Kenneth Gibson, Mayor of Newark, became the first African American president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Olympic track and field star Carl Lewis was born in Willingboro, New Jersey.

On this date in 1889, it was reported that 94 Black individuals had been lynched in the United States during that year. This was part of the broader era of racial violence and terror against African Americans, particularly in the South, during the post-Reconstruction period.

Lynching was used as a tool of white supremacy to enforce racial hierarchies, suppress Black economic and political progress, and instill fear. These extrajudicial killings were often carried out by white mobs with little to no legal consequences.

This reporting on July 1, 1889, is an example of how racial violence was documented, though often undercounted or ignored by mainstream white-led newspapers. Black journalists like Ida B. Wells played a crucial role in exposing the extent of lynching and advocating for justice.

On this date in 2001, the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 was amended in 1998 to include a provision that denied federal financial aid to students with drug convictions. This policy, which took effect on July 1, 2000, resulted in thousands of students losing access to grants, loans, and work-study programs.

Critics argued that the law disproportionately harmed low-income students and people of color, making it harder for them to access education and move beyond past mistakes. Many advocacy groups fought for its repeal, and in 2020, Congress removed the drug conviction penalty as part of a broader overhaul of financial aid policies in the FAFSA Simplification Act.

This change was a major victory for education equity, allowing more students to pursue higher education regardless of past legal issues.

On this date in 1991, Clarence Thomas was nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court by President George H.W. Bush to replace retiring Justice Thurgood Marshall. His nomination led to a highly contentious confirmation process, including televised hearings that focused on allegations of sexual harassment made by Anita Hill, a former colleague.

Despite the controversy, Thomas was confirmed by the Senate on October 15, 1991, in a 52-48 vote, one of the closest Supreme Court confirmation votes in history. He went on to become one of the Court’s most conservative justices, known for his originalist approach to constitutional interpretation.

On this date in 1987, or the first time in U.S. history, three African American women were serving simultaneously as presidents of four-year colleges and universities.

They were:

Dr. Niara Sudarkasa – President of Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)
Dr. Johnetta Cole – President of Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia)
Dr. Gloria Randle Scott – President of Bennett College (Greensboro, North Carolina)

This milestone was a significant moment in higher education, reflecting the growing leadership and influence of African American women in academia.

On this date in 1960, Somalia officially gained independence and was formed as a sovereign nation. This date marks the unification of British Somaliland, which had gained independence on June 26, 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent on July 1, 1960. The two territories merged to create the Somali Republic.

This was a historic moment as Somalia took control of its governance after years of colonial rule. Aden Abdullah Osman Daar became the country’s first president following independence. July 1 is now celebrated as Somalia’s Independence Day, a significant national holiday.

On this date in 1924, Roland Hayes, a pioneering African American tenor, was named a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Born in 1887 in a cabin in Georgia, Hayes overcame racial barriers to become one of the first internationally acclaimed Black classical singers.

Before this achievement, he was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his exceptional interpretation of Negro spirituals and classical music, helping to elevate the recognition of African American folk traditions in the classical music world. His career paved the way for future Black artists in classical music, demonstrating resilience, talent, and dedication to his craft.

On this date in 1917, The East St. Louis Race Riot of July 1-3, 1917, was one of the deadliest episodes of racial violence in U.S. history. It was fueled by racial tensions over job competition between Black workers, many of whom had migrated from the South, and white laborers in the city’s booming industrial sector.

Violence erupted when white mobs attacked Black residents and workers, burning homes and businesses. Estimates of those killed ranged from 40 to over 200, with thousands of African Americans displaced. Martial law was declared, but the destruction had already devastated the community.

A Congressional investigation later acknowledged the horrific scale of the massacre, though an exact death toll was never confirmed. The riot highlighted the severe racial injustices of the time and was a precursor to future civil rights struggles in the U.S.

On this date in 1899, Thomas A. Dorsey, known as the Father of Gospel Music, was born, in Villa Rica, Georgia.

Originally a blues musician, Dorsey later pioneered modern gospel music by blending spirituals with jazz and blues influences. His most famous composition, “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” became a gospel standard, covered by legends like Mahalia Jackson and Elvis Presley.

His influence shaped gospel music as we know it today, making him one of the most important figures in American music history. ??

On this date in 1898, during the Spanish-American War, the Tenth Cavalry, a regiment of the famed Buffalo Soldiers, played a crucial role in the Battle of El Caney and later helped relieve Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders during the charge at San Juan Hill.

Four Black regiments—the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 24th and 25th Infantry—were instrumental in the battles around Santiago, Cuba. Their bravery and combat effectiveness were widely recognized, despite facing discrimination both within and outside the military.

Additionally, 16 regiments of Black volunteers were recruited to serve during the war, further highlighting the contributions of African American soldiers in this pivotal conflict. Their heroism helped shape the legacy of Black military service in the United States.

On this date in 1893, Walter Francis White was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He was a prominent civil rights activist, writer, and leader of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). As a mixed-race man with very light skin, he was able to pass as white, which he used to investigate lynchings and racial violence in the South, often at great personal risk.

During his tenure as Executive Secretary of the NAACP (1931–1955), he played a key role in the fight against segregation, disenfranchisement, and racial violence. He also worked on landmark civil rights legal cases, including those that led to the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education (1954) decision, which ruled school segregation unconstitutional.

On this date in 1889, Frederick Douglass was appointed as the U.S. Minister Resident and Consul General to Haiti by President Benjamin Harrison. Douglass, a former enslaved person and a prominent abolitionist, orator, and writer, took on this diplomatic role at a crucial time in Haitian and American relations.

During his tenure, Douglass worked to strengthen ties between the two nations and advocated for Haitian sovereignty, especially as the U.S. sought to acquire a naval base at Môle Saint-Nicolas. However, due to tensions over American policies and Haitian resistance to U.S. influence, Douglass resigned from the post in 1891.

His experiences in Haiti deeply influenced his later speeches and writings, in which he praised Haiti’s role in the global fight against slavery while also criticizing how the U.S. and other Western nations treated the Black republic.

On this date in 1873, Henry Ossian Flipper became the first African American cadet to be admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Despite facing extreme racism and social isolation from his peers, he persevered and went on to make history.

In 1877, he became the first Black graduate of West Point and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He later served as a Buffalo Soldier with the 10th Cavalry Regiment in the American West.

Flipper’s career was marked by both achievement and controversy—he was court-martialed in 1881 on questionable charges, but he later worked as an engineer, author, and government consultant. In 1999, he was posthumously pardoned by President Bill Clinton, officially restoring his honor.

A true pioneer! ?

On this date in 1870, James Webster Smith became the first Black cadet to enter the United States Military Academy at West Point. However, he faced severe racism, isolation, and harassment from fellow cadets and officers. Smith was eventually dismissed in 1874 before he could graduate.

The first Black cadet to successfully graduate from West Point was Henry Ossian Flipper in 1877.

On this date in 1868, the North Carolina legislature convened with a historic composition: 21 Black legislators and 149 white legislators. This was a significant moment during Reconstruction, as it marked the first time Black representatives participated in North Carolina’s government.

This came after the state ratified a new constitution earlier that year, which expanded voting rights to Black men. Many of these Black legislators were formerly enslaved individuals or free Black men who were stepping into politics for the first time.

This legislature played a crucial role in:

However, this progress faced violent opposition from white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, leading to the eventual rollback of these rights during Jim Crow.

On this date in 1863, the Kingdom of the Netherlands officially abolished slavery in its colonies, including Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean islands (formerly known as the Dutch West Indies). This day is commemorated as Keti Koti (“Chains Broken”) in Suriname and the Netherlands, marking the liberation of enslaved people.

However, even after formal emancipation, freed individuals were required to work for 10 more years under a state-mandated contract system before they gained full freedom. This period, called Staatstoezicht (State Supervision), lasted until 1873.

Today, July 1st is recognized as a day of reflection, remembrance, and celebration in Suriname, the Netherlands, and Dutch Caribbean territories such as Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire. It continues to be a significant event in discussions on colonial history, reparations, and racial justice.

The Clotilda was the last recorded slave ship to bring enslaved Africans to the United States, arriving illegally in Mobile Bay, Alabama, in July 1860. Financed by plantation owner Timothy Meaher, the voyage smuggled 110 West Africans into the country over 50 years after the slave trade was outlawed.

Following its arrival, the ship was burned and sunk to hide the evidence. The survivors went on to found Africatown, a self-governed Black community near Mobile. The wreck of the Clotilda was officially discovered in 2019, confirming the long oral histories passed down by descendants.