October 20, 2005 Shirley Horn, jazz singer and pianist, died. Horn was born May 1, 1934 in Washington D. C. She began playing the piano at an early age and had thoughts of becoming a classical artist. She first achieved fame in 1960 and over her career was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning in […]
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October 20th in African American History – The Johnny Bright Incident
October 20, 1951 The Johnny Bright Incident occurred when African American football player, Johnny Bright, was violently assaulted by white football player, Wilbanks Smith, during a college football game between Drake University and Oklahoma State University. In 1951, Bright was a pre-season Heisman Trophy candidate and led the nation in total offense. The game marked […]
October 19th in African American History – Maurice Rupert Bishop
October 19, 1983 Maurice Rupert Bishop, Grenadian politician, was executed by firing squad. Bishop was born May 29, 1944 and was educated at the London School of Economics with extensive studies in the black power movement. After returning to Grenada in 1973, he was elected head of the Marxist New Jewel Movement political party.
October 19th in African American History – Jennifer-Yvette Holliday
October 19, 1960 Jennifer-Yvette Holliday, singer and actress, was born in Riverside, Texas. At the age of 19, Holliday earned a role in the Broadway production of “Your Arm’s Too Short to Box with God”.
October 18th in African American History – Thomas Hearns
October 18, 1958 Thomas Hearns, the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions, was born in Memphis, Tennessee but raised in Detroit, Michigan. Hearns had an amateur boxing record of 155 wins and 8 losses and won the 1977 National Golden Gloves Light Welterweight Championship. That same year, he turned professional […]
October 18th in African American History – Wynton Learson Marsalis
October 18, 1961 Wynton Learson Marsalis, jazz and classical music trumpeter and composer, was born in New Orleans, Lousiana. At the age of 8, Marsalis was performing traditional New Orleans music in the church band and at 14 he was invited to perform with the New Orleans Philharmonic. While in high school, he was also […]
October 17th in African American History – Levi Stubbs
October 17, 2008 Levi Stubbs, lead vocalist of the Four Tops, died. Stubbs was born Levi Stubbles on June 6, 1936 in Detroit, Michigan. In 1954, he and three friends formed a singing group called the Four Aims. Two years later they changed their name to the Four Tops and in 1963 signed with Motown […]