Did You Know That In...

Jordan, June (1936-2002)

June Meyer Jordan, writer, editor, poet, educator, environmental and social activist, was the only child of Granville Ivanhoe and Mildred Maude Fischer Jordan who were Jamaican immigrants. June was born in Harlem on July 9, 1936. June’s father worked as a night shift postal clerk and her mother

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Source: Black Past

Jul

9

1936

The New York newspaper Amsterdam News is founded.

The New York newspaper Amsterdam News is

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Dec

4

1909

Did You Know That In...

1712 - A New York act bans black mulatoos and Native Americans from home ownership.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

0

1712

Terrence Howard

Terrence Howard is a celebrated American actor known for his strong performances in movies such as “Hustle & Flow” and “Ray & Crash”. He was born on March 11, 1969 in Chicago, Illinois to Tyrone Howard and Anita Williams. He came from a family of actors; his maternal

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Source: Black History Resources

Mar

11

1969

First African Methodist Episcopal Church, Los Angeles, California, (1872- )

The First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) Church is today the oldest and one of the largest African American congregations in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1872 by Bridget (Biddy) Mason who arrived as a slave in Los Angeles with her owner in 1856. However, since California was

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Source: Black Past

Brown, Wesley (1927-2012)

Wesley Brown earned distinction in 1949 as the first African American to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. Wesley Brown grew up in Washington, D.C. and attended Dunbar High School. A “voracious reader,” Brown joined the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History

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Source: Black Past

Classical Conductor Dean Dixon born.

Classical Conductor Dean Dixon is born in 1915 in Harlem, NY. Fluent in Swedish, French and German, Dixon became one of Europes best known conductors after leaving the US in 1949. He conducted the Goteborg (Sweden) Symphony for 10 years before being named conductor for the Hessian Radio Symphony in

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

10

1915

Henry Ransom Cecil McBay, chemist, is born

Henry Ransom Cecil McBay, chemist, Born May 29, 1914 in Mexia, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Science from Wiley College in 1934 and a Master of Science from Atlanta University in 1936. Henry McBay earned a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Chicago in 1945. McBay served as an Instructor

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Source: Blackfacts.com

May

29

1914

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

The African American Experience in Italy, 1852 to 2013

In the following article longtime BlackPast.org contributor and San Diego State University Librarian Robert Fikes discusses African Americanemigrants to and visitors in

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Source: Black Past

Activist Faye Wattleton

Faye Wattleton, a rgeistered nurse and New York activist, was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Wattleton served as president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America from 1978 to 1992.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Jul

8

1943

Chica da Silva (1731/5-1796)

Francisca da Silva de Oliveira, better known as Chica da Silva (or spelled Xica da Silva), was a Brazilian woman born into slavery, who went on to gain her freedom and become a powerful and well-known member of Brazilian

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Source: Black Past

Agrippa Hull: Revolutionary Patriot

In the following article, University of California at Los Angeles historian Gary B. Nash describes little-known Revolutionary War soldier who was attached by General George Washington to serve with Polish military engineer Tadeuz Kosciuszko. This account is part of a larger history of three

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Source: Black Past

May

21

1848

Jamaica

Jamaica is an island in the West Indies, 90 mi (145 km) south of Cuba and 100 mi (161 km) west of Haiti. It is a little smaller than Connecticut. The island is made up of coastal lowlands, a limestone plateau, and the Blue Mountains, a group of volcanic hills, in the

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Source: Fact Monster - Black History

Ethiopia Invaded by Italy

Ethiopia, one of the only two independent African nations at the time, was invaded on October 3,1935 by Facist Italy under Benito Mussolini. The Italians, seeking revenge for their prior

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Oct

3

1935

New York Police Arrest 294 at Worlds Fair

New York police arrested 294 demonstrators at opening of World Fair.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Apr

22

1964

Organization for Afro-American Unity

Organization for Afro-American Unity founded in New York by Malcolm X.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Jun

28

1964

Marian Anderson's Town Hall Debut

Marian Anderson made her Town Hall debut in New York. Her performance was described by Howard Taubman, the New York Times reviewer, as music making that probed too deep for words.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Dec

31

1935

Thelonious Monk, jazz great born

Thelonious Sphere Monk (1917--82) Jazz musician; born in Rocky Mount, N.C. He was raised in New York

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Feb

21

1917

Dinkins, David N. (1927- )

In 1989, David N. Dinkins defeated his challenger, former federal prosecutor Rudolph (Rudy) Giuliani, to become the first African American mayor of New York

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Source: Black Past

(1832) Maria W. Stewart Advocates Education for African American Women

In September 1832, Maria W. Stewart delivered at Boston’s Franklin Hall one of the first public lectures ever given by an American woman. Her speech, directed to the women of the African American Female Intelligence Society, called on black women to acquire equality through education. The speech

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Source: Black Past

Dawson, William Levi (1898-1990)

William Levi Dawson was an African Americancomposer, choir director, and professor specializing in black religious folkmusic. He was born on September 26,1899, in Anniston, Alabama to Eliza Starkey and George Dawson, thefirst of their seven children. His father, a former slave, was an

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Source: Black Past

May

2

1990

Viro "Black Sam" Small makes his wrestling debutat Owney's Bastile in New York

Viro Black Sam Small makes his wrestling debut at Owneys Bastile in New York; he is the first known black wrestler in the U.S.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

0

1870

James McCune Smith, a physician and writer educatedin New York's African Free

James McCune Smith, a physician and writer educated in New Yorks African Free School and at the University of Glasglow in Scotland, begins to practice medicine in New York City and eventually opens a pharmacy there; he also conducts pioneer work in the scientific study of race.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

0

1837

Singer Leslie Uggams born

Singer Leslie Uggams, who made her singing debut with the Lawrence Welk Band, was born in New York city.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

May

25

1943

Runnin' Wild opened at Colonial Theater, Broadway

Runnin Wild opened at Colonial Theater, Broadway. Miller and Lyles Productions introduced Charleston to New York and the world.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Oct

29

1923

First Scat Singing Ever Recorded

Don Redman performed the first recorded scat vocals while a member of Fletcher Hendersons Orchestra. Scat singing is an improvised vocal instrumentation composed of nonsense syllables. Don Redman scatted a few bars of My Papa Doesnt Two-Time No Time, recorded in New York by Columbia. Although Louis

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Apr

16

1924

The Zong Massacre (1781)

The slave ship Zong departed the coast of Africa on 6 September 1781 with 470 slaves. Since this human chattel was such a valuable commodity at that time, many captains took on more slaves than their ships could accommodate in order to maximize profits. The Zong’s captain, Luke

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Source: Black Past

Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth left New York and began her career as an antislavery activist.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Jun

1

1843

Anthony, Susan Brownell

Anthony, Susan Brownell, 1820–1906, American reformer and leader of the woman-suffrage movement, b. Adams, Mass. daughter of Daniel Anthony, Quaker abolitionist. From the age of 17, when she was a teacher in rural New York state, she agitated for equal pay for women teachers, for coeducation, and

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Source: Fact Monster - Black History

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