September 8, 1981 Roy Wilkins, prominent civil rights activist from the 1930s to the 1970s, died. Wilkins was born August 30, 1901 in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota in 1923. In 1931, he became Assistant Secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored […]
Tag Archives | NAACP
Jacob Lawrence – September 7th in African American History
September 7, 1919 Jacob Lawrence, painter and educator, was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Lawrence attended classes at the Harlem Art Workshop and earned a scholarship to the American Artist School. In 1943, he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served with the first racially integrated crew. Throughout his artistic career, Lawrence […]
Richard Nathaniel Wright – September 4th in African American History
September 4, 1908 Richard Nathaniel Wright, author, was born in Roxie, Mississippi. At the age of 15, Wright penned his first story, “The Voodoo of Hell’s Half-Acre” which was published in the local Black paper. In 1937, Wright won first prize from Story Magazine for his short story “Fire and Cloud” and in 1938 gained […]
Roy Wilkins – August 30th in African American History
August 30, 1901 Roy Wilkins, prominent civil rights activist from the 1930s to the 1970s, was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Wilkins earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota in 1923. In 1931, he became Assistant Executive Secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. From 1934 to […]
Fred Hampton, Sr – August 30th in African American History
August 30, 1948 Fred Hampton, Sr., activist and assassinated Black Panther leader, was born in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in Maywood, a suburb of Chicago. At an early age, Hampton became active in the NAACP Youth Council, assuming leadership and growing the organization to 500 members. He worked to get more and better recreational […]