October 2, 2005 Frederick August Wilson, playwright, died. Wilson was born Frederick August Kittel on April 27, 1945 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He dropped out of high school in the tenth grade and used the Carnegie Library to educate himself. He made such extensive use of the library that they later awarded him a degree, the […]
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October 1st in African American History – Joseph Black
October 1, 1952 Joseph Black became the first Black pitcher to win a World Series game when he pitched the Brooklyn Dodgers to a 4 to 2 victory over the New York Yankees. Black was born February 8, 1924 in Plainfield, New Jersey and won a baseball scholarship to Morgan State University where he graduated […]
October 1st in African American History – Donny Edward Hathaway
October 1, 1945 Donny Edward Hathaway, R & B singer, was born in Chicago, Illinois. Hathaway began singing in a church choir at the age of three billed as “Donny Pitts, The Nation’s Youngest Gospel Singer”. He also began studying the piano as a child and in 1964 earned a fine arts scholarship to Howard […]
September 30th in African American History – Moneta J. Sleet, Jr.
September 30, 1996 Moneta J. Sleet, Jr., photographer and the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for journalism, died. Sleet was born February 14, 1926 in Owensboro, Kentucky. He graduated cum laude from Kentucky State University in 1947 and earned his Master’s degree in journalism from New York University in 1950. Sleet went […]
September 30th in African American History – Patrice Louise Rushen
September 30, 1954 Patrice Louise Rushen, R&B singer, songwriter, composer and pianist, was born in Los Angeles, California. At a young age, Rushen was considered a child prodigy. At the age of 18, she won at competition at the 1972 Monterey Jazz Festival. Rushin earned a bachelor’s degree in music education and piano performance from […]
September 29th in African American History – Bryant Charles Gumbel
September 29, 1948 Bryant Charles Gumbel, television journalist and sportscaster, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Gumbel graduated from Bates College in 1970 and began his television career in 1972 as a sportscaster for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles. Gumbel was hired by NBC Sports in 1975 as the co-host of its National Football League pre-game […]
September 29th in African American History – Mabel Fairbanks
September 29, 2001 Mabel Fairbanks, figure skater and coach, died. Fairbanks was born November 14, 1916 in New York City and fell in love with figure skating in the 1930s. Despite her ability, she was not allowed to join skating clubs because of her race. She was often told “we don’t have Negroes in ice […]