* Today in Black History - March 24 *
1912 - Dorothy Irene Height is born in Richmond, Virginia. In 1965, she
will inaugurate the Center for Racial Justice, which is still a
major initiative of the National YWCA. She will serve as the
10th National President of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
from 1946 to 1957, before becoming president of the National
Council of Negro Women in 1958. Working closely with Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, A. Philip Randolph
and others, Dr. Height will participate in virtually all major
civil and human rights event in the 1950's and 1960's. For her
tireless efforts on behalf of the less fortunate, President
Ronald Reagan will present her the Citizens Medal Award for
distinguished service to the country in 1989. She will receive
the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP in July, 1993. She will be
inducted into the "National Womens Hall of Fame" in October,
1993 and President Bill Clinton will present her the
Presidential Medal of Freedom Award in August 1994.
1941 - "Native Son," a play adapted from Richard Wright's novel of
the same name, opens at the St. James Theatre in New York
City.
1944 - Patti Labelle is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a
teenager, she and Cindy Birdsong (later a member of the
Supremes) will sing with the Ordettes. When two girls leave
the group, Nona Hendrix and Sarah Dash will sign on and Patti
LaBelle and the Bluebells will be born in 1961. By the next
year, they will have their first multimillion seller, "I Sold
My Heart to the Junkman." With other hits, including "All Or
Nothing" and "You'll Never Walk Alone," the group will develop
a strong following worldwide. After years of success and being
"Rocked and rolled out," as Patti describes it, the group will
disband on good terms in 1976. She will continue to perform as
a solo artist and will release top-selling albums. She will
receive numerous awards including Philadelphia's Key to the
City, a medal from the Congressional Black Caucus, a citation
from Congress on her 20th anniversary in the music business,
another citation from President Reagan, a cable ACE, the B'nai
B'rith Creative Achievement Award, two NAACP Entertainer of the
Year Awards, the NAACP Image Award for three consecutive years,
the Ebony Achievement Award, the Martin Luther King Lifetime
Achievement Award, three Emmy nominations, eight Grammy
nominations and a 1992 Grammy Award for Best R&B Female Vocal
Performance for her album "Burnin."
1958 - Bill Russell, center for the Boston Celtics, becomes the NBA's
MVP. He is again named as MVP in 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1965.
1962 - Benny 'Kid' Paret is knocked out in the twelfth round by Emile
Griffith, in a welterweight title bout in New York City. He
will die 10 days later.
1968 - In New York City, Bob Foster wins the light heavyweight
championship by knocking out Dick Tiger of Nigeria in four
rounds.
1969 - Joseph Kasavubu, President of the Congo, dies. In 1960, he and
Mobutu Sese Seko overthrew the government of Patrice Lumumba.
1972 - Z. Alexander Looby, the first African American to serve on the
Nashville City Council, dies in Nashville, Tennessee. He had
also been a successful Nashville attorney, in the forefront of
the Civil Rights Movement, for many years. In 1960, he survived
the April 19th bombing of his home.
1975 - Muhammad Ali beats Chuck Wepner in a 15-round bout to retain
his world heavyweight crown.
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