January Events to Remember
01 Emancipation Proclamation issued, President Abraham Lincoln--1863
02 Martin Luther King, Jr., Called for a non-violent protest if Alabama
refused to allow African Americans to register and vote--1965
03 William Tucker, Became the first African American child born in the
U.S.--1624
04 Congressional Black Caucus Organized--1971
05 George Washington Carver--Died, 1943
06 World Anti-Slavery Convention opened in London, England--1831
07 Marion Anderson, Became the first African American to perform in the
Metropolitian Opera House--1955
08 Charles Deslandes, Led a slave revolt in Louisana--1811
09 Fisk University, Founded in Nashville, Tennessee--1866
09 Beatrice Cannady Taylor, Civil Rights Leader--Born, 1889
10 Countee Cullen, Poet/Writer--Died, 1946
10 George Washington Carver, Scientist--Born, 1864
11 Charles W. Anderson, Became the first African American to serve in the
Kentucky state legislature--1864
12 Southern Christian Leadership Conference--Founded, 1957
12 African Americans, Declared to have a right to study law in state
institutions--1948
13 Second Lt. Vernon Baker, Staff Sgt. Edward Allen Carter, Jr., 1st
Lt. John Robert Fox, Staff Sgt. Ruben Rivers, Maj. Charles L. Thomas, Pvt.
George Watson, and Pfc. James F. Willy, Jr., were found to have been denied
appropriate awards for their acts of heroism because of their race. They were
awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery above and beyond the call of duty
performed in defense of United States of America military positions on foreign
soil during World War II by President William Jefferson Clinton.
13 L. Douglas Wilder, Became first African American to serve as U.S
governor (Virginia) since Reconstruction--1990
14 William T. Coleman, Became U.S. Secretary of Transportation-1975
15 Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Foundered as first African American
sorority at Howard University--1908
15 Martin Luther King, Jr., Born, Atlanta, GA--1929
16 Major Guion S. Bluford, Named by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) one of first three African American
astronauts--1978
16 Major Fredrick D. Gregory, Named by NASA one of first three African
American astronauts--1978
16 Dr. Ronald E. McNair, Named by NASA one of first three African
American astronauts--1978
17 Mohammad Ali, Born--1942
18 Dr. Daniel Hale Williams,"First open heart surgeon"--Born, 1864
19 First African Baptist Church--Organized in Savannah, GA, 1778
19 Publisher John H. Johnson--Born, Arkansas City, AR, 1918
20 Patricia Roberts Harris, Became U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development and the first African American woman to hold a Cabinet
post--1977
21 Barbara Jordan, Former Congresswoman born--1936
22 Benjamin Banneker helped plan Washington, DC--1793
22 James Robert Gladden, Became the firs African American certified in
orthopedic surgery--1949
23 Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, founded Provident Hospital in Chicage, one
of the first schools ofnursing for African Americans in the U.S.--1891
23 Paul Robeson--Died, Philadelphia, PA, 1976
24 Jackie Robinson--Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame, 1962
24 Thurgood Marshall, famous civil rights lawyer and first African
American to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, Died--1993
25 Sojorner Truth, Addressed the first African American Women's
Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio--1851
26 Dr. Theodore K. Lawless, dermatologist, Awarded the Spingarn Medal for
his research in skin-diseases--1954
27 Leontyne Price, Debuted at the Metropolitian Opera House--1961
28 Free Africa Society, Organized in Philadelphia--1787
28 Murderers of Steve Biko, South African Non-Violent Freedom Fighter,
confessed hoping to avoid prosecution--1997
29 Alpha Phi Alpha, Incorporated--1908
29 Violette Neatly Anderson, Became the first African American woman to
practice before the U.S. Supreme Court--1926
29 Andrew Young, Confirmed by U.S. Senate as U.N. Ambassador--1977
29 Brigadier General Benjamin O. Davis was honored by his image being
placed on a US Postage Stamp
30 U. S. Congress--Passed 13th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution--
Abolition of Slavery, 1865
30 Franklin Thomas, Named president of Ford foundation--1979
31 James Earl Jones, Opened in August Wilson's play "Fences" in Chicago's
Goodman Theater--1986