The Forgotten First to Win the Kentucky Derby

In 1875, Oliver Lewis, a 19-year-old Black man born free in the heart of Kentucky, did something no one else had ever done, he became the first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby, a sporting event that would go on to define American tradition. But unlike the marble statues and glossy textbooks reserved for others, his story has been buried in silence.

Understand this. Thirteen out of fifteen jockeys in the first Derby were Black. The horse that crossed the finish line Aristide was trained by a Black man, Ansel Williamson. Black excellence wasn’t invited to the table. We built the table. We were the sport!

But why haven’t you heard this before?

Say Her Name — Althea Gibson

Let’s be clear, before there was Serena, before there was Venus, before global sponsors, center court interviews and headline-making prize money there was Althea Gibson.

In 1957, Althea didn’t just win Wimbledon. She broke it.

She smashed through the country club walls of exclusion and served notice to a world that never expected a Black woman to hold a tennis racket, let alone a championship trophy.

This isn’t just Black history. This is American history. This is world history. But it’s also the kind of history they won’t put in your textbooks, the kind they won’t show in your highlight reels. That’s why we’re here to remind you, to reclaim the narrative and to honor our heroes the way they deserve to be honored.

We Were There Then, We're Here Now!

Take a good look at this photo.

Look closely. What you see is not just Black excellence it’s Black legacy stitched into the very fabric of American history. These proud, bold, unstoppable Black cowboys and cowgirls were not sidekicks in history’s story. They were the story.

The image you're looking at is a reminder that the story of America. Yes, including the story of country music, of the open frontier, of cowboy grit cannot and must not be told without recognising the contributions of Black Americans.

You see, the roots of country music don’t just run through dusty towns and Grand Ole Opry stages. No, my brothers and sisters, they reach back to the songs of the enslaved . The spirituals, the work songs, the field hollers and the blues birthed in bondage but soaring with soul. That’s the real music of America. That’s…

They Tried to Erase Her – But Her Legacy Still Speaks: The Story of Sarah Rector

Let me ask you a question.

Why is it that the name Sarah Rector isn’t in every textbook; every Black child’s mouth, every economics syllabus across this country?

By the age of 10, this powerful young girl born to formerly enslaved parents became the richest Black child in America. Not because she was chosen by the system, but because she was chosen by God and blessed through reparations from the Creek Nation with land that would change her life.