November 13, 1930 Benny Andrews, painter, printmaker, and educator, was born in Plainview, Georgia. After serving in the United States Air Force as a staff sergeant from 1950 to 1954, Andrews earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He had his first New York City solo […]
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November 7th in African American History – Vertner Woodson Tandy
November 7, 1949 Vertner Woodson Tandy, architect and one of the founders of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, died. Tandy was born May 17, 1885 in Lexington, Kentucky. While attending Cornell University, in 1906 Tandy was one of the seven founders of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the first African American Greek letter fraternity. Tandy earned his […]
November 5th in African American History – Benjamin Alvin Drew
November 5, 1962 Benjamin Alvin Drew, NASA astronaut, was born in Washington, D. C. Drew earned a dual Bachelor of Science degree in physics and astronautical engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1984 and his Master of Science degree in aerospace science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In 2006, he earned another master’s […]
November 4th in African American History – Rayford Whittingham Logan
November 4, 1982 Rayford Whittingham Logan, historian and Pan-African activist, died. Logan was born January 7, 1897 in Washington, D. C. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College in 1917 and enlisted in the United States Army. In 1919 he requested, and was granted, a discharge because of his dissatisfaction with the […]
November 1st in African American History – James Milton Turner
November 1, 1915 James Milton Turner, politician and consul to Liberia, died. Turner was born enslaved on May 16, 1840 in St. Louis, Missouri. Turner and his parents were freed when he was young but he still had limited educational opportunities because Missouri State laws restricted Blacks from learning to read. Despite the legal obstacles, […]
October 25th in African American History – Earl Cryil Palmer
October 25, 1924 Earl Cryil Palmer, hall of fame drummer, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Palmer started his entertainment career at the age of five as a tap dancer on the black vaudeville circuit. He toured the country extensively with the Darktown Scandals Review. Palmer served in Europe for the United States Army during […]
October 24th in African American History – George Jordan
October 24, 1904 George Jordan, Medal of Honor recipient, died. Jordan was born in Williamson County, Tennessee. By 1880, he was serving as a sergeant in the 9th Cavalry Regiment in New Mexico during the Indian Wars. His citation reads: “While commanding a detachment of 25 men at Fort Tularosa, New Mexico, repulsed a force […]