Legends of the Ring: Pinklon Thomas

Heavy weight boxer Jimmy Ellis born

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Jimmy Ellis was born James Albert Ellis in Louisville, Kentucky. Ellis won the World Boxing Association title after beating Jerry Quarry in April 1968.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Feb

24

1940

Streeter, Mel (1931-2006)

Mel Streeter was born in Riverside, California in 1931. He attended the University of Oregon on a basketball scholarship and was the second African-American basketball player at Oregon after declining an offer by legendary basketball coach John Wooden to attend UCLA, because UCLA did not have an

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Source: Black Past

Jun

15

2006

Elam-Thomas, Harriet (1941 – )

Born on September 15, 1941 in Boston, Massachusetts, Harriet Elam attended Simmons College in Boston where she received a B.S. degree in International Business. She also received an M.A. degree in Public Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. She speaks fluent

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Source: Black Past

Sep

15

1941

Rice, Norm (1943- )

Norman B. Rice was born in Denver, Colorado. He migrated to Seattle in 1970 to attend college. In 1972 he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and two years later a master’s degree in public administration both from the University of

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Source: Black Past

Jul

28

1989

Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute (1969- )

The Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute (LHPAI) is Seattles longest-lived performing arts venue for programming primarily by and about people of African descent. It is located at 104 17th Avenue South in the Central Area, the traditional heart of the African American and Diaspora

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Source: Black Past

(2004) Bill Cosby, “The Pound Cake Speech”

On May 17, 2004, the NAACP staged a gala celebration at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Comedian, actor, and philanthropist Bill Cosby was asked to deliver the main address. Cosby

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Source: Black Past

May

17

2004

The famous boxer Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns becomes the first Black man to win boxi

The famous boxer Thomas Hit Man Hearns becomes the first Black man to win boxing titles in five different weight classes, 1987

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Sep

15

1987

Bessie Coleman

Bessie Coleman was the first female African American pilot. She was born on January 26, 1892 and was the tenth of thirteen children born to George and Susan Coleman in Atlanta, Texas. Her father was of Native and African American descent. She attended a small school which was four miles from her

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Source: Black History Resources

Jun

15

1921

Sinde, Yalonda (1963- )

Yalonda Sinde was born in Seattle Washington to working-class parents. Her father was a steward with Amtrak for many years and her late mother was a hairdresser. She is the oldest of three sisters. Sinde’s father inspired much of her activism. “Watching what my father endured as a black

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Source: Black Past

United Construction Workers Association

The United Construction Workers Association (UCWA) was founded in 1970 by Tyree Scott, an electrician who had become a Seattle civil rights activist. At the request of the American Friends Service Committee, Tyree Scott left the Central Contractors Association which he had created in 1968, to

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Source: Black Past

Jackson State University (1877- )

A historically black college located in on a 125-acre campus near downtown Jackson, the capital city of the state of Mississippi, Jackson State University (JSU) has been the designated urban university of the state’s higher education system since 1979. The school was founded in 1877 by the

fave

Source: Black Past

May

14

1970

Bean, Maurice Darrow (1928-2009)

In 1977, career diplomat Maurice D. Bean was nominated by President Jimmy Carter to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Burma (in 1989 the military government changed the name of the country to Myanmar). Bean was born on September 9, 1928, in Gary, Indiana. His father Everett worked as a laborer for the

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Source: Black Past

Nov

30

2009

Richmond, Bill (1763 – 1829)

BillRichmond, a.k.a. The Black Terror, the first black boxer to gaininternational recognition, was born in Cuckolds Town (now Richmondtown), on Staten Island, NewYork, on August 5, 1763. In 1777 when the Englishtroops held New Yorkduring the revolutionary war, he served their General Earl

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Source: Black Past

Aug

5

1763

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

Boxer Floyd Patterson born

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Floyd Patterson was born in Waco, North Carolina. A 1952 Olympic gold medalist, Patterson fought 64 times and won 40 bouts by knockout.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

4

1935

Documentary Films on Blackpast.org - African American History - Director

A&E Television Americas Black Warriors (on World War II) 1998

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Source: Black Past

William "Bill" Richmond fights and loses to Tom Cribb, English boxing champion

William Bill Richmond fights and loses to Tom Cribb, English boxing champion, Halsham, England; it is the first time a black Americn athlete competes for a world title in any sport.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

0

1805

Oakwood University [Huntsville] (1896- )

Oakwood College is a private, four-year coeducational historically black liberal arts university located in Huntsville, Alabama; the small urban campus is five minutes from downtown. Sitting on 1,185 acres, Oakwood University is one of the historical landmarks of Huntsville. It is the only

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Source: Black Past

Waldron, Frank (1890-1955)

Frank Waldron was one of the most influential musicians and teachers in the first half of Seattle’s 20th century jazz scene. Waldron was born in San Francisco in 1890. By World War I he had moved to the Pacific Northwest and played music at a dance pavilion frequented by soldiers from Camp Lewis

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Source: Black Past

Meredith Mathews East Madison YMCA

This Seattle branch of the YMCA is located at 23rd Avenue and East Madison Street. The site was formerly used as a tennis club by members of the community. The property was owned by the Colman family, long-time supporters of the YMCA. Members of the black community persuaded the owners to deed

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Source: Black Past

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 believe in the religion of Islam. I believe in Allah and in peace...Im not a Christian anymore.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Feb

26

1964

George Godfrey

George Godfrey was the first black U.S. heavyweight boxing champion.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

0

2000

Six Klansmen arrested in connection with bombing

Six Klansmen arrested in connection with the bombing of ten school buses in Pontiac, Michigan.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Sep

16

1971

Sugar Ray Leonard

Born: 5/17/1956 Rocky Mount, North CarolinaSugar Ray Charles Ray Leonard is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor.Business / Schooling: Awards / Achievements:

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Hazel Dixon Manuscript (1937)

Hazel Dixon was one of Seattles African American pioneers. The wife of William Dixon, the grandson of William Grose, the second African American to settle in Seattle, Dixon lived in a period which saw the citys black population grow from approximately 300 to 3,700. This account, written by Dixon

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Source: Black Past

WBA Welterweight Title

Thomas Hit Man Hearns wins the WBA Welterweight title. This is one of five weight classes that he has won a boxing title making him the first Black to win boxing titles in five different weight classes.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Aug

2

1980

Leon Spinks defeated Muhammad Ali for heavyweight

Leon Spinks defeated Muhammad Ali for heavyweight boxing championship. Ali regained the title on September 15 and became the person to win the title three times.

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Source: Blackfacts.com

Feb

8

1978

Adams, R. Miller

R. Miller Adams focuses his efforts on the private equity component of Triad Capital Partners. Miller started his career practicing law in a downtown Seattle firm focusing on business, sports, and entertainment law and early stage technology companies. He then spent a decade as a senior executive

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Source: Black Past

Stephanie Ellis-Smith, Seattle, Washington

Stephanie Ellis-Smith has lived in Seattle for nearly 20 years and has a diverse background in the arts and civic engagement. Stephanie has degrees in English and biochemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and studied retroviruses at the University of

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Source: Black Past

Smalls, Robert (1839-1915)

Robert Smalls was born in Beaufort, South Carolina, on April 5, 1839 and worked as a house slave until the age of 12. At that point his owner, John K. McKee, sent him to Charleston to work as a waiter, ship rigger, and sailor, with all earnings going to McKee. This arrangement continued until

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Source: Black Past

May

13

1862

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