Executive Order 9981, to end segregation in US Armed Forces is signed by President Harry Truman

First Black American woman aviator, Bessie Coleman was born, 1893

Anita Baker, the celebrated American singer-songwriter renowned for her soulful ballads and powerful contralto voice, was born on January 26, 1958, in Toledo, Ohio. She grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where she was influenced by jazz vocalists such as Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, and Ella Fitzgerald. Baker began her musical journey singing in church choirs and performing with local bands. In 1975, she joined the funk band Chapter 8, and later embarked on a solo career, releasing her debut album, The Songstress, in 1983. She gained widespread acclaim with her 1986 album Rapture, which included the Grammy-winning single “Sweet Love.” Throughout her illustrious career, Baker has earned eight Grammy Awards and has four platinum albums to her credit.