George Rogers, star running back from the University of South Carolina, was awarded the Heisman Trophy, becoming the second Black athlete to win the prestigious award (after Ernie Davis in 1961). Rogers led the nation in rushing yards that season with 1,781 yards, and his performance helped pave the way for greater recognition of Black athletes in college football.

On this day, iconic soul singer Sam Cooke died at age 33 in Los Angeles, California. According to reports, he was shot and killed by Bertha Franklin, the manager of the Hacienda Motel, after a confrontation. The official story stated that Cooke was seeking a woman he had been with earlier that evening and demanded entry into the motel office. Following a struggle, Franklin claimed she shot him in self-defense.

Cooke’s death has long been surrounded by suspicion and calls for further investigation, with many questioning the official account. Despite the controversy, his influence on soul, gospel, and popular music—and his role in the civil rights movement—remains profound.

Langston Hughes’ gospel musical Black Nativity premiered Off-Broadway at the 89th Street Theatre in New York City. One of the first plays written by an African American to be staged Off-Broadway, Black Nativity was a vibrant retelling of the Nativity story through a blend of traditional gospel music, poetry, and dance. It became a beloved holiday tradition and a groundbreaking work in Black theater history.

The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the convictions of sixteen African American students who had been arrested for participating in a peaceful lunch counter sit-in in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The students had been charged with disturbing the peace after protesting racial segregation.

In Garner v. Louisiana, the Court, led by Chief Justice Earl Warren, ruled unanimously that the convictions violated the students’ constitutional rights. The decision was a significant legal victory for the Civil Rights Movement, reinforcing the protection of peaceful protest under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

Lewis H. Latimer, an accomplished African American inventor and engineer, died on this day in Flushing, New York. He began his career as a draftsman for Alexander Graham Bell, helping draw the blueprints for the first telephone patent. Latimer went on to become a respected innovator in his own right, improving the design and efficiency of the incandescent light bulb by developing a longer-lasting carbon filament.

Later, he joined General Electric, a company formed by another famous inventor, Thomas Edison. Latimer’s work helped bring electric lighting into homes and cities across America, making him a vital but often overlooked figure in the history of modern technology.

Blues singer Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton was born in Ariton, Alabama. A powerhouse vocalist and songwriter, she is best known for her 1952 hit “Hound Dog”, which topped the R&B charts years before Elvis Presley recorded his version. Thornton was a trailblazer for women in blues and rock, influencing generations of musicians with her raw vocal style and commanding stage presence. She also wrote and recorded “Ball and Chain,” later popularized by Janis Joplin.

On this day, Joe “King” Oliver, a pioneering jazz cornetist and bandleader, left New Orleans and moved to Chicago, marking a key moment in the Great Migration of Jazz. Oliver was soon joined by other notable musicians, including his protégé Louis Armstrong. This movement helped establish Chicago as a major hub for jazz, setting the stage for its national and global rise. The relocation of Black musicians from the South to Northern cities during this time significantly influenced American music and culture.

On this day, 13 African American soldiers of the 24th Infantry Regiment were executed by hanging at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, without the chance to appeal. This was the largest mass execution of American soldiers by the U.S. Army.

The soldiers were convicted for their involvement in the Houston Riot (Camp Logan Mutiny), which occurred on August 23, 1917. The riot was sparked by brutal acts of racial violence and police abuse against Black soldiers and civilians in Jim Crow-era Houston.

A total of 118 soldiers were tried, with:

• 19 executed,

• 41 given life sentences,

• and others given various prison terms.

The trials were heavily criticized for their speed, lack of due process, and racial injustice.

Harry T. Burleigh, a pioneering African American composer, arranger, and baritone soloist, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP. Burleigh is celebrated for helping to elevate African American spirituals to the concert stage and for his classical compositions influenced by Black musical traditions.

He was the first African American soloist at St. George’s Episcopal Church in New York City and worked with renowned composer Antonín Dvo?ák, influencing Dvo?ák’s appreciation of African American music.

The Spingarn Medal, established in 1914, honors outstanding achievement by an African American each year.

John E. Bush, born into slavery, rose to become a respected teacher, real estate developer, and civic leader in Arkansas. In 1898, he was appointed Receiver of the U.S. Land Office in Little Rock, making him one of the highest-ranking Black federal officials in the South at the time. He also co-founded the Mosaic Templars of America, a Black fraternal organization that provided insurance and mutual aid. Bush passed away on this day in 1916, leaving behind a legacy of empowerment and community building.

On this day, Pinckney Benton Stewart (P.B.S.) Pinchback became the first African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state—Louisiana. He assumed office after the impeachment of Governor Henry C. Warmoth and served as acting governor from December 9, 1872, to January 13, 1873.

Pinchback, a former Union officer and politician during Reconstruction, broke racial barriers in American politics and laid the groundwork for future Black leadership at the state and national levels.