November 21, 1962 George Branham, III, professional bowler, was born in Detroit, Michigan. Branham started bowling at the age of six and at the age of 23 joined the Professional Bowlers Association tour. In 1986, he won the Brunswick Memorial World Open, becoming the first African American to win a PBA championship.
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November 21st in African American History – William Boyd Allison Davis
November 21, 1983 William Boyd Allison Davis, anthropologist and researcher, died. Davis was born October 14, 1902 in Washington, D. C. He graduated as class valedictorian from Williams College, earned two master’s degrees from Harvard University, and was the first African American to earn a Ph. D. from the University of Chicago.
November 20th in African American History – Dominique Margaux Dawes
November 20, 1976 Dominique Margaux Dawes, gymnast, was born in Silver Springs, Maryland. Dawes was introduced to gymnastics at the age of six and competed in her first international meet at the age of twelve. As members of the Bronze medal winning United States Olympic gymnastics team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, she and […]
November 20th in African American History – David Dacko
November 20, 2003 David Dacko, the first President of the Central African Republic, died. Dacko was born March 24, 1930 in the village of Bouchia, in what was then French Equatorial Africa. Educated for a career in teaching, he became schoolmaster of a large primary school in 1951 and Principal of Kouanga College in 1955. […]
November 17th in African American History – Esther Rolle
November 17, 1998 Esther Rolle, stage, film and television actress, died. Rolle was born November 8, 1920 in Pompano Beach, Florida. Her earliest roles were on the stage, including “The Blacks” (1962), “Day of Absence” (1965), “Man Better Man” (1969), and her most prominent role in the 1973 play “Don’t Play Us Cheap.”
November 17th in African American History – Ruth Brown
November 17, 2006 Ruth Brown, R&B singer and actress, died. Brown was born Ruth Alston Weston on January 30, 1928 in Portsmouth, Virginia. She recorded her first hit, “So Long” in 1949 and from that time to 1955 she was on the R&B charts for 149 weeks with 16 top 10 blues records, including 5 […]
November 16th in African American History – Zina Lynna Garrison
November 16, 1963 Zina Lynna Garrison, professional tennis player, was born in Houston, Texas. Garrison started playing tennis at the age of 10 and entered her first tournament at the age of 12. In 1981, she won the Wimbledon and US Open Junior titles and was ranked the World Number 1 junior player. Garrison turned […]