February 14, 1912 Oliver Wendell “Ollie” Harrington, cartoonist and political satirist, was born in Valhalla, New York. Harrington started drawing cartoons at a young age and went to work for the Amsterdam News as a cartoonist and political satirist. In 1935, he created “Dark Laughter” a single panel cartoon which appeared in the African American […]
Archive | February, 2013
Absalom Jones – February 13th in African American History
February 13, 1818 Absalom Jones, abolitionist and clergyman, died. Jones was born enslaved on November 6, 1746 in Delaware. By 1785, he had bought his and his family’s freedom. Together with Richard Allen, Jones was one of the first African Americans licensed to preach by the Methodist Church. In 1787, they founded the Free African […]
Isaac Burns Murphy – February 12th in African American History
February 12, 1896 Isaac Burns Murphy, hall of fame jockey, died. Murphy was born April 16, 1861 in Frankfort, Kentucky. He competed in 11 Kentucky Derby’s and was the first jockey to ride three derby winners, Buchanan in 1884, Riley in 1890, and Kingman in 1891. Over his career, Murphy won 628 of his 1,412 […]
Albert Chalky Wright – February 10th in African American History
February 10, 1912 Albert Chalky Wright, hall of fame boxer, was born in Wilcox, Arizona. Wright began boxing professionally in 1928, two weeks after turning 16. He fought for many years before winning the World Featherweight Championship in September, 1941. He successfully defended the title once before losing it in November, 1942. Wright retired in […]
The Orangeburg Massacre – February 8th in African American History
February 8, 1968 The Orangeburg Massacre occurred in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Police fired into a crowd of approximately 200 mostly students who were protesting segregation at a local bowling alley. Samuel Hammond, Henry Smith, students at South Carolina State University, and Delano Middleton, a high school student, were killed and 27 other protesters were injured. […]
Negro History Week – February 7th in African American History
February 7, 1926 The first day of Negro History Week, originated by historian Carter G. Woodson. Carter was born December 19, 1875 in Virginia. He studied at Berea College, University of Chicago and completed a PHd at Harvard University. In 1915, he founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History as a […]
Melvin Beaunorus Tolson – February 6th in African American History
February 6, 1898 Melvin Beaunorus Tolson, educator and poet, was born in Moberly, Missouri. Tolson earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Lincoln University in 1923 and his Master of Arts degree in English and comparative literature from Columbia University in 1940. Shortly after receiving his undergraduate degree, Tolson took a position as […]