Carolyn Parker: First African American Woman To Obtain A Graduate Degree In Physics

Carolyn Beatrice Parker is the first African-American woman known to have gained a postgraduate degree in physics.

Parker (1917–1966) was a physicist who worked from 1943 to 1947 on the Dayton Project, the plutonium research and development arm of the Manhattan Project. She then became an assistant professor in physics at Fisk University.

Parker earned two master's degrees, one in mathematics from the University of Michigan in 1941 and one in physics from MIT in 1951. Her completion of a doctorate in physics at MIT was prevented by the leukemia that would kill her at age 48. Leukemia was an occupational risk for workers on the Dayton Project.

Carolyn Beatrice Parker was born in Gainesville, Florida on November 18, 1917. Her father was Julius A. Parker, a physician who according to the family, was a student of John Kenneth Galbraith, and the second African-American to receive a PhD in business from Harvard. Her mother was Della Ella Murrell Parker. Della Parker was a sister of Joan Murrell Owens, a marine biologist who was one of the first African-American women to receive a PhD in geology.

Carolyn Parker was one of six children, all but one of whom received natural science or mathematics degrees. Mary Parker Miller had a Masters of Science in mathematics from New York University in 1975; Juanita Parker Wynter had a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and chemistry, and a Master of Science from New York University; Julie Leslie Parker had a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Fisk University and a master's degree in medical technology from Meharry Medical College; and Julius Parker Jr had a master's degree in chemistry from the University of Michigan. The sixth sibling, Martha Parker, studied social sciences, gaining a master's degree from Temple University.

Carolyn Parker graduated magna cum laude with an A.B. (Bachelor of Arts) degree from Fisk University in 1938, then an A.M. (Master of Arts) in mathematics from the University of Michigan in 1941.

She undertook further studies from 1946–1947 at Ohio State University, towards the end of time of her time on the Dayton Project. She gained a Master's in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1951.Parker's family report that she had completed the course work for her PhD in physics at MIT around 1952 or 1953, but leukemia prevented her from defending her dissertation.[1] She is the first African-American woman known to have gained a postgraduate degree in physics.

Help other black students arm a Ph.d by donating to our Close the Gap Fundraiser today: Black History Month help Black students finish college fundraiser

Frederick Douglass "Fritz" Pollard: First Black coach in the NFL

Fritz Pollard, an All-America halfback from Brown University was a pro football pioneer in more ways than one. The 5-9, 165-pound back, who led Brown to the Rose Bowl in 1915, turned pro in 1919, when he joined the Akron (OH) Pros following army service during World War I. In 1920, the Pros joined the newly founded American Professional Football Association, later renamed the National Football League. That season, with Pollard leading the charge, the Pros went undefeated (8-0-3) to win the league's first crown.

As a member of the new league, Pollard immediately earned a place in pro football history as one of just two African Americans in the new league. In 1921 he earned another distinction becoming the first African American head coach in NFL history when the Pros named him co-coach of the team.

Contemporary accounts indicate that Pollard, an exciting elusive runner, was the most feared running back in the fledgling league. During his pro football career the two-time All-America played and sometimes coached for four different NFL teams, the Pros/Indians (1920-21/1925-26), the Milwaukee Badgers (1922), the Hammond Pros (1923, 1925), and the Providence Steam Roller (1925). Fritz also spent time in 1923 and 1924 playing for the Gilberton Cadamounts, a strong independent pro team in the Pennsylvania “Coal League.”

In 1928, Pollard organized and coached the Chicago Black Hawks, an all-African American professional team based in the Windy City. Pollard's Black Hawks played against white teams around Chicago, but enjoyed their greatest success by scheduling exhibition games against West Coast teams during the winter months. From 1929 until 1932 when the Depression caused the team to fold, the Black Hawks had become one of the more popular teams on the West Coast.

[SOURCE: PROFOOTBALLHOF]

Doug Williams: First Black Quarterback to play in and win a Super Bowl

On January 31, 1988, in San Diego, California, Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins becomes the first African American quarterback to play in a Super Bowl, scoring four of Washington’s five touchdowns in an upset 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII.

Though he downplayed the race issue of his legacy, telling ABC’s Keith Jackson in a post-game interview that he “didn’t come to the Washington Redskins as a black quarterback,” Williams made history in more ways than one in Super Bowl XXII. His four touchdowns in the first half tied the Super Bowl then-record for most touchdowns thrown in an entire game. Also in the first half, he passed for 306 yards, just 25 short of the Super Bowl record for an entire game. Williams broke the record—set by Joe Montana in Super Bowl XIX—in the third quarter.

[SOURCE:HISTORY]

Local activists fight to save Brooklyn home believed to be part of Underground Railroad

Local activists are fighting to save a home in Brooklyn (NY), believed to be a part of the Underground Railroad.

Here is a link to the petition mentioned in the story: CHANGE.ORG

Black Inventor Frederick McKinley-Jones: Designed portable air-cooling unit for trucks

Frederick McKinley-Jones (May 17, 1893 – February 21, 1961) was an African-American inventor, entrepreneur, winner of the National Medal of Technology, and an inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. His innovations in refrigeration brought great improvement to the long-haul transportation of perishable goods.

In 1912, Jones moved to Hallock, Minnesota, where he worked as a mechanic on a 50,000-acre (200 km2) farm. After service with the U.S. Army in World War I, Jones returned to Hallock; while employed as a mechanic, Jones taught himself electronics and built a transmitter for the town's new radio station. He also invented a device to combine sound with motion pictures. This attracted the attention of Joseph A. Numero of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who hired Jones in 1930 to improve the sound equipment made by his firm, Cinema Supplies Inc.

Around 1938, Jones designed a portable air-cooling unit for trucks carrying perishable food, and received a patent for it on July 12, 1940. Numero sold his movie sound equipment business to RCA and formed a new company in partnership with Jones, the U.S. Thermo Control Company (later the Thermo King Corporation) which became a $3 million business by 1949. Portable cooling units designed by Jones were especially important during World War II, preserving blood, medicine, and food for use at army hospitals and on open battlefields.

John Baxter Taylor: First African-American olympic Gold Medalist

John Baxter Taylor was the first African-American to win an Olympic Gold Medal and the first to represent the United States at an international sporting competition.

Graduating from Central High School in 1902, Taylor attended Brown Preparatory School. Not only was Taylor a member of the track team, he became the star runner. While at Brown Prep, Taylor was considered the best prep school quarter-miler in the United States. During that year, Taylor won the Princeton Interscholastics as well as the Yale Interscholastics and anchored the school’s track team at the Penn Relays.

A year later, Taylor enrolled in the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania and again, joined the track team. As a member of University of Pennsylvania’s varsity track team, Taylor won the 440-yard run at the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America (IC4A) championship and broke the intercollegiate record with a time of 49 1/5 seconds.

After taking a hiatus from school, Taylor returned to the University of Pennsylvania in 1906 to study veterinary medicine and his desire to run track was reignited at well. Training under Michael Murphy, Taylor won the 440-yard race with a record of 48 4/5 seconds. The following year, Taylor was recruited by the Irish American Athletic Club and won the 440-yard race at the Amateur Athletic Union championship.

In 1908, Taylor graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

The 1908 Olympics were held in London. Taylor competed in the 1600-meter medley relay, running the 400-meter leg of the race and the United States’ team won the race, making Taylor the first African-American to win a gold medal.

Five months after making history as the first African-American Olympic Gold medalist, Taylor died at the age of twenty-six of typhoid pneumonia. He was buried in Eden Cemetery in Philadelphia.

At Taylor’s funeral, thousands of people paid homage to the athlete and doctor. Four clergymen officiated his funeral and at least fifty carriages followed his hearse to Eden Cemetery.

[SOURCE: THOUGHTCO]

Esther Jones was the real Betty Boop

The iconic cartoon character Betty Boop was inspired by a Black jazz singer in Harlem. Introduced by cartoonist Max Fleischer in 1930, the caricature of the jazz age flapper was the first and most famous sex symbol in animation. Betty Boop is best known for her revealing dress, curvaceous figure, and signature vocals “Boop Oop A Doop!” While there has been controversy over the years, the inspiration has been traced back to Esther Jones who was known as “Baby Esther” and performed regularly in the Cotton Club during the 1920s.

Baby Esther’s trademark vocal style of using “boops” and other childlike scat sounds attracted the attention of actress Helen Kane during a performance in the late 1920s. After seeing Baby Esther, Helen Kane adopted her style and began using “boops” in her songs as well. Finding fame early on, Helen Kane often included this “baby style” into her music. When Betty Boop was introduced, Kane promptly sued Fleischer and Paramount Publix Corporation stating they were using her image and style. However video evidence came to light of Baby Esther performing in a nightclub and the courts ruled against Helen Kane stating she did not have exclusive rights to the “booping” style or image, and that the style, in fact, pre-dated her.

Baby Esther’s “baby style” did little to bring her mainstream fame and she died in relative obscurity but a piece of her lives on in the iconic character Betty Boop.

Before there was Rosa Parks, there was Claudette Colvin

Most people think of Rosa Parks as the first person to refuse to give up their seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. There were actually several women who came before her; one of whom was Claudette Colvin.

It was March 2, 1955, when the fifteen-year-old schoolgirl refused to move to the back of the bus, nine months before Rosa Parks’ stand that launched the Montgomery bus boycott. Claudette had been studying Black leaders like Harriet Tubman in her segregated school, those conversations had led to discussions around the current day Jim Crow laws they were all experiencing. When the bus driver ordered Claudette to get up, she refused, “It felt like Sojourner Truth was on one side pushing me down, and Harriet Tubman was on the other side of me pushing me down. I couldn't get up."

Claudette Colvin’s stand didn’t stop there. Arrested and thrown in jail, she was one of four women who challenged the segregation law in court. If Browder v. Gayle became the court case that successfully overturned bus segregation laws in both Montgomery and Alabama, why has Claudette’s story been largely forgotten? At the time, the NAACP and other Black organizations felt Rosa Parks made a better icon for the movement than a teenager. As an adult with the right look, Rosa Parks was also the secretary of the NAACP, and was both well-known and respected – people would associate her with the middle class and that would attract support for the cause. But the struggle to end segregation was often fought by young people, more than half of which were women.

Historical Newspapers Edited by Frederick Douglass Now Online

Newspapers edited by Frederick Douglass, who escaped slavery in 1838 and became a voice for abolitionists as a journalist, orator, and author, have been digitized and are now available online from the Library of Congress.

The collection is comprised of 568 issues of three weekly newspaper titles dating between 1847 and 1874: The North Star in Rochester, New York, Frederick Douglass’ Paper in Rochester, New York, and New National Era in Washington, D.C. The collection is online at: loc.gov/collections/frederick-douglass-newspapers/about-this-collection.

Douglass was born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in February 1818 and was enslaved, working on a plantation in Talbot County, Maryland. After escaping slavery in 1838, Douglass went on to become a leading voice for the abolitionist movement through his oratory, his autobiographical slave narratives, and his newspapers.

The North Star, Douglass’ first anti-slavery paper, was named as such for the star Polaris, which helped guide slaves to freedom in the North. Douglass merged this paper with the Liberty Party Paper in June of 1851, creating Frederick Douglass’ Paper. Douglass added a monthly supplement to this paper, Douglass’ Monthly, before ending the weekly edition altogether to focus on the impending Civil War and, after the war began, on recruitment and acceptance of black troops. The New National Era came about during the Reconstruction era but was relatively short-lived and handed over to Douglass’ sons, Lewis and Frederick Jr.

Douglass held a strong belief in the significance of the African American press on the issue of abolition and assumed a leadership role in journalism, despite the struggles of earlier black newspapers. He covered issues focused on ending slavery, empowering African Americans and improving the equality of African Americans, as well as supporting women’s rights.

Highlights of the collection include:

• An explanation of the title of The North Star to act as “the star of hope” in its first issue published Dec. 3, 1847;
• A first-hand account written by Douglass of the Woman’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York published in The North Star, July 28, 1848;
• A letter from Gerrit Smith, a wealthy abolitionist and Liberty Party supporter, published in the first issue of the Frederick Douglass’ Paper on June 26, 1851.
• An “Address to the Voters of the United States,” featured on the front page of Frederick Douglass’ Paper, July 31, 1851.
• Countless articles denouncing bigotry and violence against African Americans published in the New National Era from 1870-1874.

In June of 1872, a fire devastated Douglass’ Rochester, New York home. While his wife Anna and family members survived the fire, 16 volumes containing The North Star, Frederick Douglass’ Paper, and Douglass’ Monthly were lost in the fire. While no complete collection of Douglass’ newspapers is available, the Library of Congress preserves a large collection of his weekly newspapers, now available online.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States – and extensive materials from around the world – both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

Steph Curry's new sneaker inspired by National Museum of African American History & Culture

Although NBA star Stephen Curry is sidelined with an injury, Under Armour continues to release fresh colorways of his latest signature shoe, the Curry 7. The latest look is inspired by the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., arriving just in time for Black History Month.

The limited-edition Under Armour Curry 7 “Our History,” according to the brand, was inspired by the Golden State Warriors’ trip to the museum in February 2018 as well as Curry’s fascination with the venue, which was designed by architect David Adjaye. Under Armour said the brand and the baller reflected on the trip when coming up with the design and concept behind the BHM shoe.

The Curry 7 “Our History” shoe features tiers of brown, olive and bronze (as well as hits of neon green), which is reminiscent of the museum’s three-tiered exterior. Further diving into the theme, Under Armour placed the museum’s longitude and latitude coordinates on the heel tab.

The Under Armour Curry 7 “Our History” arrives Jan. 20 on UA.com and at UA Brand Houses and select retailers, and it will retail for $140. Ahead of the release, a limited number of pairs will drop on Jan. 18 on the SC30 product wall at the Chase Center Warriors Shop at Thrive City in San Francisco.

[SOURCE: YAHOO]

Barbie introduces Rosa Parks doll

Barbie® recognizes all female role models. The Inspiring Women™ Series pays tribute to incredible heroines of their time; courageous women who took risks, changed rules and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before.

Rosa Louise Parks led an ordinary life as a seamstress until an extraordinary moment on December 1, 1955. When she refused an order to give up her seat to a white passenger and move to the back of the bus, Mrs. Parks’ act of defiance became the catalyst for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Rosa Parks’ quiet strength played a notable role in the civil rights movement, but it would still take another nine years and more struggles before the 1964 Civil Rights Act overruled existing segregations laws. Hailed as “the Mother of the Modern Civil Rights Movement,” Rosa Parks earned worldwide recognition and numerous awards including the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal of Honor.

Celebrate Rosa Parks and her impact on the civil rights movement with this Inspiring Women™ Series Rosa Parks Barbie® doll. Includes doll stand, Certificate of Authenticity and doll wearing fashion and accessories. Colors and decorations may vary.

Cheri Beasley: First African American woman Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court

Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday that Cheri Beasley will be the next Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Beasley will be the first black woman to lead the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Nike releasing LeBron sneaker to benefit the National Museum of African American History & Culture

The LeBron 15 ‘Equality’ PE is getting a release. James took to Instagram Monday morning to announce that the ‘Equality’ PE is getting a wide release with Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture receiving all of the proceeds:

Great morning to all! Basketball is our vehicle but equality is our mission – stand for something positive and do what you can to make a difference!! Proud to announce we’re dropping the “Equality” PE. There’s always a personal connection with a drop - this one goes beyond basketball. Proceeds go to the Smithsonian Natl Museum of African American History & Culture. #Equality✊ #StriveForGreatness #IWillNotShutUpAndDribble,”

🗣🗣Great morning to all! Basketball is our vehicle but equality is our mission – stand for something positive and do what you can to make a difference!! Proud to announce we’re dropping the “Equality” PE. There’s always a personal connection with a drop - this one goes beyond basketball. Proceeds go to the Smithsonian Natl Museum of African American History & Culture. #Equality✊🏾💪🏾 #StriveForGreatness🚀 #IWillNotShutUpAndDribble

A post shared by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Feb 26, 2018 at 7:01am PST

Jack Johnson descendant seeking posthumous pardon for immorality conviction

In Jim Crow America, it's no wonder that Jack Johnson was the most despised African-American of his generation.

The first black boxing heavyweight champion of the world, Johnson humiliated white fighters and flaunted his affection for white women, even fleeing the country after an all-white jury convicted him of "immorality" for one of his relationships.

Now, more than 100 years later, Johnson's great-great niece wants President Donald Trump to clear the champion's name with a posthumous pardon. And she has the backing of Sen. John McCain, who has supported a Johnson pardon since 2004.

"Jack Johnson was a boxing legend and pioneer whose career and reputation were ruined by a racially charged conviction more than a century ago," McCain said in a statement to The Associated Press. "Johnson's imprisonment forced him into the shadows of bigotry and prejudice, and continues to stand as a stain on our national honor."

Johnson, the son of former slaves, defeated Tommy Burns for the heavyweight title in 1908 at a time when blacks and whites rarely entered the same ring. He then mowed down a series of "great white hopes," culminating in 1910 with the undefeated former champion, James J. Jeffries.

"He is one of the craftiest, cunningest boxers that ever stepped into the ring," said the legendary boxer John L. Sullivan, in the aftermath of what was called "the fight of the century."

In addition to his flashy boxing, Johnson refused to adhere to societal norms, living lavishly and brazenly and dating outside of his race in a time when whites often killed African-Americans without fear of legal repercussions. In 1913, he was convicted of violating the Mann Act (also known as the White-Slave Traffic Act), which made it illegal to transport women across state lines for "immoral" purposes. The criminal charges sprung from a relationship he started with his future wife Lucille Cameron, an employee at Cafe de Champion, a mixed race nightclub he opened on Chicago's South Side.

After seven years as a fugitive in Canada, Europe and other countries, Johnson eventually returned to the U.S. and turned himself in. He served about a year in federal prison and was released in 1921. Cameron and Johnson eventually divorced and Johnson died in 1946 in an auto crash in North Carolina, supposedly after racing angrily from a segregated diner that refused to serve him.

The stain on Johnson's reputation forced some family members to live in shame of his legacy — the exact opposite of how Johnson led his life.

Family "didn't talk about it because they were ashamed of him, that he went to prison," Linda E. Haywood, a 61-year-old Chicago resident, said of her great-great uncle. "They were led to believe that he did something wrong. They were so ashamed after being so proud of him. The white man came and told them that he did something wrong, he did something dirty and they painted him out to be something that he wasn't."

Haywood said she didn't find out she was related to Johnson until she was 12. She remembers learning about Johnson when she was in sixth grade during Black History Month, and only learned later that he was kin.

Haywood has pressed to have Johnson pardoned since President George W. Bush was in office, a decade ago. Posthumous pardons are rare, but not unprecedented. President Bill Clinton pardoned Henry O. Flipper, the first African-American officer to lead the Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry Regiment during the Civil War; he was framed for embezzlement. Bush pardoned Charles Winters in 2008, an American volunteer in the Arab-Israeli War convicted of violating the U.S. Neutrality Acts in 1949.

Haywood wanted Barack Obama, the nation's first black president, to pardon Johnson, but Justice Department policy says "processing posthumous pardon petitions is grounded in the belief that the time of the officials involved in the clemency process is better spent on the pardon and commutation requests of living persons."

The Justice Department makes decisions on potential pardons through an application process and typically makes recommendations to the president. The general DOJ policy is to not accept applications for posthumous pardons for federal convictions, according to the department's website.

"In terms of Jack Johnson, I think the Department of Justice came back recommending — not recommending a pardon on that," press secretary Robert Gibbs said in 2009.

A spokeswoman for Obama declined further comment.

Haywood wants the history books rewritten.

"Knowing that he was treated unfairly and unfairly convicted and targeted because of his choice of companions, who happened to be Caucasian, that's wrong," she said. "It bothered my people to the point they didn't even want to talk about it. My mother didn't even want to talk about it. That's stupid ... It bothers me.

"The last thing you want to do is die and have your name tarnished. That's wrong. You don't want it to be tarnished if you're living."

[SOURCE: CHICAGO TRIBUNE]

Postal Service Saluting Black History Month With Lena Horne Stamp

The USPS has issued the 41st stamp in the Black Heritage series honoring the achievements of legendary performer and civil rights activist Lena Horne (1917–2010). The stamp art features a photograph taken by Christian Steiner in the 1980s. Kristen Monthei colorized the black-and-white photograph. Remembered as one of America‘s great interpreters of popular songs, Horne was also a trailblazer in Hollywood for women of color. She used her personal elegance, charisma, and fame to become an important spokesperson for civil rights.

The stamp art features a photograph of Lena Horne taken by Christian Steiner in the 1980s. Kristen Monthei colorized the original black-and-white photo, adding a background reminiscent of Horne’s Stormy Weather album, with a few clouds to add texture and subtly make the album reference. “Lena Horne” is written along the bottom of the stamp, with “Black Heritage,” the stamp series title, at the top. “USA” and “Forever” appear on the lower right-hand side above Horne’s name. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp.

Order the stamp here: USPS: The Lena Horne Stamp

Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires

With Black History Month approaching I thought that a book titled, Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires by Shomari Wills might be of interest to many.  George L. Cook III African American Reports.

The astonishing untold history of America’s first black millionaires—former slaves who endured incredible challenges to amass and maintain their wealth for a century, from the Jacksonian period to the Roaring Twenties—self-made entrepreneurs whose unknown success mirrored that of American business heroes such as Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller, and Thomas Edison.

While Oprah Winfrey, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Michael Jordan, and Will Smith are among the estimated 35,000 black millionaires in the nation today, these famous celebrities were not the first blacks to reach the storied one percent. Between the years of 1830 and 1927, as the last generation of blacks born into slavery was reaching maturity, a small group of smart, tenacious, and daring men and women broke new ground to attain the highest levels of financial success.

Black Fortunes is an intriguing look at these remarkable individuals, including Napoleon Bonaparte Drew—author Shomari Wills’ great-great-great-grandfather—the first black man in Powhatan County (contemporary Richmond) to own property in post-Civil War Virginia. His achievements were matched by five other unknown black entrepreneurs including:

• Mary Ellen Pleasant, who used her Gold Rush wealth to further the cause of abolitionist John Brown;
• Robert Reed Church, who became the largest landowner in Tennessee;
• Hannah Elias, the mistress of a New York City millionaire, who used the land her lover gave her to build an empire in Harlem;
• Orphan and self-taught chemist Annie Turnbo-Malone, who developed the first national brand of hair care products;
• Madam C. J Walker, Turnbo-Malone’s employee who would earn the nickname America’s "first female black millionaire;"
• Mississippi school teacher O. W. Gurley, who developed a piece of Tulsa, Oklahoma, into a "town" for wealthy black professionals and craftsmen" that would become known as "the Black Wall Street."

Check Out The Book

Thomas Ellis, a Tuskegee Airman, is dead at 97

Former Sgt. Maj. Thomas Ellis, one of six surviving Tuskegee Airmen in San Antonio, died Jan. 2 of a stroke in a local hospital. He was 97.

A draftee, he served as a top administrator with the first all-black Army Air Forces unit and was proud of the unit’s record — 15,533 sorties, 112 aerial kills, three Presidential Unit Citations and 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses.

Known as approachable and easygoing, even with strangers, Ellis also chafed at the racism African Americans endured from white officers during the war and knew the importance of proving that the 332nd Fighter Group was up to the job.

“He was very opinionated, very outspoken,” said Rick Sinkfield, national spokesman for Tuskegee Airmen Inc., which has 1,400 members across the country, around 20 of them pilots from the legendary unit. "He realized he was in the segregated military at the time and so he was very aware all eyes were on those guys to do well.

Ellis will be buried with full military honors at 9 a.m. Friday in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

Ellis entered the Army as two-thirds of all Americans did, as a draftee. His daughter, Janice Stallings, said he entered the service in 1942 and was transferred to the Army Air Forces.

Ordered to Tuskegee Army Airfield, Ellis was the only enlisted member in the newly activated in the 301st Fighter Squadron, rising to staff sergeant and becoming an integral member of the 332nd Fighter Group, serving under then-Col. Benjamin O. Davis, who eventually became an Air Force general.

They deployed to Italy, where Ellis earned seven battle stars and left the Army as a sergeant major.

[SOURCE: STARS AND STRIPES]

Retired English teacher wants ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ sung at NBA games in February

At 75 years old, Eugene Williams Sr. has embarked on a self-directed mission: to persuade NBA teams to play “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (otherwise known as the “Black National Anthem”) before its games in February (otherwise known as Black History Month).

Every day when he wakes up in his home in Clinton, Maryland, Mr. Williams opens a composition book (the kind you might use to take an essay test) and riffles through its names and telephone numbers — contact information for NBA teams and their staffers.

Then he starts making cold calls.

“This should be sung as well as the national anthem,” the retired English teacher said in an interview. “Particularly for the NBA players.”

Mr. Williams says he’s focusing on the NBA because its players are contractually obligated to stand during the national anthem. Since they can’t kneel in protest, perhaps they could stand in solidarity for another anthem that celebrates the patriotism and resilience of black communities, he said.

“Lift Every Voice and Sing” was written in 1900 by black poet James Weldon Johnson, who at that time was the principal of a segregated school in Jacksonville, Florida. His brother, John Rosamond Johnson, wrote the music for the poem in 1905. The NAACP designated it as the “Negro National Anthem” in 1919.

“There have been instances in the past when teams have added a performance of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,’” an NBA spokesperson told The Washington Times.

In fact, Stevie Wonder blended “Lift Every Voice” into the end of his performance of the national anthem during the 2005 NBA Finals.

Read more: Man wants ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ sung at NBA games in February

2018 NAACP Image Awards Set For MLK Jr. Day

The NAACP will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day next year by holding its 49th annual Image Awards on the holiday. The group said today that its trophy show will be held January 15, airing live on TV One.

It will mark the first time since 1994 that the Image Awards will be handed out in January, with the show being staged in during Black History Month in February eight of the past nine years. The two-hour special also will include a live pre-show from the red carpet.

“The NAACP is proud to air our 49th Image Awards live telecast on the nation’s most significant civil rights day of the year celebrating the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” said Leon W. Russell, chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors. “In alignment with the National Martin Luther King Day of Service, we are encouraging our nominees, celebrity presenters and performers, network representatives, staff, directors, trustees, sponsors, and branches and units in all 50 states to join us in a day of citizen action volunteer service in honor of Dr. King. As the nation commemorates the 50th anniversary of his assassination on April 4, 1968, we are reminded of the ageless principles of non-violence, truth and justice, humility, and service that he taught all Americans.”

The Image Awards celebrate the accomplishments of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film, and also honors individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors. Nominations will be announced during the week of November 13, when final voting will open.

[SOURCE: DEADLINE]

Black WWII veteran receives 6 long-overdue medals

A World War II veteran who is the last-known living Buffalo-area resident to have served in a segregated unit has received six long-overdue medals.

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat, presented George Watts with the medals during a ceremony Wednesday at a city fire station.

Watts was a sergeant assigned to an all-black Army engineer unit that served in the Philippines campaign. He was honorably discharged in 1946. Two years later President Harry Truman integrated the U.S. military.

Among the belated decorations Watts received was the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory medal.

Schumer and Higgins say racism likely kept Watts and many other black soldiers from receiving the military honors they earned with their service during the war.

[SOURCE: http://www.syracuse.com]