Kwanzaa, a week-long cultural holiday celebrating African-American heritage, unity, and culture, was first observed on this date. It was founded by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies, in response to the Watts riots in Los Angeles as a way to reconnect African Americans with their cultural roots. The celebration spans seven days, each dedicated to one of the Nguzo Saba, or Seven Principles.

Following the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, African Americans in Birmingham, Alabama, launched a campaign of mass resistance against segregated bus seating. This grassroots movement marked a bold stand against Jim Crow laws and laid the groundwork for more organized civil rights actions in the city, which would become a major battleground in the struggle for racial justice.

Lonne Elder III was an influential American actor, playwright, and screenwriter, renowned for his contributions to African-American theater and film. His acclaimed play, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, debuted in 1969 and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, offering a poignant portrayal of a Harlem family navigating societal challenges. In 1972, Elder adapted William H. Armstrong’s novel Sounder into a screenplay, earning him an Academy Award nomination and marking him as one of the first African Americans recognized in the writing category. Additionally, he wrote the screenplay for the 1978 television miniseries A Woman Called Moses, which depicted the life of Harriet Tubman and starred Cicely Tyson. Elder’s work significantly influenced the representation of African-American experiences in the arts.

DeFord Bailey, an influential African American harmonica player, was among the Grand Ole Opry’s earliest and most celebrated performers. His first documented appearance on WSM radio’s Barn Dance, the precursor to the Grand Ole Opry, was on June 19, 1926. On December 10, 1927, during a broadcast following a classical music program, WSM station manager George D. Hay introduced Bailey, who performed his signature “Pan American Blues.” It was during this broadcast that Hay famously remarked, “For the past hour, we have been listening to music largely from Grand Opera, but from now on, we will present ‘The Grand Ole Opry.'” This moment marked the inception of the show’s enduring name, with Bailey’s performance playing a pivotal role. ?Wikipedia

Bailey’s innovative harmonica techniques and captivating performances earned him the moniker “Harmonica Wizard.” He remained a prominent figure on the Grand Ole Opry until 1941, sharing the stage with notable artists such as Uncle Dave Macon, Bill Monroe, and Roy Acuff. His contributions were instrumental in shaping the early sound of the Opry and in breaking racial barriers within the country music scene.

In Sydney, Australia, Jack Johnson defeated Tommy Burns to win the world heavyweight championship, becoming the first Black man to hold the title. Burns later admitted, “Race prejudice was rampant in my mind. The idea of a black man challenging me was beyond enduring. Hatred made me tense.” Johnson’s victory challenged racial barriers and ignited both pride and controversy around the world.

By the end of 1908, records from anti-lynching activists and institutions like the Tuskegee Institute documented that 89 Black individuals were victims of lynching in the United States that year. These extrajudicial killings were part of a widespread pattern of racial terror and violence aimed at maintaining white supremacy during the Jim Crow era. The reports helped fuel early civil rights activism, including the efforts of Ida B. Wells and others who campaigned for federal anti-lynching legislation.

Jean Toomer, a pioneering African-American writer and the grandson of P.B.S. Pinchback—the first African-American governor of a U.S. state—was born on this day. He is best known for his 1923 book Cane, a modernist masterpiece blending poetry and prose to explore African-American life in the rural South and urban North.

David Ruggles, often considered the first African American bookseller, died in Northampton, Massachusetts. He opened his bookstore in 1834 in New York City, focusing on abolitionist and anti-slavery literature. Ruggles was a fierce abolitionist, a writer, and a key “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, helping hundreds of enslaved people escape to freedom—including a young Frederick Douglass.

William and Ellen Craft escaped from slavery in Georgia in a daring journey. Ellen, who was light-skinned, disguised herself as a white male slaveholder, while William posed as her enslaved servant. Their bold plan allowed them to travel openly by train and steamboat to the North, making theirs one of the most remarkable escapes in American history.