June 27, 1936 Thelma Lucille Sayles (Lucille Clifton), poet and educator, was born in Depew, New York. Clifton graduated from the State University of New York in 1955 and over the next 15 years worked for the New York State Division of Employment and the federal Office of Education. In 1996, her poetry was included […]
Archive | June, 2011
James Weldon Johnson – June 26th in African American History
June 26, 1938 James Weldon Johnson, author, diplomat, poet, songwriter, and civil rights activist, died. Johnson was born June 17, 1871 in Jacksonville, Florida. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree from Atlanta University in 1894 and 1904, respectively. In 1900, Johnson along with his brother, John Rosamond, co-composed “Lift […]
Bernard Anthony Harris, Jr. – June 26th in African American History
June 26, 1956 Bernard Anthony Harris, Jr., the first African American to walk in space, was born in Temple, Texas. Harris earned his Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Houston in 1978 and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Texas Tech University School of Medicine in 1982. He completed a residency […]
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamuntombo – June 25th in African American History
June 25, 1966 Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamuntombo, retired professional basketball player, was born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Mutombo attended Georgetown University on a United States Agency for International Development scholarship and in 1991 earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in linguistics and diplomacy. Mutombo was selected by the Denver Nuggets in […]
Michael Joseph Jackson – June 25th in African American History
June 25, 2009 Michael Joseph Jackson, the “King of Pop,” died. Jackson was born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana. He made his professional debut in 1964 as a member of the Jackson 5. In 1968, they signed with Motown Records and their first four singles, “I Want You Back” (1969), “ABC” (1970), “The Love […]
Ira Tucker, Sr. – June 24th in African American History
June 24, 2008 Ira Tucker, Sr., lead singer for the Dixie Hummingbirds, died. Tucker was born May 17, 1925 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He joined the Hummingbirds in 1938 at the age of 13. In addition to his vocal skills, Tucker introduced energetic showmanship, including running through the aisles, jumping off the stage, and falling […]
Fred Anderson – June 24th in African American History
June 24, 2010 Fred Anderson, jazz tenor saxophonist, died. Anderson was born March 22, 1929 in Monroe, Louisiana. He taught himself to play the saxophone as a teenager and moved with his family to Evanston, Illinois in the 1940s. In 1965, he was one of the founders of the Association for the Advancement of Creative […]