March 14, 1933 Quincy Delight Jones, Jr., trumpeter, music conductor and arranger, record producer, and film composer, was born in Chicago, Illinois. In 1951, Jones won a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music, but abandoned his studies when he received an offer to play in the band of Lionel Hampton.
Tag Archives | Academy Award
James Baskett – February 16th in African American History
February 16, 1904 James Baskett, actor and the first male performer of African descent to receive an Oscar, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Baskett appeared on Broadway in the all-black musical revue “Hot Chocolate” in 1929. He also appeared in a number of all-black films, including “Harlem is Heaven” (1932) and “Straight to Heaven” (1939).
March 7th in African American History – Paul Edward Winfield
March 7, 2004 Paul Edward Winfield, television, film and stage actor, died. Winfield was born May 22, 1939 in Los Angeles, California.
March 5th in African American History – Charles Henry Fuller, Jr.
March 5, 1939 Charles Henry Fuller, Jr., playwright and novelist, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Fuller attended Villanova University before serving in the United States Army from 1959 to 1962. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from La Salle College in 1967 and was a co-founder of the Afro-American Arts Theater in Philadelphia that […]
February 27th in African American History – Dexter Keith Gordon
February 27, 1923 Dexter Keith Gordon, jazz tenor saxophonist and actor, was born in Los Angeles, California. Gordon played the clarinet from the age of 13 before switching to the saxophone at 15. Between 1940 and 1943, Gordon was a member of the Lionel Hampton Band and in 1943 he made his first recording under […]
February 20th in African American History – Sidney Poitier
February 20, 1927 Sidney Poitier, actor, director, author, and diplomat, was born in Miami, Florida. At 17, Poitier moved to New York City and joined the American Negro Theater. He made his film debut in “No Way Out” (1950) and his breakout role was in “Blackboard Jungle” (1955). In 1959, Poitier acted in the first […]
December 28th in African American History – Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr.
December 28, 1954 Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr., actor, director, and film producer, was born in Mount Vernon, New York. Washington earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in drama and journalism from Fordham University in 1977 and made his professional acting debut in the television movie “Wilma” (1977). His big break came when he starred from […]