August 10, 1880 Clarence Cameron White, violinist, teacher, and composer, was born in Clarkville, Tennessee. White started studying violin at the age of eight and in 1896 entered the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he was the only Black student in the orchestra. Before graduating, he left Oberlin to accept a teaching position. From 1924 […]
Archive | August, 2011
August 10th in African American History – Henry Cabot Lodge Bohler
August 10, 2007 Henry Cabot Lodge Bohler, former Tuskegee Airman, died. Bohler was born in Augusta, Georgia in 1925. He enlisted in the Army Air Force at the age of 17 and trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field, earning his wings in 1944. Bohler remained with the air force until 1947, rising to the […]
August 9th in African American History – Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr.
August 9, 2008 Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr., musician, songwriter, singer and actor, died. Hayes was born August 20, 1942 in Covington, Tennessee. He began his career in the early 1960s as a session player, songwriter, and producer at Stax Records. Along with his partner David Porter, Hayes wrote a string of hits for the artists […]
August 9th in African American History – Bernard Jeffrey “Bernie Mac” McCullough
August 9, 2008 Bernard Jeffrey “Bernie Mac” McCullough, comedian and actor, died. Bernie Mac was born October 5, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois. He started out as a stand-up comedian around Chicago and in 1989 won the Miller Lite Comedy Search. His first major acting role was in the 1995 film “Friday”. That was followed by […]
August 8th in African American History – Eligio Sardinas Montalvo (Kid Chocolate)
August 8, 1988 Eligio Sardinas Montalvo (Kid Chocolate), hall of fame boxer, died. Montalvo was born January 6, 1910 in Havana, Cuba. He never lost a fight as an amateur and turned professional in 1927. His first twelve fights were in Cuba before he moved to New York City in 1928. In 1931, Montalvo became […]
August 8th in African American History – John Harold Johnson
August 8, 2005 John Harold Johnson, publisher and businessman, died. Johnson was born January 19, 1918 in Arkansas City, Arkansas. He moved to Chicago, Illinois with his family in 1933. After graduating from high school, Johnson took a job as an office boy at Supreme Life Insurance Company and within two years he had moved […]
August 7th in African American History – Esther Mae Jones Phillips
August 7, 1984 Esther Mae Jones Phillips, R&B vocalist, died. Phillips was born December 23, 1935 in Galveston, Texas. In 1949, she won an amateur talent contest and began touring as “Little Esther Phillips.” In 1950, she recorded her first hit record, “Double Crossing Blues,” and that was followed by other hits such as “Mistrusting […]