Elston Howard, the first Black player to join the New York Yankees, passed away on this day in 1980. A standout catcher during the 1950s and 1960s, Howard was a nine-time All-Star and a key part of several Yankees championship teams. In 1963, he became the first African American player to win the American League MVP Award.
Beyond his playing career, Howard broke barriers as a coach, becoming the first Black coach in Yankees history. His legacy endures as a pioneer who helped integrate one of Major League Baseball’s most storied franchises.
The San Francisco State College (now San Francisco State University) student strike of 1968–1969 was a pivotal moment in the history of American higher education, marking the longest student-led strike in the nation’s history. Initiated on November 6, 1968, the strike was led by the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Third World Liberation Front (TWLF), a coalition of various ethnic student organizations. Their primary demands included the establishment of a Black Studies Department, increased enrollment and support for students of color, and the rehiring of faculty members like George Mason Murray, a graduate student and member of the Black Panther Party who had been suspended. ?
Throughout the strike, tensions escalated between students and the administration, leading to multiple confrontations and arrests. In response to the unrest, the college administration decided to suspend classes on December 13, 1968, initiating the winter holiday recess one week earlier than scheduled. This suspension aimed to deescalate the situation and provide a cooling-off period for all parties involved.?
The strike continued into early 1969, culminating in an agreement on March 20, 1969, which led to the establishment of the nation’s first College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State College. This groundbreaking development paved the way for similar programs across the country, fundamentally transforming the landscape of higher education by promoting inclusivity and diversity in academic curricula.?
Entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. received the prestigious Spingarn Medal from the NAACP for his “superb and many-faceted talent” and his significant contributions to the civil rights movement. A trailblazer in film, music, and television, Davis broke racial barriers in the entertainment industry and used his platform to advocate for racial equality and social justice.
On December 14, 1963, the music world mourned the loss of Dinah Washington, a versatile and influential American singer renowned for her contributions to jazz, blues, R&B, and pop music. Born Ruth Lee Jones on August 29, 1924, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Washington’s powerful voice and emotive delivery earned her the title “Queen of the Blues.”?
Throughout her career, Washington achieved significant acclaim with hits like “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes,” which won her a Grammy Award in 1959, and collaborations with artists such as Brook Benton on songs like “Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes).” Her ability to seamlessly blend genres and her distinctive vocal style left an indelible mark on the music industry.?
Tragically, Washington’s life was cut short at the age of 39 due to an accidental overdose of prescription medications in Detroit, Michigan. Her legacy continues to inspire generations of artists, and she was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
Stanley Crouch, born on December 14, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, was an influential American writer, jazz critic, and cultural commentator. Encouraged by his mother, he began writing at the age of eight and later became active in the Civil Rights Movement during his junior high school years.
In the 1960s, Crouch taught literature and theater at Pomona College and was involved in the jazz scene as a drummer, collaborating with musicians like David Murray. In 1975, he moved to New York City, where he became a cultural critic for the Village Voice and immersed himself in the jazz community.
Crouch was known for his outspoken essays on African American arts, politics, and culture. He co-founded and served as an artistic consultant for Jazz at Lincoln Center, significantly influencing its repertoire and often writing notes and essays for concert programs.
Throughout his career, Crouch authored several critically acclaimed books, including:
His contributions to literature and music criticism earned him numerous honors, including a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant and the 2019 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for Jazz Advocacy.
Stanley Crouch passed away on September 16, 2020, in New York City, leaving behind a legacy of passionate and provocative discourse on American culture and jazz.
On December 14, 1939, Ernie Davis was born in New Salem, Pennsylvania. He would go on to become a trailblazing figure in American football, celebrated for his exceptional talent and for breaking racial barriers in the sport.?
Davis faced early hardships, losing his father shortly after birth and being raised by his grandparents in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. At age 12, he moved to Elmira, New York, to live with his mother and stepfather. There, he excelled in multiple sports at Elmira Free Academy, earning high school All-American honors in both football and basketball. His athletic prowess led to over 50 college scholarship offers, and he chose to attend Syracuse University, influenced by the legendary running back Jim Brown. ?
At Syracuse, Davis continued to shine:?
National Championship (1959): As a sophomore, he led the Orangemen to an undefeated season and a national title, earning MVP honors in the 1960 Cotton Bowl.?
All-American Honors: Davis was a three-time All-American, recognized for his outstanding performance on the field.?
Heisman Trophy (1961): In his senior year, he became the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top college football player. ?Pennsylvania Book Festival
Davis was the first overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft, selected by the Washington Redskins and subsequently traded to the Cleveland Browns. Tragically, before he could begin his professional career, he was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away on May 18, 1963, at the age of 23. ?
Ernie Davis’s legacy endures as a symbol of excellence and perseverance:?
College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1979, honoring his collegiate achievements.?
Retired Jerseys: Both Syracuse University and the Cleveland Browns retired his jersey numbers (44 and 45, respectively) in his honor.?
Film Tribute: His life story was depicted in the 2008 film “The Express: The Ernie Davis Story,” introducing his inspiring journey to new generations.?
Ernie Davis remains a revered figure in sports history, celebrated not only for his athletic accomplishments but also for his role in advancing racial equality in athletics.
Clark Terry was a trailblazing musician, best known for his work with Duke Ellington and Count Basie, and later as a member of the Tonight Show Band, where he became the first African American staff musician at NBC. Over his long career, he became a mentor to countless young musicians, including Quincy Jones and Miles Davis.
Terry was also known for his signature “mumbles” vocal style and his commitment to jazz education, influencing generations of artists through workshops and mentorship. His contributions to jazz earned him a NEA Jazz Masters Award, one of the highest honors in the genre.
A true icon of American music, his legacy lives on in both performance and education.
John Mercer Langston, a pioneering lawyer, educator, and politician, was born on this day in Louisa County, Virginia. Born free in a slaveholding society, Langston became one of the most prominent African American leaders of the 19th century.
He was the first African American elected to public office in the United States (Town Clerk of Brownhelm, Ohio, 1855).
He became the first dean of Howard University’s Law School and helped train a generation of Black lawyers.
In 1888, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia, making him the first Black congressman from Virginia.
Langston was also the great-uncle of renowned poet Langston Hughes. His legacy is one of leadership, education, and breaking barriers in politics and civil rights.
On this day, George Washington, the first President of the United States, died at his Mount Vernon estate. In his last will and testament, Washington made a notable provision: he stipulated that the 123 enslaved people he owned outright were to be freed upon the death of his wife, Martha Washington.
However, the story took a powerful turn—Martha Washington freed them earlier, in 1801, reportedly out of fear that they might hasten her death to secure their freedom.
It’s important to note that not all enslaved people at Mount Vernon were freed, as over 150 others were “dower slaves” belonging to the Custis estate (inherited through Martha’s first husband) and could not legally be freed by Washington.
This act made Washington the only founding father to free all his enslaved people through his will.
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