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Mae Jemison: Astronaut, Physician
Born: October 17, 1956
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Oct
17
1956
Rev. George Leile
Rev. George Leile was the first African American to be ordained a Baptist minister in America. He was an early pastor of the First African Baptist Church of Silver Bluf, South Carolina. Curiously, he supported the British during the American Revolutionary war because of the Britishs promise to free
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jan
0
1770
Samuel L. Gravely is born
Samuel Gravely was appointed captain of the Navy Destroyer Escort, U.S.S. Falgout, the first African American to command a United States warship. He later received the rand of Rear Admiral, a first for an African American navyman.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jun
4
1922
Etta Moten sings for President
Etta Moten sings for President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt at a White House Dinner. It is the first time an African American actress performs at the White House.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Center for Critical Race and Digital Studies
Jan
31
1934
Irving C. Mollison
Irving C. Mollison, a Chicago Republican, sworn in as U.S. Customs Court judge in New York City.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Nov
3
1945
Laurence Fishburne, Jr. Born
Actor Laurence Fishburne, Jr. was born on this day in Augusta, GA. Fishburne , nicknamed Fish will start his theatrical career at the young age of 10. He will become the son of the first African American family featured on a daytime drama at the age of 11. He will continue his rise to fame starring
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Illinois Math and Science Academy
Jul
31
1961
Phillis Wheatley freed
Poet Phillis Wheatley, born a slave in 1754, was freed and her first book of poetry, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, was published. The book of poetry is said to have been widely acclaimed in the United States and England.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jan
21
1773
Jump Start premieres in 40 newspapers in the U.S. It is created by 26 year old R
Jump Start premieres in 40 newspapers in the U.S. It is created by 26 year old Robb Armstrong, the youngest African American to have a syndicated comic strip. He follows in the footsteps of Morrie Turner, the creator of Wee Pals, the first African American syndicated comic strip.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by NSBE Boston
Oct
2
1989
Methodist Episcopal Church conference, meeting in
Methodist Episcopal Church conference, meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, elected two Black bishops Matthew W. Clair of Washington, D.C., and Robert E. Jones of New Orleans.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Museum of African American History in Massachusetts
May
23
1920
Naval Frigate named after African American
The Navy frigate USS Jesse L. Brown was commissioned. The ship was named for Ensign Jesse L. Brown, the first African American naval aviator killed in combat over Korea.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Feb
17
1973
Ann Thompson
Ann Thompson was the first African-American woman prosecutor.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jan
0
0
Blacks Education Attempt Denied
The Blair Bill provided federal support for education and allocated funds to reduce illiteracy among the freedmen was defeated in the Senate, 37-31.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Mar
20
1890
Journalist Ralph Waldo Tyler born
Birthday of Ralph Waldo Tyler, journalist, Auditor-General of the Navy and World War I foreign correspondent. Te oldest of 12 children, Tyler is believed to have been born in Ohio. He attended elementary and high schools in Columbus, Ohio, studied a year in Baldwin,Missouri, and began teaching
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by New York University
Mar
18
1860
Ambassador
Clifton Wharton is sworn in as ambassador to Norway. Clifton Wharton was the 1st Black person to earn a PhD in economics from University of Chicago in as well as the first Black president of Michigan State, predominantly White university.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Mar
9
1961
Rebecca J. Cole--2nd Black Female Physician
Born: March 16, 1846
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association (MBLA)
Aug
14
1922
The Chip Woman's Fortune by Willis Richardson
The Chip Womans Fortune by Willis Richardson, the first dramatic work by an African American playwright to be mounted on Broadway, opens at the Frazee Theatre on Broadway
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by APEX Museum
May
15
1923
Jefferson Davis Signed Bill
Jefferson Davis signed bill authorizing use of slaves as soldiers in the Confederate army.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Mar
13
1861
The South Carolina Gazette reports that Cae
The South Carolina Gazette reports that Caesar, a South Carolina slave has been granted his freedom and a life time annuity in exchange for his cures for poison and rattlesnake bite. Caesar and the famous James Derham of New Orleans are two of the earliest know African American medical
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Illinois Math and Science Academy
May
9
1750
Miss America
Vanessa Williams is the 1st African American Miss America to be crowned.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by APEX Museum
Sep
17
1983
Wash., D.C. Slave Emancipation and Reparations
On April 16, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill ending slavery in the District of Columbia. Passage of this act came
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Prospanica Boston Professional Chapter
Apr
16
1862
Dorothy Dandridge, actress born
Dorothy Dandrige
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Nov
9
1922
Death of Ida B.Wells-Barnett
Ida Bell Wells-Barnett
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jul
16
1862
W Wilson Goode becomes the 1st African American mayor of Philadelphia
W Wilson Goode becomes the 1st African American mayor of Philadelphia
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Eastern Bank
Oct
9
1984
African Americans Replaces Reluctant Whites
African Americans Replaces Reluctant Whites: By 1777, losses on the field of battle and rising White desertions had reduced the Continental Armys ranks of men. Northern colonies began to accept African Americans, free and slave, because these colonies could not fill their quotas with White man. In
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Oct
5
2002
Willie D. Burton
Willie D. Burton becomes the first African American to win the Oscar for sound, for the movie Bird.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by New York University
Apr
11
1988
U.S. Refuses to Seat P.B.S. Pinchback
U.S. Senate refuses to seat P.B.S. Pinchback, elected Senator from Louisiana in 1873, after three years of controversy.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Christo Rey New York High School
Mar
8
1876
Network news anchor
Max Robinson is the first African American to anchor network news. The network is ABC.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Apr
19
1978
Baseball Great Jackie Robinson born
In Cairo, Georgia on this date baseball great Jackie Robinson was born. The fifth African American to play major league baseball with a white team, Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, ending five decades of segregated baseball. At the time of his retirement in October 1972, Robinson is
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Eastern Bank
Jan
31
1919
Joseph Hayne Rainey
Joseph Hayne Rainey was the first Black elected to Congress to represent South Carolina. He was sworn in on this day to fill an unexpired term.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Dec
12
1870
Walter F.White, NAACP Pres.
Walter F. White named NAACP executive secretary. The NAACP has had many leaders since its beginning in 1910, but none was more determined and devoted than Walter F. White. This fair-skinned, blue-eyed man who wouldnt pass worked a lifetime to defeat the nations barriers to integration
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Mar
9
1931
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