July 2, 1946 Anthony Overton, the first African American to lead a major business conglomerate, died. Overton was born enslaved on March 21, 1865 in Monroe, Louisiana. After the Civil War, his family moved to Kansas and in 1888 Overton earned a law degree from Washburn College. After admission to the bar, Overton practiced for […]
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July 1st in African American History – Luther Ronzoni Vandross
July 1, 2005 Luther Ronzoni Vandross, R&B singer, songwriter, and producer, died. Vandross was born April 20, 1951 in New York City. He began playing the piano at the age of three and was performing with groups in high school. He attended Western Michigan University for a year before dropping out to pursue a music […]
July 1st in African American History – Renaldo “Obie” Benson
July 1, 2005 Renaldo “Obie” Benson, member of the Four Tops, died. Benson was born June 14, 1936 in Detroit, Michigan. In 1954, Benson and three friends formed a singing group called the Four Aims. Two years later, they changed their name to the Four Tops and signed with Motown Records. By the end of […]
Phyllis Linda Hyman – June 30th in African American History
June 30, 1995 Phyllis Linda Hyman, singer and actress, committed suicide. Hyman was born July 6, 1949 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In her early 20s, Hyman moved to New York City and began performing with a number of musical groups. In 1974, she appeared in the movie “Lenny.” In 1976, she appeared on Norman Conner’s album […]
Joe Henderson – June 30th in African American History
June 30, 2001 Joe Henderson, jazz tenor saxophonist, died. Henderson was born April 24, 1937 in Lima, Ohio. He was encouraged to study music at a young age and by 18 was studying at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan and playing on the local jazz scene. After serving in the United States Army from […]
Lloyd George Richards – June 29th in African American History
June 29, 1919 Lloyd George Richards, theater actor, director and educator, was born in Toronto, Canada, but raised in Detroit, Michigan. Richards earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Wayne State University in 1944 and then became one of the first black military pilots while serving in the United States Air Force during World War […]
Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture) – June 29th in African American History
June 29, 1941 Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture), political activist and one of the first users of the term “Black Power,” was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Carmichael earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Howard University in 1964. While at Howard, he became involved with the Nonviolent Action Group, a […]