*             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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