As a part of Black History Month, we decided to begin a journey built upon paying homage to the figures that forever changed our society. This video is a piece on Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play major league baseball.

This installment of our History Matters mini series is narrated by Stephanie Dorsainvil. She highlights the life of Jackie and the hardships he overcame to so profoundly impact America’s favorite pastime.

Dan The Man Franklin, the proud owner of our very own Brew Urban Café, narrates this episode centered on the one and only Nelson Mandela.

Every week, we look for another influential participant in our history and we film a new addition our History Matters mini series. We believe that without knowing our history, a better future cannot be built. We want to spread the word about those who came before us and ultimately allowed us the privilege of living the way we do today.

Clarence Thomas is the second African-American in history to serve on the United States Supreme Court. He is well known throughout the world for standing firm in what he believes and making the path to success for blacks a far more accessible in our country.

Carrie Allgaier is makes most of the event decisions for her company The Restaurant People, so we figured she was more than perfect to narrate this episode of History Matters.

In 2008, Barack Obama became the first African-American president to be elected president of the United States. He made more than history. He resurrected the hope within blacks in America for a much brighter and more unified future.

Angela Brown principal of Dillard Elementary narrates this installment of our mini series. Born in Honolulu, Barack Obama attended Columbia University and later represented the 13th District in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004. He was elected president in 2009 and re-elected in 2012 for his second term.

Abbie Cessna does more around the studio than just sit behind a computer and juggle numbers all day. We asked her to narrate this History Matters episode on Harriet Tubman.

Harriet Tubman was one of the most influential women in history. Her actions led to drastic changes in millions of African American lives. She was an abolitionist, a humanitarian, and a Union spy during the Civil War. Born into slavery, Tubman escaped and subsequently aided in the escape of over seventy slaves using the backbone of what came to be known as the Underground Railroad.

We started our History Matters series during February 2015 as part of our honors to Black History Month and have continued throughout the year in hopes to remember some of history’s most notable names.

Sara Shake, founder of Exposed PR, narrates this episode covering the life of Maya Angelou and the incredible impact she left on the world. Angelou was a writer, poet, and civil rights activist. Her first book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, was an autobiography covering her first seventeen years of life and primed the base for the rest of her literary life.

Josiah Sampson, guitarist of the indie band Kids, provided his narrative talents for this installment of our mini film series History Matters. This episode is about Muhammed Ali, one of the greatest boxers of all time.

He specialized in heavy weights and was an all around outstanding African-American athlete. Our series started in February of 2015 with Black History Month, and we think that Muhammed Ali is the perfect historical representative to encompass the true meaning of the month. Feast your eyes and ears, ladies and gents. He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee.

Emmett Till was a fourteen year old boy who was brutally beaten and murdered by at least two white men in Mississippi for allegedly whistling at a married white woman. His murderers were acquitted albeit the evidence proving their guilt. He is said to have been one of the sparks of the Civil Rights Movement.

Brandon Baker, talks about the legacy that Emmett Till left behind and the impact that his murder had on our nation – especially in the South.  Till’s death shocked our nation and motivated the movement toward racial equality to arise and change the face of society in America forever.

Rosa Parks was another incredible African-American that turned history upside down. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa stood up for her rights as a human being by sitting in the white section of the bus before integration took place.

The Civil Rights Movement is one of the most significant parts of American history. Joshua Diaz is the lead singer of the indie band Kids  and he guides us through this episode about one of the most important women ever to live.