March 19, 1962 Mary Cardwell Dawson, musician, teacher and founder of the Negro Opera Company, died. Dawson was born February 14, 1894 in Meridian, North Carolina but raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She graduated from the New England Conservatory with degrees in piano and voice in 1925 and did additional training at the Chicago Musical College. […]
March 19th in African American History – Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr.
March 19, 1984 Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., civil rights activist and chief lobbyist for the NAACP, died. Mitchell was born March 8, 1911 in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated from Lincoln University in 1931 and later earned a law degree from the University of Maryland.
March 18th in African American History – Vanessa Lynn Williams
March 18, 1963 Vanessa Lynn Williams, model, singer, songwriter and actress, was born in Tarrytown, New York. Williams began competing in beauty pageants in the early 1980s and in September, 1983 was crowned Miss America 1984, the first Miss America of African descent. Her short reign was initially marred by the fact that she became […]
March 18th in African American History – Dana Elaine Owens (Queen Latifah)
March 18, 1970 Dana Elaine Owens (Queen Latifah), rapper, singer and actress, was born in Newark, New Jersey. Latifah started rapping in 1987 with the group Ladies Fresh and released her first album, “All Hail the Queen,” in 1989. Other rap albums include “Nature of a Sista” (1991) and “Order in the Court” (1998). In […]
March 17th in African American History – Myrlie Beasley
March 17, 1933 Myrlie Beasley (Myrlie Evers-Williams), civil rights activist, was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. While attending Alcorn A&M College, she met Medgar Evers and they were married in 1951. Evers was murdered in 1963 because of his civil rights activities. Evers-Williams graduated from Pomona College in 1968, with a degree in sociology and served […]
March 17th in African American History – Elizabeth Louise “Betty” Allen
March 17, 1927 Elizabeth Louise “Betty” Allen, operatic mezzo-soprano, was born in Campbell, Ohio. Allen earned a bachelor’s degree from the Hartford School of Music in vocal performance and her first major performance came in 1951 as the soprano soloist in “Jeremiah Symphony” with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She made her opera debut the following […]
March 16th in African American History – Virginia Estelle Randolph
March 16, 1958 Virginia Estelle Randolph, educator and pioneer of vocational training, died. Randolph was born June 8, 1874 in Richmond, Virginia. She began her career as a teacher when she opened the one room Mountain Road School in Henrico County. In addition to academics, she taught her students woodworking, sewing, cooking, and gardening.