* Today in Black History - November 16 * 1873 - William Christopher Handy is born in Florence, Alabama. He will be best known as a composer and blues musician and earn the nickname "Father of the Blues." Among his most noteworthy compositions will be "Memphis Blues," "St. Louis Blues," and "Beale Street Blues." He will also form a music publishing company with Harry Pace and become one of the most important influences in African-American music. His 1941 autobiography, "Father of the Blues," will be a sourcebook and reference on this uniquely African-American musical style. W.C. Handy will join the ancestors on March 28, 1958 in New York City, the same year "The St. Louis Blues", an biographical movie of his life debuted. 1873 - Richard T. Greener, who was the first African American graduate of Harvard University, is named professor of metaphysics at the University of South Carolina. 1873 - African Americans win three state offices in the Mississippi election: Alexander K. Davis, Lieutenant governor; James Hill, secretary of state; T.W. Cardozo, superintendent of education. African Americans win 55 of the 115 seats in the house and 9 out of 37 seats in the senate, 42 per cent of the total number. 1930 - Chinua Achebe is born in Ogidi, Nigeria. He will become the internationally acclaimed author of the novel "Things Fall Apart," among others. 1931 - Hubert Sumlin is born on a farm near Greenwood, Mississippi. Sumlin will leave home at seventeen to tour clubs and taverns throughout the South with his childhood friend James Cotton. The Jimmy Cotton band will record for the Sun label in Memphis from 1950 to 1953. In 1954, Sumlin will join the Howlin' Wolf band and move to Chicago. It will be Howlin' Wolf who mentors Sumlin, prodding and encouraging him to find his own style and develop as a performer. He will perform with Howlin' Wolf for twenty five years. 1962 - Wilt Chamberlain of the NBA San Francisco Warriors scores 73 points against the New York Knicks. 1963 - Zina Garrison, professional tennis player (1988 Olympic Gold, Bronze), is born in Houston, Texas. 1964 - Dwight Gooden, professional baseball pitcher (New York Mets), is born. "The Doctor" will set the record for most strikeouts in a rookie season and become Rookie of the Year in 1984. He also will become the youngest to achieve that award. He will receive the Cy Young Award in 1985. 1967 - A one-man showing of 48 paintings by Henry O. Tanner is presented at the Grand Central Galleries in New York City. The presentation of the canvases, not in the best of condition, is criticized by The New York Times as an "injustice to a proud man." 1967 - Lisa Bonet, actress ("The Cosby Show", "A Different World", "Angel Heart", Bank Robber", "New Eden", "Dead Connection") is born in San Francisco, California. 1972 - The Louisiana National Guard mobilizes after police officers kill two students during demonstrations at Southern University. 1975 - Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears rushes for 105 yards in a game against the San Francisco '49ers. It will be Payton's first game of 100 plus yards. He will repeat this feat over 50 times throughout his career and add two 200-yard games. 1989 - South African President F.W. de Klerk announces the scrapping of the Separate Amenities Act, opening up the country's beaches to all races. 1996 - Texaco agrees to pay $176.9 million dollars to settle a two- year old race discrimination class action suit. 1998 - The Supreme Court rules that union members can file discrimination lawsuits against employers even when labor contracts require arbitration. ______________________________________________________________ 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 2001, All Rights Reserved by the Information Man in association with CODE One Communications.