March 5, 1969 Robert Henry Jenkins, Jr., Medal of Honor recipient, was killed in action. Jenkins was born June 1, 1948 in Interlachen, Florida. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1968 and within two months was promoted to private first class. On March 5, 1969, while serving as a Marine Gunner with […]
March 5th in African American History – James Richmond Barthe
March 5, 1989 James Richmond Barthe, sculptor, died. Barthe was born January 28, 1901 in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. He showed great promise as an artist at a young age but due to his race was barred from enrolling in any of the art schools in the South. In 1924, he was admitted to the […]
March 4th in African American History – Robert Dwayne “Bobby” Womack
March 4, 1944 Robert Dwayne “Bobby” Womack, singer, songwriter and musician, was born in Cleveland, Ohio. As a youngster, Womack and his four brothers formed a gospel group called the Womack Brothers and began touring the gospel circuit. In 1962, they were renamed the Valentinos and began to sing secular music. They had hits with […]
March 4th in African American History – Charles Wilber “Bullet” Rogan
March 4, 1967 Charles Wilber “Bullet” Rogan, hall of fame pitcher and outfielder, died. Rogan was born July 28, 1893 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and lied about his age to enlist in the Army in 1911. He was honorably discharged in 1914 but re-enlisted to play for the all-black Army baseball team. He began his […]
March 3rd in African American History – Eddie Perkins
March 3, 1937 Eddie Perkins, hall of fame boxer, was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi but raised in Chicago, Illinois. Perkins started boxing professionally in 1956 and was willing to fight anyone anywhere. Over his career, he fought in 23 countries and Puerto Rico. Perkins won the World Lightweight championship in 1962, lost it later that […]
March 3rd in African American History – Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee
March 3, 1962 Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee, three-time Olympic Gold Medal winner, was born in East St. Louis, Illinois. Joyner-Kersee attended the University of California at Los Angeles from 1980 to 1984, where she starred in both track and field and basketball. She competed at four Olympic Games, the 1984 Los Angeles Games where she won the […]
March 2nd in African American History – Charles Henry Christian
March 2, 1942 Charles Henry Christian, swing and jazz guitarist, died. Christian was born July 29, 1916 in Bonham, Texas but raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. By 1936, he was playing electric guitar and had become a regional attraction. In 1939, he was hired by Benny Goodman for the newly formed Goodman sextet. By 1940, […]