The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was founded in New Orleans, Louisiana by a group of prominent ministers including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph Abernathy, Joseph Lowery, Fred Shuttlesworth, and C.K. Steele. Dr. King served as the founding president, with Ralph Abernathy as president emeritus. The SCLC played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement, advocating nonviolent protest and civil disobedience. Rep. Walter Fauntroy of the District of Columbia was also an early leader in the organization.

Baseball great Willie Lee McCovey was born in Mobile, Alabama. McCovey joined the San Francisco Giants in 1959 and quickly made an impact, earning the National League Rookie of the Year award. He played with the Giants for 14 years, later joining the San Diego Padres in 1974. A formidable power hitter, McCovey led the National League in home runs in 1963, 1968, and 1969. He was a six-time All-Star and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986.

Frank Holoman, born on July 10, 1934, in McCaskill, Arkansas, was elected to the California State Assembly in 1972, representing the Los Angeles area as a Democrat from 1972 to 1974. He was a graduate of Washburn University and previously served as a staff member to Assembly Speaker Jesse M. Unruh. During his tenure, Holoman focused on improving urban communities and supporting African American businesses. He also served as Chair of the Black Caucus of Southern California. Notably, he introduced legislation to declare a state holiday on January 15 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. Frank Holoman passed away on May 22, 2012, at the age of 78.

On this day, Julian Bond, a founding member and communications director of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), was denied his seat in the Georgia House of Representatives. Though elected by his constituents, Bond faced opposition from legislators who objected to his public criticism of the Vietnam War. His case became a pivotal moment for free speech and civil rights; the U.S. Supreme Court later ruled in his favor, affirming his right to hold office.

On this day, Adelbert H. Roberts became the first African American to serve in the Illinois General Assembly in at least twenty-five years. His election marked a significant milestone in the political representation of Black Americans in the Midwest during the early 20th century.

Max Roach, one of the most influential drummers in jazz history, was born on this day in Newland, North Carolina. A key figure in the development of bebop in the 1940s, Roach revolutionized drumming by shifting the timekeeping role from the bass drum to the ride cymbal and incorporating complex rhythms and improvisation. He collaborated with legends like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Clifford Brown, and used his music as a tool for civil rights advocacy, notably with works like We Insist! Freedom Now Suite.

Dean Dixon was born on this day in Harlem, New York. A trailblazing African American conductor, Dixon faced racial barriers in the U.S., prompting him to move to Europe in 1949. Fluent in Swedish, French, and German, he gained international acclaim and spent a decade leading the Göteborg Symphony Orchestra in Sweden. He later became conductor of the Hessian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Frankfurt, Germany, establishing himself as one of Europe’s most respected conductors.

A.B. Blackburn was granted U.S. Patent No. 376,362 for an innovative railway signal on this day in 1888. His invention contributed to improved railway safety and communication during a time of rapid industrial growth in the United States.

On this day, the Georgia state legislature reconvened and readmitted Black representatives and senators who had been wrongfully expelled in 1868. Their reinstatement marked a significant moment in Reconstruction-era efforts to secure political rights for African Americans in the South.

The Georgia Equal Rights Association was organized in Augusta, Georgia, becoming the first statewide political organization for African Americans in Georgia after the Civil War. It was affiliated with the National Equal Rights League and advocated for civil rights, voting rights, and protection under the law for newly freed African Americans. The organization played a pivotal role in post-emancipation political organizing and laid the groundwork for African American involvement in Reconstruction-era politics.

George Washington Carver, a pioneering Black scientist, inventor, and agricultural chemist, was born into slavery in Diamond, Missouri. He became renowned for his innovative work in agricultural science, particularly in promoting crop rotation and developing hundreds of products from peanuts, sweet potatoes, and other crops. His contributions significantly improved the livelihoods of Southern farmers and advanced sustainable farming practices.

In Philadelphia, Black community members gathered at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church to protest the American Colonization Society’s efforts to deport free African Americans to Africa. The attendees condemned the campaign “to exile us from the land of our nativity,” asserting their right to remain in the United States, the country of their birth.

James Varick, the first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) Church, was born on this day. A pioneer of religious independence and leadership among African Americans, Varick played a key role in establishing the AME Zion Church as a separate denomination in the early 19th century. His leadership helped create a spiritual and organizational foundation for Black Methodists in the United States.