* Today in Black History - December 23 * 1815 - Henry Highland Garnet is born in New Market, Maryland. He will become a noted clergyman and abolitionist. He will also be the first African American to deliver a sermon before the House of Representatives. 1863 - Robert Blake, powder boy aboard the USS Marblehead, is the first African American to be awarded the Naval Medal of Honor "for conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity at the risk of his own life." The heroic action occurred during a victorious battle off the coast of South Carolina. 1867 - Sarah Breedlove is born in Delta, Louisiana. She will be better known as Madame C.J. Walker, the first female African American millionaire whose hair-care, toiletry, and cosmetics products revolutionized the standard of beauty for African American women. Her philanthropy and generosity will make her a popular figure in the early 1900's. 1919 - Alice H. Parker patents the gas heating furnace. 1935 - Esther Mae Jones is born in Galveston, Texas. She will begin her career as a blues singer at 13 as "Little" Esther Phillips, taking her name from a billboard for a gasoline company. Problems with drugs and alcohol will cause her to interrupt her career a number of times. She will record several memorable songs including "And I Love Him" and "Release Me." 1946 - The University of Tennessee refuses to play Duquesne University, because they may use an African American player in their basketball game. 1990 - Wendell Scott joins the ancestors in Danville, Virginia. He was a prominent African American in early stock car racing, finishing among the top five drivers in 20 Grand National events and winning 128 races in the sportsman division. His story will be told in the movie "Greased Lightning," that starred Richard Pryor as Scott. 1999 - President Clinton pardons Freddie Meeks, an African American sailor court-martialed for mutiny during World War II when he and other sailors refused to load live ammunition following a deadly explosion at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine near San Francisco that had claimed more than 300 lives. ______________________________________________________________ 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.