* Today in Black History - May 21 *
1833 - Oberlin College is founded in Ohio "to train teachers
and other Christian leaders for the boundless most
desolate fields in the West." After almost going
bankrupt in 1835, Oberlin will become one of the first
colleges in the United States to admit African
Americans. Arthur and Lewis Tappan, wealthy New York
merchants and abolitionists, will insist that Oberlin
admit students regardless of their color, as a
condition of their financial support. As a result of
this decision, by 1900, nearly half of all the African
American college graduates in the United States -- 128
to be exact -- will be graduated from Oberlin.
1862 - Mary Jane Patterson becomes the first African
American woman to earn an B.A degree from the four-
year gentleman's course at Oberlin College in Ohio.
1904 - Thomas "Fats" Waller, is born in New York City. He
will become a celebrated jazz pianist, organist, and
composer. Early in the 1920s, Waller will become the
protege of the famous pianist James P. Johnson and
later will accompany such important vocalists as
Florence Mills and Bessie Smith. His hundreds of
recordings, including some early piano rolls,
encompass ragtime, boogie woogie, dixieland, and
swing, although in his hands these styles are deftly
recomposed into a unique Waller sound that will
influence most of the jazz pianists of the following
generation. His appearances on radio and in several
motion pictures (notably "Stormy Weather," 1943) will
bring Waller's talents to a wide audience. A major
jazz creator, he will write complete scores for such
all-African-American shows as "Keep Shufflin'" (1928)
and "Hot Chocolates" (1929) as well as many single
pieces, especially the now-classic "Honeysuckle
Rose," "Ain't Misbehavin'," and "Black and Blue." He
will join the ancestors in 1943.
1921 - Christopher Perry, who founded the Philadelphia
Tribune in 1884, joins the ancestors in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, at the age of 65.
1941 - Ronald Isley is born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He will
become a singer and with his brothers O'Kelly,
Rudolph and Vernon Isley will form the group, The
Isley Brothers. They will leave Cincinnati in 1956
and go to New York City to pursue their musical
career. Ronald and his brothers will obtain fame
and success nationally and internationally earning
numerous platinum and gold albums which contain such
classic hits as "Shout," "Twist and Shout," "It's
Your Thing," "Who's That Lady," "Fight the Power,"
"For the Love of You," "Harvest For The World,"
"Live It Up," "Footsteps in the Dark," "Work to Do,"
"Don't Say Good Night" and many others.
1955 - After being introduced to Leonard Chess, by
bluesman Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry goes into a
recording session for Chess Records, performing a
restyled version of his song "Ida Red". What comes
out of that hot session will be Ida Red's new name
and Chuck Berry's first hit, "Maybellene".
"Maybellene" will top the Rhythm & Blues charts at
#1, and the pop charts at #5.
1961 - Freedom Riders are attacked in Montgomery, Alabama.
The third city in which the CORE-sponsored group is
attacked, the incident prompts Attorney General
Robert F. Kennedy to send U.S. marshals to keep the
peace while Governor Patterson of Alabama declares
martial law and dispatches the National Guard to the
troubled area.
1964 - Elder Garnet Hawkins is elected by the 176th
General Assembly and becomes the first African
American moderator of the United Presbyterian
Church. Born in New York City on June 13, 1908, he
received his bachelor's degree in 1935 at Bloomfield
College in Bloomfield, New Jersey and his Bachelor
of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary
in 1938. He built his church from nine African
American members to an integrated congregation of
more than 1,000. He also became the first moderator
of the Presbyterian Church to visit the Roman
Catholic Pope. He will join the ancestors in 1977.
1969 - Police and National Guardsmen fire on demonstrators
at North Carolina A&T College. One student is
killed and five policemen are injured.
1970 - The National Guard is mobilized to stop widespread
demonstrations and violence at Ohio State
University. The interracial student demonstrators
demand an end to ROTC programs and greater
admissions for African-American students.
1971 - Riots in Chattanooga, Tennessee, result in one
death and 400 arrests as National Guard troops are
called to put down the racially motivated
disturbances.
1973 - The sensual, "Pillow Talk", by Sylvia (Sylvia
Vanderpool), earns a gold record. The artist first
recorded with Hot Lips Page for Columbia Records
back in 1950 and was known as Little Sylvia. She
was also half of the singing duo Mickey & Sylvia,
who recorded "Love Is Strange" in 1957. "Pillow
Talk" is her only solo major hit and will make it
to number three on the pop music charts.
1975 - Lowell W. Perry is confirmed as chairman of the
Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
1985 - Marvin Gaye's last album is released. "Dream of
a Lifetime" features songs that critics consider
too offensive such as the controversial, pop
version of "The Lord's Prayer". Three of the
songs from the album are completed after Gaye's
joins the ancestors. Marvin Gaye will be inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
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