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Special Features: This Week in Black History
Friday, April 29, 2005; Page 10
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10
The Washington Informer is launching “This Week in Black History” to serve as a daily remembrance of how far we have come as well as how far we have to go. In the spirit of understanding and progress, we remember.
April 28
Muhammad Ali, heavyweight boxing champion, stripped of his title for refusing to enter the armed forces, 1967. He would lose his title for five years for speaking out against the war in Vietnam. At arguably the peak of his career, he was admonished for his outspoken character, something Ali would never apologize for. The champ threw punches in and out of the ring.
April 29
Harold Washington sworn in as the first Black mayor of Chicago, 1983. A resident of the south side of Chicago during his youth, Washington would graduate from Northwestern Law School in 1952. As a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, he was very instrumental in having Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday recognized as a state holiday and was influential in bringing many anti-discrimination bills to legislature. Washington earned the mayoral seat in Chicago in 1983, defeating Republican Bernard Epton. He would hold this position until his death in 1987.
April 30
Shaka, the great Zulu king, killed, 1828. Leader of the Zulu clan and influential in the killing of over one million people. He began serving as a Mtewa warrior at the age of 23 and would eventually lead the army as chieftain, before becoming chieftain of the powerful Zulu army. At the height of his rule, which lasted 12 years, Shaka controlled most of southeastern Africa.
May 1
James Durham, physician, born, 1762. Durham was the first commonly recognized Black physician in the United States.
May 2
First game of the national Negro Baseball League played in Indianapolis, 1920. This league was actually organized on February 14 of the same year by Andrew “Rube” Foster and consisted of eight teams: Chicago American Giants, Chicago Giants, Dayton Marcos, Detroit Stars, Indianapolis ABC’s, Kansas City Monarchs, St. Louis Giants, and the Cuban Stars. Some famous players include Jackie Robinson (an eventual MLB hall-of-famer), Satchel Paige, Ben Taylor, Josh Gibson, and “Cannonball” Dick Redding.
May 3
The proclaimed Godfather of Soul, James Brown, born in Macon, Georgia in 1933. During his career, he had 116 #1 R&B hits and is only second to Elvis Presley in #1 albums. Some of his hits include “Please Please Please”, “Try Me” (his first #1 hit), “This is a Man’s World”, and “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992 at the 34th annual Grammy Awards.
May 4
Congress on Racial Equality begins freedom rides to force desegregation of southern bus terminals, 1961. It gained national recognition during this series of confrontational bus rides throughout the South by interracial groups of CORE members and supporters. They would eventually succeed in ending segregation on interstate bus routes. CORE was one of many sponsors of the 1963 civil rights march on Washington.
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10
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