* Today in Black History - November 8 *
1878 - Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor is born in Indianapolis,
Indiana. He will become the world's fastest bicycle
racer for 12 years,
1920 - Esther Rolle is born in Pompano Beach, Florida. She
will become an actress, primarily on television. She
will win an Emmy Award for her role in "Summer of My
German Soldier". She will be best-known, however, for
her role as Florida, in the television sit-com, "Good
Times." Even though Ms. Rolle will play characters who
worked as maids, off-stage, she will be a tireless
crusader against black stereotypes in Hollywood. She
will join the ancestors in 1998 at the age of 78. Note:
At the time of her death, her manager will give her date
of birth as November 8, 1920, though some references
list the year as 1922.
1932 - The NAACP's Spingarn Medal is awarded to Robert R. Moton,
president of Tuskegee Institute, for his "thoughtful
leadership in conservative opinion and action."
1938 - Crystal Bird Fauset of Philadelphia, is elected to the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She is the first
African American woman elected to a state legislature.
1947 - Minnie Ripperton is born in Chicago, Illinois. She will
study opera under Marion Jeffrey. She will spend months
and months learning how to breathe and listening to and
holding vowels. Eventually, she will begin singing
operas and operettas with a show tune every so often.
Despite her natural talent (a pure five to six octave
soprano) for opera, Minnie will be more attracted to
"Rock N Roll" and the promise of a touring career. She
will eventually discontinue her classical training to
follow her dream of becoming a famous songstress. It
will, however, be her classical training which will
bring her recording success. She will be best known for
her recording of "Loving You." She will join the
ancestors in July, 1979 at the age of 31 after
succumbing to breast cancer.
1953 - Alfre Woodard is born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She will
become an actress after her education at Boston
University, School of Fine Arts. She will receive a
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television
Miniseries/Movie, an Emmy Award for Best Actress, as
well as ACE and Screen Actors Guild Awards for Best
Actress for her performance in the 1997 HBO original
movie, "Miss Evers' Boys." Woodard's many feature
film credits include "Star Trek: First Contact,"
"Heart and Souls," "Primal Fear" opposite Richard Gere,
the ensemble film "How to Make An American Quilt," Spike
Lee's family drama, Crooklyn," Dr. Maya Angelou's "Down
in the Delta" starring Wesley Snipes, and "Passionfish,"
for which she will receive a 1998 Golden Globe
Nomination for Best Actress. In 1984, she will receive
an Academy Award nomination for her performance in
Martin Ritt's "Cross Creek."
1959 - Elgin Baylor of the Minneapolis Lakers, scores 64 points
and sets a National Basketball Association scoring record.
1960 - Otis M. Smith is elected auditor general of Michigan and
becomes the first African American chosen in a statewide
election since Reconstruction.
1966 - Edward W. Brooke (Republican, Massachusetts), is elected
to the U.S. Senate and becomes the first African American
senator since Reconstruction and the first African
American senator elected by popular vote.
1966 - Frank Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles, the American
League's batting and home-run champion, is named the
league's Most Valuable Player.
1966 - John H. Johnson, publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines,
is awarded the NAACP's Spingarn Medal "for his productive
imagination...in the perilous field of publishing" and
"for his contributions to the enhancement of the Negro's
self-image through his publications."
1983 - W. Wilson Goode of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Harvey Gantt
of Charlotte, North Carolina, and James A. Sharp, Jr. of
Flint, Michigan, are the first African Americans elected
mayor of their respective cities.
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