* Today in Black History - March 30 * 1869 - The 15th Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, which guarantees men, the right to vote regardless of "race, color or previous condition of servitude." Despite ratification of the amendment, it will be almost 100 years before African Americans become universally enfranchised. 1923 - Zeta Phi Beta sorority is incorporated. It was founded on January 16, 1920 at Howard University in Washington, DC. 1941 - The National Urban League presents a one-hour program over a national radio network and urges equal participation for blacks in the national defense program. 1946 - "St. Louis Woman" opens on Broadway. Based on a book by Arna Bontemps and Countee Cullen from Bontemps's novel "God Sends Sunday," the play brought wide attention to supporting actress Pearl Bailey, who stopped the show nightly with her renditions of "Legalize My Name" and "A Woman's Prerogative." 1948 - Naomi Sims is born in Oxford, Mississippi. She will become a trailblazing fashion model and founder of a beauty company that will bear her name. 1960 - Eighteen students are suspended by Southern University for participating in civil rights demonstrations. Southern University students will rebel on March 31, boycotting classes and requesting withdrawal slips. The rebellion will collapse after the death of a professor from a heart attack. 1963 - Air Force Capt. Edward J. Dwight, Jr. is named to the fourth class of aerospace research pilots at Edwards Air Force Base, becoming the first African American candidate for astronaut training. He will be dropped from the program in 1965. 1963 - Stanley Kirk Burrell is born in Oakland, California. He will become a rapper known as "M.C. Hammer" and will come out in 1988 with the album, "Let's Get It Started. He will be best known for his hit, "U Can't Touch This." 1995 - Tens of thousands of Rwandan refugees, fleeing violence in Burundi, begin a two-day trek to sanctuary in Tanzania. ______________________________________________________________ Munirah Chronicle is edited by Brother Mosi Hoj "The TRUTH shall make you free" E-mail: <[log in to unmask]> Archives: <http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/Munirah.html> ______________________________________________________________ To SUBSCRIBE send E-mail to: <[log in to unmask]> In the E-mail body place: Subscribe Munirah Your FULL Name ______________________________________________________________ Munirah(TM) is a trademark of Information Man. Copyright 2000, All Rights Reserved by the Information Man in association with CODE One Communications.