Jackie Robinson Day Baseball fans may find themselves doing double-takes while watching a major-league game on April 15, seeing the number “42” on the back of every uniform. The reason? April 15th is “Jackie Robinson Day,” marking the anniversary of Robinson’s debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, ending over six decades of racial segregation […]
Archive | Military RSS feed for this section
Charles Young – March 12th in African American History
March 12, 1864 Charles Young, the third African American graduate of West Point, was born in Mayslick, Kentucky. After graduating from high school, Young taught at a black high school in Ripley, Ohio. In 1884, he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point and graduated in 1889. In 1903, he was appointed superintendent […]
Alexander Thomas Augusta – March 8th in African American History
March 8, 1825 Alexander Thomas Augusta, surgeon, professor of medicine, and Civil War veteran, was born in Norfolk, Virginia. Augusta attempted to study medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, but was not allowed to due to his race. Therefore, he enrolled at Trinity Medical College of the University of Toronto and in 1856 received a […]
Read full story · Comments are closed
Andrew Jackson Smith – March 4th in African American History
March 4, 1932 Andrew Jackson Smith, Medal of Honor recipient, died. Smith was born enslaved on September 3, 1843 in Kentucky. With the outbreak of the Civil War, Smith’s owner joined the Confederate military with the intention of taking Smith with him. When Smith learned of his intentions, he escaped and joined the Union Army. […]
Robert Pinn – March 1st in African American History
March 1, 1843 Robert A. Pinn, Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Stark County, Ohio. Pinn joined the Union Army during the Civil War and by September 29, 1864 was serving as a first sergeant in Company I of the 5th U. S. Colored Infantry Regiment. On that day, his unit participated in the […]
James H. Harris – February 18th in African American History
February 18, 1874 James H. Harris was awarded the Medal of Honor, America’s highest military decoration, for his actions during the Civil War. Harris was born in 1828 in Saint Mary’s County, Maryland. He worked as a farmer before enlisting in the Union Army in 1864 as a private in Company B of the 38th […]
Isaiah Mays – February 16th in African American History
February 16, 1858 Isaiah Mays, Medal of Honor recipient, was born enslaved in Carters Bridge, Virginia. By May 11, 1889, Mays was serving as a corporal in Company B of the 24th Infantry Regiment. On that day, he was involved in an engagement with robbers and his actions earned him the medal which was awarded […]