May 11, 2006 Floyd Patterson, two-time World Heavyweight boxing champion, died. Patterson was born January 4, 1935 in Waco, North Carolina. He started boxing at the age of 14 and won the Gold medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games as a middleweight. Following the Olympics, Patterson turned professional and on November 30, 1956 became […]
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May 10th in African American History – Judith Anna Jamison
May 10, 1943 Judith Anna Jamison, dancer and choreographer, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jamison began studying dance at the age of 10 and made her New York City debut in 1964 in the ballet “The Four Marys” at the American Ballet Theater. In 1965, she joined the Alvin Ailey Company and soon became a […]
May 10th in African American History – Helen Claytor
May 10, 2005 Helen J. Claytor, the first black president of the YWCA national board, died. Claytor was born in 1907 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She earned her bachelor’s degree cum laude in education from the University of Minnesota in 1928. She was also valedictorian of her class and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Despite […]
May 9th in African American History – Anthony Keith “Tony” Gwynn
May 9, 1960 Anthony Keith “Tony” Gwynn, hall of fame baseball player, was born in Los Angeles, California. After starring roles in baseball and basketball at San Diego State University, Gwynn was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 1981 Major League Baseball Draft. Gwynn made his major league debut in 1982 and played […]
May 9th in African American History – Lena Mary Calhoun Horne
May 9, 2010 Lena Mary Calhoun Horne, singer, actress, dancer and Civil Rights activist, died. Horne was born June 30, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York. At the age of 16, she joined the chorus line at the Cotton Club and a few years later joined the Noble Sissle Orchestra. In 1943, she became the first […]
May 8th in African American History – Robert Leroy Johnson
May 8, 1911 Robert Leroy Johnson, Delta blues musician, was born in Hazelhurst, Mississippi. At a very young age, Johnson began traveling up and down the Delta as an itinerant musician. His landmark recordings from 1936 and 1937 display a remarkable combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that have influenced generations of musicians.
May 8th in African American History – Ronald “Ronnie” Mandel Lott
May 8, 1959 Ronald Mandel Lott, hall of fame football player, was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lott player college football at the University of Southern California from 1977 to 1980 and in 1980 was a unanimous All-American. He graduated from USC in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in public administration. Lott was […]