KRLemmons African American History

January 8 African American Historical Events

Today in Black History – January 8 *

1811 – A slave rebellion begins 35 miles outside of New Orleans,
Louisiana. U.S. troops will be called upon to put down the
uprising of over 400 slaves, which will last three days.

1837 – Fanny M. Jackson is born a slave in Washington, DC. She will
become the first African American woman college graduate in
the United States when she graduates from Oberlin College in
1865. After graduation, she will become a teacher at the
Institute for Colored Youths in Philadelphia. In 1869, she
will become the first African American woman to head an
institution of higher learning when she is made Principal of
the Institute. In the fall of 1881, Fanny will marry the Rev.
Levi Jenkins Coppin, a minister of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. The marriage will open a wealth of
missionary opportunities for Fanny. When her husband is made
Bishop of Cape Town, South Africa, Fanny will accompany him
and travel thousands of miles organizing mission societies.
She will join the ancestors on January 21, 1913 in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1926, a facility for teacher
training in Baltimore, Maryland will be named Fanny Jackson
Coppin Normal School in her honor. The school is known today
as Coppin State University.

1867 – Overriding President Andrew Johnson’s veto, Congress passes
legislation giving African Americans in the District of
Columbia the right to the vote.

1912 – The African National Congress, in South Africa, is formed.

1922 – Colonel Charles Young dies in Lagos, Nigeria at the age of 58.
He was one of the first African American graduates of West
Point, the first to achieve the rank of colonel in the U.S.
Army, and the second winner of the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal
(1916).

1937 – Shirley Bassey is born in Wales, United Kingdom. She will
become a professional singer and is best known for her
rendition of the James Bond themes: “Goldfinger,” “Diamond’s
Are Forever,” and “Moonraker.” With thirty-one hits in the UK
Singles Chart, which span a record forty two year period for
a female vocalist, plus thirty five hit LPs in the
corresponding UK Albums Chart, she will become Britain’s most
successful female chart artist of all time. In recognition of
her career longevity, endurance and a particular admiration
from the Royal Family, Bassey will be created a Dame
Commander of the British Empire (the female equivalent of a
Knight Commander) on December 31, 1999 by Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II. She will also be awarded France’s top honor,
the Legion d’Honneur, to signify her enduring popularity and
importance in the culture of France.

1975 – The state-owned Alabama Educational Television Commission has
its application for license renewal denied by the Federal
Communications Commission because of racial discrimination
against African Americans in employment and programming.

1993 – Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls, scores his 20,000th
career point.

Information retrieved from the Munirah Chronicle archives and is edited by Rene’ A. Perry.

KRLemmons African American History

December 17 African American Historical Events

Today in Black History – December 17 *

1920 – South Africa receives League of Nations mandate over South
West Africa.

1937 – Art Neville is born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He will
become a member of the popular singing group, “The
Neville Brothers.”

1939 – Eddie Kendricks is born in Union Springs, Alabama. He will
become one of the original members of the Motown group,
“The Temptations”. He will begin a solo career in 1971 and
will have many successful hits such as “Keep on Truckin”
and “Boogie Down.” In 1982, he will rejoin the Temptations
for a reunion tour and again in 1989, when the group is
inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He will
join the ancestors after succumbing to cancer in 1992.

1945 – Ernie Hudson is born in Benton Harbor, Michigan. He will
become an actor and best known for his role in the movie
“Ghostbusters.”

1971 – Congressman Charles Diggs, Jr. resigns from the United
States’ delegation to the United Nations in protest of the
Nixon administration’s policies regarding Africa.

1975 – Noble Sissle joins the ancestors in Tampa, Florida at the
age of 86. A protege of James Reese Europe, Sissle traveled
with the famous bandleader to Europe as the drum major in
the 369th Regimental Band and teamed with Eubie Blake to
form the writing team of Sissle and Blake. Together with
Flourney Miller and Aubrey Lyles, Sissle and Blake wrote
“Shuffle Along” and other musicals. A founding member of
the Negro Actor’s Guild, Sissle was a successful orchestra
and bandleader in his own right, touring Europe in the
1930’s and with the USO during World War II.

1975 – The NAACP’s Spingarn Medal is presented to Henry (“Hank”)
Aaron “for his memorable home-run record which stands as a
landmark” and for his sportsmanship.

1979 – In a case that aggravates racial tensions, Arthur McDuffie,
a Black insurance executive, is fatally beaten after a
police chase in Miami. Four white police officers are
later acquitted of charges stemming from McDuffie’s death.

1991 – Michael Jordan, outstanding guard for the Chicago Bulls, who
led his team to their first-ever NBA championship, is named
the 1991 “Sport Illustrated” Sportsman of the Year.
Jordan’s likeness will appear on the December 23rd issue of
the magazine in the form of a full-color holographic
stereogram, a first for a mass-market publication.

1999 – Jazz great Grover Washington, Jr. joins the ancestors
resulting from a heart attack following a taping session.

Information retrieved from the Munirah Chronicle archives and  is edited by Rene’ A. Perry