Category Archives: Today in History

Author Alex Haley was born in Ithaca, New York in 1921. Alex Haley is known for his books “Roots” and “The Autobiography of Malcolm X.” Happy Heavenly Birthday to Alex Haley.

Famous singer and songwriter Isaac Hayes died at the age of 65 in 2008.

Singer and actress Whitney Houston was born in 1963.

The African Baptist Church was founded by Rev. Thomas Paul in 1805. It’s the oldest black church building in Massachusetts. Today, it’s called the People’s Baptist Church of Boston.

Barry Bonds hit his 756th career home run breaking Hank Aaron’s record in 2007. He became the MLB’s all time home run leader. Bonds retired with 762 home runs.

Jamaican Independence Day is celebrated in Jamaica, to commemorate its independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. The Jamaica Independence Act was officially passed by the United Kingdom Parliament on July 19, 1962.

Atlanta’s oldest Black newspaper, the Atlanta Daily World, was founded by William A. Scott III in 1928. Today, the Atlanta Daily World still serves a voice for black people in Atlanta.

The bodies of three civil rights leaders were found near Philadelphia, Mississippi in 1964. The civil rights leaders were missing since June 21. Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney were in Mississippi doing work for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) before they went missing.

Jesse Owens won his first Olympic gold medal at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Jesse Owens and the Berlin Olympics have always held historical significance, in large part due to Adolf Hitler’s and his history of racism and nazism.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee made history as the first woman to ever win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the heptathlon in 1992.