Thread by @SenSchumer

Happy #BlackHistoryMonth! Every day this month I will be honoring the achievements and contributions of the many African Americans who have helped shape New York's culture and history.

Join me in lifting up these Black leaders to tell their stories.

A key LGBT figure of the Harlem Renaissance, Alain Locke was an educator, writer, and philosopher of race and culture. Locke was the editor of the influential anthology, "The New Negro," and the first African American Rhodes Scholar. This #BlackHistoryMonth we honor his legacy.

Originally from Rochester, NY, Cab Calloway was a jazz singer, dancer, and bandleader. Calloway and his Orchestra were a fixture at Harlem's Cotton Club, and he was the first African American to sell 1 million records from a single song! #BlackHistoryMonth

Today I'm honoring the work of Harlem native Audre Lorde, who was an LGBTQ+ icon and leading African American poet. Lorde used poetry to confront issues of racism, sexism, and homophobia. Her work continues to inspire us to speak out against injustice. #BlackHistoryMonth

David Dinkins was a politician, Marine, lawyer, and author who served as the 106th Mayor of New York City—the first African American to hold that office. His vision of New York City as the ‘Gorgeous Mosaic’ continues to inspire us. #BlackHistoryMonth

Fellow Brooklynite Rev. Al Sharpton is a civil rights leader, minister, activist, and radio talk show host.

Rev. Sharpton is the founder of the National Action Network, which fights for one standard of justice, decency, and equal opportunities for all people. #BlackHistoryMonth

Today I'm proud to honor Tarana Burke—a civil rights activist from the Bronx and founder of the #MeToo movement. Her movement continues to reach millions in support of taking action to end sexual violence and to support survivors. #BlackHistoryMonth

Remembering Brooklyn native Erica Garner today. Garner became an outspoken activist for police reform after her father, Eric Garner, died at the hands of a police officer. Her life, legacy, and activism won't soon be forgotten. #BlackHistoryMonth

Dancer, choreographer, and activist Alvin Ailey founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in NYC to honor African American culture through dance. He advocated for arts education in underserved communities. Today his legacy in modern dance lives on. #BlackHistoryMonth

Educator, philanthropist, and civil rights activist Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune opened one of the 1st schools for African American girls & founded the National Council of Negro Women in NYC. She fought for equal access to education for African Americans in the U.S. #BlackHistoryMonth

A. Philip Randolph was a labor unionist, civil rights activist, and politician whose work in the NYC labor movement and the civil rights movement led to the end of segregation in the Armed Services in 1948. Randolph also headed the 1963 March on Washington. #BlackHistoryMonth

Dorothy Carpenter Wells was the minister of the Harlem Church of Christ and leader of the choral group, the Electrifying Eastonnaires, with whom she performed for over 50 years. Her legacy for generations of singers won't be forgotten. #BlackHistoryMonth
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This #BlackHistoryMonth we remember Roy Wilkins. After moving to NYC, Wilkins served as executive director of NAACP from 1955-77 & was one of the Civil Rights Movement's "Big Six." He was a leader in the Marches on Washington, from Selma to Montgomery, and the March Against Fear.

This #BlackHistoryMonth we honor Countee Cullen, poet, playwright, and novelist associated with the Harlem Renaissance. Cullen used his voice to speak out against injustice in the U.S., most notably in his poem “Yet Do I Marvel”

"Father of Harlem," Philip Payton Jr. was a real estate entrepreneur who provided African Americans with quality housing in the Manhattan neighborhood now known as Harlem. It was his dream to make Harlem a political and cultural capital for African Americans. #BlackHistoryMonth

New Yorker Bayard Rustin was a civil rights and LGBTQ+ activist and the architect of the 1963 March On Washington for Jobs and Freedom—one of the largest nonviolent protests ever held in the United States. This #BlackHistoryMonth, we remember his powerful legacy.

Althea Gibson—who grew up in Harlem—was the first African American tennis player to win the French (1956), Wimbledon (1957–58), and U.S. Open (1957–58) singles championships. This #BlackHistoryMonth, we honor her courage, determination, and talent.

Inventor Lewis Latimer created the carbon filament that extended the life of the lightbulb, as well as dozens of other creations while working with Thomas Edison in New York City. Today, we remember and honor his brilliance and ingenuity. #BlackHistoryMonth

Today on what would have been her 90th birthday, I’m honoring Pulitzer Prize-winning author, professor at several NY colleges, & the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, Toni Morrison.

Her legacy continues to live through her work #BlackHistoryMonth

The "Father of Hip-Hop" Clive Campbell, aka DJ Kool Herc, is credited for originating hip hop music in the Bronx. I was proud to work with him to prevent the gentrification of his building, 1520 Sedgwick Ave, considered the birthplace of hip hop. #BlackHistoryMonth

Today I'm honoring artist and WWII veteran Romare Bearden (right), a founding member of the Harlem-based art group "The Spiral." Bearden is best known for his photomontage compositions that he assembled into powerful statements on African American life. #BlackHistoryMonth

Stormé DeLarverie was a performer & LGBTQ+ activist who was reported to have thrown the first punch at the Stonewall Uprising in NYC in 1969 while protecting members of the LGBTQ+ community. This #BlackHistoryMonth we honor her legacy by continuing to speak out against injustice.

Judge Hugh Scott was the 1st Black federal judge in Western NY

Educated at @NiagaraUniv & @UBSchoolofLaw, a trailblazer in the NY legal community, his nearly 4 decades of judicial service won't be forgotten

I'm praying for his family

#BlackHistoryMonth

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This #BlackHistoryMonth I'm celebrating the life of Queens native Marie Maynard Daly—the first African American woman in the United States to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry. Daly made numerous contributions to science, and I'm proud to honor her drive and ingenuity.

Today I'm honoring award-winning dancer and choreographer Arthur Mitchell. He was the first African American to dance with the New York City Ballet and founder of the first African American classical ballet company, Dance Theatre of Harlem. #BlackHistoryMonth

"Lift Every Voice and Sing"—often referred to as the Black National Anthem—is a song written as a poem by James Weldon Johnson. Johnson was also the first African American chosen as executive secretary of the NAACP and first African American professor at NYU. #BlackHistoryMonth

Remembering Harlem Renaissance author, filmmaker, and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston—best known for her novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God." Her legacy lives on through her works depicting African American life in the South in the early 1900's. #BlackHistoryMonth

Lawyer, feminist, and civil rights activist Florynce "Flo" Kennedy was a founding member of the National Organization of Women. She also founded the Feminist Party and was one of the first African American women to graduate from Columbia Law School. #BlackHistoryMonth

Walter Francis White was a civil rights activist and investigator who led the national chapter of the NAACP in NYC for more than 20 years until his death in 1955. He was a key figure in the fight against public segregation. #BlackHistoryMonth