Our 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

July 28, 1868 – 14th Amendment granting blacks full citizenship rights, becomes part of the Constitution. July 29, 1895 – First National Conference of Colored Women Convention is held in Boston. July 30, 1822 – James Varick becomes first bishop of African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. July 31, 1874 – Patrick Francis Healy inaugurated as president of Georgetown … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

July 21, 1896 – Mary Church Terrell elected first president of the National Association of Colored Women. July 22, 1939 – Jane M. Bolin of New York City, appointed first African American female judge. July 23, 1778 – More than 700 Blacks participate in Battle of Monmouth (NJ). July 24, 1807 – Shakespearean actor Ira Aldridge, born in New York City. July 25, 1916 – … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

July 14, 1955 – George Washington Carver Monument, first national park honoring an African American, is dedicated in Joplin, MO. July 15, 1867 – Maggie Lena Walker, first woman and first African American to become president of a bank. July 16, 1862 – Anti- lynching activist Ida B. Wells Barnett born. July 17, 1953 – Jesse D. Locker appointed U.S. Ambassador to … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History

July 7, 1948 – Cleveland Indians sign pitcher Leroy “Satchel” Paige. July 8, 1943 – Faye Wattleton, first African American director of Planned Parenthood, born. July 9, 1893 – Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performs first successful open-heart operation. July 10, 1875 – Educator Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman College, born. July 11, 1905 – W.E.B. Dubois … [Read more...] about This Week In Black History