1st Governor
P.B.S Pinchback became the 1st African American governor of an American state, Louisiana
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Pride Academy
Dec
11
1872
Scottsboro Boys Falsely Accused
The Scottsboro Boys, nine young African Americans, were falsely charged with rape and collectively served more than 100 years in prison. The right of African Americans to serve on juries was established by their case.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Mar
25
1931
Lee Elder becomes the first African American professional golfer to qualify for
Lee Elder becomes the first African American professional golfer to qualify for the Masters Tournament.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by APEX Museum
Apr
21
1974
Roy deCarava, the first African American photographer to be awarded aGuggenhei
Roy deCarava, the first African American photographer to be awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, is born
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Dec
9
1919
First African American
Harry S. McAlphin - First African American to accredited to attend White House press conference.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Feb
8
1944
William C. Carter patents an umbrella stand
African-American inventor, William C. Carter, patented an umbrella stand (U.S. patent#323,397).
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Association of Latino Professionals For America (ALPFA) Boston Professional Chapter
Aug
8
1885
White mob prevented enrollment of students
White mob prevented enrollment of students at Mansfield High School, Mansfield, Texas.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Pride Academy
Aug
30
1956
Shirley Franklin is sworn in
Shirley Franklin is sworn in as the first African American Mayor of Atlanta and the only African American female mayor of a major American city.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Museum of African American History in Massachusetts
Jan
7
2002
Ernie Davis became the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy.
Ernie Davis became the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association (MBLA)
Nov
28
1961
Rafer Johnson, is born
Born August 18, 1935, Hillsboro, Texas One of the greatest all-around track athletes in history. On Sept. 6, 1960, he won the Olymic Decathlon, the first for an African American.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Aug
18
1935
Football player and actor Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith was born in Orange, Texas.
Football player and actor Charles Aaron Bubba Smith was born in Orange, Texas. Smith began his professional football career with the Baltimore Colts. He later played for the Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders before retiring and making a name for himself in movies.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Pride Academy
Jan
29
1945
Jump Start premieres in 40 newspapers in the U.S. It is created by 26 year old R
Jump Start premieres in 40 newspapers in the U.S. It is created by 26 year old Robb Armstrong, the youngest African American to have a syndicated comic strip. He follows in the footsteps of Morrie Turner, the creator of Wee Pals, the first African American syndicated comic strip.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by NSBE Boston
Oct
2
1989
George Johnson
George and Noble Johnson founded the Lincoln Motion Picture Company in 1916. It was the first black-owned production company, it produced films exclusively for African
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Dec
17
2001
Miss America
Vanessa Williams is the 1st African American Miss America to be crowned.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by APEX Museum
Sep
17
1983
premiere of "The Jeffersons"
The Jeffersons premiered on television, one of the first sitcoms about an African-American family. Formerly neighbors of the Bunkers on All in the Family, the Jeffersons moved to Manhattans East Side.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Museum of African American History in Massachusetts
Jan
18
1975
Congressman William Gray
Congressman William Gray is elected Democratic Whip of the House of Representatives, the highest ranking leadership position ever held by an African American in Congress.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jun
14
1989
Black Rebellion in Tampa, Florida
African Americans in Tampa, Florida rebelled after an African American man was killed by a white police officer while in custody.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Feb
21
1987
African Americans Replaces Reluctant Whites
African Americans Replaces Reluctant Whites: By 1777, losses on the field of battle and rising White desertions had reduced the Continental Armys ranks of men. Northern colonies began to accept African Americans, free and slave, because these colonies could not fill their quotas with White man. In
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Oct
5
2002
Bertram M. Lee and Peter C.B. Bynoe sign an agreement to purchase the National B
Bertram M. Lee and Peter C.B. Bynoe sign an agreement to purchase the National Basketball Associations Denver Nuggets for $54 million. They become the first African American owners of a professional basketball team.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Oct
21
1989
Gladys Ross dies
Gladys Merritt Ross, co-founder of Phi Delta Kappa sorority for African American teachers, dies in Stockton, California.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Pride Academy
May
6
1985
Zora Neale Hurston, writer/anthropologist born
Zora Neale Hurston
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Pride Academy
Jan
7
1891
Abolitionist Society Organized
First abolitionist society in United States organized in Philadelphia.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Pride Academy
Apr
14
1775
Jimmy Winkfield wins his second Kentucky Derby
Jimmy Winkfield wins his second Kentucky Derby in a row. African American jockeys have won 15 of 28 Derby races.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Eastern Bank
May
1
1902
One-Man Show of Art
One-Man Show of Art by Negro, First of Kind Here, Opens Today, read the headline of a front-page article in The New York Times on this day. The article announced the opening of Archibald J. Motley, Jrs show at the New Gallery on Madison Avenue. This was the first time in History that an artist had
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by Museum of African American History in Massachusetts
Feb
25
1928
Alabama Educational Television Commission
Alabama Educational Television Commission has its application for license renewal denied by the Federal Communications Commission because of racial discrimination against African Americans in employment and programming.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jan
8
1975
storm of 28
More than 3000 African Americans died when Lake Okeechobee fooded Western Palm Beach County, Florida, with a 10-15 foot tidal wave. There are at least 3 mass graves containing the bodies of negroes interned without coffins or identification
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) Boston Metropolitan Chapter
Sep
16
1928
Harry Belafonte wins an Emmy
Harry Belafonte wins an Emmy for his variety special Tonight with Harry Belafonte. It is the first Emmy awarded to an African American.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jun
20
1960
Anti-Lynching Bill proposed
Black Congressman George H. White, North Carolina, introduced a bill to make lynching of Americans a federal offense. The bill died in committee. One report contends that in 1900, 105 Africans were lynched in the United States.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jan
20
1773
Lawrence Douglas Wilder assumes title as governor
In Richmond, Virginia former Lt. Governor Lawrence Douglas Wilder took office as the first popularly elected African American governor of an American state.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Sponsored by New York University
Jan
14
1990
Cheryl Adrienne Brown
Cheryl Adrienne Brown wins the Miss Iowa pageant and becomes the first African American to compete in the Miss America beauty pageant.
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Source: Blackfacts.com
Jun
14
1970

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