The second day of the first-ever Kwanzaa celebration honored Kujichagulia, meaning “self-determination” in Swahili. Kwanzaa, created by Dr. Maulana Karenga, is a week-long celebration of African-American culture and heritage. Kujichagulia encourages individuals to define, name, create for, and speak for themselves—key principles in the pursuit of cultural identity and empowerment.

In a decisive ruling, Judge Devane declared that “every segregation act of every state or city is as dead as a doornail,” reinforcing the legal end of segregation on public transportation in Tallahassee, Florida.

On this day, Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his outstanding conduct both on and off the baseball field. Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947, becoming the first African American to play in the major leagues in the modern era. His courage, dignity, and activism made him a symbol of progress in the civil rights movement.

On this day in 1941, Dr. Charles Richard Drew, a trailblazing African American physician and researcher, established a pioneering blood bank in New York City. Known as the “father of blood banking,” Dr. Drew revolutionized methods for storing and transfusing blood plasma, saving countless lives during World War II and beyond. His work laid the foundation for modern blood donation systems worldwide.

John Amos was born in Newark, New Jersey. He gained prominence in the 1970s for his role in Good Times, where he portrayed a strong Black father figure during a time when such representations were rare on television. Amos has had a distinguished career in film, television, and theater, including memorable roles in Roots, Coming to America, and The West Wing. His work has contributed significantly to the portrayal of Black family life and history in American media.

With the support of his wife, Work went on to publish The Negro Year Book, an annual encyclopedia of African American achievement. In 1928, he published A Bibliography of the Negro in Africa and America, compiling over 17,000 entries—an invaluable resource in the study of Black history.

Livingstone College and Biddle College (now Johnson C. Smith University) played the first recorded football game between African American colleges. The historic match took place in Salisbury, North Carolina, marking a foundational moment in Black collegiate athletics.

William A. Harper, one of the most gifted African American artists of the early 20th century, was born in Ontario, Canada. A student of renowned artist Henry O. Tanner at the Art Institute of Chicago, Harper gained recognition for his Impressionist landscapes and was among the first Black artists to exhibit internationally.