Our History

October 13, 1579 – Martin de Porres, the first black saint in the Roman Catholic Church, born. October 14, 1964 – At age 35, Martin Luther King, Jr., becomes youngest man ever to win Nobel Peace Prize. October 15, 1991 – Clarence Thomas confirmed as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the second African American to serve on the court. October 16, 1995 – … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

October 6, 1917 – Political activist Fannie Lou Hamer born. October 7, 1934 – Playwright-poet Amiri Baraka (Le- Roi Jones), author of Blues People: Negro Music in White America and The Motion of History, born. October 8, 1941 – Rev. Jesse Jackson born in Greenville, South Carolina. October 9, 1888 – O.B. Clare patents Trestle. October 10, 1899 – Isaac R. Johnson … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

September 29, 1910 – The National Urban League founded in New York City. September 30, 1962 – Under the protection of federal marshals, James Meredith enrolls as the first African American student at University of Mississippi. October 1, 1940 – Charles Drew named supervisor of the “Plasma for Great Britain” project. October 2, 1986 – President Ronald Reagan appoints … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

September 22, 1862 – Emancipation Proclamation announced. September 23, 1863 – Civil and women’s rights advocate Mary Church Terrell born. September 24, 1957 – Federal troops enforce court-ordered integration as nine children integrate Central High School in Little Rock, AR. September 25, 1974 – Barbara Hancock becomes first African American woman named a White House … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

September 15, 1963 – Four African American girls killed in Birmingham church bombing. September 16, 1923 – First Catholic seminary for black priests dedicated in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. September 17, 1983 – Vanessa Williams becomes first African American woman named Miss America. September 18, 1895 – Booker T. Washington delivers famous Atlanta Exposition … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

September 8, 1907 – Negro Leagues baseball star Buck Leonard born. September 9, 1968 – Arthur Ashe Jr. wins the first U.S. Open Tennis Championship. September 10, 1855 – John Mercer Langston elected township clerk of Brownhelm, OH, becoming first black to hold elective office in the U.S. September 11, 1959 – Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington wins Spingarn Medal for his … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

September 1, 1891 – Halle T.D. Johnson becomes first woman of any race to practice medicine in Alabama. September 2, 1958 – Frederick M. Jones patents control device for internal combustion engine. September 3, 1979 – Robert Maynard editor-publisher of the Oakland (California) Tribune, becomes the first African American to head a daily newspaper. September 4, 1962 – New … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

August 25, 1908 – National Association of Colored Nurses founded. August 26, 1920 – 19th Amendment to the Constitution ratified, giving women the right to vote. August 27, 1935 – Mary McLeod Bethune founds the National Council of Negro Women. August 28, 1888 – Granville T. Woods patents railway telegraphy. August 29, 1920 – Saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

August 11, 1921 – Alex Haley, author of Roots, born. August 12, 1977 – Steven Biko, leader of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa, arrested. August 13, 1981 – The Reagan Administration undertakes its review of 30 federal regulations, including rules of civil rights to prevent job discrimination. August 14, 1989 – The North Carolina Black Repertory Company … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

August 4, 1810 – Abolitionist Robert Purvis born. August 5, 1962 – Nelson Mandela, South African freedom fighter, imprisoned. He was not released until 1990. August 6, 1867 – Actor Ira Aldridge dies and is buried in Lodz, Poland. August 7, 1894 – Joseph Lee patents kneading machine. August 8, 1865 – Polar explorer Matthew Henson born. August 9, 1936 – Jesse Owens … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History