January 23, 1915 William Arthur Lewis, the first black person to win a Nobel Prize in a category other than peace, was born in Castries, Saint Lucia. After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in 1937 and his Ph. D. in 1940 from the London School of Economics, Lewis lectured at the University of Manchester […]
Tag Archives | June 15
Ella Jane Fitzgerald – April 25th in African American History
April 25, 1917 Ella Jane Fitzgerald, jazz and pop vocalist also known as the “First Lady of Song,” was born in Newport News, Virginia. Fitzgerald made her singing debut at the age of 17 at the Apollo Theater and won the first prize of $25.00. In 1935, she began singing with the Chick Webb Orchestra […]