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 patents bicycle frame.
October 11, 1887 – Granville T. Woods patents telephone system and apparatus.
October 12, 1904 – Physician, author, educator W. Montague Cobb born.
