May 7, 1955 George W. Lee, minister, entrepreneur and civil rights activist, was assassinated. Lee was born in 1904 in Edwards, Mississippi and in the early 1930’s accepted a call to preach in Belzoni, Mississippi. Over time, Lee led four churches, opened a grocery store, and set up a printing business. In 1953, he co-founded […]
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May 1st in African American History – Theodore Roosevelt Mason Howard
May 1, 1976 Theodore Roosevelt Mason Howard, surgeon, entrepreneur and civil rights leader, died. Howard was born March 4, 1908 in Murray, Kentucky. During his years in medical school, Howard took part in civil rights and political causes, including writing a regular column for the black newspaper in Los Angeles. He was also the president […]
William Edward Bughardt Du Bois – April 27th in African American History
April 27, 1963 William Edward Bughardt Du Bois, civil rights activist, historian, and author, died. Du Bois was born February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. In 1888, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fisk University. He went on to Harvard University where he earned another Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in […]
Leon Howard Sullivan – April 24th in African American History
April 24, 2001 Leon Howard Sullivan, minister, civil rights leader, and activist, died. Sullivan was born October 16, 1922 in Charleston, West Virginia. He was ordained a Baptist minister at the age of 18. Sullivan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from West Virginia State University in 1943 and a Master of Arts degree in […]
April 21st in African American History – Nina Simone
April 21, 2003 Nina Simone, singer, songwriter and civil rights activist, died. Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933 in Tryon, North Carolina. She began playing the piano at the age of three and made her debut as a classical pianist at 12. In 1958, she released her debut album, “Little Girl […]
April 20th in African American History – Dorothy Irene Height
April 20, 2010 Dorothy Irene Height, educator and social activist, died. Height was born March 24, 1912 in Richmond, Virginia. While in high school, Height was awarded a scholarship to Barnard College but when she enrolled she was denied admittance because at that time Barnard only admitted two African Americans per academic year and they […]
April 17th in African American History – Ralph David Abernathy
April 17, 1990 Ralph David Abernathy, minister and civil rights leader, died. Abernathy was born March 11, 1926 in Linden, Alabama. After serving in the United States Army during World War II, he graduated with honors and a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Alabama State University in 1950 and in 1951 earned a […]