* Today in Black History - June 20 *
1858 - Charles W. Chestnutt is born in Cleveland, Ohio. He will at one
time maintain four careers simultaneously - stenographer, lawyer,
author, and lecturer. His most famous literary works will be a
biography of Frederick Douglass and the short story collection
"The Conjure Woman". In 1928, he will receive the NAACP's
Spingarn Medal for his literacy accomplishments.
1871 - Ku Klux Klan trials begin in federal court in Oxford, Mississippi.
Many whites, including doctors, lawyers, ministers and college
professors, are arrested and jailed in the anti-Klan campaign.
Of the 930 indicted in Mississippi, 243 will be tried and found
guilty. Some 1180 are indicted in South Carolina and 1849 are
indicted in North Carolina.
1911 - The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
is incorporated in New York City. It had been founded on
February 12, 1909.
1926 - Mordecai W. Johnson becomes the first African American president
of Howard University.
1929 - "Hot Chocolates" premieres at the Hudson Theatre in New York City.
With music by Fats Waller and lyrics by Andy Razaf, the musical
will introduce the songs "Ain't Misbehaving" and "Black and Blue".
1936 - Jesse Owens of the U.S. sets the 100 meter record at 10.2 seconds.
1943 - Thirty-four persons are killed in race riots in Detroit, Michigan.
Federal troops are called in to control the violence, which stems
from African American's frustration over exclusion from
civilian defense jobs.
1946 - Andre' Watts is born in Nuremburg, Germany. He will make his
debut as a concert pianist at age nine, have his New York
Philharmonic debut in 1963, and become a world-famous classical
pianist.
1949 - Lionel Ritchie is born in Tuskegee, Alabama. He will be one of
the most successful singers/songwriters in contemporary popular
music, known for his efforts in pop, Rhythm & Blues, and country
music. Once a member of the Commodores, Richie will establish
a solo career, win Grammys in 1982 and 1984, and be a featured
performer at the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympic
Games in Los Angeles.
1950 - Willie Mays graduated from high school and immediately signs with
the New York Giants for a $6,000 bonus. 'The Say Hey Kid' would
play most of his career for the Giants -- in both New York and
San Francisco -- becoming a baseball legend. As his career comes
to a close, Mays will be traded to the New York Mets. Mays, an
all-star center fielder will be enshrined in the Baseball Hall
of Fame.
1960 - Harry Belafonte wins an Emmy for his variety special "Tonight with
Harry Belafonte". It is the first Emmy awarded to an African
American.
1960 - Floyd Patterson wins back the world heavyweight title by knocking
out Ingemar Johanson of Sweden in round five of a title bout at
the Polo Grounds in New York City.
1967 - Muhammad Ali is convicted in Houston, Texas, in federal courts
for violating Selective Service Act by refusing induction into
the armed services. He is fined $10,000 and sentenced to five
years in prison. Ali, an opponent of the Vietnam War, had
refused to report for service on grounds that he was a Muslim
minister.
1969 - 150,000 people attend the Newport Jazz Festival. Jimi Hendrix
gets $125,000 to appear on the program. This is the largest
paycheck for a single concert appearance at the time.
1988 - The Supreme Court upheld a law that made it illegal for private
clubs to discriminate against women and minorities.
1987 - Whitney Houston's album, "Whitney", debuts on "Billboard"
magazine's album charts at number one. Houston becomes the first
female to have an LP debut at the top.
1990 - Nelson Mandela lands in New York City to begin a tour of the
United States.
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The source for these facts are "Encyclopedia Britannica,
"InfoBeat," "I, Too, Sing America - The African American
Book of Days," "Before the Mayflower", "Black Firsts" and
independent research by the Information Man.
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