On this day, William B. Gibbs Jr., a Black teacher and principal in Montgomery County, Maryland, filed Gibbs v. Board of Education, challenging unequal pay for Black and white teachers. Backed by the NAACP and argued by Thurgood Marshall, this was the first in a series of landmark legal actions aimed at eliminating wage discrimination in education.

The case led to the end of salary disparities between Black and white teachers in Montgomery County and set a precedent that was used across the South, marking an early legal victory in the broader civil rights movement.

On this day, Kurt L. Schmoke was inaugurated as the first African American mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. A Rhodes Scholar and Yale Law graduate, Schmoke previously served as the city’s State’s Attorney. His election marked a historic moment for Baltimore, and he went on to serve three terms (1987–1999), focusing on issues like education reform, urban renewal, and public health.

U.S. Representative George W. Collins of Illinois died in a plane crash near Chicago Midway Airport at age 47. Collins had served in Congress since 1970 and was among the early African American members representing urban districts.

On the same day, Jewel Lafontant, a prominent African American attorney, was named Deputy Solicitor General of the United States, becoming one of the highest-ranking Black women in the federal legal system at the time.

On this day, journalist and publisher Louis E. Martin founded the Michigan Chronicle, an African American newspaper based in Detroit. The paper quickly became a powerful voice for Black communities in Michigan and across the nation, advocating for civil rights, political empowerment, and social justice.
Martin, later known as the “Godfather of Black Politics,” used the Chronicle and his influence to shape national conversations and policies affecting African Americans.

On this day, John Hope was posthumously awarded the Spingarn Medal, the NAACP’s highest honor, recognizing outstanding achievement by an African American. Hope was celebrated for his pioneering leadership as the first Black president of Morehouse College and later as president of Atlanta University. He played a crucial role in founding what would become the Atlanta University Center, a consortium of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in Atlanta, Georgia. His visionary work in higher education left a lasting legacy on Black academic advancement.

On this day, the NAACP filed its first lawsuit in a landmark campaign to equalize the salaries of Black and white teachers in the segregated South. The case, Alston v. School Board of Norfolk, Virginia, was led by attorney Thurgood Marshall, marking a strategic legal effort to challenge racial discrimination in education.

This lawsuit set a precedent and became part of a broader NAACP legal strategy that would eventually lead to Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and the dismantling of Jim Crow laws in public schools.

Clerow “Flip” Wilson was born on this day in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was the tenth of 24 children, with 18 siblings surviving into adulthood. Flip Wilson rose to fame in the 1960s and ’70s as a comedian known for his warm humor, clever characters, and cultural impact.

In 1970, he made history as the first African American to host a successful variety show on U.S. television — The Flip Wilson Show — which earned him a Golden Globe and two Emmy Awards. He became widely loved for characters like “Geraldine Jones,” known for the catchphrase, “The Devil made me do it!”

Sammy Davis Jr., legendary African American singer, dancer, actor, and comedian, was born in Harlem, New York. A child prodigy who began performing at age 3, Davis would go on to become one of the most versatile and beloved entertainers of the 20th century. As a member of the famed Rat Pack, he broke racial barriers in entertainment, performing in venues that once denied access to Black artists. Despite facing racism and adversity, Davis used his platform to advocate for civil rights and unity.

Henry Hugh Proctor was born in Fayette County, Tennessee. He became a prominent African American minister, educator, and writer, known for his work in Atlanta, Georgia, where he served as pastor of First Congregational Church. Proctor was a strong advocate for racial harmony and community development during the post-Reconstruction era.

He helped establish the Atlanta Colored Music Festival Association and worked alongside both Black and white leaders to improve conditions for African Americans in the South. His writings and sermons focused on education, morality, and social uplift, making him a key figure in the early 20th-century African American church and civic life.

President Abraham Lincoln issued his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, offering a full pardon and restoration of property (except for enslaved people) to Confederates who pledged loyalty to the Union and accepted the abolition of slavery. This was the first step toward reintegrating the Southern states into the Union after the Civil War and laid the groundwork for Reconstruction. The policy also opened the door for discussions around Black citizenship and civil rights in the post-war United States.

On this day, Lucy Ann Stanton made history by becoming the first African American woman to complete a college-level course of study. She graduated from Oberlin College in Ohio, receiving a Literary Degree (Ladies’ Course). While not the full Bachelor of Arts (which included classical languages), this was a major milestone in U.S. education history and in the advancement of Black women in academia.

Stanton went on to be an abolitionist, writer, and educator, using her education to advocate for social justice and women’s rights.