* Today in Black History - March 11 *
1861 - The Confederate Congress, meeting in Montgomery, Alabama, adopts a
constitution which declares that the passage of any "law denying
or impairing the right of property in Negro slaves is prohibited."
1870 - Moshweshwe, King of Basutoland (Lesotho) dies. Moshweshwe was
the founder of Lesotho in the 1820's. Lesotho was landlocked by
the Cape Colony (now South Africa). He was able to develop a
strong tribal organization from his mix of peoples. He appeased
the Zulu and Ndebele, led cattle raids on surrounding people,
defeated the British in 1852 and conducted frequent wars with the
Orange Free State. Because of repeated attacks by the Cape Colony,
Moshweshwe asked the British for protection and Lesotho will become
a protectorate in 1868. Upon his death, the country was annexed to
Cape Colony, but was returned to the status of British protectorate
in 1884. When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, the
British honored the desire of Lesotho ("Basutoland") to remain
independent. A protectorate continued until 1968, protecting
Lesotho from incursions from South Africa.
1874 - Frederick Douglass is named president of the failing Freedmen's
Bank.
1874 - Charles Sumner, a militant white advocate of equal rights, dies
at the age of 63.
1884 - William Edward Scott is born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He will
study with Henry O. Tanner at the Art Institute of Chicago
and become best known for his portrait studies of Haitians,
rural life, and landscapes.
1919 - Mercer Ellington is born in Washington, DC, the only child of
Edward "Duke" Ellington and his wife, Edna. He will become
"the keeper of the flame," the charge his father will give him
and one he will readily accept. In doing so, he will lead the
Duke Ellington Orchestra for over twenty years after replacing
his father.
1926 - Ralph David Abernathy is born in Linden, Alabama. He will become
a famed minister, civil rights advocate, and confidant of Martin
L. King, Jr. After King's assassination, he will become the
president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and
write an autobiography that will attract widespread criticism for
his comments on King's alleged womanizing.
1935 - "The Conjure Man Dies," a play by Rudolph Fisher, premieres on
Broadway at the Lafayette Theatre. Fisher, who had died over
a year before the play's premiere, had adapted the play from
his 1932 short story "The Conjure-Man Dies: A Mystery Tale of
Dark Harlem," considered the first detective fiction by an
African American.
1948 - Reginald Weir becomes the first African American to play in the
U.S. Indoor Lawn Tennis Association Championship. He will win
his first match, but will be eliminated on March 13.
1950 - Bobby McFerrin is born in New York City. He will be known for
his versatile and innovative a cappella jazz vocals and for
his hit song "Don't Worry Be Happy," which will sell over ten
million copies and earn him three Grammy awards in 1989 in
addition to a Grammy for best jazz vocalist.
1956 - A manifesto denouncing the Supreme Court ruling on segregation
in public schools, is issued by one hundred southern senators
and representatives.
1959 - "A Raisin in the Sun" becomes the first play written by an African
American woman, Lorraine Hansberry, to open on Broadway. The
play will run for 19 months at the Barrymore Theatre, and be named
"Best Play" by the New York Drama Critics Circle, and bring Lloyd
Richards to Broadway as the first African American director in
modern times.
1968 - Otis Redding posthumously receives a gold record for the single
"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay."
______________________________________________________________
Munirah Chronicle is edited by Brother Mosi Hoj
"The TRUTH shall make you free"
E-mail: <[log in to unmask]>
Archives: <http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/Munirah.html>
______________________________________________________________
To SUBSCRIBE send E-mail to: <[log in to unmask]>
In the E-mail body place: Subscribe Munirah Your FULL Name
______________________________________________________________
Munirah(TM) is a trademark of Information Man. Copyright 1999,
All Rights Reserved by the Information Man in association with
CODE One Communications.
|