On December 15, 2001, Rufus Thomas, the legendary R&B, soul, and funk singer renowned for hits like “Do the Funky Chicken” and “Walking the Dog,” passed away at the age of 84 in Memphis, Tennessee. ?Stax Records
Early Life: Born on March 26, 1917, in Cayce, Mississippi, Thomas moved to Memphis, Tennessee, at a young age. He began his entertainment career as a tap dancer and comedian before transitioning into music. ?
Radio Career: In the early 1950s, Thomas became a prominent disc jockey at Memphis’s WDIA, one of the first Black-owned radio stations in the U.S., significantly influencing the local music scene. ?
Recording Success: Thomas recorded for several labels, including Chess and Sun Records, before finding lasting success with Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s. His dance-themed hits, such as “Walking the Dog” (1963) and “Do the Funky Chicken” (1969), became iconic, showcasing his energetic performance style and contributing to the evolution of R&B and funk music. ?
Mentorship: Beyond his own performances, Thomas played a crucial role in nurturing young talent in Memphis, hosting talent shows that helped launch the careers of artists like B.B. King and Ike Turner. ?
Rufus Thomas’s enduring influence on the music industry is celebrated through numerous honors, including a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail in Byhalia, Mississippi, recognizing his significant contributions to blues and soul music.
William Augustus Hinton, a pioneering African American bacteriologist and pathologist, was born on this day. He is best known for developing the Hinton Test for diagnosing syphilis, a breakthrough in medical diagnostics that was simpler, more reliable, and less expensive than previous methods.
Hinton was also the first Black professor at Harvard Medical School and a leading public health expert. Despite facing racial barriers, he refused to allow his photograph to be used in textbooks to avoid racial bias against his work. His contributions greatly advanced public health and diagnostic medicine in the 20th century.
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, approximately 1,500 Black demonstrators gathered to protest segregation and racial injustice. In response, police used tear gas and leashed dogs to disperse the peaceful crowd—many of whom were high school students and community members. This aggressive suppression was part of a broader pattern of violent resistance to civil rights activism in the South.
Despite the brutality, such demonstrations helped expose the harsh realities of racial discrimination and fueled the growing momentum of the national Civil Rights Movement.
Kenneth B. Clark, a pioneering psychologist and educator, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his groundbreaking work on the psychological effects of segregation. His famous “doll experiments” with his wife, Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark, demonstrated the negative impact of segregation on Black children’s self-perception. Their research played a crucial role in the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
The San Francisco Sun-Reporter is a prominent African American weekly newspaper serving the San Francisco community. Its origins trace back to 1944, when journalist Thomas C. Fleming founded The Reporter, San Francisco’s sole Black newspaper at the time. Around the same period, physician and civil rights activist Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett acquired The Sun, a competing publication. The two papers merged to form the Sun-Reporter, with Dr. Goodlett as Editor/Publisher and Thomas Fleming as Managing Editor. ?
The Sun-Reporter quickly became a vital voice for the African American community in San Francisco, advocating for civil rights, fair employment, and housing laws. Dr. Goodlett’s leadership and commitment to social justice were instrumental in shaping the paper’s mission. Notable journalists associated with the Sun-Reporter include Belva Davis, who edited the paper from 1961 through 1968. ?
Today, under the leadership of Publisher Amelia Ashley-Ward, the Sun-Reporter continues its legacy of addressing issues pertinent to the African American community, maintaining its role as a trusted and influential publication in the San Francisco Bay Area. ?
Renowned jazz pianist, organist, composer, and entertainer Thomas W. “Fats” Waller died at age 39 in Kansas City, Missouri. A towering figure in early jazz, Waller was a master of the stride piano style and a prolific composer whose works include classics like “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “Honeysuckle Rose.” Known for his charisma and wit, Waller helped bring jazz into the American mainstream and influenced generations of musicians.
In one of the decisive battles of the American Civil War, two brigades of United States Colored Troops (USCT) played a crucial role in defeating Confederate General John Bell Hood’s Army of Tennessee at the Battle of Nashville.
On the first day of battle, Black soldiers engaged the Confederate right flank, helping to destabilize the enemy’s defensive line. On the second day, Colonel Charles R. Thompson’s Black brigade executed a brilliant assault that contributed significantly to breaking through the Confederate position.
This victory was a major blow to the Confederacy and demonstrated the skill, bravery, and importance of Black soldiers in securing Union victory and advancing the cause of freedom.
On December 15, 1896, Julia Terry Hammonds, an African American inventor from Lebanon, Illinois, was granted U.S. Patent No. 572,985 for her “Apparatus for Holding Yarn-Skeins.” ?
This device was designed to provide a simple and cost-effective solution for winding yarns, silks, and similar materials. It featured two uprights with forked ends to hold the skein and a spring mechanism to secure the apparatus to a chair or other support. The design allowed for easy adjustment to accommodate various skein lengths and could be conveniently disassembled for storage. ?
Hammonds’ invention addressed a common challenge faced by individuals working with yarn, eliminating the need for an assistant to hold the skein while winding. Her contribution exemplifies the innovative spirit and practical problem-solving that have characterized many African American inventors throughout history.
On this day, Maggie Lena Walker, a groundbreaking African American businesswoman and civic leader, passed away. Before her death, she served as secretary-treasurer of the Independent Order of St. Luke, a Black mutual aid society in Richmond, Virginia.
In 1899, Walker transformed the struggling organization into a thriving financial institution that included a newspaper, a department store, and the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank — making her the first African American woman to charter and serve as president of a bank in the United States. Her efforts played a crucial role in strengthening Black economic independence and community development during the Jim Crow era.
On December 15, 1943, the Spingarn Medal was presented to William H. Hastie in recognition of his distinguished career as a jurist and his unwavering commitment to equal justice. The Spingarn Medal, awarded annually by the NAACP, honors outstanding achievements by African Americans. ?
Hastie’s notable accomplishments include:?
First African American Federal Judge: In 1937, appointed to the District Court of the Virgin Islands. ?
Dean of Howard University School of Law: Served from 1939, mentoring future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. ?
Civilian Aide to the Secretary of War: Resigned in 1943 to protest racial segregation in the military, an act that contributed to his Spingarn Medal recognition. ?New York Amsterdam News
First African American Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands: Appointed in 1946. ?Wikipedia
First African American Federal Appellate Judge: Appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in 1949. ?
Hastie’s legacy continues to inspire those dedicated to justice and equality.
On December 15, 1934, William Taylor Burwell Williams was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his exceptional contributions to education. Williams served as the Dean of the College Department at Tuskegee Institute and was a dedicated field agent for the Slater and Jeanes Funds as well as the General Education Board. His commitment to advancing educational opportunities for African Americans was further exemplified through his roles on U.S. Commissions on Education in Haiti and the Virgin Islands, and as a member of the U.S. War Department Committee on Education and Special Training. Williams also held the presidency of the National Association of Teachers in Colored Schools twice. His academic journey included studies at Hampton Institute, Phillips Academy, and Harvard University.
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