July 26, 1916 Spottswood William Robinson III, educator, civil rights attorney, and judge, was born in Richmond, Virginia.

Robinson earned his undergraduate degree from Virginia Union University in 1936 and in 1939 he received his law degree from Howard University, graduating first in his class and achieving the highest scholastic average in the history of the university.

From 1939 to 1947, Robinson was on the faculty of Howard’s School of Law and from 1948 to 1960 he worked with the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. In 1951, Robinson litigated the lawsuit, Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, which was one of the cases consolidated and decided under Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. From 1960 to 1964, Robinson was Dean of the Howard University School of Law.

In 1964, he became the first African American appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. In 1966, he became the first African American appointed to the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and in 1981 he became the first African American to serve as Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Circuit Court. Robinson took senior status in 1989 and died on October 11, 1998.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. October 11th in African American History – Spottswood William Robinson, III October 11, 1998 Spottswood William Robinson, III, educator, civil rights...
2. January 21st in African American History – Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. January 21, 1951 Eric Himpton Holder, Jr., the first African...
3. April 28th in African American History – Will Robinson April 28, 2008 Will Robinson, the first African American head...
4. April 14th in African American History – William Henry Hastie April 14, 1976 William Henry Hastie, lawyer, judge, educator and...
5. July 24th in African American History – Mary Church Terrell July 24, 1954 Mary Church Terrell, civil and suffrage rights...

July 25, 1984 Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, R&B singer and songwriter, died.

Thornton was born December 11, 1926 in Ariton, Alabama and began to sing at an early age.

At the age of 14, she joined the Hot Harlem Revue and performed with them for 7 years. Thornton began her recording career in 1951 and the next year recorded the hit song “Hound Dog” She was the first to record the song and it was number one on the R&B charts for 7 weeks and sold almost 2 million copies.

Other albums released by Thornton include “Big Mama Thornton with the Muddy Waters Blues Band” (1966), “Ball ‘n’ Chain” (1968), and “Jail” (1975). Over her career, Thornton wrote more than 20 blues songs. In 1984, she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. January 28th in African American History – “We Are the World” January 28, 1985 “We Are the World” was recorded by...
2. July 22nd in African American History – Lonette McKee July 22, 1954 Lonette McKee, singer, songwriter, composer, and actress,...
3. August 19th in African American History – Blind Willie McTell August 19, 1959 Blind Willie McTell, blues guitarist, singer and...
4. January 23rd in African American History – Thomas Andrew Dorsey January 23, 1993 Thomas Andrew Dorsey, the father of gospel...
5. May 25th in African American History – Roy James Brown May 25, 1981 Roy James Brown, pioneering R&B singer, songwriter,...

July 25, 1955 Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid, super model, actress and entrepreneur, was born in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Iman attended high school in Egypt and later lived in Kenya where she studied political science at Nairobi University. She is fluent in five languages, Somali, Arabic, Italian, French, and English.

Iman moved to the United States in 1975 and her first modeling assignment was for Vogue Magazine in 1976. Over her 14 year modeling career, Iman modeled the fashions of many prominent designers, including Halston, Gianni Versace, Calvin Klein, and Yves Saint-Laurent. An occasional actress, Iman has appeared in several movies, including “Back in the World” (1985), “No Way Out” (1987), and “Love at First Sight” (1988).

In 1994, Iman started her own cosmetics business focused on difficult to find shades for ethnic women. That is now a $25 million a year business. In 2007, she started a clothing design line called Global Chic which is one of the best selling items on the Home Shopping Network. She is also actively involved in a number of charitable endeavors, including the Keep a Child Alive program and the Children’s Defense Fund. In 2010, Iman received the Fashion Icon Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America, as “an individual whose signature style has had a profound influence on fashion.”

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. February 29th in African American History – Willi Donnell Smith February 29, 1948 Willi Donnell Smith, one of the most...
2. April 17th in African American History – Willi Donnell Smith April 17, 1987 Willi Donnell Smith, one of the most...
3. September 24th in African American History – Patrick Kelly September 24, 1954 Patrick Kelly, fashion designer, was born in...
4. March 7th in African American History – Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks March 7, 2006 Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks, photographer, musician,...
5. January 1st in African American History – Patrick Kelly January 1, 1990 Patrick Kelly, fashion designer, died. Kelly was...

July 24, 1963 Karl Anthony Malone, hall of fame basketball player, was born in Summerfield, Louisiana.

Malone played college basketball at Louisiana Tech University where he earned the nickname “The Mailman” because he always delivered.

Malone was selected by the Utah Jazz in the 1985 NBA Draft. Over his 19 season career, Malone was NBA Most Valuable Player in 1997 and 1999 and a 13-time All-Star. Malone was also a member of the Gold medal winning basketball teams at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Malone retired in 2004 and in 2006 the Jazz retired his jersey number 32 and a bronze statue of him was unveiled outside the Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1996, Malone was voted one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players and in 2010 he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Malone is director of basketball promotions at Louisiana Tech.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. March 23rd in African American History – Moses Eugene Malone March 23, 1955 Moses Eugene Malone, hall of fame basketball...
2. October 13th in African American History – Vivian Juanita Malone October 13, 2005 Vivian Juanita Malone, one of the first...
3. August 30th in African American History – Robert Lee Parish August 30, 1953 Robert Lee Parish, hall of fame basketball...
4. January 12th in African American History – Jacques Dominique Wilkins January 12, 1960 Jacques Dominique Wilkins, hall of fame basketball...
5. May 24th in African American History – Joe Dumars III May 24, 1963 Joe Dumars III, hall of fame basketball...

July 24, 1954 Mary Church Terrell, civil and suffrage rights activist, died.

Terrell was born September 23, 1863 in Memphis, Tennessee. Terrell earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1884 and her Master of Arts degree in 1888 from Oberlin College, making her one of the first African American women to earn a college degree.

She also served as editor of the Oberlin Review. After college, Terrell taught at a black secondary school and at Wilberforce College. In 1895, she was appointed to the District of Columbia Board of Education where she served until 1906, the first black woman to hold such a position in the United States. In 1896, she was elected the first president of the newly formed National Association of Colored Women Clubs. In 1904, she was invited to speak at the International Congress of Women in Berlin, Germany, the only black woman at the conference.

In 1909, Terrell and Ida B. Wells-Barnett were the only black women invited to attend the organizational meeting of the NAACP. In 1913, Terrell was one of the organizers of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and 26 years later wrote its creed, setting up a code of conduct for Negro women. Terrell’s autobiography, “A Colored Woman in a White World,” was published in 1940. The Mary Church Terrell House in Washington, D.C. was named a National Historic Landmark in 1975.

Terrell was among 12 pioneers of civil rights commemorated by the United States Postal Service with a series of postage stamps in 2009. Terrell’s name is enshrined in the Ring of Genealogy at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, Michigan.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. December 5th in African American History – Mary McLeod Bethune December 5, 1935 Mary McLeod Bethune founded the National Council...
2. September 17th in African American History – Mary Morris Burnett Talbert September 17, 1866 Mary Morris Burnett Talbert, orator, activist and...
3. October 28th in African American History – Terrell Lamar Davis October 28, 1972 Terrell Lamar Davis, former football player, was...
4. February 27th in African American History – Anna Julia Haywood Cooper February 27, 1964 Anna Julia Haywood Cooper, author, educator, and...
5. July 10th in African American History – Mary Jane McLeod Bethune July 10, 1875 Mary Jane McLeod Bethune, educator and civil...

July 23, 2009 Everette “E.” Lynn Harris, author, died.

Harris was born June 20, 1955 in Flint, Michigan, but grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1977, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas.

His first book, “Invisible Life,” was self-published in 1991. After that, Harris authored ten consecutive books to make the New York Times Best Seller list, including “And This Too Shall Pass” (1997), “Money Can’t Buy Me Love” (2000), “A Love of My Own” (2003), and “Basketball Jones” (2009). His personal memoir, “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted,” was published in 2004.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. March 23rd in African American History – Patricia Roberts Harris March 23, 1985 Patricia Roberts Harris, the first African American...
2. June 26th in African American History – Bernard Anthony Harris, Jr. June 26, 1956 Bernard Anthony Harris, Jr., the first African...
3. February 10th in African American History – Lusia “Lucy” Harris February 10, 1955 Lusia “Lucy” Harris, hall of fame basketball...
4. November 5th in African American History – Eddie Harris November 5, 1996 Eddie Harris, jazz musician, died. Harris was...
5. February 23rd in African American History – Donald Luther Lee (Haki R. Madhubuti) February 23, 1942 Donald Luther Lee (Haki R. Madhubuti), author,...

July 23, 1962 Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson became the first African American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Robinson was born January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. He attended the University of California at Los Angeles, where he was a star athlete, from 1939 to 1941 and served in the United States Army as a first lieutenant from 1942 to 1945.

Robinson broke the major league baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Over his ten season professional career, he won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949, and was selected to six consecutive All-Star Games. Robinson retired in 1956 and that same year was awarded the NAACP Spingarn Medal. In the 1960s, Robinson helped to establish Freedom National Bank, an African American owned and operated financial institution in New York City.

Robinson died October 24, 1972. In 1987 Major League Baseball renamed the Rookie of the Year Award the Jackie Robinson Award and in 1997 permanently retired his jersey number 42. In recognition of his achievements on and off the field, Robinson was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush in 2005.

Jackie Robinson published his autobiography, “I Never Had It Made,” in 1972. There are numerous other books about Robinson, including “Baseball’s Great Experiment: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy” (1983) and “Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America” (2004).

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. January 31st in African American History – Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson January 31, 1919 Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson, the first African...
2. October 24th in African American History – Jack Roosevelt Jackie Robinson October 24, 1972 Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson, the first African...
3. Frank Robinson – August 31st in African American History August 31, 1935 Frank Robinson, Hall of Fame baseball player,...
4. February 5th in African American History – Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron February 5, 1934 Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron, hall of fame...
5. May 6th in African American History – William Howard “Willie” Mays May 6, 1931 William Howard “Willie” Mays, hall of fame...

July 31, 1981 Arnette R. Hubbard was installed as the first woman and 39th President of the National Bar Association in Detroit, Michigan.

A native of Stephens, Arkansas, Hubbard earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University and her Juris Doctor degree from John Marshall Law School in 1969. She began her career in 1969 as a lawyer for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

She served as the only woman member of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners for eight years where she ensured greater access to the voting process through aggressive voter recruitment programs. In 1994, she served as an official monitor of the first South African election after apartheid was abolished. In 1997 she was appointed a judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. May 12th in African American History – Oscar Stanton De Priest May 12, 1951 Oscar Stanton De Priest, the first African...
2. April 26th in African American History – Rosemary Brown April 26, 2003 Rosemary Brown, the first black woman in...
3. May 31st in African American History – Jewel Stradford Lafontant-Mankarious May 31, 1997 Jewel Stradford Lafontant-Mankarious, the first female deputy...
4. March 6th in African American History – Michael Norman Manley March 6, 1997 Michael Norman Manley, two-time Prime Minister of...
5. June 14th in African American History – Paul Yaw Boateng June 14, 1951 Paul Yaw Boateng, the first black cabinet...

July 31, 1986 Theodore Shaw “Teddy” Wilson, jazz pianist, died.

Wilson was born November 24, 1912 in Austin, Texas. He studied piano and violin at Tuskegee Institute. In 1935, Wilson joined the Benny Goodman Trio, becoming the first black musician to perform in public with a previously all-white group.

Wilson recorded 50 hit records with various singers such as Lena Horne and Billie Holiday. His albums include “I Got Rhythm” (1956), “Pres and Teddy” (1956), and “With Billie in Mind” (1972). Wilson was designated a NEA Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1986 and was posthumously inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame in 1987. He is considered one of the most influential jazz pianists of his time.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. April 23rd in African American History – Melba Doretta Liston April 23, 1999 Melba Doretta Liston, jazz trombonist, composer and...
2. September 27th in African American History – Stephanie Diana Wilson September 27, 1966 Stephanie Diana Wilson, the second African American...
3. July 27th in African American History – Harry “Sweets” Edison July 27, 1999 Harry “Sweets” Edison, jazz trumpeter, composer and...
4. June 28th in African American History – Harriet E. Adams Wilson June 28, 1900 Harriet E. Adams Wilson, considered the first...
5. March 31st in African American History – John Lenwood “Jackie” McLean March 31, 2006 John Lenwood “Jackie” McLean, jazz alto saxophonist,...

July 30, 1970 Louis E. Lomax, author and the first African American television journalist, died in a car accident when the brakes failed on his car near Santa Rosa, New Mexico.

Lomax was born August 16, 1922 in Valdosta, Georgia. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Paine College in 1942, his Master of Arts degree from American University in 1944, and a Ph. D. from Yale University in 1947. He began his journalism career at the Afro-American and the Chicago Defender newspapers.

In 1958, he became the first black television journalist when he joined WNTA-TV in New York. In 1959 Lomax and his colleague, Mike Wallace (60 Minutes), produced “The Hate That Hate Produced,” a five-part documentary on the Nation of Islam. At the time of his death, Lomax was working on a documentary concerning the role of the FBI in the death of Malcolm X and he had a 141 page FBI file.

Lomax authored five books, including “The Reluctant African” (1960) and “To Kill a Black Man” (1968).

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. October 21st in African American History – Charles Edward Anderson October 21, 1994 Charles Edward Anderson, the first African American...
2. July 16th in African American History – John Henrik Clarke July 16, 1998 John Henrik Clarke, Pan-Africanist writer, historian, and...
3. July 30th in African American History – John Garang de Mabior July 30, 2005 John Garang de Mabior, Sudanese politician and...
4. July 8th in African American History – David Harold Blackwell July 8, 2010 David Harold Blackwell, the first African American...
5. July 11th in African American History – Mattiwilda Dobbs July 11, 1925 Mattiwilda Dobbs, coloratura soprano and one of...

July 30, 2005 John Garang de Mabior, Sudanese politician and rebel leader, died in a helicopter crash.

Garang was born June 23, 1945 in Bor, Sudan. In 1962, he joined the first Sudanese civil war, but, because he was so young, the leaders encouraged him to pursue an education. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Grinnell College in Iowa. Garang then studied East African agricultural economics as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow at the University of Dars es Salaam in Tanzania.

After the first Sudanese civil war ended in 1972, Garang spent the next 11 years as a career soldier and rose to the rank of colonel. During this period, he also earned a master’s degree in agricultural economics and a Ph. D. in economics from Iowa State University. From 1983 to 2005, Garang led the Sudan People’s Liberation Army during the second Sudanese civil war and following the peace agreement he served as First Vice President of Sudan, a position he held until his death.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. July 16th in African American History – John Henrik Clarke July 16, 1998 John Henrik Clarke, Pan-Africanist writer, historian, and...
2. June 19th in African American History – Manute Bol June 19, 2010 Manute Bol, former basketball player and human...
3. June 15th in African American History – William Arthur Lewis June 15, 1991 William Arthur Lewis, the first black person...
4. March 25th in African American History – John Hope Franklin March 25, 2009 John Hope Franklin, historian and author, died....
5. July 27th in African American History – Clarence LaVaughn “C. L.” Franklin July 27, 1984 Clarence LaVaughn “C. L.” Franklin, minister and...

July 29, 1962 Tidjane Thiam, the first black person to head a FTSE 100 (the 100 most highly capitalized companies in the United Kingdom) company, was born in Cote d’Ivoire.

Thiam spent most of his childhood in Paris. In 1984, he received an engineering degree from the École Polytechnique and in 1986 a degree in civil engineering from the École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris where he was top of his class. In 1988, he earned an MBA from INSEAD, an international graduate business school and research institution.

In 1994, Thiam was appointed the head of the National Bureau for Technical Studies and Development for the government of Cote d’Ivoire and in 1997 he became president of the National Council on Information Superhighways and national secretary for Human Resources Development. In 1998, he became Minister of Planning and Development where he oversaw the construction of the first privately financed power plant in Africa.

In 2008, Thiam was appointed finance director at Prudential plc and a year later was named chief executive. Also in 2008, he was named the second most influential black man in the United Kingdom. Thiam is a member of the Africa Progress Panel, an independent authority on Africa to focus world leaders’ attention on delivering on their commitments to the continent.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. July 16th in African American History – John Henrik Clarke July 16, 1998 John Henrik Clarke, Pan-Africanist writer, historian, and...
2. June 13th in African American History – Walter Rodney  June 13, 1980 Walter Rodney, prominent Guyanese historian and political...
3. July 14th in African American History – Robert Lee Elder July 14, 1934 Robert Lee Elder, the first African American...
4. July 2nd in African American History – The National Black Network July 2, 1972 The National Black Network began operation as...
5. March 21st in African American History – The Sharpville Massacre March 21, 1960 The Sharpville Massacre occurred when South African...

July 29, 2003 Luther Henderson, arranger, composer, orchestrator, and pianist, died.

Henderson was born March 14, 1919 in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1942, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the Juilliard School of Music. From 1944 to 1946, Henderson served as staff orchestrator for the United States Navy School of Music. Henderson served as orchestrator, or arranger, or musical director, or composer on more than 50 Broadway musicals, including “Funny Girl” (1964), “No No Nanette” (1971), and “Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music” (1981).

In 1992, Henderson was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Score for “Jelly’s Last Jam” and in 1997 he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Orchestration for “Play On!” In 2004, Henderson was posthumously designated a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. June 30th in African American History – Joe Henderson June 30, 2001 Joe Henderson, jazz tenor saxophonist, died. Henderson...
2. June 5th in African American History – Henderson v. United States June 5, 1950 The United States Supreme Court in the...
3. March 29th in African American History – John Aaron Lewis March 29, 2001 John Aaron Lewis, jazz pianist, composer and...
4. July 22nd in African American History – Lonette McKee July 22, 1954 Lonette McKee, singer, songwriter, composer, and actress,...
5. July 1st in African American History – Luther Ronzoni Vandross July 1, 2005 Luther Ronzoni Vandross, R&B singer, songwriter, and...

July 28, 1924 Cordy Tindell Vivian, minister, author and civil rights activist, was born in Howard, Missouri.

Vivian’s first professional job was recreation director for the Carver Community Center in Peoria, Illinois where he participated in his first sit-in demonstrations, successfully integrating Barton’s Cafeteria in 1947. From 1955 to 1959, Vivian studied at American Baptist College where he participated in the Nashville Student Movement. He also helped found the Nashville Christian Leadership Conference and helped organize the first sit-ins in 1960 and the first civil rights marches in 1961.

In 1966, Vivian founded and directed Vision, an educational program that provided scholarships for 702 Alabama college-bound students. In 1970, he authored “Black Power and the American Myth”. In the 1970s, Vivian moved to Atlanta and in 1977 founded the Black Action Strategies and Information Center, a consultancy on multiculturalism and race relations in the workplace and other contexts.

In 1979, he co-founded the Center for Democratic Renewal, an organization to respond to White supremacy activity. His biography, “Challenge and Change,” was published in 1993. In 2008, he founded the C. T. Vivian Leadership Institute to create a model leadership culture in Atlanta. Vivian continues to speak publicly and offer workshops.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. March 24th in African American History – Zephaniah Alexander Looby March 24, 1972 Zephaniah Alexander Looby, civil rights lawyer, died....
2. April 20th in African American History – Warren Q. Marr II April 20, 2010 Warren Q. Marr II, co-founder of the...
3. May 1st in African American History – Theodore Roosevelt Mason Howard May 1, 1976 Theodore Roosevelt Mason Howard, surgeon, entrepreneur and...
4. July 2nd in African American History – Anthony Overton July 2, 1946 Anthony Overton, the first African American to...
5. May 7th in African American History – George W. Lee May 7, 1955 George W. Lee, minister, entrepreneur and civil...

July 28, 2009 Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II (Rev. Ike), minister and evangelist, died.

Rev. Ike was born June 1, 1935 in Ridgeland, South Carolina. He began his career as a teenage preacher. After serving the United States Air Force, he founded the United Church of Jesus Christ for All People in Beaufort, South Carolina, the United Christian Evangelistic Association in Boston, and the Christ Community United Church in New York City.

Rev. Ike’s ministry reached its peak in the mid-1970s when his weekly radio sermons were carried by hundreds of stations across the United States. His slogan was “You can’t lose with the stuff I use.”

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. September 22nd in African American History – Jeremiah Alvesta Wright, Jr. September 22, 1941 Jeremiah Alvesta Wright, Jr., former pastor of...
2. February 11th in African American History – Jonathon Jasper Wright February 11, 1840 Jonathon Jasper Wright, lawyer and judge on...
3. July 26th in African American History – Charles Albert Tindley July 26, 1933 Charles Albert Tindley, gospel music composer and...
4. July 17th in African American History – Harold Robert Perry July 17, 1991 Harold Robert Perry, the first African American...
5. July 27th in African American History – Clarence LaVaughn “C. L.” Franklin July 27, 1984 Clarence LaVaughn “C. L.” Franklin, minister and...

July 27, 1984 Clarence LaVaughn “C. L.” Franklin, minister and civil rights activist, died.

Franklin was born January 22, 1915 in Sunflower County, Mississippi. At the age of 16, Franklin became a preacher working the black preaching circuit before settling at churches in Memphis, Tennessee and later Buffalo, New York.

In 1946, he became pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Franklin’s fame grew as he broadcast sermons via radio and preached throughout the country. He was also one of the first ministers to record his sermons. In the 1950s, Franklin became involved in the Civil Rights Movement, working to end discriminatory practices against Black United Auto Workers and organizing the 1963 march for civil rights in Detroit.

In 1979, Franklin was shot during an attempted robbery and remained in a coma for five years before his death. The recording of his sermon “The Eagle Stirreth Her Nest” was added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2011 as “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” “Singing in a Strange Land: C. L. Franklin, the Black Church, and the Transformation of America” was published in 2005.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. February 23rd in African American History – Melvin Franklin February 23, 1995 Melvin Franklin, original member of The Temptations,...
2. March 19th in African American History – Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. March 19, 1984 Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., civil rights activist...
3. March 25th in African American History – John Hope Franklin March 25, 2009 John Hope Franklin, historian and author, died....
4. May 17th in African American History – Edward Franklin Frazier May 17, 1962 Edward Franklin Frazier, sociologist, died. Frazier was...
5. February 27th in African American History – Franklin Joseph “Frankie” Lymon February 27, 1968 Franklin Joseph “Frankie” Lymon, R&B singer and...

July 27, 1999 Harry “Sweets” Edison, jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger, died.

Edison was born October 10, 1915 in Columbus, Ohio. At the age of 12, he began playing the trumpet with local bands. In 1937, he moved to New York City and joined the Count Basie Orchestra where he came to prominence as a soloist.

Edison stayed with Basie for 13 years before moving to the West Coast and becoming a studio musician. There, he recorded with such artists as Billie Holliday, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. He also recorded a number of albums as leader, including “Sweets” (1956), “Jawbreakers” (1962), and “Edison’s Lights” (1976). In 1992, Edison was designated a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. April 23rd in African American History – Melba Doretta Liston April 23, 1999 Melba Doretta Liston, jazz trombonist, composer and...
2. May 16th in African American History – Henry “Hank” Jones May 16, 2010 Henry “Hank” Jones, jazz pianist, bandleader, and...
3. March 29th in African American History – Joe Williams March 29, 1999 Joe Williams, jazz singer, died. Williams was...
4. April 28th in African American History – Percy Heath April 28, 2005 Percy Heath, jazz bassist, died. Heath was...
5. July 17th in African American History – John William Coltrane July 17, 1967 John William Coltrane, jazz saxophonist and composer,...

July 26, 1933 Charles Albert Tindley, gospel music composer and Methodist minister, died.

Tindley was born July 7, 1851 in Berlin, Maryland. At birth, Tindley’s father was enslaved, but his mother was free, therefore he was considered free. Tindley was primarily self-educated, but he did attend night courses and took correspondence courses as the Boston University School of Theology, eventually earning a doctorate while working as a church janitor.

Tindley became the pastor of that church, Calvery Methodist Episcopal Church, which under his leadership grew from 130 to a multi-racial congregation of 12,500. After serving the congregation for over 30 years, the church was renamed Tindley Temple United Methodist Church in 1924. Tindley was also a noted songwriter and composer of gospel hymns and his composition “I’ll Overcome Some Day” (1901) is considered by many to be the basis for the Civil Rights anthem “We Shall Overcome.”

Other compositions by Tindley include “Nothing Between” (1905), “Some Day” (1906), and “Leave It There” (1916). Tindley was the first hymn writer to have a hymn copyrighted and in 1916 he published a collection of hymns titled “New Songs of Paradise.”

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. July 11th in African American History – Walter Hawkins July 11, 2010 Walter Hawkins, gospel music singer, died. Hawkins...
2. July 17th in African American History – Harold Robert Perry July 17, 1991 Harold Robert Perry, the first African American...
3. April 13th in African American History – Albert Greene April 13, 1946 Albert Greene (Al Green), gospel and soul...
4. July 3rd in African American History – Fontella Bass July 3, 1940 Fontella Bass, soul singer, was born in...
5. July 26th in African American History – Mary Esther Wells July 26, 1992 Mary Esther Wells, singer and “The Queen...

July 26, 1992 Mary Esther Wells, singer and “The Queen of Motown,” died.

Wells was born May 13, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan. By the age of 10, she had moved from singing in church choirs to performing in nightclubs around Detroit. In 1960, she was signed to Tamla Records, a subsidiary of Motown, and wrote and recorded “Bye Bye Baby” which peaked at number 8 on the R&B charts.

In 1962, Wells released “The One Who Really Loves You,” her first big hit, “You Beat Me to the Punch,” which was nominated for a Grammy Award, and “Two Lovers,” which sold more than a million copies. These releases made her Motown’s first female star and successful solo artist. In 1964, Wells released “My Guy” which sold more than a million copies and was the number one R&B single of the year.

Wells left Motown in 1965 and in 1974 retired from the music industry to raise her family. She returned to recording in 1981 with the album “In and Out of Love” which contained the single “Gigolo” which was Wells last chart single. In 1989, Wells was presented the Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and in 1999 her song “My Guy” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as a recording of “qualitative or historical significance.”

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. May 13th in African American History – Mary Esther Wells May 13, 1943 Mary Esther Wells, singer and The Queen...
2. July 18th in African American History – Martha Rose Reeves July 18, 1941 Martha Rose Reeves, R&B singer and former...
3. July 6th in African American History – Harvey Fuqua July 6, 2010 Harvey Fuqua, singer, songwriter, record producer, and...
4. May 7th in African American History – Thelma Jackson Houston May 7, 1946 Thelma Jackson Houston, singer, actress, and songwriter,...
5. March 21st in African American History – John William “Johnny” Bristol March 21, 2004 John William “Johnny” Bristol, musician, songwriter and...

July 22, 1954 Lonette McKee, singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, was born in Detroit, Michigan.

McKee was a child prodigy, writing music, singing, and playing keyboards at the age of seven. At 15, McKee wrote the title song for the film “Quadroon.” McKee began her film career in the movie “Sparkle” (1976). Other films include “Which Way is Up?” (1977), “The Cotton Club” (1984), and “Lift” (2001).

McKee won critical acclaim for her Broadway debut in the musical “The First” (1981). She was the first African American to play the role of Julie in “Show Boat” on Broadway and she received a Tony Award nomination for her performance. Her performance in the one-woman show “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” also won critical acclaim.

After being voted one of People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” in 1995, McKee did a two year stint on the television soap opera “As the World Turns.” McKee serves as an adjunct professor at Centenary College.

Today in African American History - The People & Events That Have Shaped Black Culture and History is a "Today in African American History" post from: Today in African American History

Related posts:

1. April 24th in African American History – Djimon Gaston Hounsou April 24, 1964 Djimon Gaston Hounsou, actor and model, was...
2. March 27th in African American History – Mariah Carey March 27, 1970 Mariah Carey, singer, songwriter and actress, was...
3. September 14th in African American History – Beau Richards September 14, 2000 Beau Richards, stage, film and television actress...
4. June 19th in African American History – Phylicia Ayers-Allen (Phylicia Rashad) June 19, 1948 Phylicia Ayers-Allen (Phylicia Rashad), stage, television and...
5. October 22nd in African American History – Cleavon Jake Little October 22, 1992 Cleavon Jake Little, film and stage actor,...