(Photo By Flickr User jinnrouge)
Black History Weekend Today for February 27th & 28th:
February 27th:
1833- Maria W. Steward delivered one of the four speeches which confirmed her place in history as the first American-born woman to give public lectures.
1844- Independence Day for Dominican Republic
1869- Congress adopted the 15th constitutional amendment, making it illegal for the US or any single government to deny or abridge the right to vote “on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude.”
1872- Charlotte Ray graduates from Howard Law School. She is the first African-American lawyer in the U.S.
1883- Walter B. Purvis patented hand stamp.
1902- On this day Marian Anderson, who will become a world-renowned opera singer and the first African-American soloist to perform at the White House, is born in Philadelphia, PA.
1942- Journalist Charlayne Hunter was born this day in Due West, SC.
1964- Anna Julia Cooper, champion for the rights of black women, dies at the age of 105.
1988- Figure skater Debi Thomas, becomes the first African-American to win a medal (Bronze) at the Winter Olympic Games.
February 28th:
1704- Elias Neau, a Frenchman, opened school for Blacks in New York City.
1708- Slave revolt in Newton, Long Island, NY. Seven whites killed. Two Black male slaves and an Indian slave were hanged, and a Black woman was burned alive.
1778- Rhode Island General Assembly in precedent-breaking act authorized the enlistment of slaves.
1859- Arkansas legislature required free Blacks to choose between exile and enslavement.
1871- Second Enforcement Act gave federal officers and courts control of registration and voting in congressional elections.
1879- Southern Blacks fled political and economic exploitation in “Exodus of 1879.” Exodus continued for several years. One of the major leaders of the Exodus movement was a former slave, Benjamin (“Pap”) Singleton.
1932- Richard Spikes invented/patented automatic gear shift.
1942- Race riot, Sojourner Truth Homes, Detroit, MI on this day.
1943- Porgy and Bess opened on Broadway with Anne Brown and Todd Duncan in starring roles.
1977- Death of comedian Eddie (“Rochester”) Anderson (71).
1984- Musician and entertainer Michael Jackson wins eight Grammy Awards. His album, “Thriller”, broke all sales records to-date, and remains one of the top-grossing albums of all time.
1990- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Cornelius Gunter, lead singer of the Coasters, was shot to death in Las Vegas, NV. Gunter joined the group in 1957 and was around for such hits as “Poison Ivy” and “Charlie Brown.” Also, Philip Emeagwali awarded the Gordon Bell Prize (computing’s Nobel Prize) for solving one of the twenty most difficult problems in the computing field.
(Information courtesy of blackfacts.com)
