(Photo By Flickr User Alan Light)

Black History Extra for February 8th & 9th:

February 8th: 

1990- Andy Rooney (a CBS "60 Minutes" commentator), received a 90-day suspension from work because of racist remarks about African-Americans attributed to him by Chris Bull, a New York-based reporter for "The Advocate (a bi-weekly national gay & lesbian newsmagazine published in Los Angeles, CA)." Bull quoted Rooney as having said during an interview: "I've believed all along that most people are born with equal intelligence, but Blacks have watered down their genes because the less intelligent ones are the ones that have the children. They drop out of school early, do drugs, and get pregnant."

1986- Oprah Winfrey becomes the first African American woman to host a nationally syndicated talk show. Also on this day, figure skater Debi Thomas became the first African-American to win the Women's Singles of the U.S. National Figure Skating Championship competition; Thomas was a pre-med student at Stanford University.

1985- Brenda Renee Pearson an official court reporter for the House of Representatives was the first black female to record the State of the Union message delivered by the president in the House chambers.

1978- Leon Spinks defeated Muhammad Ali for heavyweight boxing championship. Ali regained the title on September 15th and became the person to win the title three times.

1968- Actor Gary Coleman was born in Zion, IL. Despite a childhood of medical troubles, Coleman went on to become a television star in numerous situation comedies. Also on this date, officers killed three students during demonstration on the campus of South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, SC. Students were protesting segregation at an Orangeburg bowling alley.

1944- Harry S. McAlphin is the First African American to accredited to attend White House press conference.

1925- Publisher, journalist, and activist Marcus Garvey, entered federal prison in Atlanta, GA. Students staged strike at Fisk University (located in Nashville, TN) to protest policies of white administration.

1894- Congress repeals the Enforcement Act which makes it easier for some states to disenfranchise African-American voters.

February 9th:

1995- Bernard Harris, African-American astronaut, takes space walk.

1971- Baseball Hall of Fame inducts Leroy "Satchel" Paige.

1952- Author Ralph Ellison's novel Invisible Man wins the National Book Award.

1906- Death of poet Paul Laurence Dunbar (33) in Dayton, OH.