September 20, 1885 Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (Jelly Roll Morton), ragtime and jazz pianist, bandleader and composer, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. The date of his birth is not confirmed because no birth certificate has ever been found, but it is generally believed to be this date. At the age of 14, Morton began playing […]
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September 19th in African American History – Earl Cyril Palmer
September 19, 2008 Earl Cyril Palmer, hall of fame drummer, died. Palmer was born October 25, 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He 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 […]
September 19th in African American History – William Marcel “Buddy” Collette
September 19, 2010 William Marcel “Buddy” Collette, jazz tenor saxophonist, flautist, and clarinetist, died. Collette was born August 6, 1921 in Los Angeles, California. He began playing the alto saxophone at the age of 12 and at 17 started playing professionally. In the early 1950s, he worked as a studio musician and performed on the […]
September 17th in African American History – Vanessa Lynn Williams
September 17, 1983 Vanessa Lynn Williams made history as the first woman of African descent to be crowned Miss America. Williams reign was full of challenges and controversy. For the first time in pageant history, a reigning Miss America was the target of death threats and angry racist hate mail. On July 23, 1984, Williams […]
September 12th in African American History – Jennifer Kate Hudson
September 12, 1981 Jennifer Kate Hudson, recording artist and actress, was born in Chicago, Illinois. Hudson got her start in performing at the age of seven singing in the church choir. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalist on the television show, “American Idol”. In 2006, she made her film debut […]
September 11th in African American History – Taraji Penda Henson
September 11, 1970 Taraji Penda Henson, actress and singer, was born in Washington, D. C. Henson earned a degree in Theater Arts in 1995 from Howard University. She made her film debut “Baby Boy” (2001) and also has appeared in “Hustle & Flow” (2005), “Four Brothers” (2006), and “Talk to Me” (2007). In 2008, Henson […]
September 9th in African American History – Otis Ray Redding, Jr.
September 9, 1941 Otis Ray Redding, Jr., singer and songwriter, was born in Dawson, Georgia. Redding grew up in Macon, Georgia where he sang in the church choir and won the local talent show 15 weeks in a row. In 1960, Redding began to tour the South and in 1962 recorded “These Arms of Mine”, […]