December 15, 1943 Thomas Wright “Fats” Waller, jazz pianist, organist and composer, died. Waller was born May 21, 1904 in New York City. He started playing the piano at the age of six. At the age of 14, he was playing the organ at Harlem’s Lincoln Theater and within 12 months had composed his first […]
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Dinah Washington – December 14th in African American History
December 14, 1963 Dinah Washington, blues and jazz singer, died. Washington was born Ruth Lee Jones on August 29, 1924 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. As a child, Washington played the piano and directed her church choir and by 16 she was touring the United States on the black gospel circuit. During this period, she performed in […]
Frank L. Mingo – December 13th in African American History
December 13, 1939 Frank L. Mingo, advertising executive, was born in McComb, Mississippi. Mingo earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Roosevelt University and a Master of Science degree in advertising from Northwestern University. After graduating, Mingo went to work for J. Walter Thompson where he became their first black account executive with clients that […]
Joseph Goreed (Joe Williams) – December 12th in African American History
December 12, 1918 Joseph Goreed (Joe Williams), jazz singer, was born in Cordele, Georgia, but raised in Chicago, Illinois. By his early teens, Williams had taught himself to play the piano and formed his own gospel group. By 1939, he had started to tour with established bands and got his big break in 1954 when […]
Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton – December 11th in African American History
December 11, 1926 Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, singer and songwriter, was born in Ariton, Alabama. Thornton began to sing at a very early age and at 14 she joined the Hot Harlem Revue and toured with them for seven years. Thornton began her recording career in 1951 and the next year recorded “Hound Dog.”
Rita Dove – August 28th in African American History
On August 28, 1952, Rita Dove was born in Akron, Ohio. Dove is a poet whose work often examines political and racial issues. A black female of immense talent, Rita Dove has accumulated an impressive number of professional awards. From 1993 to 1995, she served as the Poet Laureate of the United States. Dove’s achievements […]
Nat Turner – August 21st in African American History
On August 21, 1831, Nat Turner, an African American slave preacher, led a violent rebellion against the ruling class in Southampton County, Virginia. The Nat Turner Rebellion resulted in the deaths of over 55 whites and 255 slaves. Turner’s band of rebels numbered 70, so most of the slaves killed had nothing to do with […]