Dominique Dawes, three-time Olympian and trailblazing gymnast, is born in Silver Spring, Maryland. Nicknamed “Awesome Dawesome,” she would go on to make history as the first African American woman to win an individual Olympic medal in gymnastics and a member of the “Magnificent Seven” team that won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics—a first for the U.S. women’s team. Dawes also earned three Olympic bronze medals and claimed more national titles than any other American gymnast at the time, male or female. Her success helped pave the way for future generations of Black gymnasts.

President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 11063, prohibiting discrimination in the sale, leasing, or rental of properties owned or operated by the federal government or provided with federal funds. This landmark order was the first major federal action aimed at ending segregation in housing, targeting practices that disproportionately affected African Americans and other minorities. It laid essential groundwork for the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

Robert C. Weaver, an economist, government official, and civil rights advocate, was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his leadership in the movement for open housing. A pioneering figure, Weaver played a critical role in advocating for fair housing policies and combating racial segregation in urban planning.

He would later make history in 1966 as the first African American to serve in a U.S. Cabinet position, when President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

On November 20, 1939, Morgan State College officially became a public institution when the state of Maryland purchased it to provide more opportunities for African Americans in higher education. Now known as Morgan State University, it is a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) located in Baltimore, Maryland.

Originally founded in 1867 as the Centenary Biblical Institute, the school was renamed Morgan College in 1890 in honor of Reverend Lyttleton Morgan, the first chairman of its Board of Trustees. It became Morgan State College in 1939, and finally gained university status in 1975.

Today, Morgan State is Maryland’s designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state, continuing its legacy of academic excellence and empowerment.

On this day, Garrett T. Morgan, a Black American inventor and entrepreneur, was granted U.S. Patent No. 1,475,024 for his innovative three-position traffic signal. While not the first traffic light ever invented, Morgan’s design introduced a third “caution” signal — a crucial improvement over earlier two-light systems (Stop and Go). This middle position helped reduce accidents by warning drivers to slow down, and laid the foundation for the modern traffic light system used around the world today.

Morgan is also known for inventing a safety hood (gas mask) used by firefighters and rescuers, notably during the 1916 Lake Erie tunnel rescue.

On November 20, 1922, Louisiana Governor John M. Parker met with President Warren G. Harding to discuss escalating violence perpetrated by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in Louisiana. This meeting was part of Governor Parker’s broader efforts to seek federal assistance in addressing Klan-related crimes, including the disappearance and suspected murder of two men near Bastrop, Louisiana. Investigative journalist John T. Rogers documented these events, highlighting the severity of the Klan’s activities in the region. ?Wikipedia

During the early 1920s, the KKK experienced a resurgence across the United States, with significant activity in Southern states like Louisiana. The organization’s influence led to numerous acts of intimidation and violence, prompting state officials to seek federal intervention to restore law and order.

Mary Burnett Talbert, a prominent educator, activist, and former president of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), was awarded the Spingarn Medal, the highest honor of the NAACP, on this day.
She was recognized for her tireless service to Black women, her leadership in civil rights advocacy, and her pivotal role in the preservation of Frederick Douglass’s home in Washington, D.C.
Talbert was one of the most influential African American women of the early 20th century, using her voice to fight racism, lynching, and injustice both in the U.S. and abroad.

African Americans in South Carolina held a Colored People’s Convention at Zion Presbyterian Church in Charleston to demand equal rights, universal suffrage, and the repeal of the Black Codes. The convention brought together formerly enslaved people and free Black leaders determined to shape a new future in the aftermath of the Civil War. Their resolutions called for access to education, fair labor rights, and full participation in civil society.

Ten members of the First Congregational Society of Washington, D.C. gathered for a missionary meeting and resolved to establish a seminary to train African American preachers. By early 1867, their vision expanded to include a liberal arts college and university. The institution was named Howard University in honor of Major General Oliver O. Howard, a Civil War hero and Commissioner of the Freedmen’s Bureau, which was created to assist newly freed African Americans after the Civil War. Today, Howard University stands as one of the most prestigious historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States.

Jennifer Josephine Hosten of Grenada made history by becoming the first Black woman and the first Caribbean woman to win the Miss World title. She was crowned Miss World 1970 at the competition held in London.

Her victory sparked controversy and headlines around the world, especially amid political tensions and protests surrounding the event, but it also marked a major milestone in representation and global beauty standards.

By this date in 1922, at least 51 African Americans had been reported lynched across the United States during that year alone. These acts of racial terrorism were used to enforce white supremacy and instill fear in Black communities, particularly in the South. The brutality of these extrajudicial killings galvanized anti-lynching activism, including the efforts of leaders like Ida B. Wells and organizations such as the NAACP, which continued to push for federal anti-lynching legislation.