March 9, 1967 President Lyndon Johnson presented the Medal of Honor, America’s highest military decoration, to Lawrence Joel. Joel was the first living African American to receive the medal since the Spanish-American War. Joel was born February 22, 1928 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He joined the United States Army in 1946 and served in the […]
March 8th in African American History – William Clarence “Billy” Eckstine
March 8, 1993 William Clarence “Billy” Eckstine, bandleader and balladeer, died. Eckstine was born July 8, 1914 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and began singing at age seven. In 1939, he joined Earl Hines’ Grand Terrace Orchestra as vocalist and occasional trumpeter. In 1944, Eckstine formed his own band which was the first bop big-band.
March 8th in African American History – Willie King
March 8, 2009 Willie King, blues guitarist, composer and singer, died. King was born March 18, 1943 in Prairie Point, Mississippi. Prior to recording, he worked at many occupations. King later became active with the Civil Rights Movement, which inspired him to write socially-conscious blues songs. He described his music as struggling blues because of […]
March 7th in African American History – Ali Ibrahim “Farka” Toure
March 7, 2006 Ali Ibrahim “Farka” Toure, guitarist, singer and one of Africa’s most internationally renowned musicians, died. Toure was born October 31, 1939 in Timbuktu, Mali. Toure was the first African bluesman to achieve widespread popularity in Africa and was often called “the African John Lee Hooker.” He appeared in the 2003 documentary “Feel […]
March 7th in African American History – Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks
March 7, 2006 Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks, photographer, musician, poet, film director, and activist, died. Parks was born November 30, 1912 in Fort Scott, Kansas. He bought his first camera at the age of 25 and began to work as a freelance portrait and fashion photographer. In 1941, an exhibition of his photographs of […]
March 6th in African American History – Michael Norman Manley
March 6, 1997 Michael Norman Manley, two-time Prime Minister of Jamaica, died. Manley was born December 10, 1924 in St. Andrew, Jamaica. He served with the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II and graduated from the London School of Economics in 1949. In 1967, he won election to the Jamaican House of Representatives […]
March 6th in African American History – Kirby Puckett
March 6, 2006 Kirby Puckett, hall of fame baseball player, died. Puckett was born March 14, 1960 in Chicago, Illinois and won All-American honors for baseball while in high school. He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1982 and made his Major League debut in 1984. Over his 12 season Major League career, Puckett […]