February 3, 1939 John William “Johnny” Bristol, musician, songwriter, and record producer, was born in Morganton, North Carolina. After serving in the United States Air Force, Bristol recorded several singles before his label was absorbed by Motown Records in the mid-1960s. At Motown, he teamed with Harvey Fuqua to write and produce some of their […]
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Henry Johnson – January 31st in African American History
January 31, 1904 Henry Johnson, Medal of Honor recipient, died. Johnson was born June 11, 1850 in Boydton, Virginia. The Negro Cavalries were nicknamed “Buffalo Soliders” by the Native Americans that they fought. In 1866, Congress named six all African American Army regiments. The 9th and 10th Cavalries and the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st infantry. These […]
Martin Robinson Delany – January 24th in African American History
January 24, 1885 Martin Robinson Delany, abolitionist and the first African American field officer in the United States Army, died. Delany was born May 6, 1812 in Charles Town, West Virginia. Because it was illegal to teach black people to read or write, he and his siblings taught themselves. In 1835, Delany became more actively […]
Oscar Palmer Austin – January 15th in African American History
January 15, 1949 Oscar Palmer Austin, Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Nacogdoches, Texas. Austin joined the United States Marine Corps in April, 1968. He was promoted to private first class in October, 1968 and deployed to the Republic of Vietnam where he served as ammunitions man with Company E, 2nd Battalion 7th Marines, […]
Rayford Whittingham Logan – January 7th in African American History
January 7, 1897 Rayford Whittingham Logan, historian and Pan-African activist, was born in Washington, D. C. Logan 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 treatment of African Americans. For […]
Ruppert Leon Sargent – January 6th in African American History
January 6, 1938 Ruppert Leon Sargent, Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Hampton, Virginia. Sargent joined the United States Army and by March 15, 1967 was serving as a first lieutenant in Company B, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division during the Vietnam War. On that day, while in Hau Nghia Province […]
December 18th in African American History – Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr.
December 18, 1912 Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr., commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airman, was born in Washington, D.C. After attending the University of Chicago, Davis entered the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1932. Despite shunning by his classmates, never having a roommate, and being forced to eat alone, he earned […]