(Photo By Flickr User Protest Photos1)
Black History Today for February 21st:
2011- Writer Dwayne McDuffie (behind the comic books of Marvel and DC who co-founded his own publishing company before crossing over to TV and animation), died of complications from emergency heart surgery on this day. He was 49 years old.
2008- Emmanuel “Manno” Sanon, the only soccer player to score a World Cup goal for Haiti, passed away on this day of pancreatic cancer at age 56.
2007- Barry Stevens, former Iowa State basketball star and briefly coach of the Gary (IN) Steelheads, passed away on this day of a heart attack. He was only 43.
1992- Natalie Cole performed at the famed Apollo Theater in NYC on this day and donated her proceeds to help save the financially strapped landmark. Also on this day, Eva Jessye choral director for the first Broadway production of "Porgy and Bess," died in Ann Arbor, MI. She was 97 years old.
1990- Chuck Berry was a recipient of the Grammy Hall of Fame Award for his song "Roll Over Beethoven" on this day.
1989- Actor, model, dancer, and singer-songwriter, Corbin Bleu, was born on this day in Brooklyn, NY.
1987- African-Americans in Tampa, FL rebelled after an African-American man was killed by a white police officer while in custody.
1983- Sly Stone was a guest on "Late Night with David Letterman" and performed "If You Want Me to Stay" on this day.
1982- Award winning musical "Ain’t Misbehavin’" closed at Longacre Theatre in New York City, NY after 1,604 performances on this day.
1979- Actor & Comedian Jordan Peele ("MADtv," "Key & Peele"), was born this day.
1977- Nolan Strong the lead vocalist for Nolan Strong & The Diablos passed away on this day. Nolan Strong & The Diablos were a Detroit-based R&B and doo-wop vocal group best known for its hit songs “The Wind” and “Mind Over Matter.”
1970- The Jackson 5 was on American Bandstand for the first time and performed their new hit single "I Want You Back" on this day. Also, rapper "Fat Pat" Hawkins, was born on this day in Houston, TX. He was fatally shot on February 3, 1998.
1969- Award-Winning Actress Aunjanue Ellis, was born on this day in San Francisco, CA and raised on her grandmother’s farm in Mississippi.
1967- Olympic Gold Medalist Leroy Burrell, a former athlete who twice set the world record for the 100 meters sprint, was born this day in Philadelphia, PA.
1965- Leader, prominent figure and charismatic spokesperson for the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X, was fatally shot on this day as he delivered a speech in The Audubon Ballroom.
1961- Otis Boykin, Inventor, patented the Electrical Resistor. He is responsible for inventing the electrical device used in all guided missiles and IBM computers, plus 26 other electronic devices including a control unit for an artificial heart stimulator (pacemaker). Other inventions by Otis Boykin also included a burglarproof cash register and chemical air filter.
1940- John Lewis, founder and chairman of Student Nonvolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), was born on this day.
1936- Barbara Jordan, the first African-American woman to win a seat in the Texas Senate, died this day. She was 59 years old.
1933- Singer Nina Simone (born Eunice Waymon; "I Love You Porgy," "Trouble in Mind"), was born on this day in Tryon, NC. She passed away on April 21, 2003 at the age of 70.
1924- The first Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Robert G. Mugabe, was born this day. He served as Prime Minister from 1980 to 1987, and as the first executive head of state since 1987.
1917- Thelonious Sphere Monk (1917-1982) Jazz musician, was born in Rocky Mount, NC on this day. He was raised in New York City, NY.
1985- North Carolina Legislature, dominated by Black Republicans and White Populists, adjourned for the day to mark the death of Frederick Douglass.
