This Black History Month, 1010 WINS celebrates five people whose stories speak to the richness, resilience and contributions of Black Americans and the African diaspora. This year holds special significance, as it marks the 100th anniversary of the first national observance dedicated to Black history and culture.
Remembering pivotal civil rights figure Claudette Colvin, 1939-2026
Claudette Colvin, who died at 86 on Jan. 13, is being remembered on Black History Month for helping to kick off the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Colvin was 15 years old when she was arrested on March 2, 1955, for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus in Montgomery.
Colvin was interviewed by 1010 WINS on multiple occasions, telling anchor Larry Mullins in 2017 of her action, “I could not move because history had me glued to the seat.” Below you can also watch the full 1010 WINS documentary, "Fighting For Her Rightful Place in History: The Claudette Colvin Story."
NYC-based nonprofit builds reading spaces for kids in barbershops
Alvin Irby is the founder and chief reading inspirer at Barbershop Books, a nonprofit that has built a network of barbershops with child-friendly reading spaces to inspire kids to read for fun. Larry Mullins interviewed him.
Family team captures Harlem history through portraits
Brother and sister team Wil and Joyous Pierce created an immersive project, “Uptown Voices,” that preserves the history of Harlem through the photos and voices of residents who've lived there for decades. The first person they interviewed was their father, Bill Pierce. Larry Mullins interviewed the family.
Hip Hop Museum CEO brings 52 years of history home to the Bronx
Born in the boogie down Bronx, the birthplace of hip-hop, Rocky Bucano is not just the founder and CEO of the Hip-Hop Museum, he's a real "hip-hop head." "Hip-hop is Black culture," he said. Amanda Alexandre interviewed him.
Maison Black's shopping experiences highlight Black designers
Tori Nichel grew frustrated of her peers not knowing who she was wearing when they asked about the Black-designed pieces in her wardrobe. This led her to found Maison Black, which hosts immersive pop-up experiences highlighting Black fashion to help with the findability of Black designers. Amanda Alexandre interviewed her.