December 18, 1992 Clara McBride Hale, humanitarian known as Mother Hale, died. Hale was born April 1, 1905 in New York City. She struggled to support her family after the death of her husband during the Great Depression, using her home as a daycare center. Over the years, Hale’s profession became her life calling. She […]
Tag Archives | April 1
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. – April 2nd in African American History
April 2, 1939 Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. (Marvin Gaye), instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, was born in Washington, D. C. Gaye started as a member of The Moonglows in 1958 and after they disbanded in 1960, he moved to Detroit, Michigan and signed with Motown Records. Gaye experienced his first significant success in 1962 as co-writer […]
Jesse Stone – April 1st in African American History
April 1, 1999 Jesse Stone, rhythm and blues musician and songwriter, died. Stone was born November 16, 1901 in Atchison, Kansas. By 1926, Stone had formed a group, the Blue Serenaders, and cut his first record, “Starvation Blues.” Beginning in 1936, he worked as the bandleader at the Apollo Theater for a few years and […]
Wilson Camanza Riles – April 1st in African American History
April 1, 1999 Wilson Camanza Riles, the first African American to be elected to statewide office in California, died. Riles was born June 27, 1917 near Alexandria, Louisiana. He graduated from Northern Arizona State University in 1940 and served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II. In 1971, Riles was elected […]