John Lee Hooker August 22, 1917 John Lee Hooker, singer, songwriter, and blues guitarist, was born in Coahoma County near Clarksdale, Mississippi. At the age of 15, Hooker ran away from home and in 1948 landed in Detroit, Michigan working at the Ford Motor Company and playing in the blues venues and saloons on Hasting [...]
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August 19th in African American History – Martha Rae Watson
August 19, 1946 Martha Rae Watson, hall of fame track and field athlete, was born in Long Beach, California. Watson attended Tennessee State University and was America’s premier female long jumper during the 1960s and early 1970s. She competed in the long jump at the 1964 Tokyo, 1968 Atlanta, 1972 Munich, and 1976 Montreal Olympic [...]
August 15th in African American History – William Lee Conley “Big Bill” Broonzy
August 15, 1958 William Lee Conley “Big Bill” Broonzy, blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist, died. Broonzy was born June 26, 1898 in Lake Dick, Arkansas but raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He began playing music at an early age and at the age of ten made himself a fiddle from a cigar box and began [...]
August 6th in African American History – Ella Jenkins
August 6, 1924 Ella Jenkins, folk singer and “The First Lady of the Children’s Folk Song,” was born in St. Louis, Missouri but grew up in Chicago, Illinois. In 1951, Jenkins earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology with minors in child psychology and recreation from San Francisco State University. After graduating, she began [...]
August 31st in African American History – Christopher “Chris” Tucker
August 31, 1972 Christopher “Chris” Tucker, comedian and actor, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. After graduating from high school, Tucker moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy and movies. He made his film debut in “House Party 3” (1994) and his first major role was in the 1995 film “Friday.”
August 31st in African American History – Lionel Leo Hampton
August 31, 2002 Lionel Leo Hampton, jazz vibraphonist and band leader, died. Hampton was born April 20, 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky. While still a teenager, he played the xylophone and drums. In 1936, he joined the Benny Goodman Quartet, making it one of the first racially integrated jazz groups to record and play before wide [...]
August 30th in African American History – Robert Lee Parish
August 30, 1953 Robert Lee Parish, hall of fame basketball player, was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Parish played college basketball at Centenary College of Louisiana and earned his B. A. degree in 1976. Parish was selected by the Golden State Warriors in the 1976 NBA Draft and traded to the Boston Celtics in 1980.