February 26, 1973 Marshall William Faulk, hall of fame football player, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Faulk played collegiate football at San Diego State University and was a three-time First-team All-American. He skipped his senior year and was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1994 NFL Draft. That year he was the NFL […]
About Chimsima Zuhri
February 26th in African American History – Roy David Eldridge
February 26, 1989 Roy David Eldridge, jazz trumpeter, died. Eldridge was born January 30, 1911 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He originally played drums, tuba, and trumpet. Eldridge led bands from his early years, moving to St. Louis and New York, where he played in various bands in the early 1930s. From 1941 to 1943, he played […]
February 25th in African American History – Robert Hayden
February 25, 1980 Robert Hayden, the first African American Poet Laureate to the Library of Congress, died. Born Asa Bundy Sheffey on August 4, 1913 in Detroit, Michigan, Hayden earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Detroit City College (later renamed Wayne State University) in 1942.
February 25th in African American History – Jersey Joe Walcott
February 25, 1994 Jersey Joe Walcott, hall of fame boxer, died. Walcott was born Arnold Raymond Cream on January 31, 1914 in Merchantville, New Jersey. He made his professional boxing debut in 1930 and in 1951 won the heavyweight championship at the age of 37. At the time, he was the oldest man to win […]
February 24th in African American History – Alma Woodsey Thomas
February 24, 1978 Alma Woodsey Thomas, painter and art educator, died. Thomas was born September 22, 1891 in Columbus, Georgia. In 1924, she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Howard University, becoming the first graduate of the program. In 1934, she became the first African American woman to earn a Master of Fine […]
February 24th in African American History – Octavia Estelle Butler
February 24, 2006 Octavia Estelle Butler, award winning science fiction writer, died. Butler was born June 22, 1947 in Pasadena, California. She began writing at the age of 10 and at 12 began a lifelong interest in science fiction. In 1968, she earned an associate’s degree from Pasadena City College and then participated in a […]
February 23rd in African American History – Melvin Franklin
February 23, 1995 Melvin Franklin, original member of The Temptations, died. Born David Melvin English on October 12, 1942 in Montgomery, Alabama, his family moved to Detroit, Michigan when he was nine. Franklin took his mother’s maiden name as his stage name and sang with a number of local groups. In 1960, he joined The […]