Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell was born on August 12, 1923. She was a pioneering model, businesswoman, and advocate for diversity in the fashion and beauty industry. As one of the first African American models in the U.S., she founded the Grace Del Marco Agency, which helped launch the careers of many Black models and entertainers. Her work was instrumental in breaking racial barriers in the beauty and fashion industries.

The Mississippi Plan of 1890 was a strategy used by white lawmakers in Mississippi to disenfranchise Black voters through legal and constitutional means. On August 12, 1890, Mississippi adopted a new state constitution that imposed barriers such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and understanding clauses, which were designed to circumvent the 15th Amendment while effectively excluding Black citizens from voting. These measures set a precedent for other Southern states to implement similar voter suppression laws, leading to the widespread disenfranchisement of Black Americans for decades until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 helped to dismantle such practices.  Similar statutes were adopted by South Carolina (1895), Louisiana (1898), North Carolina (1900), Alabama (1901), Virginia (1901), Georgia (1908), and Oklahoma (1910). Southern states later used “White primaries” and other devices to exclude Black voters.

August Wilson’s play The Piano Lesson wins the Pulitzer Prize for drama. It was his second Pulitzer, following Fences, which won in 1987. Wilson was a major playwright known for his Pittsburgh Cycle—a series of ten plays depicting African American life in each decade of the 20th century. Along with the Pulitzer wins, he also received the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Fences, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.

On August 12, 1977, Stephen Biko, the leader of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa, was arrested at a police roadblock under the apartheid government’s terrorism laws. He was taken into custody and later subjected to brutal interrogation and torture by the police. His injuries led to his death on September 12, 1977, while in police custody. Biko’s death became a symbol of the struggle against apartheid, and his legacy continues to inspire movements for justice and equality worldwide.

On August 12, 1965, a race riot erupted on the West Side of Chicago, following tensions related to civil rights, police brutality, and economic disparities. The unrest was part of a broader wave of racial conflicts occurring across the United States during the 1960s.

By August 14, the situation had escalated to the point where the Illinois National Guard was placed on stand-by alert. While the riot did not reach the scale of the Watts Riots in Los Angeles (which occurred around the same time), it reflected the growing frustration and anger in African American communities over systemic racism, poverty, and police misconduct.

On August 12, 1965, Jonathan Myrick Daniels, an Episcopal seminarian from Massachusetts, was murdered in Hayneville, Alabama, by Tom Coleman, a white special deputy sheriff. Daniels had traveled to Alabama to support the civil rights movement and had been jailed along with other activists for protesting segregation.

Upon their release, Daniels, along with Father Richard F. Morrisroe, Ruby Sales, and Joyce Bailey, went to a local store to buy a soda. There, they encountered Coleman, who confronted them with a shotgun. When Coleman aimed his weapon at Ruby Sales, Daniels pushed her out of the way and was shot and killed. Morrisroe was also shot and severely wounded but survived.

Despite clear evidence of the crime, an all-white jury acquitted Coleman of Daniels’ murder, citing self-defense. The case became a symbol of the deep racial injustice in the South and the risks civil rights activists faced.

Jonathan Daniels is now honored as a martyr in the Episcopal Church, and his sacrifice remains a powerful reminder of the struggle for racial justice in America.

On August 12, 1964, a race riot erupted in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as part of a wave of racial unrest that swept across the United States during the 1960s. The civil disturbances in Elizabeth were fueled by growing racial tensions, economic disparities, and police brutality concerns, similar to riots that occurred in cities like Harlem and Paterson earlier that summer.

The unrest in Elizabeth was triggered by reports of police mistreatment of Black residents, leading to violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement. The rioting involved arson, looting, and confrontations with the police, resulting in property damage and numerous arrests.

This riot was one of many that took place during the Civil Rights era, reflecting the broader struggle against systemic racism, segregation, and economic inequality. Authorities responded with a heavy police presence, and the violence eventually subsided after several days.

On August 12, 1922, the home of Frederick Douglass, known as Cedar Hill, was officially designated a national shrine in Washington, D.C. This recognition honored Douglass’s legacy as an abolitionist, writer, orator, and statesman. The house, located in the Anacostia neighborhood, became part of the National Park System and is now preserved as the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.

Visitors can tour the house, which still contains many of Douglass’s personal belongings, and learn about his incredible contributions to civil rights and social justice.

Lillian Evans, the world-famous opera star and founder of the National Negro Opera Company, was indeed a remarkable figure in American music history. Born on August 12, 1891, she became one of the first African American women to gain recognition in the opera world. In addition to her successful career as a singer, she played a pivotal role in establishing the National Negro Opera Company, which was founded to provide a platform for Black performers in the opera industry, which had been historically exclusionary. Her contributions were instrumental in breaking down racial barriers in the arts.

On August 12, 1890, the Mississippi Constitutional Convention began. This convention was convened to draft a new state constitution, largely in response to the growing racial tensions and the desire to disenfranchise African Americans and reduce their political power. The resulting constitution, which was adopted on November 1, 1890, introduced measures such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and other voter qualification requirements designed to effectively disenfranchise black voters. These provisions, combined with the overarching goal of white supremacy, contributed to the systemic suppression of African American political participation in Mississippi for many decades. The impact of this constitution was profound, shaping the state’s political landscape for much of the 20th century.