August 27, 1996 Francis Gregory Morris, television and movie actor, died. Morris was born September 27, 1933 in Cleveland, Ohio. He began his acting career in the early 1960s with guest appearances on television shows such as “The Twilight Zone” and “Ben Casey.” In September, 1966, he was cast in his most memorable role as […]
Archive | African American History RSS feed for this section
August 26th in African American History – King Solomon White
August 26, 1955 King Solomon White, Negro League baseball player, manager, executive, and author, died. White was born June 12, 1868 in Bellaire, Ohio. He joined the Pittsburgh Keystones of the National Colored Baseball League in 1887, starting a playing career that lasted until 1912.
August 26th in African American History – Branford Marsalis
August 26, 1960 Branford Marsalis, saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator, was born in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. In 1980, while still a Berklee College of Music student, Marsalis toured Europe playing saxophone in a large ensemble led by drummer Art Blakey. In 1981, he joined his brother Wynton in Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. His primary focus since […]
August 25th in African American History – Charles Alvin Sanders
August 25, 1946 Charles Alvin Sanders, hall of fame football player, was born in Richlands, North Carolina. Sanders played college football at the University of Minnesota and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 1968 NFL Draft. Over his 10 season professional career, Sanders was a seven-time All-Pro selection. Sanders retired after the 1977 […]
August 25th in African American History – Aaliyah Dana Houghton
August 25, 2001 Aaliyah Dana Houghton, recording artist, actress, and model, died in an airplane crash in the Bahamas. Houghton was born January 16, 1979 in Brooklyn, New York but was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of nine, Houghton appeared on the television show “Star Search” and at the age of eleven she […]
August 24th in African American History – Bayard Rustin
August 24, 1987 Bayard Rustin, civil rights leader and the chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, died. Rustin was born March 17, 1912 in West Chester, Pennsylvania. In 1942, Rustin assisted in the founding of the Congress of Racial Equality. A declared pacifist, he was imprisoned from 1944 to […]
August 24th in African American History – John Melville Burgess
August 24, 2003 John Melville Burgess, the first African American diocesan bishop in the Episcopal Church, died. Burgess was born March 11, 1909 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in social work from the University Michigan in 1930 and 1931, respectively. He earned a divinity degree from […]