September 3, 1985 Jonathan David Samuel “Jo” Jones, influential jazz drummer, died. Jones was born October 7, 1911 in Chicago, Illinois but raised in Birmingham, Alabama. He worked as a drummer and tap dancer at carnival shows until joining Walter Page’s band in the late 1920s. In 1933, Jones joined Count Basie’s band and he […]
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September 2nd in African American History – Joseph W. Hatchett
September 2, 1975 Joseph W. Hatchett was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court, making him the first African American Supreme Court justice in the South in the 20th century. Hatchett was born September 17, 1932 in Clearwater, Florida. Because the law schools in Florida were segregated, Hatchett attended Howard University Law School and graduated in […]
September 2nd in African American History – Lennox Claudius Lewis
September 2, 1965 Lennox Claudius Lewis, hall of fame boxer, was born in London, England but raised in Ontario, Canada. Lewis was a dominant amateur boxer and in 1983 won the World Amateur Junior championship. In 1988, he won the super heavyweight boxing Gold medal at the Seoul Olympic Games. After the Olympics, Lewis turned […]
September 1st in African American History – Al Green
September 1, 1947 Al Green, Congressman from Texas, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Green earned his bachelor’s degree from Tuskegee University and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Southern University in 1974. After college, Green co-founded a private law firm and also served as president of the NAACP Houston chapter.
September 1st in African American History – Vincent “Vinnie” Johnson
September 1, 1956 Vincent Johnson, retired professional basketball player, was born in Brooklyn, New York. Johnson played college basketball at Baylor University and was a two-time All-American. He holds the Baylor record for most points scored in a game. Johnson was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1979 NBA Draft and traded to the […]
September 30th in African American History – Moneta J. Sleet, Jr.
September 30, 1996 Moneta J. Sleet, Jr., photographer and the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for journalism, died. Sleet was born February 14, 1926 in Owensboro, Kentucky. He graduated cum laude from Kentucky State University in 1947 and earned his Master’s degree in journalism from New York University in 1950. Sleet went […]
September 30th in African American History – Patrice Louise Rushen
September 30, 1954 Patrice Louise Rushen, R&B singer, songwriter, composer and pianist, was born in Los Angeles, California. At a young age, Rushen was considered a child prodigy. At the age of 18, she won at competition at the 1972 Monterey Jazz Festival. Rushin earned a bachelor’s degree in music education and piano performance from […]