* Today in Black History - January 5 *
1804 - Ohio begins the restriction of the rights and movements of free
African Americans by passing the first of several "Black laws."
It is a trend that will be followed by most Northern states.
1869 - Matilda Sissieretta Jones is born in Portsmouth, Virginia. She
will become a gifted singer (soprano), who will rise to fame as
a soloist and troupe leader during the later part of the
nineteenth century. She will be nicknamed "Black Patti", after
a newspaper review mentioned her as an African American equal to
the acclaimed Italian soprano Adelina Patti. American racism will
prevent her from performing with established white operatic
groups. She will tour Europe, South and North America and the West
Indies as a soloist. In 1896, she will form her own troupe, "Black
Patti's Troubadours," which will combine the elements of opera
and vaudeville, creating musical comedy. She will join the
ancestors on June 24, 1933.
1911 - Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity is founded on the campus of Indiana
University by Elder Watson Diggs, Byron Kenneth Armstrong, and
eight others. It will be the first African American fraternity
to be chartered as a national organization.
1931 - Alvin Ailey is born in Rogers, Texas and will move to Los Angeles,
California at the age of twelve. There, on a junior high school
class trip to the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, he will fall in
love with concert dance. In 1958, Mr. Ailey will found his own
company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, which makes its
debut in New York. Mr. Ailey will have a vision of creating a
company dedicated to the preservation and enrichment of the
American modern dance heritage and the uniqueness of black
cultural expression. In 1969, Alvin Ailey will found the Alvin
Ailey American Dance Center, the official school of the Ailey
Company, and he will go on to form the Repertory Ensemble, the
second company, in 1974. His commitment to education is the
foundation of the organization's long-standing involvement in
arts-in-education programs, including AileyCamp. He will join the
ancestors on December 1, 1989 in New York City.
1938 - James Ngugi is born in Kamiriithu, Kenya. He will become a writer
whose works will depict events in colonial and post colonial Kenya.
He will integrate Marxist-Leninist beliefs into his novels, which
will include "Weep Not Child," "The River Between," "A Grain of
Wheat," "Petals of Blood," and "Matigari ma Mjiruumgi." He will
later change his name to Ngugi wa Thiong'o. His writings will cause
him to be imprisoned by the Kenyan government and he will later
leave the country for England and the United States.
1943 - George Washington Carver joins the ancestors after succumbing to
anemia at the age of 81. He was a pioneering plant chemist and
agricultural researcher noted for his work with the peanut and
soil restoration while at Tuskegee Institute.
1943 - William H. Hastie, civilian aide to the secretary of war, resigns
to protest segregation in the U.S. Armed Forces.
1947 - Ted Lange is born in Oakland, California. He will become an actor
and be best known for his role as 'Isaac' on the TV series, "The
Love Boat."
1948 - A commemorative stamp of George Washington Carver is issued by
the U.S. Postal Service. The posthumous honor bestowed upon
the famed agricultural expert and researcher is only one of the
many awards he received, including the 1923 Spingarn Medal and
membership in the NYU Hall of Fame.
1957 - Jackie Robinson announces his retirement from professional
baseball.
1971 - The Harlem Globetrotters lose 100-99 to the New Jersey Reds,
ending their 2,495-game win streak.
1975 - The Broadway premiere of "The Wiz" opens, receiving enthusiastic
reviews. The show, a black version of "The Wizard of Oz" will run
for 1,672 shows at the Majestic Theatre. Moviegoers, however, gave
a thumbs down to the cinema version of the play that starred Diana
Ross and Michael Jackson years later. One memorable song from the
show is "Ease on Down the Road."
1987 - David Robinson becomes the first player in Naval Academy history
to score more than 2,000 points. This was accomplished when the
Midshipmen defeat East Carolina 91-66. He will go on to become
a major star of the NBA.
1993 - Reggie Jackson is inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame with 94%
of the votes.
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