William Levi Dawson
William Levi Dawson is born, first African American representative to chair a committee in Congress.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Christo Rey New York High School
Apr
26
1883
Segregation Movements
Tennessee started modern segregation movement with Jim Crow railroad car and was followed by Florida (1887), Mississippi (1888), Texas (1889), Louisiana (1890), Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas and Georgia (1891), South Carolina (1898), North Carolina (1899), Virginia (1900), Maryland (1904), Oklahoma
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Dec
24
1881
The First Novel by a Black American
William Wells Brown published Clotel, the first novel by a Black American.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jul
6
1853
Oscar DePriest elected to Seventy-first Congress
Oscar DePriest elected to Seventy-first Congress from Illinois First Congressional District (Chicago). He was the first congressman from the North and the first Black in Congress since the departure of George H. White in 1901.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Nov
6
1928
U.S. Supreme Court said school systems must end
U.S. Supreme Court said school systems must end segregation at once and operate now and hereafter only unitary schools. In Mississippi case, Alexander V. Holmes, the Court abandoned the principle of all deliberate speed.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Oct
29
1969
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 African Americans.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Mar
21
1965
The National Council of Negro Women sponsors its first Black Family Reunion at t
The National Council of Negro Women sponsors its first Black Family Reunion at the National Mall in Washington.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sep
12
1986
President Roosevelt wanted demonstration ended
President Roosevelt conferred with A. Philip Randolph and other leaders of the March on Washington movement and urged them to call off a scheduled demonstration. Randolph refused.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Boston Professional Chapter
Jun
18
1941
Doris A. Davis of Compton, California becom
Doris A. Davis of Compton, California becomes the first African American woman to govern a metropolitan city.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jun
5
1973
One-Man Show of Art
One-Man Show of Art by Negro, First of Kind Here, Opens Today, read the headline of a front-page article in The New York Times on this day. The article announced the opening of Archibald J. Motley, Jrs show at the New Gallery on Madison Avenue. This was the first time in History that an artist had
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Museum of African American History in Massachusetts
Feb
25
1928
Shirley Chisholm
Shirley Chisholm became the first African American Presidential nominee, with 151 votes from the delegates polled.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jul
13
1972
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
Supreme Court Rules on Busing
U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that busing was a constitutionally acceptable method of integrating public schools.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Apr
20
1971
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
The first African American magazine, Mirror of Freedom, begins publication in Ne
The first African American magazine, Mirror of Freedom, begins publication in New York City.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Aug
30
1838
Roland Hayes' Fifth American Tour
Roland Hayes opened his fifth American Tour at New Yorks Carnegie Hall packed with admirers.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Nov
15
1928
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
African Free School opened
African Free School opened in New York.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Oct
10
1788
Civil Rights Movement
On this day the African American community of Montgomery, Alabama voted unanimously to end its 385 day bus-boycott.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) Boston Metropolitan Chapter
Dec
20
1956
Countee Cullen, born
Born in 1903 in New York City, Countee Cullen was raised in a Methodist
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Diversity In Action
May
30
1903
John B. McLendon
John B. McLendon becomes the first African American coach in the ABA when he signs a two year contract with the Denver Nuggets.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association (MBLA)
May
14
1969
Officers killed three students during
Officers killed three students during demonstration on the campus of South Carolina State in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Students were protesting segregation at an Orangeburg bowling alley.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Feb
8
1968
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
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson appears on the cover of Life magazine; first time an African American is featured on the cover in the magazines 13 year history
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Source: Blackfacts.com
May
10
1950
Juanita Hall becomes the first African American
Juanita Hall becomes the first African American to win a Tony award for her role as Bloody Mary in the musical South Pacific.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Apr
9
1950
Slavery Abolishment
Vermont became the first American colony to abolish slavery. By 1783 slavery was prohibited in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Pennsylvania passed a gradual emancipation law in 1780. Connecticut and Rhode Island barred slavery in 1784 and were followed by New York (gradual emancipation) and New
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Center for Critical Race and Digital Studies
Jul
2
1777
Lelia Smith Foley becomes the first African A
Lelia Smith Foley becomes the first African American woman to be elected mayor of a U.S. city (Taft, OK)
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Apr
16
1973
California and Colorado Elect a Lt.Governor
State Sen. Mervyn M. Dymally elected lieutenant governor of California. State Sen. Georgia L. Brown elected lieutenant governor of Colorado.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Eastern Bank
Nov
5
1974
Washington Redskins quarterback Doug Williams
Washington Redskins quarterback Doug Williams, the first African American quarterback to play in a Super Bowl game, is named MVP in Super Bowl XXII.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jan
31
1988
Arthur Ashe, the first winner of the U.S.Open
Arthur Ashe became the first winner of the U.S. Open Tennis Championship, defeating Tom Okker of the Netherlands at Forest Hills Stadium, New York.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sep
9
1968

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