On this day, Maurice Ashley made history by becoming the first Black International Grandmaster in chess. Born in Jamaica and raised in Brooklyn, Ashley fell in love with the game at age 14 after reading about Paul Morphy, a 19th-century American chess legend. As a student at Brooklyn Technical High School, Ashley honed his skills in local parks and clubs. His achievement shattered barriers in the chess world and inspired a new generation of players from underrepresented communities.
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