* Today in Black History - March 6 * 1479 - The Treaty of Alcacovas is signed. This will establish the territorial domains of Portugal and Castile (Spain) along a longitudinal line 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands. Spain, thereby, recognizes Portugal's rights to explore the African coast. Portugal becomes the first European nation to exploit the West African slave trade. 1775 - Prince Hall and fourteen other African Americans are initiated into British Military Lodge No. 441 of the Masons at Fort Independence, Massachusetts. Hall is a leather-dresser and caterer. On July 3, 1775, African Lodge No. 1 will be organized in Boston by this group of African American Masons. 1857 - The U.S. Supreme Court rules against citizenship for African Americans in the Dred Scott decision. The Court rules that Dred Scott, a slave, cannot sue for his freedom in a free state because he is property and, as such, "has no rights a white man has to respect." This ruling also opens up the northern territory to slavery. 1862 - President Lincoln sends message to Congress recommending gradual and compensated emancipation of the slaves. 1901 - Virginia State University in Ettrick, Virginia (Outside of Petersburg), is founded. 1909 - Obafemi Awolowo is born in Ikenne, Nigeria. He will become the first Premier of Western Nigeria. He will also be a strong antagonist of the north's feudal system and its spread to other parts of Nigeria and an advocate of the creation of more states in Nigeria. Chief Awolowo and 28 other members of his party will be later put on trial for treasonable felony. He was sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment, and, on appeal to the Federal Court the sentence was upheld. After spending just over three years in Calabar prison, he will be released with a state pardon. Nine days later, amid jubilation he was unanimously elected leader of the then 10,500,000 Yorubas and leader of the Western delegation to the All Nigerian Conference on the future association of Nigeria. Chief Awolowo will be an author whose publications will include "Path to Nigerian Freedom, Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution". He will join the ancestors on May 9, 1987. 1923 - Charles Ethan Porter joins the ancestors in Rockville, Connecticut. A student of the National Academy of Design in New York City, the first African American artist in the United States to graduate from a four-year school of art, and member of the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts, Porter did not receive the recognition that contemporaries Edward Bannister and Henry Ossawa Tanner won. He will be best known for the paintings "Still Life (Crock With Onions)," "Strawberries," and "Daisies," but there will not be a major retrospective of his work until 1987. 1940 - Wilver Dornel "Willie" Stargell is born in Earlsboro, Oklahoma. He will become an all-star baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He will hit 475 career home runs - twice leading the National League with 48 in 1971 and with 44 in 1973. He will drive in 1540 runs, score 1195 and have 2232 hits with a lifetime batting average of .282. He will be inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1988. He will join the ancestors on April 9, 2001. 1944 - Mary Wilson is born in Greenville, Mississippi. In 1959, she will begin singing with a group called the "Primettes", a sister group to a male group, The Primes." The Primes will become "The Temptations" and the Primettes will become "The Supremes." The Supremes will become the only American act to have five consecutive number one hits! From their beginning to the end of the group, the Supremes will have 33 songs reach the top 40. After the group disbands in 1977, Mary Wilson will become a successful businesswoman, author, lecturer, actress, and singer of not just pop music, but Jazz, Rock, R&B, and Dance. She will author the best-seller "Dreamgirl-My Life as a Supreme." In 1988, Mary Wilson will become the first female rock star to accept her lifetime achievement award from the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame. 1957 - Ghana becomes the first African nation to achieve freedom from colonial rule when the Ashanti, Northern Protectorates, the Gold Coast and British Togoland declare their independence. The celebration ceremonies are attended by a number of American dignitaries, including African American leaders Ralph Bunche, A. Philip Randolph, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Martin Luther King, Jr., and Coretta Scott King. 1981 - Dr. Bernard Harleston, former dean of arts and sciences at Tufts University, is appointed president of New York's City College. 2000 - Three white New York police officers are convicted of a cover- up in the brutal police station attack on Haitian immigrant Abner Louima. 2000 - "Earth, Wind and Fire" is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 2006 - Kirby Puckett joins the ancestors, one day after the Hall of Fame outfielder had a stroke at his Arizona home, at the age of 45. He carried the Minnesota Twins to World Series titles in 1987 and 1991 before his career was cut short by glaucoma. He played his entire career with the Twins and was an icon in Minnesota. ______________________________________________________________ Munirah Chronicle is edited by Mr. Rene' A. 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