December 22, 1939 Ma Rainey, the “Mother of the Blues,” died. Rainey was born Gertrude Malissa Nix Pridgett in Columbus, Georgia in either September, 1882 or April, 1886 and first appeared on stage at the age of 14. In 1904, she began performing with her husband billed as “Rainey & Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues.” […]
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Harry “The Black Panther” Wills – December 21st in African American History
December 21, 1958 Harry “The Black Panther” Wills, hall of fame boxer, died. Willis was born May 15, 1889 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He began his professional boxing career in 1911 and fought for over 20 years, often ranked as the number one challenger for the heavyweight title, but never given the opportunity to fight […]
Max Robinson – December 20th in African American History
December 20, 1988 Max Robinson, broadcast journalist, died. Robinson was born May 1, 1939 in Richmond, Virginia. He attended several colleges and briefly served in the United States Air Force before receiving a medical discharge. Robinson began his television career in 1959 in Portsmouth, Virginia where he had to read the news while hidden behind […]
Matthew Leonard – December 19th in African American History
December 19, 1968 President Lyndon B. Johnson presented the Medal of Honor, America’s highest military decoration, to the family of Matthew Leonard for his actions during the Vietnam War. Leonard was born November 26, 1929 in Eutaw, Alabama. He served in the United States Army during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. On February 28, 1967, […]
Clara McBride Hale – December 18th in African American History
December 18, 1992 Clara McBride Hale, humanitarian known as Mother Hale, died. Hale was born April 1, 1905 in New York City. She struggled to support her family after the death of her husband during the Great Depression, using her home as a daycare center. Over the years, Hale’s profession became her life calling. She […]
Noble Sissle – December 17th in African American History
December 17, 1975 Noble Sissle, composer, lyricist, bandleader, and playwright, died. Sissle was born July 10, 1889 in Indianapolis, Indiana. At an early age, he started singing in the church choir and as a teenager toured the Midwest as part of a gospel quartet. In 1915, he met Eubie Blake and they formed a vaudeville […]
John Edward Jacob – December 16th in African American History
December 16, 1934 John Edward Jacob, civil rights leader, was born in Trout, Louisiana. Jacob earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics in 1957 and Master of Social Work degree in 1963 from Howard University. He was a social worker in Baltimore, Maryland from 1960 to 1965. In 1965, he joined the Washington, D.C. […]