On this day, Lawrence Douglas Wilder was sworn in as Governor of Virginia, becoming the first African American elected as governor of a U.S. state. His historic victory marked a significant milestone in American politics and civil rights progress.

James Frank, then president of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, was installed as the first African American president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), marking a historic milestone in the leadership of American collegiate sports.

William T. Coleman was named Secretary of Transportation by President Gerald R. Ford, becoming the second African American to serve in a Cabinet-level position. A distinguished lawyer and civil rights advocate, Coleman’s appointment marked a significant milestone in the continued diversification of the United States federal government.

On January 14, 1972, the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son premiered, quickly becoming a hit. The show portrayed the comedic relationship between an African-American father and son who ran a junkyard business in Los Angeles. Developed by Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin, the series was an adaptation of the British show Steptoe and Son. The character “Sanford” was named after comedian Redd Foxx’s real-life surname—John Elroy Sanford.

Carl Weathers was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known for his role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky film series. A former professional football player, Weathers transitioned into acting and became a prominent figure in both action films and television. His career highlights the versatility and cultural impact of Black actors in American cinema.

Harvey B. Gantt, born on this day in 1943, became the first African American student to enroll at Clemson University in South Carolina in 1963. He later made history again as the first Black mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, serving from 1983 to 1987. Gantt’s achievements marked significant milestones in the desegregation of higher education and political leadership in the American South.

Julian Bond, an influential civil rights leader, legislator, and co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Bond went on to serve in the Georgia state legislature and was a prominent voice in the struggle for racial equality throughout the United States.

On this day, renowned biologist Dr. Ernest E. Just was elected Vice President of the American Society of Zoologists. A pioneer in the field of cell biology, Just made significant contributions to the understanding of fertilization, cell division, and embryonic development. His election marked a historic achievement for African Americans in science during a period of deep racial segregation in the United States.

John Oliver Killens, an influential African American novelist, was born on this day in Macon, Georgia. Killens was a co-founder of the Harlem Writers Guild and a key voice in the Black Arts Movement. His novels, including Youngblood and And Then We Heard the Thunder, addressed themes of racial injustice, Black pride, and social activism. His work remains a cornerstone of 20th-century African American literature.

On this day, African Americans organized the National Steamboat Company in Washington, D.C. The company operated the “George Leary,” a luxury steamboat that sailed between Washington, D.C., and Norfolk, Virginia. The vessel could accommodate 1,500 passengers and featured three decks, sixty-four state rooms, one hundred berths, and a dining room—marking a significant achievement in Black entrepreneurship and transportation.

Isaac D. Shadd was elected Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives on January 14, 1874. Born in 1837 in Delaware, Shadd was a prominent African American politician during the Reconstruction era. Before his political career in Mississippi, he worked as a printer and edited an influential newspaper in Canada. In 1870, Shadd moved to Mississippi and was elected to the legislature from Warren County in 1871. His election as Speaker marked a significant moment in the state’s history, reflecting the increasing political influence of African Americans during Reconstruction. Shadd’s legislative experience and impartial leadership were noted as assets in his role as Speaker. ?

On this day in 1873, P.B.S. Pinchback, the first African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state (Louisiana), was elected to the U.S. Senate. Having also been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Pinchback traveled to Washington with the rare distinction of being both a senator-elect and a congressman-elect. Despite his achievements, he was ultimately denied his Senate seat due to political disputes and racial prejudice.

The South Carolina constitutional convention convened in Charleston, becoming the first official legislative assembly in the Western world with a Black majority. Of the 124 delegates, 76 were Black—two-thirds of whom were formerly enslaved—and 48 were white. A reporter from the New York Herald observed, “Here in Charleston is being enacted a spectacle without parallel in the history of the world.”

On this day, North Carolina’s constitutional convention convened in Raleigh, marking a significant step during the Reconstruction Era. Of the 133 delegates present, 15 were Black—a groundbreaking moment reflecting the newly granted political rights of African Americans following the Civil War. This convention aimed to draft a new state constitution in compliance with Reconstruction Acts and helped lay the groundwork for public education and voting rights reforms.