Daniel James III (1945-2017)

Daniel James III (1945-2017)

Lieutenant General Daniel James III became the first African American to be named Director of the Air National Guard upon assuming the position in 2002. He was the son of Daniel James Jr., the first black four-star general in the U.S. Air Force. In 2006 James III’s...
Vincent Ogé (ca. 1755-1791)

Vincent Ogé (ca. 1755-1791)

Vincent Ogé was a member of the free colored planter class in Saint-Domingue. He traveled to Paris, France during the French Revolution and fought alongside Julien Raimond for the rights of the island’s free colored people. His activism led to his execution in...
Walt Braithwaite (1945- )

Walt Braithwaite (1945- )

If you have flown on a commercial airliner in recent years, chances are you benefited from the engineering and computer science expertise of Walt Braithwaite. During his almost four decades at The Boeing Company (Boeing), Braithwaite helped transform the field of...
Joe Nathan Ballard (1942- )

Joe Nathan Ballard (1942- )

U.S. Army Officer Joe Nathan Ballard was born on March 27, 1942, in Meeker, Louisiana. He grew up in Oakdale, Louisiana and later married former Tessie LaRose with whom he had three children. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1965 and last promoted in 1996 to...