoy invented an automatic oiling device that allowed machines to be lubricated while they were still in use. Some say that this is where the expression "the real McCoy" originated. http://www.biography.com/people/elijah-mccoy-9391300
Garrett Augustus Morgan invented the automatic traffic signal, as well as, the gas mask used by soldiers in World War I and by firemen in the early 1900's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrett_A._Morgan
Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress. http://www.biography.com/people/shirley-chisholm-9247015#personal-life-and-legacy
Maya Angelou is a world famous poet, historian, author, singer and civil rights activist. She is both a Grammy and Horatio Alger award winner. http://www.biography.com/people/maya-angelou-9185388
Sojourner Truth was a true force in the abolitionist movement, as well as, a preacher. She added the women's rights movement to her cause in 1859. http://www.biography.com/people/sojourner-truth-9511284
George Washington Carver discovered 300 uses for peanuts and hundreds more uses for soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. https://www.biography.com/people/george-washington-carver-9240299
Jan Ernst Matzeliger invented a machine to make shoes that lasted in 1883. http://www.biography.com/people/jan-matzeliger-21317107#invention-of-the-lasting-machine
Crispus Attucks is remembered as one of the first men to lose his life for the cause of American independence at the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2p24.html