* Today in Black History - May 27 *
1863 - Captain Andre' Callioux and his Native Guard Regiment, which had
once fought for the Confederacy, charge Port Hudson, Louisiana.
The Union Army Guard, intent on disproving white contentions
that "Negroes" lacked the intelligence for combat, will make
six different assaults on the stronghold.
1917 - One African American is killed and hundreds are left homeless in
race riots in East St. Louis, Illinois.
1935 - Ramsey Lewis is born in Chicago, Illinois. While attending
Chicago Musical College, he will form the Gentlemen of Swing
(later called The Ramsey Lewis Trio) with The Cleff's old
rhythm section, Eldee Young (bass) and Redd Holt (drums). Their
weekend gig will catch the attention of an influential deejay
(Daddio-O-Dayle), who convinces blues record company owner Phil
Chess to expand into jazz and sign the trio. From the start
(1958) their records were popular, although in the early days
they had a strong jazz content. In 1958 Lewis will also record
with Max Roach and Lem Winchester. On the 1965 albums "The In
Crowd" and "Hang On Sloopy," Ramsey will make the piano into
a major attraction and from that point on, his records will
become much more predictable and pop-oriented. In 1966, his
trio's personnel will change with bassist Cleveland Eaton and
drummer Maurice White (later the founder of Earth, Wind and
Fire) joining Lewis. In the 1970s Lewis will often play
electric piano, although by later in the decade, he was sticking
to acoustic and hiring an additional keyboardist. He plays
melodic jazz when he wants to, but will stick to easy-listening
pop music during his career.
1936 - Louis Gossett, Jr. is born in Brooklyn, New York. He will make
his acting debut at 17 in "Take a Giant Step" and act in
numerous stage, film and television roles including Fiddler in
"Roots," for which he will win an Emmy. His portrayal of the
tough drill instructor in "An Officer and a Gentleman" will win
him an Academy Award as best supporting actor in 1982, the third
African-American to win an Oscar for acting.
1941 - A race riot begins in East St. Louis, Illinois. After four days
of rioting, one African American will be killed.
1942 - Dorie Miller, a messman from Waco, Texas, is awarded the Navy
cross for his heroic deeds at Pearl Harbor. The Cross is pinned
on his chest by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.
1958 - Ernest Green graduates from Little Rock's Central High School
with six hundred white classmates, becoming the first of the
"little Rock Nine" to graduate from high school.
1961 - Ralph Boston of the United States, sets the long jump record.
1963 - Jomo Kenyatta is elected first prime minister of self-governing
Kenya. In the early 1950s, Kenyatta was sentenced to seven years
of hard labor for alleged links to the Mau Mau, a clandestine
anti-British organization. In 1964, Kenyatta will become the
first president of Kenya, remaining in that position until 1978.
1965 - Todd Bridges is born in San Francisco, California. He will
become a child actor and is best known for his roles in the TV
series "Diff'rent Strokes," and "Fish."
1968 - The Supreme Court orders schools to present a realistic
desegregation plan immediately. The ruling comes almost 13
years to the day after the Court's "all deliberate speed"
desegregation order in 1955.
1975 - Ezzard Charles, former heavyweight boxing champion, joins the
ancestors in Chicago, Illinois at the age of 53.
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