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Black Facts for January 20^th

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Maya Angelou speaks at Presidential Inauguration

ON THE PULSE OF MORNING by Maya Angelou delivered at the Presidential Inaguaration Ceremony, January 20, 1993

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1993

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.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

2001

Today the first national Martin Luther King Jr holiday was celebrated.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1986

Anti-Lynching Bill proposed

Black Congressman George H. White, North Carolina, introduced a bill to make lynching of Americans a federal offense. The bill died in committee. One report contends that in 1900, 105 Africans were lynched in the United States.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1773

Baseballs Josh Gibson Negro league star/National League Hall of famer dies on this day.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1947

Pioneer African Baptist church organized

Pioneer African Baptist church organized in Savannah, Ga., with Andrew Bryan as pastor.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1788

Jessye, Eva (1895-1992) - Birthday

She was born in Coffeyville, Kansas on January 20, 1895 to Albert and Julia Jessye, but was raised by various relatives after her parents’ separation.

Source: Black Past

Jan

20

1895

A challenger in Major League Baseball

On this day in 1997, former major league outfielder Curt Flood, who challenged baseballs reserve system and made possible todays megasalaries, dies at age 59.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1997

Founder of the Alabama Penny Savings Bank

Founder of the Alabama Penny Savings Bank, WR Pettiford was born, 1847

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1847

Etta James Profile - Songs, Biography, and History

One of the R&B and blues worlds greatest divas, Etta James gave the genre a boost into the mainstream and helped develop the rock craze in the process with her 1965 hit The Wallflower (aka Roll With Me, Henry). Her signature song, 1961s At Last, is one of the most popular wedding soundtracks of

Source: ThoughtCo

Jan

20

2012

Barbara Jordan was born

Congresswoman, Barbara Jordan was born, 1936

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1936

Josh Gibson was an American Negro League professional baseball player. He was born in Buena Vista, Georgia on December 21, 1911. His father had a farm there but he moved the family to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Gibson was studying to be an electrician and only attended school till the 9th grade. He

Source: Black History Resources

Jan

20

1947

Amílcar Lopes Cabral - Death

Amílcar Lopes Cabral , (born September 12, 1924, Bafatá, Portuguese Guinea [now Guinea-Bissau]—died January 20, 1973, Conakry, Guinea), agronomist, nationalist leader, and founder and secretary-general of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (Partido Africano da

Source: Brittanica

Jan

20

1973

Anti-lynching Bill Proposed

African American Congressman George H. White,R-North Carolina, introduced a bill to make lynching of Americans a federal offense. The bill died in committee. In 1900, 105 African Americans were lynched in the United States.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1900

Florida constitutional convention (eighteen

Florida constitutional convention (eighteen Blacks, twenty-seven whites) met in Tallahassee.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1868

Negro Baseball Leagues - Death

Gibson died on January 20, 1947 after suffering from a stroke.

Source: ThoughtCo

Jan

20

1947

Washington, Ruth V. (1921-1990) - Death

She died in an auto accident on January 20, 1990, near her home in Greenburg, New York, at the age of 69.

Source: Black Past

Jan

20

1990

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. William Clinton.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1999

Eva Jessye was born in Coffeyville, Kansas. Eva Jessye was choral director for the first Broadway production of Porgy and Bess in 1935.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1895

Francisco José Tenreiro - Birthday

Francisco José Tenreiro , in full Francisco José de Vasques Tenreiro (born January 20, 1921, São Tomé—died December 31, 1963, Lisbon, Portugal), African poet writing in Portuguese whose poems express the sufferings caused by colonialist exploitation of the indentured labourers of the island of

Source: Brittanica

Jan

20

1921

(2009) President Barack Obama Inaugural Address

On January 20, 2009, Barack Hussein Obama, became the 44th President of the United States. His inaugural address appears

Source: Black Past

Jan

20

2009

Second inauguration of Barack Obama

The second inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States, marked the commencement of the second term of Barack Obama as President and Joe Biden as Vice President. A private swearing-in ceremony took place on Sunday, January 20, 2013 in the Blue Room of the White House. A public

Source: ThoughtCo

Jan

20

2013

On January 20, 1986, Ronald McNair (1950-86) was the first black astronaut killed during a space mission, when the space shuttle Challenger met with disaster. McNair, a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was assigned to the shuttle Challenger which blew up shortly after take-off.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1986

Etta James - Death

She died on January 20, 2012 at the age of 73.

Source: Black History Resources

Jan

20

2012

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. founded

Zeta Phi Beta sorority, with the help of Phi Beta Sigma Robert Samuel Taylor, was founded at Howard University by Arizona Stemmons, Myrtle Faithful, Pearl A. Neal, Fannie Watts and VIola Goings.

Source: Blackfacts.com

Jan

20

1920

First African Baptist Church, Savannah, Georgia (1773– )

First African Baptist Church, located in the historic district of Savannah, Georgia, is recognized as one of the nations oldest African American Baptist Churches. Although the church was not officially established until 1788, the original congregation of mostly enslaved individuals had been formed

Source: Black Past

Jan

20

1788

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th President of the United States of America and the first African American to have held the post. He was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii to Barack Obama Sr. and Ann Dunham. His parents separated when he was an infant and divorced when he was 2 years

Source: Black History Resources

Jan

20

2009

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