February 21, 1968 Clifford Chester Sims, Medal of Honor recipient, was killed in action. Sims was born June 18, 1942 in Port St. Joe, Florida. By February 21, 1968, he was serving in the United States Army as a staff sergeant in Company D, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
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February 21st in African American History – Eva Jessye
February 21, 1992 Eva Jessye, the first black woman to receive international distinction as a professional choral conductor, died. Jessye was born January 20, 1895 in Coffeyville, Kansas. She studied choral music and music theory at Western University, a now defunct historically Black college, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Langston University in […]
February 20th in African American History – Charles Wade Barkley
February 20, 1963 Charles Wade Barkley, hall of fame basketball player, was born in Leeds, Alabama. Barkley played college basketball at Auburn University where he was a three-time All-SEC selection and Conference Player of the Year in 1984. Barkley was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1984 NBA Draft and over his 16 year […]
February 20th in African American History – Jaramogi Abebe Agyeman (Albert Cleage)
February 20, 2000 Jaramogi Abebe Agyeman (Albert Cleage), religious leader, died. Cleage was born June 13, 1911 in Indianapolis, Indiana and grew up in Detroit, Michigan. Cleage earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Wayne State University in 1942 and his Bachelor of Divinity from Oberlin Graduate School of Theology in 1943 and was ordained […]
February 19th in African American History – Dorothy Maynor
February 19, 1996 Dorothy Maynor, concert soprano and founder of the Harlem School of Arts, died. Maynor was born September 3, 1910 in Norfolk, Virginia. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampton Institute in 1933 and another Bachelor of Arts degree from the Westminster Choir School in 1935. Maynor made her debut at […]
February 19th in African American History – Virginia Hamilton
February 19, 2002 Virginia Hamilton, children’s book author, died. Hamilton was born March 12, 1936 in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio State University in 1958 and published her first book, “Zeely,” in 1967. Over her career, she wrote 35 books, including “M. C. Higgins, the Great” which won […]
February 18th in African American History – Dedan Kimathi Waciuri
February 18, 1957 Dedan Kimathi Waciuri, Kenyan freedom fighter, was executed. Kimathi was born October 31, 1920 in the Nyeri District of Kenya. In 1941, he enlisted in the army to fight on the side of the British during World War II however he was expelled in 1944 for misconduct. In 1946, he became a […]