1922 - Jazz Musician Charles Mingus Born
Charles Mingus Jr. Bio Civil Rights Activist, Pianist, Guitarist, Songwriter (1922–1979) Quick Facts Name : Charles Mingus Occupation : Civil... Continue →
1965 - Malcolm X delivers speech at the London School of Economics
On this date in 1965, Malcolm X delivers speech at the London School of Economics, to a meeting sponsored by the school's Africa Society.
1965 - Malcolm X delivers last speech at Ford Auditorium, after his home in New York was firebombed.
On this date in 1965, Malcolm X delivers last speech at Ford Auditorium, after his home in New York was firebombed.
1926 - Trumpeter Miles Davis is born on this date.
Miles Davis, American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer was born on this date. Miles Davis was, together with his musical... Continue →
1944 - Singer Gladys Knight was born on this date.
Singer, songwriter, businesswoman, humanitarian and author Gladys Knight , "The Empress of Soul" was born in Atlanta, Georgia on this date.
1976 - Kenneth Gibson becomes Mayor of Newark
Kenneth Gibson, Mayor of Newark, became the first African American president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
1925 - Activist Medgar Evers born
Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers born in Decatur, Mississippi.
1908 - Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, born on this date.
The first African American Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, born in Baltimore.
1776 - Declaration of Independence adopted
Declaration of Independence adopted. A section denouncing the slave trade was deleted.
1868 - Francis L. Cardozo
Francis L. Cardozo installed as secretary of the state of South Carolina and became the first Black cabinet officer on the state level.
1915 - Mifflin Wistar Gibbs, dies.
Mifflin Wistar Gibbs, dies. He worked in the Underground Railroad and with Frederick Douglass. He was also a clothing retailer, the publisher of the... Continue →
1972 - Shirley Chisholm
Shirley Chisholm became the first African American Presidential nominee, with 151 votes from the delegates polled.
1822 - Philadelphia opens its Public schools for Blacks.
Philadelphia opens its Public schools for Blacks.
1822 - Violette A. Johnson was born on this date.
Violette A. Johnson, first African American woman to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, born
1972 - The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, admitted to by US government
The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, where Blacks were used in experiments with syphilis, admitted to by US government officials, 1972
1926 - Spingarn Medal: Carter G. Woodson
Spingarn Medal awarded to Carter G. Woodson for "ten years devoted service in collecting and publishing the records of the Negro in America."
1868 - The 14th Amendment, making Blacks citizens was passed.
The 14th Amendment, making blacks citizens was passed, 1868
1918 - Congress asked to make lynching a federal crime
The National Liberty Congress of Colored Americans asked Congress to make lynching a federal crime.
1960 - Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam
Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam, called for creation of a Black state in America at a New York meeting.
1897 - Henry Rucker appointed collector of Internal Revenue for Georgia
Henry Rucker appointed collector of Internal Revenue for Georgia, 1897
1965 - President Signs Voting Rights Bill
President Lyndon Johnson signs the Voting Rights Bill which authorized the suspension of literacy tests and the sending of federal examiners into... Continue →
1970 - Courthouse shoot-out
Four persons, including the presiding judge, killed in courthouse shoot-out in San Rafael, Marin County, California. Police charged that activist... Continue →
1981 - PUSH Boycott
The Coca-Cola Bottling Company agreed to pump $34 million into Black businesses and the Black community, ending a national boycott called by PUSH.
1965 - Thurgood Marshall
U.S. Senate confirmed nomination of Thurgood Marshal as U.S. solicitor general.
1953 - President Eisenhower established Government Contract Compliance Committee
President Eisenhower established Government Contract Compliance Committee to supervise anti-discrimination regulations in government contracts.
1938 - Congresswoman Maxine Waters born on this date.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters was born this day. Congresswoman Waters is a Democrat from California.
1863 - President Lincoln signed Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln signed Emancipation Proclamation which freed slaves in rebel states with exception of thirteen parishes (including New Orleans) in... Continue →
1989 - Desmond Tutu Defies Apartheid Law
Defying apartheid laws, Bishop Desmond Tutu walks alone on a South African beach, 1989
1989 - Huey P. Newton killed
Black Panther Party Co-founder Huey P. Newton was gunned down by a member of the Black Guerilla Family drug ring.
1900 - National Negro Business League organized in Boston
National Negro Business League organized at Boston meeting. Booker T. Washington was elected president. (8/23-24).
1854 - John V. DeGrasse admitted to Massachusetts Medical Society.
John V. DeGrasse, prominent physician, admitted to Massachusetts Medical Society.
1886 - American National Baptist Convention
The first meeting of the American National Baptist Convention was held in St. Louis, Missouri.
1963 - W.E.B. Du Bois died
W.E.B. Du Bois, scholar, protest leader and a founder of the NAACP, died in Accra, Ghana. W.E.B. DuBois was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts... Continue →
1963 - March on Washington
More than 250,000 persons participated in March on Washington demonstration, the largest single demonstration in US History at the time, begins, 1963
1983 - Lt. Col. Guion S. Bluford Jr. The first Black US astronaut enters space.
Lt. Col. Guion S. Bluford Jr. The first Black US astronaut enters space.
1954 - The start of Integration for MD public schools, and Washington DC public school.
The start of Integration for MD public schools, and Washington DC public school, 1954
1921 - US Cabinet member, Constance Baker Motley was born on this date.
US Cabinet member, Constance Baker Motley was born, 1921
1971 - Inmates seized Attica State Correctional Facility
Inmates seized Attica State Correctional Facility (N.Y.) and held several guards hostage. They issued a list of demands which included coverage by... Continue →
1787 - U.S. Constitution approved with three clauses protecting slavery
On this date in 1787, U.S. Constitution approved at Philadelphia convention with three clauses protecting slavery.
1965 - Executive Order 11246 issued on this date.
Executive Order 11246 enforces affirmative action for the first time Issued by President Johnson, the executive order requires government contractors... Continue →
1974 - Barbara W Hancock becomes the first Black woman named a White House fellow.
Barbara W Hancock becomes the first Black woman named a White House fellow, 1974
1954 - School Integration Begins
School integration began in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Md., public schools.
1966 - Black Panther party founded in Oakland, California.
Black Panther party founded in Oakland, California by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale.
1967 - Thurgood Marshall is sworn in, and becomes the first Black Supreme Court.
Thurgood Marshall is sworn in, and becomes the first Black Supreme Court Justice.
1932 - Congresswoman, Yvonne Burke, born on this date.
Congresswoman, Yvonne Burke, born, 1932.
1969 - Police officers and Blacks exchanged sniper fire
Police officers and Blacks exchanged sniper fire on Chicago's West Side. One youth was killed and nine policemen were injured.
1991 - Latasha Harlins killed on this date.
ON this date in 1991, Korean store owner shoots and kills teenager Latasha Harlins in the back of the head. Despite widespread protests, the store... Continue →
1964 - Martin Luther King Jr. wins Nobel Peace Prize on this date.
On this day, Martin Luther King Jr became the youngest man ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
1991 - Judge Clarence Thomas is confirmed to U.S. Supreme Court.
Judge Clarence Thomas is confirmed as the 106th associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, its second African American.
1995 - Million Man March
Nation of Islam's Minister Louis Farrakhan called over one million black men together in Washington DC for "A Day of Atonement and Reconciliation".... Continue →
1960 - Martin Luther King Jr arrested in Atlanta.
Martin Luther King Jr. arrested in Atlanta sit-in and ordered to serve four months in the Georgia State Prison for violating a probated traffic... Continue →
1942 - Sixty leading Southern Blacks issue "Durham Manifesto" on this date.
Sixty leading Southern Blacks issued "Durham Manifesto" calling for fundamental changes in race relations after a Durham, North Carolina, meeting.
1936 - Bobby Seale, Black Panther Co-Founder, born on this date.
Birthday of Bobby Seale in Dallas, TX, co-founder and former chairman of the Black Panther Party.
1947 - NAACP petition on racism presented to United Nations.
NAACP petition on racism, "An Appeal to the World," presented to United Nations at Lake Success.
1914 - Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated, founded.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, founded at Howard University.
1983 - President Ronald Reagan signs law designating the third Monday in January Martin
President Ronald Reagan signs law designating the third Monday in January Martin Luther King Jr Day, in 1983
1992 - Carol Mosely Braun elected to US Senate
Carol Mosely Braun, a Democrat from Illinois, becomes the 1st African American woman elected to the United States Senate.
1974 - Shirley Chisholm elected to Congress
Shirley Chisholm, a New York Democrat, is the 1st African American woman elected to Congress.
1973 - Thomas Bradley was elected mayor of Los Angeles
Thomas Bradley was elected mayor of Los Angeles at a time when Blacks represented only 15 percent of the Los Angeles electorate, becoming one of the... Continue →
1989 - David Dinkins was elected first Black mayor of New York City
David Dinkins was elected first Black mayor of New York City, 1989
1972 - Andrew Young elected to Congress
On this date in 1972, Barbara Jordan of Houston and Andrew Young of Atlanta, become the first African Americans from the south elected to Congress... Continue →
1930 - Elijah Muhammad founds the Nation of Islam in Detroit.
Elijah Muhammad founds the Nation of Islam in Detroit, 1930
1980 - 1000 people from twenty five states form the National Black Independent Party.
1000 people from twenty five states gather in Philadelphia and form the National Black Independent Party, 1980
1865 - Black Codes enacted
Mississippi passed the so-called "Black Codes" that barred blacks from jury service, testifying against whites in trials, bearing arms, and attending... Continue →
1908 - Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., politician and civil rights activist was born
Congressman Clayton Powell, Jr., politician and civil rights activist was born in New Haven, Connecticut.
1955 - Rosa Parks refuses to change seat.
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to change seats on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus. On December 5, blacks began a boycott of the bus system, which... Continue →
1862 - Compensation For States
President Lincoln, in message to Congress, recommended the use of federal bonds to provide compensation for states that abolished slavery before 1900.
1969 - Black Panther Leaders Killed
Two Black Panther leaders Fred Hampton and Mark Clark - killed in Chicago police raid. Civil rights leaders said the two men were murdered in their... Continue →
1915 - The Great Migration
The Great Migration began. Approximately two million Southern Blacks moved to Northern industrial centers in the following decades. Between the turn... Continue →
1849 - Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in Maryland.
Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in Maryland. She returned to the South nineteen times and brought out more than three hundred slaves.
1936 - Gibbs v. Board of Education
Gibbs v Board of Education in Montgomery County, Md., was the first of a succession of suits that eliminated wage differentials between Black and... Continue →
1950 - Dr.Ralph J.Bunche is the first African American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
Dr.Ralph J.Bunche is the first African American African American person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
1995 - Willie Brown defeats incumbent mayor Frank Jordan to become 1st African American
Willie Brown defeats incumbent Mayor Frank Jordan to become 1st African American Mayor of San Francisco
1988 - African-American term is coined
Jesse Jackson urges the use of the term "African-American"
1992 - First Black Secretary of Agriculture
The position of Secretary of Agriculture was awarded to Alphonso Michael "Mike" Espy, making him the first Black to hold this position.
1875 - Charles Caldwell "Not Guilty"
Charles Caldwell was the first Black in the state of Mississippi to be accused of the murder of a white man and found "not guilty" by an all-white... Continue →
1907 - Robert Weaver was born on this date
Robert Weaver, born on this day, became the first Black appointed to a presidential cabinet when President Lyndon B. Johnson named him to head the... Continue →
1860 - Black Code instituted in Arkansas
On this date in 1860, a law went into effect in Arkansas which prohibited the employment of free blacks on boats and ships navigating the rivers of... Continue →
1991 - Sharon Pratt Dixon sworn in as Mayor of DC
Sharon Pratt Dixon was sworn in as mayor of the District of Columbia. Dixon succeeded Marion Barry who was convicted of cocaine possession in the... Continue →
1985 - Congressman William H. Gray is elected chairman
Congressman William H. Gray is elected chairman of the House Budget Committee, the highest congressional post held by an African American.
1777 - Prince Hall petitions Massachusetts legislature
Prince Hall, founder of the first African American Masonic lodge petitioned the Massachusetts legislature for fund to return to Africa. The plan is... Continue →
1867 - The Peabody Fund is established
The Peabody Fund is established to provide monies for construction, endowments, scholarships, teacher, and industrial education for newly freed... Continue →
1986 - Howard Beach Incident
White teens in Howard Beach chased Michael Griffith, an African-American youth, onto a freeway where he was hit by a motorist. Griffith died from his... Continue →
1989 - Oldest Integration Law Suit Settled
The oldest integration law suit in the US was settled in 1989 when the St. Helena Parish schools were officially integrated. The suit was originally... Continue →
1957 - Southern Christian Leadership Conference founded
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference was founded in New Orleans, Louisiana by five ministers including Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph... Continue →
1865 - Confederacy ponders to enlist black troops
Robert E. Lee, with his armies at low tide, recommended the employment of blacks in the Confederate forces because it was "not only expedient but... Continue →
1990 - Lawrence Douglas Wilder assumes title as governor
In Richmond, Virginia former Lt. Governor Lawrence Douglas Wilder took office as the first popularly elected African American governor of an American... Continue →
1929 - Martin Luther King Jr. Born
Martin Luther King Jr. born in Atlanta. He was first given the name of Michael Luther King Jr. The name was formally changed to Martin at a later... Continue →
1969 - UCLA names building after Ralph Bunche
UCLA renames its social science buildings to honor alumnus Ralph Bunche.
2001 - First Black Secretary of State: Colin L. Powell
Colin Luther Powell is sworn in by President George W. Bush as Secretary of State. He is the first black secretary of state in U.S. history.
1999 - 1st Black to argue impeachment
Cheryl Mills, White House Deputy Counsel, becomes the first Black to argue a case before a U.S. Senate impeachment hearing in the case of Pres.... Continue →
1971 - Twelve Black congressman boycotted Richard Nixon's
Twelve Black congressman boycotted Richard Nixon's State of the Union message because of his "consistent refusal" to respond to the petitions of... Continue →
1981 - Samuel Pierce is named Secretary of HUD
Samuel Pierce is named Secretary of HUD in the Reagan Administration.
1964 - 24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment to the US Constitution is ratified. It abolishes poll tax, which was used as a means of preventing african americans from voting
1972 - Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm begins her campaign
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm begins her campaign for President of the U.S.
1948 - Executive Order 9981, to end segregation in US Armed Forces is signed
Executive Order 9981, to end segregation in US Armed Forces is signed by President Harry Truman
1990 - Ida Wells Postage Stamp Issued
Ida Wells, a black reformer who compiled records on lynching, is the subject of a United States Postal Service stamp.
1996 - J.C. Watts becomes the first Black selected to respond to a state of the union
J.C. Watts becomes the first Black selected to respond to a state of the union address.
1990 - Barack Obama becomes president of Harvard Law Review
Columbia University graduate and Harvard University law student Barack Obama became the first African American named president of the Harvard Law... Continue →
1961 - Jail-in movement started in Rock Hill, S.C.
Jail-in movement started in Rock Hill, S.C., when students refused to pay fines and requested jail sentences. Students Nonviolent Coordinating... Continue →
1926 - Negro History week originated by Carter G.Woodson is observed for the first time
Carter G. Woodson creates Negro History week originated by Carter G.Woodson is observed for the first time in 1926.In 1976 it became Black History... Continue →
1967 - The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect.
1967-The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect. That amendment provided that in the case of a vice president's become president,... Continue →
1990 - Nelson Mandela is released
Nelson Mandela's greatest pleasure, his most private moment, is watching the sun set with the music of Handel or Tchaikovsky playing. Locked up in... Continue →
1936 - National Negro Congress organized at Chicago
National Negro Congress organized at Chicago meeting attended by 817 delegates representing more than 500 organizations. Asa Phillip Randolph of the... Continue →
1997 - Virginia retires state song
Virginia House of Delegates votes unanimously to retire the state song, "Carry me back to old Virginia", a tune which glorifies slavery.
1979 - Frank E. Peterson Jr. named the first Black general in the Marine Corps.
Frank E. Peterson Jr. named the first Black general in the Marine Corps.
1991 - First African American woman to die in combat in the Persian Gulf War
Adrienne Mitchell, first African American woman to die in combat in the Persian Gulf War is killed in her military barracks in Dharan, Saudi Arabia
1964 - Cassius Clay Becomes Muhammad Ali
On this day, the Kentucky boxer known to all as Cassius Clay, changed his name to Muhammad Ali as he accepted Islam and rejected Christianity. "I... Continue →
1869 - Fifteenth Amendment guaranteeing the right to vote
Fifteenth Amendment guaranteeing the right to vote sent to the states for ratification.
1960 - Alabama State Board of Education expelled nine
Alabama State Board of Education expelled nine Alabama State students for participating in sit-in demonstrations.
1968 - Poor People's Campaign
Martin Luther King, Jr. announced plans for Poor People's Campaign in Washington. He said he would lead a massive civil disobedience campaign in the... Continue →
1985 - Mary McLeod Bethune commemorative stamp
The Mary McLeod Bethune commemorative stamp is issued by the U.S. Postal Service as the eighth stamp in its Black Heritage USA series.
1857 - The Dred Scott decision.
On March 6, 1857, the Dred Scott decision of the Supreme Court denied Blacks U.S. citizenship and denied the power of Congress to restrict slavery in... Continue →
1942 - First cadets graduated from Tuskegee flying school
First cadets graduated from flying school at Tuskegee.
1911 - Protest Against Black Firemen
White firemen of the Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railroad struck to protest the hiring of Black firemen.
1972 - First Black Political Convention
Through the 12th - three thousand delegates and five thousand observers attended the first Black political convention in Gary, Indiana. The NAACP and... Continue →
1956 - Segregation Denounced in public schools
Through 12th Manifesto denouncing Supreme Court ruling on segregation in public schools issued by one hundred Southern senators and representatives.
1825 - Alexander Thomas Augusta
Alexander Thomas Augusta, first African American faculty member of an American medical school, Howard University, is born free
1964 - Malcolm X resigned from the Nation of Islam
Malcolm X resigned from the Nation of Islam.
1957 - John Lee, becomes first black commissioned officer
John Lee, first black commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy is assigned to duty. Dec 1944-Jan 1945 The U.S. Army integrated black volunteers with... Continue →
1933 - NAACP began a coordinated attack on segregation
NAACP began a coordinated attack on segregation and discrimination, filing a suit against the University of North Carolina on behalf of Thomas... Continue →
George Monroe 1834-1886, Stagecoach Driver
George Monroe was on of 2 Black men who carried mail on the famous Pony express. Monroe had the honor of driving Presidents Grant and Hayes along the... Continue →
1968 - Students Seize college building
Howard University students seized administration building. Students were demanding campus reform and Black-oriented curriculum. Civil rights... Continue →
1619 - First African child born in colonies
Birthday of William Tucker, the first African child born in the colonies. Tucker was baptized in Jamestown, Virginia. There are unconfirmed reports... Continue →
1852 - Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin, a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, published in Boston.
1965 - Selma March begins
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. leads thousands of people on a 54 mile march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama to call for voting rights for... Continue →
1965 - Selma March completed
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. along with other notable civil rights leaders and thousands of supporters reach Montgomery Alabama after marching 4 days... Continue →
1870 - The 15th Amendment.
On March 30, 1870, the ratification of the 15th Amendment secured voting rights for all male U.S. citizens.
1987 - Engineer Lenell Geter falsely convicted
Engineer Lenell Geter convicted falsely in armed robbery charge. His conviction, which would draw national protest, was finally overturned after... Continue →
1968 - I've Been To The Mountaintop
In 1968, on this date, Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his final address at Bishop Charles J. Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee.
1968 - Martin Luther King Jr's Death
Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated by white sniper in Memphis, Tennessee. Assassination precipitated a national crisis and rioting in more than one... Continue →
1976 - COINTELPRO
FBI documents, released in response to a freedom of information suit, revealed that the government mounted an intensive campaign against civil rights... Continue →
1909 - Matthew Henson
Matthew Henson reached the North Pole. Traveling with the Admiral Peary Expedition, Henson, with his exceptional navigational skills managed to reach... Continue →
1940 - The first U.S. stamp ever to honor an African American is issued
The first U.S. stamp ever to honor an African American is issued bearing the likeness of Booker T. Washington.
1866 - Civil Rights Bill Passed
Civil Rights Bill passed over the president's veto. The bill conferred citizenship on Blacks and gave them "the same right, in every State and... Continue →
1990 - Idaho Recognizes MLK Holiday
Idaho became the 47th state to recognize Jan. 15 as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and as a national holiday.
1968 - Passing of Civil Rights Bill
U.S. Congress pass Civil Rights Bill banning racial discrimination in sale or rental of approximately 80 per cent of the nation's housing.
1868 - New Constitution Banned Segregation
Louisiana voters approved new constitution and elected state officers, including the first Black lieutenant governor, Oscar J. Dunn, and the first... Continue →
1960 - Loss of Teaching Jobs
National Education Association study revealed that Blacks had lost thirty thousand teaching jobs since 1954 in seventeen Southern and Border states... Continue →
1971 - Supreme Court Rules on Busing
U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that busing was a constitutionally acceptable method of integrating public schools.
1944 - The United Negro College Fund founded.
On April 24, 1950, the United Negro College Fund was founded.
1944 - A mind is a terrible thing to waste.
In 1943, Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, president of Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University), wrote an open letter in the Pittsburgh Courier to the... Continue →
1927 - Coretta Scott is born
Coretta Scott is born in Marion, Ala. She will marry Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1953 and be an integral part of his civil rights activities. After... Continue →
1975 - Gen. Daniel James Jr. promoted to four-star general.
Gen. Daniel ("Chappie") James Jr. promoted to rank of four-star general and named commander-in-chief of the North American Air Defense Command.
1875 - White Democrats attacked Republicans in Yazoo City, Mississippi.
On this date in 1875, White Democrats attacked Republicans at Yazoo City, Mississippi. One white and three Blacks were killed.
1867 - Robert T Freeman become first black person to graduate from Harvard Dental School
The first Black person to graduate from Harvard Dental School is Robert T Freeman on this date in 1867.
1975 - 1st Black Florida Supreme Court Justice sworn in on this date
Joseph W. Hatchett sworn in as first Black supreme court justice in the South (Florida) in the twentieth century.
1956 - Demonstrations Against School Integration
Tennessee National Guard sent to Clinton, Tennessee, to quell mobs demonstrating against school integration.
1945 - Blacks In Armed Services
A total of 1,154, 720 Blacks were inducted or drafted into the armed services. Official records listed 7,768 Black commissioned officers on August... Continue →
1864 - Black Troops capture entrenchments
William Tecumseh Sherman occupied Atlanta. In series of battles around Chaffin's Farm in suburb of Richmond, Black troops captured entrenchments at... Continue →
1970 - Representatives from 27 African nations meet for the first Congress of African People.
On this date in 1970, Representatives from 27 African nations, the Caribbean nations, four South American countries, Australia, and the U.S. meet in... Continue →
1918 - Five soldiers hanged
Five soldiers hanged for alleged participation in Houston riot of 1917.
1895 - Charles Hamilton Houston was born on this day.
NAACP leader, Charles Hamilton Houston was born on this day.
1891 - John Stephens Durham names minister of Haiti
John Stephens Durham, assistant editor of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, named minister to Haiti.
1891 - Cotton pickers organized union and strike on this date.
Cotton pickers organized union and staged strike for higher wages in Texas on this date in 1891.
1868 - Lower house of Georgia legislature rule blacks ineligible to hold office
On this date in 1868, the Lower house of Georgia legislature, ruling that Blacks were ineligible to hold office, expelled twenty-eight... Continue →
1865 - Freedman's Bureau ordered to stop seizing abandoned land
U.S. Army commander in South Carolina ordered Freedmen's Bureau to stop seizing abandoned land on this date in 1865.
1838 - Frederick Douglass Escapes slavery on this date.
On this date in 1838, Frederick Douglass, disguised as a sailor escapes from slavery
1783 - Richard Allen, founder of the AME Church, purchases his freedom.
On this date in 1783, Richard Allen, founder of the AME Church, purchases his freedom with his earnings as a self-employed teamster.
1957 - Black students are banned from a Little Rock high school, by Arkansas Governor
On this date in 1957, Black students are banned from a Little Rock high school, by Arkansas Governor Oval Faubus who calls out the National Guard.
1949 - Paul Robeson Concert Prevented by riot
On this date in 1949, a Riot prevented Paul Robeson concert at Peekskill, New York.
1875 - Clinton Massacre, Clinton, Mississippi
On this date in 1875, 20 to 30 blacks were killed during the Clinton Massacre in Clinton, Mississippi.
1865 - Bowie State College established in Bowie, MD
On this date in 1965, Bowie State College was established in Bowie, MD
1781 - Black Settlers among founders settlers who find Los Angeles, California.
On this date in 1781, Los Angeles, California, was founded by forty-four settlers of whom at least twenty-six were descendants of Africans.
1960 - Leopold Sedar Senghor elected President of Senegal.
On this date in 1960, Leopold Sedar Senghor, poet, politician, is elected President of Senegal.
1895 - George Washington Murray was elected to Congress
On this date in 1895, George Washington Murray was elected to Congress by South Carolina.
1846 - John W Cromwell was born on this date
On this date in 1846, Secretary of the American Negro Academy, John W Cromwell was born.
1804 - Absalom Jones ordained a priest on this date
On this date in 1804, Absalom Jones ordained a priest in the Protestant Episcopal Church.
1988 - Lee Roy Young becomes the first African American Texas Ranger
On this date in 1988, Lee Roy Young becomes the first African American Texas Ranger in the police force's 165 year history.
1967 - Walter E. Washington name "unofficial" mayor of Washington, D.C.
On this date in 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson named Walter E. Washington commissioner and "unofficial" mayor of Washington, D.C.
1930 - Leander Jay Shaw, Jr., was born on this date
On this date in 1930, Leander Jay Shaw, Jr., justice of the Florida State Supreme Court (1983), first African American chief justice (1990) in... Continue →
1905 - Atlanta Life Insurance Company established
On this date in 1905, Atlanta Life Insurance Company established by A.F. Herndon.
1865 - Thaddeus Stevens urges confiscation of estates of Confederate leaders
On this date in 1865, Thaddeus Stevens, powerful U.S. congressman, urged confiscation of estates of Confederate leaders and the distribution of land... Continue →
1848 - National Black Convention in Cleveland
On this date in 1848, the National Black Convention met in Cleveland with some seventy delegates. Frederick Douglass was elected president of the... Continue →
1865 - Thaddeus Stevens urged confiscation of estates of Confederate leaders
On this date in 1865, Thaddeus Stevens, a powerful U.S. congressman, urged confiscation of estates of Confederate leaders and the distribution of... Continue →
1848 - National Black Convention in Cleveland
On this date in 1848, the National Black Convention met in Cleveland with some seventy delegates. Frederick Douglass was elected president of the... Continue →
1826 - First Black of graduate college in America
On this date in 1826, John Brown Russwurm became the first Black to graduate college at Bowdoin College. This was 14 days before Edward Jones... Continue →
1781 - African American Jordan Freeman dies after killing Major William Montgomery
On this date in 1871, African American Jordan Freeman dies after killing Major William Montgomery in the Battle of Groton Heights
1800 - Zion AME Church dedicated in New York City
On this date in 1800, Zion AME Church dedicated in New York City.
1981 - NAACP Executive Director Roy Wilkins passes away
On this date in 1981, Roy Wilkins (80), longtime executive director of the NAACP, in New York passes away.
1925 - Doctor Ossian Sweet arrested
On this date in 1925, prominent Detroit Doctor Ossian Sweet, arrested on murder charges after shots were fired into a mob in front of the Sweet home... Continue →
1875 - Protection for Black Voters
On this date in 1875, Mississippi Governor Ames requested federal troops to protect Black voters. Attorney General Edward Pierrepont refused the... Continue →
1981 - Vernon E. Jordan resigns as president of the National Urban League.
On this date in 1981, Vernon E. Jordan resigned as president of the National Urban League and announced plans to join a Washington law firm. He was... Continue →
1962 - Two Churches Burned
On this date in 1962, Two churches burned near Sasser, Georgia. Black leaders asked the president to stop the "Nazi-like reign of terror in southwest... Continue →
1957 - Nashville School Destroyed By Blast
On this date in 1957, Nashville's new Hattie Cotton Elementary School with enrollment of 1 Black and 388 whites virtually destroyed by dynamite... Continue →
1957 - Integration Attempt Causes An Uproar
On this date in 1957, Rev. F.L. Shuttlesworth mobbed when he attempted to enroll his daughters in "white" Birmingham school.
1957 - The first civil rights bill to pass Congress since reconstruction was passed
On this date in 1957, the first civil rights bill to pass Congress since reconstruction was passed by President Eisenhower, 1957
1915 - Carter G Woodson, finds the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History.
On this date in 1915, the father of Black history, Carter G Woodson, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) . The... Continue →
1884 - John R Lynch Presides over Republican National Convention
On this date in 1884, John R Lynch Presides over Republican National Convention
1817 - Death of Captain Paul Cuffe
On this date in 1817, Captain Paul Cuffe (58), entrepreneur and activist, dies in Westport, Massachusetts.
1806 - Abolitionist, Sarah Mapps Douglass was born
On this date in 1806, Abolitionist Sarah Mapps Douglass was born
1739 - Slave rebellion, Stono, South Carolina
Early in the Morning on this date in 1739, a Slave rebellion in Stono, South Carolina, was led by a rebel named Jemmy. Early on the morning of... Continue →
1973 - A commemorative stamp is issued by the U.S. Postal Service to honor Henry Ossawa
On this day in 1973, a commemorative stamp was issued by the U.S. Postal Service to honor Henry Ossawa Tanner, the first African American artist... Continue →
1962 - James H. Meredith admitted to the University of Mississippi
On this date in 1962, Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black vacated an order of a lower court, ruling that the University of Mississippi had to admit... Continue →
1961 - Jomo Kenyatta returns to Kenya from exile to lead his country
On this date in 1961, Jomo Kenyatta returns to Kenya from exile to lead his country.
1930 - Charles E. Mitchell named minister to Liberia
on this date in 1930, Charles E. Mitchell, certified public accountant and banker from West Virginia, named minister to Liberia.
1913 - George W. Buckner named minister to Liberia
On this date in 1913, George W. Buckner, a physician from Indiana, named minister to Liberia.
1847 - John Roy Lynch was born.
On this date in 1847, John Roy Lynch, served in the 43rd, 44th, and 47th Congresses representing the State of Mississippi as a Republican, born. He... Continue →
1974 - Haile Selassie I is deposed from the Ethiopian throne.
On this date in 1974, Haile Selassie I is deposed from the Ethiopian throne.
1962 - Voters Wounded trying To Register
ON this date in 1962, Two youths involved in a voter registration drive in Mississippi were wounded by shotgun blasts fired through the window of a... Continue →
1953 - J.H. Jackson elected president of the National Baptist Convention.
On this date in 1953, J.H. Jackson, pastor of Olivet Baptist Church, Chicago, elected president of the National Baptist Convention at Miami meeting.
1923 - Charles Evers born
On this date in 1923, Charles Evers, brother of Medgar, Mayor of Fayette Miss. (elected 1969), was born
1885 - Moses A. Hopkins named minister of Liberia
On this date in 1885, Moses A. Hopkins, minister and educator, named minister to Liberia.
1851 - Blacks route a band of slave catchers
On this date in 1851, Blacks routed a band of slave catchers attempting on re-enslaving escaped slaves in Christiana, Pennsylvania. One white was... Continue →
1740 - An issue of the Pennsylvania Gazette reports on a Negro named Simon who reported
On this date in 1740, an issue of the Pennsylvania Gazette reports of a Negro named Simon who reportedly can "bleed and draw teeth." It is the first... Continue →
1986 - The National Council of Negro Women sponsors its first Black Family Reunion.
On this date in 1986, the National Council of Negro Women sponsors its first Black Family Reunion at the National Mall in Washington.
1974 - Eugene A. Marino, SSJ, is consecrated at the first African American auxiliary bishop
On this date in 1974, Eugene A. Marino, SSJ, is consecrated at the first African American auxiliary bishop in the U.S. He was assigned to Washington,... Continue →
1974 - Haile Selassie deposed by military leaders
On this date in 1974, Haile Selassie deposed by military leaders after fifty-eight years as the ruling monarch of Ethiopia.
1956 - Black Students enter Clay, KY, elementary school
On this date in 1956, Black students entered Clay, Ky., elementary school under National Guard protection. They were barred from the school on... Continue →
1972 - Johnny Ford and A.J.Cooper elected Mayors
On this date in 1972, Two Blacks, Johnny Ford of Tuskegee and A.J. Cooper of Prichard elected mayors in Alabama.
1971 - Troopers and Officers Killed in storming of Attica
On this date in 1971, Fifteen hundred troopers and officers stormed the Attica Prison. Thirty-two convicts and ten guards were killed. Investigation... Continue →
1962 - Federal State Crisis
On this date in 1962, Mississippi Governor Ross R. Barnett defied the federal government in impassioned speech on statewide radio-television hookup,... Continue →
1962 - Pres. Kennedy Supports Blacks
On this date in 1962, President Kennedy denounced the burning of churches in Georgia and supported voter registration drive in the South.
1867 - Gen. E.R.S. Canby orders court to impanel black jurors
On this date in 1867, Gen. E.R.S. Canby ordered South Carolina courts to impanel Blacks jurors.
1663 - First Slave Conspiracy
On this date in 1663, the First serious slave conspiracy in colonial America. Plot of white servants and slaves in Gloucester County, Va., was... Continue →
1940 - Blacks were allowed to enter all branches of the US Military Service
On this date in 1940, Blacks were allowed to enter all branches of the US Military Service, when President Franklin D Roosevelt signs Selective... Continue →
1874 - Rebellion Collapsed/People Killed in the Struggles
On this date in 1874, White Democrats seized statehouse in Louisiana coup d'etat. President Grant ordered the revolutionaries to disperse, and the... Continue →
1969 - Large-scale racial disorders reported in Hartford, Connecticut
On this date in 1969, Large-scale racial disorders were reported in Hartford, Connecticut. Five hundred were arrested and scores were injured.
1964 - First Black Elected Officials in Alabama in twentieth century.
On this date in 1964, Rev. K.L. Buford and Dr. Stanley Smith were elected to Tuskegee City Council and became first Black elected officials in... Continue →
1963 - Church Bombing in Birmingham
On this date in 1963, Four Black girls killed in bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham.
1923 - KKK activities effects Oklahoma
On this date in 1923, Governor said Oklahoma was in a "state of Virtual rebellion and insurrection" because of KKK activities. Martial Law was... Continue →
1898 - National Afro-American Council was founded
On this date in 1898, the National Afro-American Council was founded in Rochester, New York. Bishop Alexander Walters of the AME Zion Church was... Continue →
1876 - White terrorists attacked Republicans
On this date in 1876, White terrorists attacked Republicans in Ellenton, South Carolina. Two whites and thirty-nine Blacks were killed.
1830 - Philadelphia held the First National Negro Convention.
On this date in 1830, Philadelphia held the First National Negro Convention.
1791 - Early Sermon for Abolition
On this date in 1791, Jonathan Edwards Jr. (1745-1801) preached a strong anti-slavery sermon before "the Connecticut Society for the Promotion of... Continue →
1971 - Six Klansmen arrested in connection with bombing
On this date in 1971, Six Klansmen arrested in connection with the bombing of ten school buses in Pontiac, Michigan.
1928 - Storm of 28
ON this date in 1928, more than 3000 African Americans died when Lake Okeechobee flooded Western Palm Beach County, Florida, with a 10-15 foot tidal... Continue →
1848 - The French abolish slavery in all there territories.
On this dated in 1848, the French abolish slavery in all there territories.
1991 - Ground is broken for the Harold Washington wing of the DuSable Museum in Chicago
On this date in 1991, ground is broken for the Harold Washington wing of the DuSable Museum in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by artist and poet Margaret... Continue →
1983 - Vanessa Williams crowned Miss America
On this date in 1983, Vanessa Williams crowned Miss America. Vanessa Williams was the 1st African American Miss America to be crowned.
1973 - Illinois becomes the first state to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday
On this date in 1973,Illinois becomes the first state to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a holiday.
1962 - Fourth Black Church Burned
On this date in 1962, Fourth Black church burned near Dawson, Georgia. Three white men later admitted burning the church. They were sentenced to... Continue →
1861 - First day of school for freedmen
On this date in 1861, it was the First day of school for freedmen founded at Fortress Monroe, Va., with a Black teacher, Mary Peake.
1990 - Atlanta, Ga., is selected as the site of the XXV Olympiad Summer Games.
On this date in 1990, Atlanta, Ga., led by Mayor Maynard H. Jackson, is selected as the site of the XXV Olympiad Summer Games.
1980 - Cosmonaut Arnold Tamayo, becomes the first black sent on a mission in space
On this date in 1980, Cosmonaut Arnold Tamayo, a Cuban, becomes the first black sent on a mission in space. Arnold Tamayo, along with Soviet... Continue →
1948 - Ralph J. Bunche confirmed as acting UN mediator in Palestine
On this dated in 1948, Ralph J. Bunche confirmed by United Nations Security Council as acting UN mediator in Palestine.
1945 - White Students Support For Segregation
On this date in 1945, One thousand white students walked out of three, Gary, Ind. schools to protest integration. There were similar disturbances in... Continue →
1895 - Atlanta Exposition Address
On this date in 1895, Booker T. Washington delivers the Atlanta Exposition Address at a business convention. Due to his view points, many dubbed his... Continue →
1850 - As part of the Compromise of 1850, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Law
On this date in 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Law.
1981 - Protest Against Reagan Administration
On this date in 1981, more than 300,000 demonstrators from labor and civil rights organizations protested the social policies of the Reagan... Continue →
1956 - First International Conference
On this date in 1956, theFirst international conference of Black writes and artists met at the Sorbonne in Paris.
1881 - Booker T. Washington opens Tuskegee Institute in Alabama
On this date in 1881, Booker T. Washington opens Tuskegee Institute in Alabama
1868 - White Democrats attacked demonstrators
On this date in 1868, White Democrats attacked demonstrators, who were marching from Albany to Camilla, Ga., and killed nine Blacks. Several whites... Continue →
1962 - James H. Meredith Denied Admission to University
On this date in 1962, Governor Barnett personally denied James H. Meredith admission to the University of Mississippi.
1958 - Martin Luther King Jr. stabbed in chest
On this date in 1958, Martin Luther King Jr. stabbed in chest by a deranged Black woman while he was autographing books in a Harlem department store.... Continue →
1847 - William A. Leidesdorf elected to San Francisco town council
On this date in 1847, William A. Leidesdorf elected to San Francisco town council receiving the third highest vote. Leidesdorf, who was one of the... Continue →
1830 - First Negro Convention of Free Men agree to start there boycott
On this date in 1830, the First Negro Convention of Free Men agreed to start their boycott on slave-produced goods.
1830 - First National Black Convention Meets
On this date in 1830, the First National Black convention met at Philadelphia's Bethel AME church and elected Richard Allen president. Thirty-eight... Continue →
1664 - Anti-Amalgamation Law passed in Maryland
On this date in 1664, Maryland enacted first anti-amalgamation law to prevent widespread intermarriage of English women and Black men. Other colonies... Continue →
1989 - General Colin Powell named Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
On this date in 1989, General Colin Powell named Chairman of the joint Chiefs of Staff.
1966 - National Guard mobilized to stop rioting in Dayton, Ohio.
On this date in 1966, National Guard mobilized to stop rioting in Dayton, Ohio.
1961 - Sit-in movement effects twenty states
On this date in 1961, Southern Regional Council announced that Sit-in movement had effected twenty states and more than one hundred cities in... Continue →
1947 - Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter
On this date in 1947, Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter said he would excommunicate St. Louis Catholics who continued to protest integration of parochial... Continue →
1872 - 1st Black Student At Annapolis Naval Academy
On this date in 1872, John Henry Conyers of South Carolina became the first Black student at Annapolis Naval Academy. He later resigned.
1832 - Maria Stewart addresses the New England Anti-Slavery Society
On this date in 1832, Maria W. Stewart (1803-1879) addresses the New England Anti-Slavery Society meeting in Boston's Franklin Hall on the evils of... Continue →
1814 - Blacks fight in the battles of 1812
On this date in 1814, Blacks fight in the land and water battles of the War of 1812. A large number of Black sailors fought with Matthew Perry and... Continue →
1814 - Andrew Jackson issues Proclamation
On this date in 1814, Andrew Jackson issued Proclamation at Mobile, Ala., urging free Blacks "to rally around the standard of the eagle" in the War... Continue →
1961 - Interstate Commerce Commission issues regulations prohibiting segregation
On this date in 1961, Interstate Commerce Commission issued regulation prohibiting segregation on interstate buses and in terminal facilities.
1954 - Actress Shari Belafonte born
On this date in 1954, actress Shari Belafonte, daughter of singer Harry Belafonte, born in New York City.
1905 - Race Riot in Atlanta
On this date in 1905, a race riot in Atlanta occurred and ten Blacks and two whites killed. Martial law proclaimed.
1863 - Mary Church Terrell was born
On this dated in 1863, the First Black person to Serve on the DC board of education, Mary Church Terrell was born.
1862 - President Lincoln's Promise
On this date in 1862, President Lincoln, in preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, warned South that he would free slaves in all states in rebellion... Continue →
1961 - Thurgood Marshall named to U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
On this date in 1951, President Kennedy named Thurgood Marshall to U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
1986 - Japanese Prime Minister Insults Blacks
On this date in 1986, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone said the United States "intelligence levels are lower than those in Japan because of... Continue →
1977 - John T. Walker installed as the first Black bishop of the Episcopal diocese of Washington
On this date in 1977, John T. Walker installed as the first Black bishop of the Episcopal diocese of Washington.
1962 -University of Mississippi ordered to admit James Meredith's
On this date in 1962, U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Board of Higher Education of Mississippi to admit Meredith to the university or be held... Continue →
1957 - President Eisenhower ordered federal troops
On this date in 1957, President Eisenhower ordered federal troops to Little Rock, Ark., to prevent interference with school integration at Central... Continue →
1957 - Black Students Escorted To School
On this date in 1957, Soldiers of 101st Airborne Division escorted nine Black students to Central High school.
1931 - Cardiss Robertson Collins was born
On this dated in 1931, Representative Cardiss Robertson Collins, elected the U.S. House of Representatives was born
1883 - National Black convention met in Louisville, Kentucky
On this date in 1883, National Black convention met in Louisville, Kentucky.
1825 - Author Frances Watkins Harper was born
On this date in 1825, Author Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was born. In 1859, she became the first black woman to publish a short story. Her only... Continue →
1962 - Black Church Destroyed
ON thi sdate in 1962, A Black church was destroyed by fire in Macon, Georgia. This was the eighth church burned in Georgia since August 15.
1962 - Meredith again denied admission to University
On this date in 1962, Governor Barnett again defied court orders and personally denied Meredith admission to the University.
1861 - The Secretary of the Navy authorizes the enlistment of African Americans
On this date in 1861, The Secretary of the Navy authorizes the enlistment of African Americans in the Union Navy. The enlistees could achieve no rank... Continue →
1962 - Mississippi Barred Meredith For The Third Time
On this date in 1962, Mississippi barred Meredith for the third time. Lt. Gov. Paul Johnson and a blockade of state patrolmen turned back Meredith... Continue →
1962 - A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., becomes the first African American member of the FTC
On this date in 1962, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., becomes the first African American member of the Federal Trade Commission. He was also appointed a... Continue →
1957 - Riot Duty ordered
On this date in 1957, an order alerting regular army units for possible riot duty in other Southern cities canceled by Army Secretary Wilbur M.... Continue →
1966 - National Guard mobilized in SanFrancisco
On this date in 1966, the National Guard was mobilizing in San Francisco.
1950 - Ralph J. Bunche awarded Nobel Peace Prize.
On this date in 1950, Ralph J. Bunche, director of the UN Trusteeship division and former professor of political science at Howard University,... Continue →
1950 - Charles H. Houston
On this date in 1950, Charles H. Houston awarded the Spingarn Medal posthumously for his pioneering work in developing the NAACP legal campaign.
1940 - Black Leaders Protested Discrimination
On this date in 1940, Black leaders protested discrimination in the armed forces and war industries at a White House meeting with President Roosevelt.
1877 - John Mercer Langston named Minister of Haiti
On this date in 1877, John Mercer Langston named minister of Haiti.
1867 - Louisiana Voters Endorsed Constitutional convention.
On this date in 1867, Louisiana voters endorsed constitutional convention and elected delegates in first election under Reconstruction acts. The vote... Continue →
1862 - First Black Army Regiment receives official recognition
On this date in 1862, First Louisiana Native Guards, the first Black regiment to receive official recognition, mustered into army. Regiment was... Continue →
1827 - Senator Hiram Rhodes Revels was born.
On this date in 1827, Hiram R. Revels, first Black U.S. senator, was born free in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
1965 - Stan Bernard Interviews Malcom X at Barnard College
On February 18, 1965, Malcom X engages in a heated debate live on the air with Gordon Hall, who considered himself an expert on extremism. Malcolm X... Continue →
1965 - Malcolm X 's delivers "Not just an American problem, but a world problem,” address in the Corn Hill Methodist Church.
On this date in 1965, Malcolm X's "Not just an American problem, but a world problem,” address delivered in the Corn Hill Methodist Church in... Continue →
1965- Malcolm X delivers "There is a World Wide Revolution Going Speech."
On this dates in 1965, Malcolm X delivers "There is a World Wide Revolution Going Speech." Malcolm X - "You and I are living at a time when there... Continue →
1731 - Inventor Benajamin Banneker was born.
On this date in 1731, Almanac author, astronomer, surveyor, naturalist, farmer, and inventor of the first clock in America Benjamin Banneker was born... Continue →
1970 - Politician William Levi Dawson died.
On this date in 1970, politician William Levi Dawson, who represented Chicago, Illinois for more than 27 years in the United States House of... Continue →
1868 - Governor Powell Clayton declares martial law.
On this date in 1868, Arkansas Governor Powell Clayton declared martial law in ten counties and mobilized the state militia due to a Ku Klux Klan... Continue →
1961 - Andrew T. Hatcher named associate press secretary to President John F. Kennedy
ON this date in 1961, Andrew T. Hatcher named associate press secretary to President John F. Kennedy. Andrew was also a founder of 100 Black Men of... Continue →
1831 - Nat Turner Confesses
On this date in 1831 shortly after being captured, Nat Turner was interviewed in jail by Baltimore lawyer, Thomas R. Gray. Turner gave in detail the... Continue →
1962 - President Kennedy issues Executive Order 11063 barring racial descrimination
On this date in 1962, President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Order 11063, which mandates an end to discrimination in housing. Executive Order... Continue →
1962- Robert C. Weaver awarded Spingarn Medal
On this date in 1962, Economist and Government Official Robert C. Weaver,one of the least known of the civil rights pioneers, was awarded Spingarn... Continue →
1922-Louisiana Governor conferred with President on KKK.
On this date in 1922, 1922 Louisiana governor conferred with president on KKK violence in his state.
1922 - Mary B. Talbert awarded Spingarn Medal
On this date in 1922, Mary B. Talbert, former president of the National Association of Colored Women (NAACP), for service to Black women and for... Continue →
1865 - Colored Peoples Convention held in Zion Church
On this dated in 1865, blacks held acolored peoples convention in the Zion Church in Charleston and demanded equal rights and repeal of the Black... Continue →
1997 - Kofi Annan becomes first Black Secretary General of United Nations
On this date in 1997, Kofi Annan of Ghana becomes first black secretary of United Nations.
1808 - The African Benevolent Society for Education was founded.
On this date in 1808, the African Benevolent Society for Education was founded.
1808 - The importation of African slaves prohibited.
On this date in 1808, the federal law prohibiting the importation of African slaves went into effect.
1966 - Civil Rights Conference
On this date in 1966 approximately 2,400 persons attended White House Conference on Civil Rights.
1921 - Race riot in Tulsa, Oklahom
On this date in 1921 - a race riot occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A white mob started the Tulsa race riot, attacking residents and businesses of the... Continue →
1868 - Texas constitutional convention
On this date in 1868 a constitutional convention convened in Austin. The ninety delegates consisted of eighty whites and ten blacks.
1864 - Solomon George Washington Dill killed
On this date in 1864, Solomon George Washington Dill, poor white ally of Black Republicans was assassinated in his home by white terrorists. Dill had... Continue →
1864 - Florida General Assembly in Tallahassee
On this date in 1864, the Florida General Assembly (nineteen Blacks, fifty-seven whites) met in Tallahassee.
1967 - Race riot in Roxbury, Massachusetts
On this date in 1967 - A Race riot in the Roxbury section of Boston, Massachusetts. Roxbury was a predominantly Black section of the city, which was... Continue →
1943 - 99th Squadron flies first combat mission over Italy
On this day ion 1943, the Ninety-ninth Pursuit Squadron flew P-40 Warhawks over the Mediterranean Sea for their first combat mission, strafing enemy... Continue →
1899 - Black Americans observed day of fasting to protest lychings
ON this day in 1899, Black Americans observed day of fasting and prayer called by National Afro-American Council to protest lynching and racial... Continue →
1875 - Bishop James Augustine Healy born
On this day in 1875, James Augustine Healy, the first African American Roman Catholic Bishop, born in Macon, Georgia.
1854 - Fugitive Slave Anthony Burns returned to the South
On this day in 1854 - Fugitive slave Anthony Burns was returned to the South from Boston. In 1854, Burns took steps to find freedom. While working in... Continue →
1834 - Fifth national Black convention met in New York
On this date in 1834, the Fifth National Black convention met in New York with 50 delegates from eight states.
1854 - Fugitive slave Anthony Burns arrested in Boston
On this day in 1854, Anthony Burns, a fugitive slave, was arrested in Boston. His master refused an offer of $1200 made by Boston citizens for his... Continue →
1833 - Fourth National Black convention met
On this day in 1833, Fourth national Black convention met in Philadelphia with sixty-two delegates from eight states. Abraham D. Shadd of... Continue →
1922 - Samuel L. Gravely was born
On this day in 1922, Samuel L. Gravely was born. Samuel Gravely was appointed captain of the Navy Destroyer Escort, U.S.S. Falgout, the first African... Continue →
1832 - Third National Black convention met
On this day in 1832, the Third National Black convention met in Philadelphia with twenty-nine delegates from eight states. Henry Sipkins of New York... Continue →
1973 - Cardiss R. Collins elected to Congress
On this day in 1973, Cardiss R. Collins of Chicago was elected to Congress. She succeeded her late husband.
1969 - Race riot in Connecticut
On this date in 1969, there a Race riot occurred in Hartford, Connecticut.
1955 - Martin Luther King Jr. is awarded his doctorate
On this day in 1955, Martin Luther King Jr. is awarded his doctorate from Boston University.
1950 - The Supreme Court weakened segregation
ON this date in 1950, U.S. Supreme Court undermined the legal foundations of segregation in three landmark cases, Sweatt v. Painter, McLaurin v.... Continue →
1945 - Track star John Carlos born
On this day 1945, Olympic track and field star John Carlos born in New York City. John Carlos would become famous at the 1968 Olympic Summer Games... Continue →
1872 - Republican National Convention met in Philadelphia
On this day in 1872, the Republican National Convention met in Philadelphia with substantial Black representation from Southern States. For the first... Continue →
1783 - Oliver Cromwell receives honorable discharge and the Badge of Merit
On this day in 1783, Oliver Cromwell, soldier in the Revolutionary War, receives an honorable discharge and the Badge of Merit from George Washington... Continue →
1977 - Joseph Lawson Howze installed as bishop
On this day in 1977, Joseph Lawson Howze installed as bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi.
1966 - Marches for the right to vote
On this day in 1966, James Meredith wounded by white sniper as he walked along U.S. Highway 51 near Hernando, Mississippi, on second day of 220-mile... Continue →
1950 - Lt. Gen. Frank E. Petersen.
On this day in 1950, Frank Petersen enlisted in the Navy. At the age of 20, he was the first Afro-American to be named a naval aviator in the Marine... Continue →
1939 - Marian Wright Edelman was born on this day
On this day in 1939, Children's Advocate Marian Wright Edelman was born.
1863 - The Battle of Milken's Bend
On this day in 1863, at the Battle of Milken's Bend a Negro soldier takes his former master prisoner.
1831 - Second national Black convention met
On this day in 1831, the Second National Black convention met in Philadelphia. There were fifteen delegates from five states.
1790 - Jean Baptist Pointe Desable founds Chicago
On this day in 1790, Jean Baptist Pointe Desable, a French speaking Santo Domingo native, becomes the first permanent resident and thus founder of... Continue →
1968 - M.L.K. Assassin Captured
On this day in 1968, James Earl Ray, alleged assassin of Martin Luther King Jr., captured at London airport.
1953 - Martin Luther King Jr. Marries
On this day in 1953, King, Sr., performs the marriage ceremony of King, Jr., and Coretta Scott at the Scott home near Marion, Alabama.
1989 - Congressman John Conyers calls for Reparations study
On this day in 1989, Congressman John Conyers D-Michigan announced a call for a reparations study.
1964 - U.S. Senate imposed cloture for first time
On this day in 1964, the U.S. Senate imposed cloture for first time on a civil rights measure, ending Southern Filibuster by a vote of 71-29. Civil... Continue →
1941 - Death of Marcus Garvey
On this day in 1941, Marcus Garvey (52) died in London, England.
1899 - Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks founded
On this day in 1899, the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks founded in Cincinnati.
1967 - Race riot in Tampa Florida
On this day in 1967, there was a Race riot in Tampa, Florida. The National Guard was mobilized.
1963 - Vivian Malone and James Hood, register at the University of Alabama
On this day in 1963, Vivian Malone and James Hood, accompanied by U.S. Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach attempt to register at the... Continue →
1963 - Segregation is morally wrong said Kennedy
On this day in 1963, President Kennedy told nation in radio-TV address that segregation was morally wrong and that it was "time to act in the... Continue →
1967 - Virginia's inter-racial marriage deemed unconstitutional
On this day in 1967, U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Virginia law banning inter-racial marriage was unconstitutional.
1967 - Race riot in Cincinnati, Ohio
On this day in 1967, a Race riot occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio. Three hundred persons were arrested, and the National Guard was mobilized.
1963 - Demonstrations for housing, school and jobs
On this day in 1963, Civil rights groups demonstrated at Harlem construction sites to Protest discrimination in building trades unions.... Continue →
1886 - Ex-slave Amanda Eubanks left millions in will
IN this day in 1886, the Georgia State Supreme Court sustained the will of the late David Dickson, thus making Amanda Eubanks, the daughter of a... Continue →
1840 - The World's Anti-Slavery Convention
On this day in 1840, the World's Anti-Slavery Convention convenes in London, England.
1937 - Eleanor Holmes born
On this day in 1937, Eleanor Holmes (later Eleanor Norton) is born in Washington, DC. A graduate of the Yale University School of Law, Norton will... Continue →
1868 - Ex-slave Oscar J. Dunn becomes lieutenant governor of Louisiana.
On this day in 1868, Ex-slave Oscar J. Dunn becomes lieutenant governor of Louisiana. It is the highest executive office held by an African American... Continue →
1971 - Justice Department filed suit
On this day in 1971, Justice Department filed suit against the St. Louis suburb of Black Jack, charging the community with illegally using municipal... Continue →
1971 - Vernon E.Jordan Jr.
On this day in 1971, Vernon E. Jordan Jr., former executive director of the United Negro College Fund, appointed executive director of the National... Continue →
1864 - Congress helped Blacks in the military
On this day in 1864, Congress passed bill equalizing pay, arms, equipment and medical services of Black troops.
1970 - Kenneth A Gibson elected the first African American mayor of Newark.
On this day in 1970, Kenneth A Gibson elected the first African American mayor of Newark. In 1976, he will be elected the first African American... Continue →
1943 - Race riot, Beaumont, Texas
On this day in 1943, Race riot, Beaumont, Texas. Two killed.
1972 - Frank Wills and Watergate Conspiracy
On this date in 1972, Frank Wills, Washington security guard, foiled break-in at offices of Democratic National Committee in first event of the... Continue →
1897 - William Frank Powell named minister to Haiti
On this date in 1897, William Frank Powell, New Jersey educator, named minister to Haiti.
1871 - James Weldon Johnson, born
ON this date in 1871, Author, lyricist, poet and educator James Weldon Johnson, also the first Black executive of the NAACP, is born in Jacksonville,... Continue →
1862 - Congress authorized President Lincoln to accept blacks in Union Army.
On this date in 1862, Congress authorized President Lincoln to accept blacks in Union Army.
1775 - Blacks soldiers fought in battles
On this date in 1775, Blacks soldiers fought at Battle of Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. Among the heroes of the battle were Peter Salem and Salem... Continue →
1991 - Wellington Webb is elected mayor
ON this date in 1991, City Auditor Wellington Webb is elected mayor of Denver, Colo. He is the first African American to hold the post.
1966 - Samuel Nabrit
ON this date in 1966, Samuel Nabrit is the first African American to serve on the Atomic Energy Commission
1963 - Black students boycotted Public Schools
On this date in 1963, Three thousand Black students boycotted Boston public schools as protest against de facto segregation.
1953 - Egypt becomes republic
ON this date in 1953, Egypt becomes a republic after the forced abdication of King Farouk I.
1941 - President Roosevelt wanted demonstration ended
On this date in 1941, President Roosevelt conferred with A. Philip Randolph and other leaders of the March on Washington movement and urged them to... Continue →
1993 - Ronald H Brown was appointed head of the Department of Commerce
On this date in 1933, Former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Ronald H Brown was appointed head of the Department of Commerce by... Continue →
1961 - Whitney Young Jr. named executive director of the National Urban League
On this date in 1961, Whitney Young Jr. named executive director of the National Urban League.
1960 - Dahomey proclaimed independent
On this date in 1960, Dahomey proclaimed independent. Independence was also celebrated in Niger (August 3), Upper Volta (August 5), Ivory Coast... Continue →
1944 - Adam Clayton Powell elected congressman
On this date in 1944, Adam Clayton Powell elected first Black congressman from East.
1943 - Race riot in Harlem
On this date in 1943, a Race riot occurred in Harlem. (From 8/1 through 8/2).
1941 - Ronald H Brown was born
On this date in 1941, Former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Ronald H Brown was born.
1925 - The National Bar Association incorporated in Des Moines
On this date in 1925, The National Bar Association is the National Bar Association incorporated in Des Moines.
1920 - National Convention of Marcus Garvey's Universal Improvement Association
On this date in 1920, The National convention of Marcus Garvey's Universal Improvement Association opened in Liberty Hall in Harlem. The next night... Continue →
1962 - 12,000 federal soldiers restore order on the University of Mississippi campus.
On this date in 1962, Some twelve thousand federal soldiers restored order on the University of Mississippi campus. James H. Meredith, escorted by... Continue →
1962 - James Meredith starts school
ON this date in 1962, James Meredith starts school. He was the first Black student at University of Mississippi It took, 3000 federal troops quell... Continue →
1951 - Twenty-fourth Infantry Regiment,deactivated in Korea
On this date in 1951, The Twenty-fourth Infantry Regiment, last of all-Black units military units authorized by Congress in 1866, deactivated in... Continue →
1986 - The U.S. Senate overrides President Ronald Reagan's veto
ON this date in 1986, the U.S. Senate overrides President Ronald Reagan's veto of legislation imposing economic sanctions in South Africa.
1986 - Edward J. Perkins appointed Ambassador to South Africa
On this date in 1986, President Ronald Reagan appointed Edward J. Perkins ambassador to South Africa.
1935 - Robert H Lawrence (First Black astronaut), was born on this date
On this date in 1935, Robert H Lawrence (Named the first Black astronaut), was born on this date.
1949 - First Black radio station, WERD, begins operating in Atlanta
ON this date in 1949, the First Black radio station, WERD, begins operating in Atlanta, Georgia.
1935 - Ethiopia Invaded by Italy
On this date in 1935, Ethiopia, one of the only two independent African nations at the time, was invaded by Facist Italy under Benito Mussolini. The... Continue →
1904 - Mary McLeod Bethune opened School in Daytona Beach
ON this date in 1904, Mary McLeod Bethune opened Daytona Normal and Industrial School in Daytona Beach, Florida. In 1923 the school merged with... Continue →
1856 - Timothy ("T.") Thomas Fortune was born on this day.
On this date in 1856, Timothy ("T.") Thomas Fortune was born on this day.
1996 - Congress passed a bill authorizing the creation of 500,000 Black Revolutionary
On this date in 1996, Congress passed a bill authorizing the creation of 500,000 Black Revolutionary War Patriots Commemorative coins.
1988 - The Martin L. King, Jr. Federal Building is dedicated in Atlanta,Georgia.
On this date in 1988, the Martin L. King, Jr. Federal Building is dedicated in Atlanta, Ga. It is the first federal building in the nation to bear... Continue →
1982 - Rayford Logan, educator, historian, author, dies
ON this date in 1982, Rayford Logan, educator, historian, author, dies
1969 - Howard N. Lee and Charles Evers are elected the first African American mayors.
On this date in 1969, Howard N. Lee and Charles Evers are elected the first African American mayors of Chapel Hill, N.C. and Fayette, Miss.,... Continue →
1864 - The New Orleans Tribune founded
On this date in 1864, the New Orleans Tribune, the first black daily newspaper, was founded by Dr. Louis C. Roudanez. The newspaper, published in... Continue →
1864 - National Black convention met in Syracuse, New York.
On this date in 1864, National Black convention met in Syracuse, New York.
1966 - Independence Day - Kingdom of Lesotho
ON this date in 1966, The Kingdom of Lesotho declared its independence
1777 - African Americans Replaces Reluctant Whites
On this day in 1777, African Americans Replaced Reluctant Whites as, losses on the field of battle and rising White desertions reduced the... Continue →
1872 - educator, Booker T Washington, leaves Malden, West VA to enter Hampton Institute
On this date in 1872, Educator, Booker T Washington, leaves Malden, West VA to enter Hampton Institute.
1869 - First Reconstruction legislature met in Richmond, Virginia
On this date in 1869, the First Reconstruction legislature (27 Blacks, 150 whites) met in Richmond, Virginia.
1867 - Monroe Baker, named mayor of St. Martin, Louisiana.
On this date in 1867, Monroe Baker, a well-to-do Black businessman, named mayor of St. Martin, Louisiana, two years after the end of slavery. Monroe... Continue →
1971 - First Legal Interracial Marriage in North Carolina
On this date in 1971, John A. Wilkinson's marriage to Lorraine Mary Turner was the first legalized interracial marriage in North Carolina. Wilkinson... Continue →
1868 - Black state convention at Macon, Georgia.
ON this date in 1868, Black state convention at Macon, Georgia, protested expulsion of Black politicians from Georgia legislature.
1847 - National Black convention met in Troy, New York.
ON this date in 1847, National Black convention met in Troy, N.Y., with more than 60 delegates from nine states. Nathan Johnson of Massachusetts was... Continue →
1873 - Henry E Hayne, accepted to University of South Carolina
On this date in 1873, Henry E. Hayne, secretary of state, accepted as the first student of color at the University of South Carolina medical school.... Continue →
1821 - William Still, Chronicler of The Underground Railroad Records, was born.
ON this date in 1821, William Still, Chronicler of The Underground Railroad Records, was born.
1941 - Rev Jesse Jackson, born
On this date in 1941, Activist and 1988 candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, Rev Jesse Jackson, born in Greenville, Sounth Carolina.
1775 - Council of general officers decided to bar slaves
On this date in 1775, Council of general officers decided to bar slaves and free Blacks from Continental Army.
1984 - W Wilson Goode becomes the 1st African American mayor of Philadelphia
On this date in 1984, W Wilson Goode becomes the 1st African American mayor of Philadelphia
1940 - The White House pens segregation policy
On this date in 1940, the White House released a statement which said that government "policy is not to intermingle colored and white enlisted... Continue →
1823 - Mary Ann Shadd, born
ON this date in 1823, Mary Ann Shadd, publisher of Canada's first antislavery newspaper, The Provincial Freeman and the first woman in North American... Continue →
1978 - Congressman Ralph H. Metcalfe dies.
ON this date in 1978, Congressman Ralph H. Metcalfe (68) dies in Chicago.
1966 - Founding of the Black Panther Party
On this date in 1966, The Black Panther Party Founded October 10, 1966 Oakland, California by Huey P. Newton annd Bobby Seale
1961 - Otis M. Smith appointed to Michigan Supreme Court
On this date in 1961, Otis M. Smith appointed to Michigan Supreme Court. Otis M. Smith Scholarship
1901 - Frederick Douglass Patterson born
On this date in 1901, Frederick Douglass Patterson, veterinarian and founder of the United Negro College Fund, born
1874 - South Carolina Republicans carried election with reduced margin.
On this date in 1874, South Carolina Republicans carried election with reduced margin. Republican tickets was composed of four whites and four... Continue →
1972 - Prison uprising, Washington, D.C., jail
On this date in 1972, Prison uprising, Washington, D.C., jail.
1939 - NAACP organizes the Education Fund and Legal Defense.
On this date in 1939, the NAACP organizes the Education Fund and Legal Defense.
1865 - Jamaican national hero, Paul Bogle, leads a successful protest
On this date in 1865, Jamaican national hero, Paul Bogle, leads a successful protest march to the Morant Bay Courthouse.
1814 - General Jackson Reneges On His Promise
On this date in 1814, General Jackson Reneges On His Promise: General Jackson, on order to prepare to meet Packenham, the British General, in the... Continue →
1972 - Forty-six Black and white sailors injured in race riot.
ON this date in 1972, 46 Black and white sailors injured in race riot on the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk of North Vietnam.
1945 - Jesse James Payne was lynched in Madison County
On this date in 1945, Jesse James Payne was lynched in Madison County, Florida.
1980 - Unprovoked slayings of six Blacks in Buffalo, New York.
ON this date in 1980, an unprovoked slayings of six Blacks in Buffalo, New York, triggered demands for national investigation. Spingarn Medal awarded... Continue →
1970 - Angela Davis arrested in New York City and charged.
ON this date in 1970, Angela Davis arrested in New York City and charged with unlawful flight to avoid persecution for her alleged role in California... Continue →
1926 - First Black naval aviator, Jesse Leroy Brown born.
On this date in 1926, First Black naval aviator, Jesse Leroy Brown was born.
1919 - Race riot, Elaine, Phillips County, Arkansas
ON this date in 1919, a Race riot occurred in , Elaine, Phillips County, Arkansas. Five whites and 25 to 50 Blacks reported killed. 76 Blacks were... Continue →
1901 - First Black delegate to United Nations, Edith Sampson, born.
On thus date in 1901, First Black delegate to United Nations, Edith Sampson was born.
1999 - Pennsylvania governor signs death warrant.
On this date in 1999, the governor of Pennsylvania, Thomas Ride, signs the death warrant for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Mumia is charged with the early... Continue →
1999 - Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere dies
ON this date in 1999, Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere dies at the age of 77 from leukemia. Nyerere was lauded as one of the greatest... Continue →
1971 - Two killed in Memphis racial disturbances
ON this date in 1971, Two killed in Memphis racial disturbances.
1969 - Race riot, Springfield, Massachusetts.
On this date in 1969, a race riot occurred in Springfield, Massachusetts.
1958 - The District of Columbia Bar Association votes to accept African Americans as members.
On this date in 1958, the District of Columbia Bar Association votes to accept African Americans as members.
1916 - Sophomore tackle Paul Robeson is excluded from the Rutgers football team.
On this date in 1916, Sophomore tackle Paul Robeson is excluded from the Rutgers football team when Washington and Lee University refused to play... Continue →
1974 - National Guard mobilized to restore order.
On this date in 1974, National Guard mobilized to restore order in Boston school busing crisis.
1949 - William Hastie nominated for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
ON this date in 1949, William Hastie nominated for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. He was the first Black to sit on the court.
1883 - U.S. Supreme Court declared Civil Rights Act of 1875 unconstitutional.
ON this date in 1883, U.S. Supreme Court declared Civil Rights Act of 1875 unconstitutional.
1877 - Forty-fifth Congress (1877-79) convened
On this date in 1877, the Forty-fifth Congress (1877-79) convened. One U.S. senator, Blanche K. Bruce, Mississippi. Three U.S. congressmen: Richard... Continue →
1859 - John Brown took direct action to free slaves by force.
On this date in 1859, John Brown whom was an abolitionist took direct action to free slaves by force. He led a raid on Harpers Ferry, in mid-October... Continue →
1984 - Bishop Desmond Tutu, Awarded Nobel Peace Prize, African activist
On this date in 1984, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Awarded Nobel Peace Prize, African activist.
1973 - Maynard Jackson elected mayor of Atlanta
On this date in 1973, Maynard Jackson elected mayor of Atlanta.
1968 - John Carlos and Tommie Smith staged Black Power demonstration.
ON this date in 1968, John Carlos and Tommie Smith staged Black Power demonstration on victory stand after winning 200-meter event at Olympics in... Continue →
1940 - Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr promoted to General
ON this date in 1940, Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr. named the first Black general in the regular army.
1922 - Leon Howard Sullivan was born on this day.
On this date in 1922, Leon Howard Sullivan was born on this day.
1917 - Fannie Lou Hamer was born on this day.
On this date in 1917, Fannie Lou Hamer was born.
1901 - Booker T Washington dines at White House.
On this date in 1901, Booker T. Washington dined at the White House with President Roosevelt and was criticized in the South.
1895 - National Medical Association founded in Atlanta
On this date in 1895, National Medical Association founded in Atlanta.
1876 - Race riot, Cainhoy, South Carolina
On this date in 1876, Race riot, Cainhoy, South Carolina. Five whites and one Black killed.
1872 - South Carolina Republicans carried election with four whites and four blacks.
On this date in 1872, South Carolina Republicans carried election with a ticket of four whites and four Blacks: Richard H. Gleaves, lieutenant... Continue →
1859 - John Brown attacked Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
ON this date in 1859, John Brown attacked Harpers Ferry, Virginia, with thirteen white men and five Blacks. Two of the five Blacks were killed, two... Continue →
1855 - More than one hundred delegates from six states hold Black Convention.
On this date in 1855, more than one hundred delegates from six states held a Black convention in Philadelphia. John Mercer Langston, one of the first... Continue →
1849 - George Washington Williams, the first major Black
On this date in 1849, George Washington Williams, the first major Black historian, born in Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania.
1871 - President Grant suspended the writ of habeas
On this date in 1871, President Grant suspended the writ of habeas corpus and declared martial law in nine South Carolina counties affected by Klan... Continue →
1817 - Samuel Ringgold Ward, minister, abolitionist,author, was born
On this date in 1817, Samuel Ringgold Ward, minister, abolitionist, author, born on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
1787 - Equal Education Rights
On this date in 1787, Prince Hall submitted, to the State Legislature of Boston, Massachusetts, a petition asking for equal educational rights. His... Continue →
1983 - Grenadian Prime Minister killed
On this date in 1983, Grenada's U.S. educated Prime Minister Maurice Bishop killed in a military coup.
1960 - John F. Kennedy expressed his concern
ON this date in 1960, John F. Kennedy, Democratic presidential candidate, called Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr. and expressed his concern about the... Continue →
1870 - First Blacks elected to the House of Representatives.
On this date in 1870, First Blacks elected to the House of Representatives. Black Republicans won three of the four congressional seats in South... Continue →
1870 - Republicans swept South Carolina elections
On this date in 1870, Republicans swept South Carolina elections with a ticket of six whites and two Blacks: Alonzo Ransier, lieutenant governor;... Continue →
1904 - Enolia Pettigen McMillan born
Born October 20, 1904 in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, Enolia Pettigen McMillan became the first female president of the National Association for the... Continue →
1950 - Earl Lloyd, First to play in NBA game.
On this date in 1950, The first NBA Black Assistant Coach and first Black chief scout, Earl Lloyd, becomes the first Black person to play in an NBA... Continue →
1872 - John H Conyers enters Naval Academy.
On this date in 1872, John H Conyers becomes the first African American to enter the US Naval Academy.
1865 - George William Gordon, is unfairly arrested and sentence to death.
On this date in 1865, Jamaican national hero, George William Gordon, is unfairly arrested and sentenced to death.
1963 - Some 225,000 students boycotted Chicago schools.
ON this date in 1963, some 225,000 students boycotted Chicago schools in Freedom Day protest of de facto segregation.
1955 - The first black post office open, Atlanta Georgia
On this date in 1955, the first black post office open, Atlanta Georgia.
1950 - Charles Cooper joins the NBA and becomes one of the first Blacks to play in NBA.
On this date in 1950, Charles Cooper joins the NBA and becomes one of the first Blacks to play in an NBA game.
1950 - Nat Clifton joins the NBA and becomes one of the first Blacks to play in NBA.
On this date in 1950, Nat Clifton joins the NBA and becomes one of the first Blacks to play in an NBA game.
1906 - 3000 Blacks demonstrated and rioted in Philadelphia.
On this date in 1906, 3000 blacks demonstrated and rioted in Philadelphia to protest a theatrical presentation of Thomas Dixon's The Clansman. 62... Continue →
1911 - Urban League Formed
On this date in 1911, Three organizations the Committee for Improving the Industrial Conditions of Negroes in New York, the Committee on Urban... Continue →
1775 - Continental Congress approved resolution barring African Americans from the army.
On this date in 1775, Continental Congress approved resolution barring African Americans from the army. Although, throughout the war, Washington, the... Continue →
1994 - Dorothy Porter Wesley presented Charles Frankel Award.
On this date in 1994, William Jefferson Clinton presented her with the Charles Frankel Award from the National Endowment for the Humanities
1948 - Activist Kweisi Mfume born
On this date in 1948, Rep. Kweisi Mfume who was born Frizzell Gray in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1996 Mfume became president of the NAACP.
1935 - Italy invaded Ethiopia
On this date in 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia. American Blacks held mass meetings of protest and raised funds for the Ethiopian defenders.
1923 - Department of Labor said some 500,000 Blacks leave South.
On this date in 1923, Department of Labor said some 500,000 Blacks had left the South in the preceding twelve months.
1892 - In New Orleans, 25,000 Black workers strike.
On this date in 1892, In New Orleans, 25,000 Black workers strike.
1988 - Two units of the Ku Klux Klan and eleven individuals ordered to pay $ 1 million.
On this date in 1988, two units of the Ku Klux Klan and eleven individuals are ordered to pay $ 1 million to African Americans who were attacked... Continue →
1976 - Gov. George Wallace grants a full pardon
On this date in 1976, Gov. George Wallace granted a full pardon to Clarence ("Willie") Norris, the last known survivor of the nine Scottsboro Boys... Continue →
1958 - Ten thousand students march
On this date in 1958, ten thousand students, led by Jackie Robinson, Harry Belfonte and A. Phillip Randolph, participated in the Youth March for... Continue →
1940 - Committee on the Participation of Negroes meet President Roosevelt.
On this date in 1940, Committee on the Participation of Negroes in the National Defense Program met with President Roosevelt.
1940 - Benjamin O Davis becomes the first Black general in US Army
On this date in 1940, Benjamin O Davis becomes the first Black general in US Army.
1876 - President sent federal troops to South Carolina
On this date in 1876, President sent federal troops to South Carolina.
1868 - White terrorists killed several Blacks
On this date in 1868, White terrorists killed several Blacks in St. Bernard Parish, near New Orleans.
1868 - B.F. Randolph assassinated.
On this dated in 1868, B.F. Randolph, state senator and chairman of the state Republic party, assassinated in daylight at Hodges Depot in Abbevile,... Continue →
1749 - British legalizes slavery in Georgia
On this date in 1749, British Parliament legalizes slavery in the colony known now as the state of Georgia.
1981 - Andrew Young elected mayor of Atlanta.
On this dated in 1981, Andrew Young, Former UN Ambassador, elected mayor of Atlanta.
1978 - President Carter signed Hawkins-Humphrey full
On this date in 1978, President Carter signed Hawkins-Humphrey full employment bill.
1960 - Martin Luther King Jr. released on bond
On this date in 1960, Martin Luther King Jr. released on bond from the Georgia State Prison in Reidsville. Political observers said the Kennedy call... Continue →
1981 - Edward M. McIntrye elected Mayor of Augusta Georgia
On this date in 1981, Edward M. McIntrye elected first Black mayor of Augusta, Georgia.
1862 - First Kansas Colored Volunteers drove off superior force of rebels
On this date in 1862, First Kansas Colored Volunteers repulsed and drove off superior force of rebels at Island Mound, Missouri. This was the first... Continue →
1798 - Founder of The Underground Railroad, Levi Coffin was born
On this date in 1798, Founder of The Underground Railroad, Levi Coffin was born.
1969 - U.S. Supreme Court said school systems must end segregation.
On this date in 1969, U.S. Supreme Court said school systems must end segregation "at once" and "operate now and hereafter only unitary schools." In... Continue →
1947 - President's Committee on Civil Rights condemned racial injustices
On this date in 1947, President's Committee on Civil Rights condemned racial injustices in America when ity published the formal report, "To Secure... Continue →
1929 - Collapse of stock market and the beginning of the Great Depression.
On this date in 1929, the stock market collapsed bringing on the beginning of the Great Depression. By 1937, 26 percent of Black males were... Continue →
1979 - Richard Arrington was elected the first Black mayor of Birmingham, Alabama.
On this date in 1979, Richard Arrington was elected the first Black mayor of Birmingham, Alabama.
1966 - Black Panther Party Emerges
On this date in 1966, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale students at a California college create the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.
1954 - Defense Department eliminates segregated regiments.
On this dated in 1954, Defense Department announced elimination of all segregated regiments in the armed forces.
1831 - Nat Turner, leader of a slave revolt captured
On this date in 1831, Nat Turner is captured after his role in the Slave Revolt that took place in Southampton county, Virginia on August 21, 1831.
1969 - Race riot, Jacksonville, Florida
On this dated in 1969, a Race riot occurred in Jacksonville, Florida.
1820 - The Emancipator was published
On this dated in 1820, The "Emancipator," the first anti-slavery magazine, was issued monthly from April 30 to October 31, 1820. It was edited and... Continue →
1995 - South Africans voted in their first all-race local government elections.
On this date in 1995, South Africans voted in their first all-race local government elections, completing the destruction of the apartheid system.
1890 - Mississippi Plan disenfranchises Blacks
On this dated 1890, African-Americans are disenfranchised. The Mississippi Plan, approved on November 1, used literacy and "understanding" tests to... Continue →
1976 - Jimmy Carter Elected President
On this date in 1976, Jimmy Carter, former governor of Georgia, elected president with strong support from Black voters.
1976 - Black congressmen reelected
On this date in 1976, Seventeen Black congressmen reelected.
1954 - Charles C. Diggs Jr.elected Michigan's first Black congressman.
On this date in 1954, Charles C. Diggs Jr. of Detroit elected Michigan's first Black congressman.
1930 - Haile Selassie crowned as Emperor of Ethiopia
On this dated in 1930, upon the death of the Ethiopian Empress Zawditu, Haile Selassie was crowned emperor of Ethiopia.
1889 - Meneeik II crowned
On this date in 1889 Menelik II was crowned Negusa-Nagast (King of Kings) of Abysinnia, Ethiopia. By 1899 Abysinnia had extended as far as Kenya in... Continue →
1880 - Republican James A. Garfield elected President
On this dated in 1880, Republican James A. Garfield elected president.
1875 - Democrats suppresses Black vote
On this date in 1875, Democrats suppressed Black vote by fraud and violence and carried Mississippi election. "The Mississippi Plan" staged riots,... Continue →
1983 - Jesse Jackson announces his candidacy for the office of President of the US
On this dated in 1983, Jesse Jackson announces his candidacy for the office of President of the US.
1981 - Thurman L Milnet was elected mayor of Hartford CT
On this date in 1981, Thurman L Milnet was elected mayor of Hartford CT, 1981
1981 - Black Mayors
On this date in 1981, Coleman Young reelected mayor of Detroit. Thurman L. Milner elected mayor of Hartford, Connecticut. James Chase elected mayor... Continue →
1979 - Klansmen fired on rally.
On this date in 1979, Klansmen fired on an anti-Klan rally in Greensboro, N.C., and killed five persons.
1974 - Harold Ford elected congressman from TN.
On this date in 1974, Harold Ford elected congressman from TN.
1970 - Twelve Blacks elected to the Ninety-Second Congress
On this date in 1970, Twelve Blacks elected to the Ninety-second Congress, including five new congressmen: Ralph H. Metcalfe (Ill.), George Collins... Continue →
1970 - Wilson Riles elected superintendent of Public instruction.
On this dated in 1970, Wilson Riles elected superintendent of Public instruction in California. Richard Austin elected secretary of state in Michigan.
1964 - First Black Elected to the General Assembly
On this date in 1964, A.W. Willis, Jr., was elected to the General Assembly making him the first black to hold this position.
1964 - John Conyers Jr. elected to House of Representatives from Detroit.
On this date in 1964, John Conyers Jr. elected to House of Representatives from Detroit.
1945 - Irving C. Mollison sworn in as U.S. Customs Court judge
ON this date in 1945, Irving C. Mollison, a Chicago Republican, sworn in as U.S. Customs Court judge in New York City.
1942 - William L. Dawson elected to Congress
On this date in 1942, William L. Dawson elected to Congress from Chicago.
1896 - Republican William McKinley defeats Democratic candidate William J. Bryan
On this date in 1896, Republican William McKinley defeated Democratic candidate William J. Bryan in presidential race.
1896 - South Carolina State College established
On this date in 1896, South Carolina State College established.
1883 - Danville, VA coup and massacre
On this date in 1883, A political coup and a race riot occurred. White conservatives in Danville, Virginia, seized control of the local government,... Continue →
1874 - James Theodore Holly elected bishop of Haiti.
On this date in 1874, James Theodore Holly, a Black American who emigrated to Haiti in 1861, elected bishop of Haiti. He was consecrated in a... Continue →
1868 - First Black elected to Congress
On this date in 1868, First Black elected to Congress John W. Menard, defeated a white candidate, 5,107 to 2,833, in an election in Louisiana's... Continue →
1997 - Chuck E. Burris defeats Pat Wheeler
On this date in 1997, in a low-turnout election on this day, Chuck E. Burris defeated the incumbent, Pat Wheeler, by 278 votes to 260; a third... Continue →
1988 - The Martin L. King, Jr, federal Building is dedicated in Atlanta, Ga.
On this date in 1988, the Martin L. King, Jr, federal Building is dedicated in Atlanta, Ga. It is the first federal building in the nation to bear... Continue →
1978 - William Howard Jr. elected president of the National Council of Churches
On this date in 1978, William Howard Jr., elected president of the National Council of Churches.
1969 - Howard N. Lee and Charles Evers elected Mayors in NC and MIss
On this date in 1969, Howard N. Lee and Charles Evers are elected the first African American mayors of Chapel Hill, N.C. and Fayette, Miss.,... Continue →
1953 - Hulan Jack was elected first Black Borough President of Manhattan, NYC.
On this date in 1953, Hulan Jack was elected first Black Borough President of Manhattan, NYC.
1884 - Grover Cleveland Wins Election
On this date in 1884, Grover Cleveland won election and became the first Democratic president of the United States since the Civil War.
1874 - Democrats swept off-years elections
On this date in 1874, Democrats swept off-years elections, winning a majority in the House of Representatives.
1872 - Three Blacks elected to major offices in Louisiana
On this date in 1872, Three Blacks elected to major offices in Louisiana elections: C.C Antoine, lieutenant governor; P.G. Deslonde, secretary of... Continue →
1872 - P.B.S. Pinchback was elected congressman at large
On this date in 1872, P.B.S. Pinchback was elected congressman at large. Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback (May 10, 1837 – December 21, 1921) was... Continue →
1872 - 4th black official wins election
On this date in 1872, Fourth Black official, Treasurer Antoine Dubuclet, won elections in 1870 and 1874.
1750 - Birth of Jean-Baptist-Point Du Sable
On this date in 1750, Jean-Baptist-Point Du Sable was a black pioneer, trader and founder of the settlement that later became the city of Chicago.
1986 - The governor of Arizona refuses to recognize Dr Martin Luther King Jr's birthday
On this date in 1986, The governor of Arizona refuses to recognize Dr Martin Luther King Jr's birthday as a national holiday.
1974 - George Brown was elected Lt Governor of Colorado.
On this date in 1974, George Brown was elected Lt Governor of Colorado, becoming one of the first two Black Lt Governors in the USA.
1974 - Harold Ford elected to House of Representatives.
ON this date in 1974, Harold Ford of Memphis elected to House of Representatives.
1974 - Spingarn Medal awarded to Damon J. Keith
On this date in 1974, Spingarn Medal awarded Damon J. Keith "in tribute to his steadfast defense of constitutional principles as revealed in a series... Continue →
1974 - California and Colorado Elect a Lt.Governor
On this date in 1974, State Sen. Mervyn M. Dymally elected lieutenant governor of California. State Sen. Georgia L. Brown elected lieutenant governor... Continue →
1974 - Walter E. Washington elected mayor of Washington D.C.
On this date in 1974, Walter E. Washington, became the first elected mayor of Washington, D.C., in the twentieth century.
1970 - North Carolina Riots
On this date in 1970, National Guard mobilized in Henderson, N.C., due to riots.
1968 - Shirley Chisholm becomes first Black woman to be elected to Congress
On this date in 1968, Shirley Chisholm becomes first Black woman to be elected to Congress, representing Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, NYC.
1968 - Black Men and Women Elected To Congress
On this date in 1968, a record number of Black congressmen and the first Black woman representative were elected to Congress. The nine Black... Continue →
1917 - U.S. Supreme Court decision (Buchanan v. Warley) struck down.
ON this date in 1917, U.S. Supreme Court decision (Buchanan v. Warley) struck down Louisville, Ky., ordinance which required Blacks and whites to... Continue →
1917 - Emmett J. Scott, former secretary to Booker T. Washington, was appointed special assistant
ON this date in 1917, Emmett J. Scott, former secretary to Booker T. Washington, was appointed special assistant to the Secretary of War. His role... Continue →
1912 - Woodrow Wilson elected president
On this date in 1912, Woodrow Wilson elected president.
1867 - First Reconstruction constitutional convention
On this date in 1867, First Reconstruction constitutional convention (eighteen Blacks, ninety whites) opened in Montgomery, Alabama.
1862 - Frazier A Boutelle is commissioned as second lieutenant in the Fifth New York Calvary
On this date in 1862, Frazier A Boutelle is commissioned as second lieutenant in the Fifth New York Calvary.
1990 - First Black Woman Mayor of Washington, D.C.
On this date in 1990, Sharon Pratt Dixon (now Kelly) was elected mayor of Washington, D.C., making this a first for a woman of any race.
1989 - Renowned attorney Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander dies.
On this date in 1989, Renowned attorney Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander dies in Philadelphia.
1976 - Benjamin Hooks named executive director of the NAACP.
On this date in 1976, Benjamin Hooks, Federal Communications Commission member, named to succeed Roy Wilkins as executive director of the NAACP.
1973 - Coleman Young was elected mayor of Detroit
On this date in 1973, Coleman Young was elected mayor of Detroit, becoming one of the first two Black mayors of city's with over a million citizens.
1973 - Spingarn Medal awarded to Wilson C. Riles
On this date in 1973, Spingarn Medal presented to Wilson C. Riles, superintendent of public instruction, California, "in recognition of the stature... Continue →
1968 - Election Results 1968
In one voting day, ninety-seven Blacks were elected to state legislatures, seven were elected to mayor, and four hundred to local governments in the... Continue →
1962 - A Day of Elections
On this date in 1962, Edward W. Brooke elected attorney general of Massachusetts. Gerald Lamb elected treasurer of Connecticut. Otis M. Smith elected... Continue →
1928 - Oscar DePriest elected to Seventy-first Congress
ON this date in 1928, Oscar DePriest elected to Seventy-first Congress from Illinois' First Congressional District (Chicago). He was the first... Continue →
1928 - Spingarn Medal: Charles W. Chestnutt
On this date in 1928, Spingarn Medal presented to Charles W. Chestnutt, the first Black to receive widespread critical recognition as a novelist. He... Continue →
1920 - James Weldon Johnson becomes executive secretary of the NAACP
ON this date in 1920, James Weldon Johnson became the first Black executive secretary of the NAACP.
1920 - Spingarn Medal awarded W.E.B. DuBois
On this date in 1920, Spingarn Medal awarded to W.E.B. Du Bois for "the founding and calling of the Pan African Congress."
1906 - President Roosevelt ordered discharge
On this date in 1906, President Roosevelt ordered discharge of three companies of Twenty-fifth Regiment for alleged involvement in the Brownsville... Continue →
1900 - Republican William McKinley defeated William Bryan
On this date in 1900, Republican William McKinley defeated William Bryan in presidential elections.
1888 - Republican Benjamin Harrison elected president
On this date in 1888, Republican Benjamin Harrison elected president.
1868 - Jonathan Gibbs appointed secretary of state by the Florida governor.
On this date in 1868, Jonathan Gibbs, minister and educator, appointed secretary of state by the Florida governor.
1860 - Abraham Lincoln elected president
On this date in 1860, Abraham Lincoln elected president.
1880 - The Baptist Foreign Mission Convention Occurred
On this date in 18810, more than 150 delegates from Baptist Churches in eleven states organized the Baptist Foreign Mission Convention of the United... Continue →
1874 - Swails reelected
On this date in 1874, Stephen A Swails was reelected president pro tem of the senate.
1874 - Robert B. Elliott
On this date in 1874, Robert B. Elliott elected Speaker of the lower house of the South Carolina legislature.
1955 - Interstate Commerce Commission banned segregation
On this date in 1955, Interstate Commerce Commission banned segregation in buses and waiting rooms involved in interstate travel.
1949 - Spingarn Award presented to Ralph J. Bunche
On this date in 1949, Ralph J. Bunche received the Spingarn Medal for his contributions to the Myrdal study and his achievements as UN mediator of... Continue →
1949 - Hoping To End Segregation in St. Louis
On this date in 1949, CORE chapter pressed sit-in campaign designed to end segregation in downtown facilities in St. Louis.
1970 - Death of B.O.Davis Sr.
On this date in 1970, B.O. Davis Sr. (93), first Black general, dies in Chicago.
1841 - Amistad survivors returned to Africa
On this date in 1841, Thirty-five Amistad survivors returned to Africa.
1911 - First Black Appointed to a Sub-Cabinet Post
ON this date in 1911, William Henry Lewis was appointed assistant attorney general of the United States by President William Howard Taft, making him... Continue →
1872 - Macon B. Allen, first black lawyer
ON this date in 1872, Macon B. Allen was elected judge of the Inferior Court of Charleston. Allen, the first Black lawyer, thus became the second... Continue →
1957 - Federal troops left Little Rock
ON this date in 1957, Federal troops left Little Rock.
1957 - National Council of Negro Women
ON this date in 1957, Dorothy Height, YMCA official, elected president of the National Council of Negro Women.
1944 - Rep. Mickey Leland born
On this date in 1944, Rep. Mickey Leland, D-Texas, was born in Lubbock, Texas. Leland was killed when the plane in which he was a passenger crashed... Continue →
1841 - Amistad Liberators set Sail
On this date in 1841, the liberators of the ship Amistad set sail for Africa aboard the Gentleman.
1997 - Death of Coleman Young
ON this date in 1997, former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young died on this day. He was 79 years old. Young became Detroit's first Black mayor and presided... Continue →
1871 - Ku Klux Klan trials began in Federal District
On this date in 1871, Ku Klux Klan trials began in Federal District Court in Columbia, South Carolina.
1753 - Soldier & patriot James Robinson is born.
On this date in 1753, Soldier & patriot James Robinson is born. When he won a medal for bravery at the Battle of Yorktown, he was promised his... Continue →
1961 - Freedom Riders attacked by white mob
On this date in 1961, Freedom Riders attacked by white mob at bus station in McComb, Miss., November 29-December 2.
1780 - Black Slaves welcomed Into American Army
On this date after the winter of Valley Forge, Black slaves and free men were welcomed into the American Army. There were Black soldiers in the... Continue →
1981 - Four newcomers elected to Congress
ON this date in 1981, four newcomers elected to Congress: Mervyn Dymally (Calif.), Augustus Savage (ILL.), Harold Washington (Ill.) and George W.... Continue →
1981 - Spingarn Medal awarded to Coleman A. Young
On this date in 1981, Spingarn Medal awarded to Coleman A. Young "in recognition of his singular accomplishments as mayor of the City of Detroit."
1966 - Black Panther Party emerges
On this date in 1966, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale students at a California college create the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.
1924 - Congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm was born.
On this date in 1924, Congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm was born.
1889 - Curtain Rod Patented
On this date in 1889, S.R. Scottron patents curtain rod. U.S. Patent 481,720
1869 - James Lynch elected secretary of state
On this date in 1869, James Lynch elected secretary of state in Mississippi election.
1944 - Korematsu v. United States
Korematsu v. United States (1944) Parties involved: Fred Korematsu, a twenty year old Japanese American who was born in Oakland, California decided... Continue →
1873 - Forty-third Congress (1873-75) Convened
ON this date in 1873, Forty-third Congress (1873-75) convened with seven Black congressmen: Richard H. Cain, Robert Brown Elliott, Joseph H. Rainey... Continue →
1862 - Compensation For States
On this date in 1862, President Lincoln, in message to Congress, recommended the use of federal bonds to provide compensation for states that... Continue →
1774 - Continental Congress
On this date in 1774, The Continental Congress will no longer allow the importation of slaves.
1641 - Colonies give Statutory Recognition
On this date in 1641, Massachusetts became the first colony to give statutory recognition to slavery. Other colonies followed: Connecticut 1650;... Continue →
1992 - Maya Angelou is asked to compose a poem for the inauguration of President Bill
ON this date in 1992, Maya Angelou is asked to compose a poem for the inauguration of President Bill Clinton
1922 - Congressman, Charles C Diggs was born.
On this date in 1922, Congressman Charles C Diggs was born.
1895 - Fifty-fourth Congress (1895-97) convened
On this date in 1895, Fifty-fourth Congress (1895-97) convened. One Black congressman: George W. Murray, South Carolina.
1891 - Fifty-second Congress convened
On this date in 1891, Fifty-second Congress convened. One Black congressman: Henry P. Cheatham, North Carolina.
1891 - Institutions Of Higher Learning established
On this date in 1891, North Carolina A&T College, Delaware State College and West Virginia State College established.
1964 - J.Raymond Jones elected leader of New York Democratic organization.
On this date in 1964, J. Raymond Jones elected leader of New York Democratic organization (Tammany Hall).
1951 - Monitor Compliance with Anti-Discrimination
On this date in 1951, President Truman named committee to monitor compliance with anti-discrimination provisions in U.S. government contracts and... Continue →
1883 - Forty-eighth Congress (1883-85) convened.
ON this date in 1883, Forty-eighth Congress (1883-85) convened, Two Blacks representatives, James E. O'Hara, North Carolina; Robert Smalls, South... Continue →
1867 - Virginia constitutional convention
On this date in 1867, Virginia constitutional convention (twenty-five Blacks, eighty whites) met in Richmond. Because of Political and legal... Continue →
1865 - Selection of the first Inter-racial jury is formed.
ON this date in 1865, Selection of the first Inter-racial jury is formed.
1864 - Largest All-Black Unit established
On this date in 1864, Twenty-fifth Corps, largest all-Black unit in history of U.S. Army, established in Army of the James.
1843 - The Society of Colored People in Baltimore
ON this date in 18943, the Society of Colored People in Baltimore is the first Black Catholic association whose documentation has been preserved.... Continue →
1915 - Ku Klux Klan received charter from Fulton County.
On this date in 1915, Ku Klux Klan received charter from Fulton County, Ga., Superior Court. Modern Klan spread to Alabama and other Southern state... Continue →
1915 - A Demonstration Led by NAACP
On this date in 1915, the NAACP led protest demonstrations against the showing of the movie Birth of a Nation. The racism that African Americans... Continue →
1895 - South Carolina Constitutional Convention adopted
On this date in 1895, South Carolina Constitutional Convention adopted new constitution with "understanding clause" designed to eliminate Black... Continue →
1833 - Anti-Slavery Society started
On this date in 1833, the American Anti-Slavery Society organized. The Anti-Slavery Movement began in Europe during the 1770s and rapidly spread to... Continue →
1783 - Samuel " Black Sam" Fraunces
ON this date in 1783, George Washington gives his farewell address to his troops at Fraunces Tavern in NYC owned by ,Samuel " Black Sam" Fraunces a... Continue →
1957 - N.Y. against racial discrimination
On this date in 1957, New York became the first city to legislate against racial or religious discrimination in housing market with adoption of Fair... Continue →
1957 - Martin Luther King Jr. awarded Spingarn Medal
On this date in 1957, Martin Luther King Jr. awarded Spingarn Medal for his leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
1955 - Spingarn Medal awarded to Carl Murphy
On this date in 1955, Carl Murphy, publisher of the Baltimore Afro-American, awarded Spingarn Medal for his contributions as a publisher and civil... Continue →
1955 - Historic bus boycott began in Montgomery
On this date in 1955, Historic bus boycott began in Montgomery. At a mass meeting at the Holt Street Baptist Church Martin Luther King Jr. was... Continue →
1946 - President Truman created Committee on Civil Rights
On this date in 1946, President Truman created Committee on Civil Rights by Executive Order No. 9808. Two Blacks Attorney Sadie M. Alexander and... Continue →
1946 - Spingarn Medal presented to Thurgood Marshall
On this date in 1946, Spingarn Medal presented to Thurgood Marshall, director of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, "for his distinguished... Continue →
1946 - Executive Order 9808
On this date in 1946, in the aftermath of World War II, mob violence and lynching of Black Americans, in conjunction with the continuing controversy... Continue →
1935 - Council of Negro Women
On this date in 1935, Educator, Mary McLeod Bethune, founds National Council of Negro Women.
1881 - Forty-seventh Congress (1881-83) Convened
On this date in 1881, Forty-seventh Congress (1881-83) convened. Two Black congressmen, Robert Smalls, South Carolina; John R. Lynch, Mississippi.
1997 - First Black Mayor of Houston, Texas
On this date in 1997, Lee Brown became Houston's first black mayor narrowly defeating businessman Rob Mosbacher.
1971 - Lewis Franklin Powell confirmed as Supreme Court Justice
On this date in 1971, Lewis Franklin Powell confirmed as Supreme Court justice despite opposition of civil rights organizations.
1960 - pledges of nondiscrimination
On this date in 1960, In Tucson, 500 store owners, Arizona signed pledges of nondiscrimination.
1890 - Sgt. Thomas Shaw earned Congressional Medal of Honor.
On this date in 1890, Sgt. Thomas Shaw earned Congressional Medal of Honor.
1875 - Forty-fourth Congress (1875-77) Convened
On this date in 1875, Forty-fourth Congress (1875-77) convened with historic high of eight Blacks. One U.S. senator, Blanche K. Bruce, Mississippi.... Continue →
1871 - P.B.S. Pinchback elected president
On this date in 1871, P.B.S. Pinchback is elected president pro tem of the Louisiana Senate and acting lieutenant governor. He is the first African... Continue →
1869 - National Black Labor convention
On this date in 1869, National Black labor convention met in Washington.
1869 - James H. Harris Elected President
On this date in 1869, James M. Harris of North Carolina elected president.
1981 - John Jacobs named president of the National Urban League.
On this date in 1981, John Jacobs is named president of the National Urban League.
1941 - Dorie Miller Messman on USS Arizona
On this date in 1941, Dorie Miller of Waco, Texas, messman on USS Arizona, manned machine gun during Pearl Harbor attacks and downed four planes. He... Continue →
1895 - Sir Milton Margai, first Prime Minister of Sierra Leone, was born
On this date in 1895, Sir Milton Margai, first Prime Minister of Sierra Leone, is born
1885 - Forty-ninth Congress (1885-87) convened
On this date in 1885, Forty-ninth Congress (1885-87) convened. Two Black congressmen: James E. O'Hara, North Carolina; Robert Smalls, South Carolina.
1874 - Massacre in Mississippi
On this date in 1874, White Democrats killed seventy-five Republicans in massacre at Vicksburg, Mississippi.
1953 - Hulan Jack sworn in a Manhattan Borough president.
On this date in 1953, Hulan Jack sworn in a Manhattan Borough president.
1862 - Watch Night
On this date in 1862, Residents of Rochester, N.Y., joined Frederick Douglass in a vigil in anticipation of the Emancipation Proclamation, which went... Continue →
1775 - The Authorizing of enlistment of free blacks
ON this date in 1775, alarmed by impact of the Dunmore proclamation, Washington reversed himself and authorized the enlistment of free Blacks.
1960 - Two U.S. courts issued temporary injunctions
On this date in 1960, Two U.S. courts issued temporary injunctions to prevent eviction of about seven hundred Black sharecroppers in Haywood and... Continue →
1842 - Josiah T. Walls was born.
Born on this day in Winchester, VA, Josiah T. Walls waslater elected to the U.S. Congress for the state of Florida.
1917 - Thomas Bradley was born
On this date in 1917, Thomas Bradley was born in Calvert, Texas and went on to become mayor of Los Angeles by winning 56% of the vote.
1987 - Kurt Schmoke becomes the first African American mayor of Baltimore, Maryland
On this date in 1987, Kurt Schmoke becomes the first African American mayor of Baltimore, Maryland.
1972 - Death of Rep. George Collins
On this date in 1972, Rep. George Collins (47) died in anairplane crash, near Midway Airport, Chicago. Atty. Jewel Lafontant named deputy solicitor... Continue →
1936 - NAACP filed first
ON this date in 1936, the NAACP filed first suit in campaign to equalize the salaries of Black and white teachers.
1863 - Proclamation on Amnesty and Reconstruction
On this day, President Lincoln issued his Proclamation on Amnesty and Reconstruction for the restoration of the Confederate states into the Union. He... Continue →
1977 - Karen Farmer becomes first African American member of the Daughters of the American Revolution
ON this date in 1977, Karen Farmer becomes the first African American member of the Daughters of the American Revolution when she traces her ancestry... Continue →
1918 - George H. White dies
On this date in 1918, George H. White (66) last of the post Reconstruction congressman, Philadelphia dies.
1816 - American Colonization Society organized
On this date in 1816, the American Colonization Society was organized in hall of the House of Representatives.
1956 - Federal Judge Dozier Devane grants injunction
On this date in 1956, Federal Judge Dozier Devane granted temporary injunction restraining city officials from interfering with integration of... Continue →
1956 - Birmingham Blacks began mass defiance of Jim Crow bus laws.
On this date in 1956, Birmingham Blacks began mass defiance of Jim Crow bus laws.
1849 - David Ruggles dies
On this date in 1849, David Ruggles dies in Northampton, Mass. Often called the first African American bookseller for his bookstore established in... Continue →
1848 - William and Ellen Craft escaped from slavery
On this date in 1848, William and Ellen Craft escaped from slavery in Georgia. Mrs. Craft impersonated a slave holder and her husband, William,... Continue →
1881 - Exodus of five thousand Blacks from Edgefield County, South Carolina
On this date in 1881, Exodus of five thousand Blacks from Edgefield County, South Carolina. Migrants, protesting exploitation and violence, settled... Continue →
1881 - Segregation Movements
On this date in 1881, Tennessee started modern segregation movement with Jim Crow railroad car and was followed by Florida (1887), Mississippi... Continue →
1881 - United Order of True Reformer established
On this date in 1881, United Order of True Reformer established.
1863 - Naval Medal of Honor awarded to Robert Blake
On this date in 1863, Robert Blake, powder boy aboard the USS Marbelhead, was the first Black awarded the Naval Medal of Honor "for conspicuous... Continue →
1815 - Henry Highland Garnet born a slave
On this date in 1815, Henry Highland Garnet, minister, abolitionist and diplomat, born a slave in Kent County, Maryland.
1883 - Arthur Wergs Mitchell born
On this date in 1883, Arthur Wergs Mitchell, 1st African American to be elected to congress, was born in Lafayette, Alabama.
1873 - Charles Lenox Remond dies
On this date in 1873, Abolitionist Charles Lenox Remond dies. He was the first Black lecturer employed by the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society.
1990 - Politics
On this date in 1990, David Norman Dinkins began his first working day as mayor of New York City with a 7:00 a.m. appearance on NBC-TV's 'Today'... Continue →
1970 - United States population: 293,200,000
On this date in 1970, United States population: 293,200,000. Black population: 22,600,000 (11.1 per cent). Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, President-Emeritus,... Continue →
1965 - Voter registration drive started in Selma, Alabama.
ON this date in 1965, voter registration drive, led by Martin Luther King Jr., started in Selma, Alabama.
1898 - Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander born
On this date in 1898, Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander was born in Philadelphia ,PA. She would later becomes the second African American to earn a... Continue →
1872 - Mississippi legislature meets
On this date in 1872, Mississippi legislature met. John R Lynch was elected Speaker of the house at the age of twenty-four.
1837 - The first National Negro Catholic Congress is held
On this date in 1837, The first National Negro Catholic Congress is held in Washington. D. C.
1800 - Antislavery petition from free Blacks
ON this date in 1800, Antislavery petition from free Blacks of Philadelphia presented to Congress.
1984 - Jesse Jackson secures release of Black pilot
On this date in 1984, Rev. Jesse Jackson secures the release of pilot Lt. Robert Goodman, shot down over Damascus.
1969 - Louis Stokes is sworn in.
On this date in 1969, Louis Stokes is sworn in as the first African American congressman from the state of Ohio. He will serve more than ten terms in... Continue →
1969 - Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. seated by Congress.
On this date in 1969, Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. seated by Congress.
1966 - Floyd B. McKissick named national director of Congress of Racial Equality.
On this date in 1966, Floyd B. McKissick, North Carolina attorney, named national director of Congress of Racial Equality.
1966 - Shooting of Civil Rights Activist
On this date in 1966, Sammy Younge, Jr., 21, was shot to death by a 67 year old white service station attendant. A Tuskegee Institute student and... Continue →
1961 - Adam Clayton Powell elected Chairman of the House
On this date in 1961, Adam Clayton Powell elected Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee.
1947 - NAACP report
On this date in 1947, NAACP report said 1946 was "one of the grimmest years in the history of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored... Continue →
1947 - 1st Black to head a standing comm. of Congress
On this date in 1947, Congressman William L. Dawson elected chairman of House Expenditures Committee. He was the first Black to head a standing... Continue →
1947 - U.S. Black Population
On this date in 1947, United States Population: 150,697,361. Black population: 15,042,286 (10 per cent).
1621 - First African American, William Tucker, born
On this date in 1621, First African American, William Tucker, born
