September 16, 1925 Riley “B. B.” King, blues guitarist and singer/songwriter, was born in Itta Bena, Mississippi. In 1948, King moved to Memphis and worked as a singer and disc jockey at the local R&B radio station. King began recording in 1949 and by the 1950s had become one of the most important names in […]
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September 12th in African American History – James Cleveland Jesse Owens
September 12, 1913 James Cleveland “Jesse” Owens, Olympic track and field athlete, was born in Oakville, Alabama. Owens first came to national attention while in high school in Cleveland, Ohio when he equaled the world record of 9.4 seconds in the 100 yard dash and long jumped 24 feet 9 ½ inches at the 1933 […]
Roy Wilkins – September 8th in African American History
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 […]
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 […]