On December 2, 1975, Archie Griffin, the standout running back from Ohio State University, made history by becoming the first—and so far only—player to win the Heisman Trophy twice. ?

Key Highlights:

• Unprecedented Achievement: Griffin secured his second consecutive Heisman Trophy, a feat unmatched in college football history. ?

• Consistent Excellence: During his senior year, he amassed 1,357 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, contributing to the Buckeyes’ 11-0 regular-season record and a Big Ten title. ?Heisman

• Career Records: Over his four-year tenure at Ohio State, Griffin set an NCAA record with 31 consecutive 100-yard rushing games and concluded his collegiate career with a total of 5,589 rushing yards. ?Heisman

Griffin’s remarkable accomplishments have solidified his legacy as one of college football’s all-time greats.?

While the exact date when Maya Angelou was invited to compose a poem for President Bill Clinton’s inauguration isn’t publicly documented, she ultimately wrote and delivered “On the Pulse of Morning” at the inauguration on January 20, 1993. ?

This marked a significant moment, as Angelou became the second poet to recite at a U.S. presidential inauguration, following Robert Frost in 1961. Her poem emphasized themes of unity, change, and responsibility, resonating with the nation’s aspirations. The recitation garnered widespread acclaim and contributed to a resurgence of interest in her literary works.

Andre Ware, quarterback for the University of Houston, made history by becoming the first African American quarterback to win the prestigious Heisman Trophy, awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football.

Ware’s 1989 season was record-breaking—he threw for over 4,600 yards and 46 touchdowns, leading one of the most explosive offenses in NCAA history. His win was a groundbreaking moment for representation in college football and helped pave the way for future Black quarterbacks.

Marie Van Brittan Brown, a Black American inventor, was granted U.S. Patent No. 3,482,037 for her invention of the first home security system. Designed in response to rising crime rates and slow police response times in her Queens, New York neighborhood, the system included:

• Television surveillance to view visitors at the door,

• Two-way communication, allowing homeowner and visitor to see each other,

• And a remote-controlled lock, giving the homeowner the ability to open the door from a distance.

Her innovation laid the groundwork for modern home security systems and was a pioneering advancement in the intersection of safety and technology.

On this day, Dial Press published Judas, My Brother, a novel by Frank Yerby, one of the first Black American authors to gain international acclaim for historical fiction. The book is a bold reimagining of the life and times of Jesus, told from a skeptical and humanist perspective. Yerby, often noted for challenging racial barriers in publishing, was the first African American to publish a bestseller (The Foxes of Harrow, 1946) and to have a book bought for a Hollywood film.

On this day, Roland Hayes, a groundbreaking African American tenor, became the first Black soloist to perform at Boston’s Symphony Hall to widespread acclaim. Although he had given a performance at the venue in 1917 that received little public attention, his 1923 return was triumphant, earning him critical praise and establishing him as one of the world’s foremost classical vocalists. Hayes went on to perform across Europe and the U.S., breaking racial barriers in the world of classical music.

Charles C. Diggs Jr. was born on December 2, 1922, in Detroit, Michigan. He became the first African American elected to Congress from Michigan, serving from 1955 to 1980. A passionate advocate for civil rights and African liberation, Diggs was also the founding chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971. He used his position to highlight racial injustice both in the United States and abroad, especially apartheid in South Africa.

Henry Armstrong, born Henry Jackson Jr., would go on to become the only boxer in history to simultaneously hold world titles in three weight divisions — featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight — in 1938. Known for his relentless pressure and stamina, Armstrong was one of boxing’s greatest pound-for-pound fighters.

Though often mistakenly said to be born in Columbus, Ohio, Armstrong was actually born in Columbus, Mississippi.

The 54th Congress of the United States (1895–1897) convened on this day with George W. Murray of South Carolina serving as the only African American member. A Republican and formerly enslaved man, Murray was a strong advocate for civil rights and Black land ownership. He represented a rare voice for African Americans in a time when Jim Crow laws were taking root and Black political representation was rapidly declining.

The 52nd Congress of the United States convened with only one African American representative: Henry P. Cheatham of North Carolina. A Republican and formerly enslaved, Cheatham served from 1889 to 1893, advocating for civil rights and education for African Americans during a time of increasing racial discrimination and the rise of Jim Crow laws in the South.

On this date, reports confirmed that 113 African Americans had been lynched in the United States during the year 1891 alone. This horrifying figure reflects the widespread racial terror used to enforce white supremacy during the post-Reconstruction era. The Equal Justice Initiative and other historical sources document this as part of a pattern of racial violence that plagued Black communities across the South and beyond.

The institutions you mentioned—North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (North Carolina A&T), Delaware State University, and West Virginia State University—were all established in 1891 as land-grant institutions under the Second Morrill Act of 1890, which aimed to provide educational opportunities in agriculture and mechanical arts to African American students in states with segregated educational systems. However, their specific founding dates differ:?

• North Carolina A&T State University: Established on March 9, 1891, by an act of the North Carolina General Assembly as the Agricultural and Mechanical College for the Colored Race. ?

• Delaware State University: Founded on May 15, 1891, by the Delaware General Assembly as the Delaware College for Colored Students. ?

• West Virginia State University: Established on March 17, 1891, by the West Virginia Legislature as the West Virginia Colored Institute. ?

These institutions have since evolved into prominent universities, continuing their commitment to education and serving diverse student populations.

On December 2, 1891, Charles Harris Wesley was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He became a distinguished historian, educator, minister, and author, contributing significantly to African American scholarship and education. ?

Key Highlights of Wesley’s Life and Career:

• Academic Achievements: Wesley graduated from Fisk University in 1911, earned a master’s degree from Yale University in 1913, and in 1925 became the third African American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard University. ?

• Professional Roles:

  • Served as a professor and later as Dean of the Liberal Arts and Graduate School at Howard University. ?

  • Held the presidency at Wilberforce University from 1942 to 1947. ?

  • Founded and served as the first president of Central State University from 1947 to 1965. ?

• Publications: Authored over 15 books focusing on African American history, including “Negro Labor in the United States, 1850-1925” (1927) and “Richard Allen: Apostle of Freedom” (1935). ?

• Fraternal Involvement: Actively participated in African American fraternities, serving as the 14th General President and long-time National Historian of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. ?

• Religious Service: Ordained as a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, he pastored several congregations in Washington, D.C. ?AHA

Wesley’s dedication to education and African American history has left a lasting legacy. He passed away on August 16, 1987, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 95. ?

On this day, Granville T. Woods, often called the “Black Edison,” was granted a patent for his improved telephone transmitter. This device enhanced the clarity of telephone audio over long distances by refining how voice signals were carried — an important advancement in communication technology.

Woods would go on to earn over 50 patents, many related to the railroad and electrical industries, including innovations in telegraphy, train safety, and electromechanical systems. His inventions laid critical groundwork for modern electrical and communication systems.

Radical white abolitionist John Brown was executed by hanging after his failed raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry in October 1859. His goal was to ignite a widespread slave uprising. Though the raid failed and Brown was captured, his actions and trial intensified national tensions over slavery.

Brown was seen as a martyr by many in the abolitionist movement and had support from both Black and white allies, including Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman (who was invited to join the raid but declined). His death helped further polarize the nation, hastening the onset of the American Civil War.