Michael Griffith, a 23-year-old African-American man, was chased by a group of white teenagers in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens, New York. Fleeing the attackers, Griffith ran onto a nearby freeway where he was struck and killed by a passing car. The incident sparked widespread outrage, protests, and highlighted ongoing racial tensions in New York City.

African American inventor William B. Purvis was granted U.S. Patent No. 419,065 for improvements to the fountain pen. His design helped regulate ink flow and made the pen more reliable, contributing to the development of modern writing instruments. Purvis held several patents and aimed to improve everyday devices for practical use.

Breaking significant racial and gender barriers, Shirley Franklin took office as the 58th mayor of Atlanta. Her election marked a historic moment as she became not only the first African American woman to serve as mayor of Atlanta but also the first to lead a major Southern city in the United States. Her leadership focused on urban renewal, infrastructure, and ethics reform, setting a national example for civic progress.

On this day, Marian Anderson became the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She appeared as Ulrica in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, breaking a major racial barrier in American classical music. Anderson’s debut marked a historic moment in the struggle for civil rights and paved the way for future generations of Black opera singers.

On this day, Yale University opened the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection of African American Arts and Letters at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Established by Carl Van Vechten, a white patron of the Harlem Renaissance and close friend of Johnson, the collection was one of the first at a major university dedicated to preserving the artistic, literary, and historical contributions of African Americans. It honors James Weldon Johnson—poet, educator, lawyer, and civil rights activist—whose legacy continues to inspire generations.

Zora Neale Hurston, an influential African American author, anthropologist, and filmmaker, was born in Notasulga, Alabama. Best known for her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937), Hurston was a prominent figure of the Harlem Renaissance. Her work celebrated African American culture and folklore, and she made significant contributions to African American literature and ethnographic research.

On January 7, 1868, the Mississippi Constitutional Convention convened in Jackson, Mississippi, as part of the Reconstruction efforts following the Civil War. This convention was significant because it marked a pivotal moment in the reformation of Southern states and the expansion of civil rights, particularly for newly emancipated African Americans.

Key Highlights:

• The convention was called under the Reconstruction Acts passed by Congress, which required Southern states to draft new constitutions guaranteeing Black men the right to vote in order to be readmitted to the Union.
• For the first time in Mississippi’s history, Black delegates participated in the constitutional process. Out of the 100 delegates, 17 were African American, many of whom were formerly enslaved and represented the hopes of a newly freed population.
• The 1868 Constitution:
  • Granted universal male suffrage, regardless of race.
  • Established a system of public education for all children.
  • Included civil rights provisions aimed at protecting the rights of Black citizens.
• Despite its progressive nature, the new constitution faced backlash from white supremacists, and Mississippi’s road to full Reconstruction and racial equality remained turbulent.

This event marked a major milestone in Black political participation and the reimagining of Southern governance during Reconstruction.

The Arkansas constitutional convention convened in Little Rock with a racially mixed delegation—eight Black and forty-three white delegates. This convention was a significant moment during Reconstruction, marking one of the first instances in which African Americans participated in shaping state governance following the Civil War. The convention laid the groundwork for a new state constitution that recognized civil rights for formerly enslaved people.

Celebrated on January 7 by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, Genna marks the birth of Jesus Christ according to the Julian calendar. Rich in tradition, the day includes religious services, feasts, and a traditional game also called “Genna,” similar to field hockey. This day is a key cultural and religious observance in Ethiopia and among the Ethiopian diaspora.