February 10, 1937 Roberta Flack, singer, songwriter and musician, was born in Black Mountain, North Carolina. During her early teens, Flack so excelled at classical piano that Howard University awarded her a full music scholarship at the age of 15 and she graduated at the age of 19.
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February 8th in African American History – Joseph Black
February 8, 1924 Joseph Black, the first black pitcher to win a World Series game, was born in Plainfield, New Jersey. Black won a baseball scholarship to Morgan State University where he graduated in 1950. He was called up to the major leagues in 1952 and chosen National League Rookie of the Year after winning […]
February 7th in African American History – James Herbert “Eubie” Blake
February 7, 1887 James Herbert “Eubie” Blake, composer, lyricist, and pianist, was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Blake began taking music lessons at the age of 7 and at 15 was playing piano in a bordello. In 1912, he began playing in vaudeville and shortly after World War I joined forces with Noble Sissle as the […]
February 6th in African American History – Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley
February 6, 1945 Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley, singer and songwriter, was born in Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica. In 1963, Marley formed a group that eventually came to be called The Wailers. Their first album, “Catch a Fire,” was released in 1973 and it was followed a year later by “Burnin” which included the hit songs […]
February 2nd in African American History – Willie Mae Ford Smith
February 2, 1994 Willie Mae Ford Smith, considered the greatest of the “anointed singers,” died. Smith was born June 6, 1906 in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, but raised in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1922, she and her sisters formed a gospel quartet called the Ford Sisters.
January 30th in African American History – Ruth Alston Weston (Ruth Brown)
January 30, 1928 Ruth Alston Weston (Ruth Brown), R&B singer and actress, was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. Brown recorded her first hit, “So Long,” in 1949 and from that time to 1955 was on the R&B charts for 149 weeks with 16 top 10 blues records, including five number ones. Those hits were “Teardrops From […]
January 29th in African American History – James Lee Jamerson
January 29, 1936 James Lee Jamerson, bass player and member of Motown’s Funk Brothers, was born in Edisto Island, South Carolina. Jamerson and his mother moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1954. He learned to play the bass at Northwestern High School and soon began playing in blues and jazz clubs. In 1959, he joined Motown […]