Okay, just for tonight here is a group that made my life !
Remember my everyday of the month promise for Black History Month to honor those that shaped my life....biographies , go for some reading!
Let's see your inspirations.

A is for

Aaron, Henry Louis

Aaron, Henry Louis (Hank Aaron), 1934–, U.S. baseball player, b. Mobile, Ala. A durable outfielder noted for his powerful wrists, Aaron was among the first blacks to play a full career in the major leagues (1954–76). In 1974 he broke Babe Ruth's legendary lifetime mark of 714 home runs. Elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, Aaron is baseball's career leader in homers (755), runs batted in (2,297), and extra-base hits (1,477). In 1976 he became one of the first black executives in the game, beginning a long tenure in the Atlanta Braves front office.

See his autobiography (1991).

B is for

Baldwin, James

Baldwin, James, 1924–87, American author, b. New York City. He spent an impoverished boyhood in Harlem and at 14 became a preacher in the Fireside Pentecostal Church. His first two novels, Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953), reflecting his experience as a young preacher, and Giovanni's Room (1956), which dealt with his homosexuality, were written while he lived in Paris. He returned to the United States in 1957 and participated in the civil-rights movement, later returning to France where he lived for the remainder of his life. Another Country (1962), a bitter novel about sexual relations and racial tension, received critical acclaim, as did the publication of the perceptive essays in The Fire Next Time (1963). His eloquence and unsparing honesty made Baldwin one of the most influential authors of his time. Other works include the play Blues for Mr. Charlie (1964); a volume of short stories, Going to Meet the Man (1964); If Beale Street Could Talk (1974), the story of a young black couple victimized by the judicial system; and Just Above My Head (1979). Collections of essays include Notes of a Native Son (1955), Nobody Knows My Name (1961), No Name in the Street (1972), and The Price of a Ticket (1985).

See biographies by W. J. Wetherby (1989), J. Campbell (1991), and D. Leeming (1994); studies by L. H. Pratt (1985) and H. A. Porter (1989).

C is for

Coltrane, John

Coltrane, John (kōltrān', kōl'trān) [key], 1926–67, American jazz musician, b. Hamlet, N.C. He began playing tenor saxophone as an adolescent. Coltrane worked with numerous big bands before emerging in the mid-1950s as a major stylist while playing as a sideman with Miles Davis. Originally influenced by Lester Young, Coltrane displayed in his playing a dazzling technical brilliance combined with ardent emotion and eventually a kind of mysticism. His style, which was at once sonorous and spare, was influenced by the rhythms of African and Asian music. Coltrane made a number of influential recordings, among them the modal-jazz classics My Favorite Things (1961) and A Love Supreme (1964), and the later exemplars of free jazz, Ascension and Interstellar Space, his final album. From the late 1950s until his death he was considered the outstanding tenor and soprano saxophonist of the jazz avant-garde, and his music continues to be a strong source of inspiration to contemporary jazz and pop musicians.

See biographies by E. Nisenson (1994) and L. Porter (1998); discography by Y. Fujioka et al. (1995).

Coleman, Ornette

Coleman, Ornette, 1930–, African-American saxophonist and composer, b. Fort Worth, Tex. Largely self-taught, he began playing the alto saxophone in rhythm-and-blues bands. He later developed an unorthodox and impassioned style of free jazz characterized by broken rhythms, atonal harmonies, and improvised melody, which made him an enduringly controversial figure in the jazz avant-garde. Coleman made his first real impact in the commercial jazz world after he moved from Los Angeles to New York City in 1959, and he has since played in a number of small groups with various musicians. In the mid-1970s he formed Prime Time, an electric band. Coleman has written several modernist concert pieces, notably the orchestral Skies of America (1972). In 2007 he was awarded the Pultizer Prize for his recording Sound Grammar (2006).

See biography by B. McRae (1988).

D is for

Davis, Miles

Davis, Miles, 1926–91, American jazz musician, b. Alton, Ill. Rising to prominence with the birth of modern jazz in the mid-1940s, when he was a sideman in Charlie Parker's bop quintet, Davis became a dominant force in jazz trumpet. He was influential in the development of “cool” jazz in 1949–50, led numerous outstanding small groups through the 1950s and 60s, and produced a successful blend of jazz and rock music in the 1970s and 80s. Davis's trumpet and flügelhorn styles were warmly lyrical and were marked by a brilliant use of mutes. He made many recordings, which reflect his stylistic changes; Kind of Blue (1959), a landmark of modal jazz, has been a best-seller since it was issued.

See Miles: The Autobiography (1989, with Q. Troupe); biographies by I. Carr (1982), J. Chambers (2 vol., 1983–85), B. McRae (1988), and J. Szwed (2002); Q. Troupe, Miles and Me (2000).

E is for

Medgar Evers

civil rights leader
Born: 1925
Birthplace: Decatur, Mississippi

Dropping out of high school at 17 to join the army, Evers served in World War II. Returning home, he finished high school and later graduated from Alcorn A & M College. After working at Magnolia Mutual Insurance, one of the few black-owned businesses in the state, Evers became an NAACP field secretary in Jackson. His civil rights work made him many enemies, and on June 11, 1963, Evers was shot and killed by white supremacist Byron de la Beckwith. His wife, Myrlie Evers-Williams, carried on his work.

Died: 1963

F is for

Aretha Franklin

soul singer
Born: 3/25/1942
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee

Soul singer Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul,” is also a grand diva of pop music. Her unmistakable style fuses gospel, jazz, rock, and rhythm and blues, especially in such late 1960s hits as “Respect” (1967),“Chain of Fools” (1968), and “I Say A Little Prayer” (1969). Franklin has sold millions of albums and won 15 Grammy Awards. She became the first female performer to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, she received a lifetime achievement Grammy in 1990, and was a Kennedy Center honoree in 1994.

G is for

Yolande Cornelia “Nikki” Giovanni

Born: June 7, 1943
poet
Birthplace: Knoxville, Tennessee

A leading poet of the Black Arts Movement, Giovanni's work reflects her radical politics. In 1967 she graduated from Fisk University and published her first poetry collection, Black Feeling. It was followed by the poetry collections Black Talk (1968) and Black Judgment (1970). Truth Is on Its Way, a recording of Giovanni reading poems set to gospel and other black music, was a bestseller in 1971. After the birth of her son in 1969, Giovanni's work became more personal and less political. In 1989 she began teaching English at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. The Selected Poems of Nikki Giovanni was published in 1996, Blues for All the Changes: New Poems appeared in 1999, and The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni: 1968–1998 came out in 2003.

H is for

Hughes, Langston

Hughes, Langston (James Langston Hughes), 1902–67, American poet and central figure of the Harlem Renaissance, b. Joplin, Mo., grad. Lincoln Univ., 1929. He worked at a variety of jobs and lived in several countries, including Mexico and France, before Vachel Lindsay discovered his poetry in 1925. The publication of The Weary Blues (1926), his first volume of poetry, enabled Hughes to attend Lincoln Univ. in Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1929. His writing, which often uses dialect and jazz rhythms, is largely concerned with depicting African American life, particularly the experience of the urban African American. Among his later collections of poetry are Shakespeare in Harlem (1942), One-Way Ticket (1949), and Selected Poems (1959). Hughes's numerous other works include several plays, notably Mulatto (1935); books for children, such as The First Book of Negroes (1952); and novels, including Not Without Laughter (1930). His newspaper sketches about Jesse B. Simple were collected in The Best of Simple (1961).

See his autobiographies, The Big Sea (1940) and I Wonder as I Wander (1956); The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes (1995), ed. by A. Rampersad and D. Roessel; Remember Me to Harlem: The Letters of Langston Hughes and Carl Van Vechten (2001), ed. by E. Bernard; biography by A. Rampersad (2 vol., 1986–88); studies by O. Jemie (1985) and S. C. Tracy (1988).

I is for

Samuel Elmer Imes

chemist, physicist
Born: 10/12/1883
Birthplace: Memphis, Tenn.

In 1918, Samuel Elmer Imes became only the second African American to earn a doctorate in physics. His dissertation broke new scientific ground, presenting a new form of research, that fundamentally changed quantum theory. In discovering how to determine molecular structure through high-resolution infrared spectroscopy, particularly, measuring the distance between atoms, Imes proved that quantum theory could be applied to all things at the molecular level. He served as head of the Physics department at his alma mater, Fisk University, from 1930 to his death in 1941.

Died: 9/11/1941

J is for

Barbara Charline Jordan

politician and educator
Born: 1936
Birthplace: Houston, Tex.

Jordan received a B.A. in political science and history from Texas Southern University in 1956 and earned a law degree from Boston University in 1959. Elected to the Texas state Senate in 1966, she became the first black to enter that body since 1883. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1972, Jordan gained national attention as a member of the House Judiciary Committee, which oversaw President Nixon's impeachment hearings. With her reputation as a fine orator already established, she was selected as the keynote speaker at the 1976 Democratic National Convention in New York City, becoming the first African American to earn that distinction. A tireless supporter of civil rights legislation, Jordan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994.

Died: 1996

K is for

King, Coretta Scott

King, Coretta Scott, 1927–2006, American civil-rights leader, b. Heiberger, Ala. She is the widow of Martin Luther King, Jr. After his assassination, she carried on his civil-rights work. In the late 1990s she and other family members supported the unsuccessful efforts of James Earl Ray, the convicted assassion of her husband, to win a new trial, believing that Martin Luther King was the victim of a conspiracy that may have included members of the U.S. government. In 1999 she and her family brought and won a wrongful death suit against Loyd Jowers, who claimed to have arranged King's assassination for a Mafia figure. Many experts, however, were not convinced by the evidence presented during the trial. She wrote My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr. (1969).

King, Martin Luther, Jr.

King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929–68, American clergyman and civil-rights leader, b. Atlanta, Ga., grad. Morehouse College (B.A., 1948), Crozer Theological Seminary (B.D., 1951), Boston Univ. (Ph.D., 1955). The son of the pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, King became (1954) minister of the Dexter Ave. Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. He led the black boycott (1955–56) of segregated city bus lines and in 1956 gained a major victory and prestige as a civil-rights leader when Montgomery buses began to operate on a desegregated basis.

King organized the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which gave him a base to pursue further civil-rights activities, first in the South and later nationwide. His philosophy of nonviolent resistance led to his arrest on numerous occasions in the 1950s and 60s. His campaigns had mixed success, but the protest he led in Birmingham, Ala., in 1963 brought him worldwide attention. He spearheaded the Aug., 1963, March on Washington, which brought together more than 200,000 people. The protests he led helped to assure the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the year he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The following year King and the SCLC led a campaign for African-American voter registration centered on Selma, Ala. A nonviolent march from Selma to Montgomery was attacked by police who beat and teargassed the protestors, but it ultimately succeeded on the third try when the National Guard and federal troops were mobilized. The events in Selma provoked national outrage, and months later aroused public opinion did much to precipitate passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

King's leadership in the civil-rights movement was challenged in the mid-1960s as others grew more militant. His interests, however, widened from civil rights to include criticism of the Vietnam War and a deeper concern over poverty. His plans for a Poor People's March to Washington were interrupted (1968) for a trip to Memphis, Tenn., in support of striking sanitation workers. On Apr. 4, 1968, he was shot and killed as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel (since 1991 a civil-rights museum).

James Earl Ray, a career criminal, pleaded guilty to the murder and was convicted, but he soon recanted, claiming he was duped into his plea. Ray's conviction was subsequently upheld, but he eventually received support from members of King's family, who believed King to have been the victim of a conspiracy. Ray died in prison in 1998. In a jury trial in Memphis in 1999 the King family won a wrongful-death judgment against Loyd Jowers, who claimed (1993) that he had arranged the killing for a Mafia figure. Many experts, however, were unconvinced by the verdict, and in 2000, after an 18-month investigation, the Justice Dept. discredited Jowers and concluded that there was no evidence of an assassination plot.

King wrote Stride toward Freedom (1958), Why We Can't Wait (1964), and Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? (1967). His birthday is a national holiday, celebrated on the third Monday in January. King's wife, Coretta Scott King, carried on various aspects of his work until her death in 2006. She also wrote My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr. (1969, rev. ed. 1993).

See biographies by K. L. Smith and I. G. Zepp, Jr. (1974), S. Oates (1982), and M. Frady (2001); D. J. Garrow, Bearing the Cross (1986); M. E. Dyson, I May Not Get There with You (2000); S. Burns, To the Mountaintop (2004); F. Sunnemark, Ring Out Freedom! (2004); T. Branch, America in the King Years (3 vol., 1988–2006).

L is for

Lawrence, Jacob

Lawrence, Jacob, 1917–2000, American painter, b. Atlantic City, N.J. In Lawrence's work social themes, often detailing the African-American experience, are expressed in colorfully angular, simplified, expressive, and richly decorative figurative effects. He executed many cycles of paintings, often narrative, including Harriet Tubman (1939–40), Migration (completed 1941, Museum of Modern Art and Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.), Coast Guard (1943–45), and Builders series, on which he worked for parts of the last 50 years of his life. His War series and Tombstones are in the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City. Also known for the vivid prints he began producing in 1963 and his monumental mosaic mural (designed 1997, installed 2001) for the New York subway system, Lawrence taught at Black Mountain College, the Univ. of Washington School of Art, several other colleges, and a number of major New York City art schools. In 1941 he married Gwendolyn Knight,. 1913–2005, an American painter and sculptor, b. Bridgetown, Barbados.

See P. T. Nesbett and M. DuBois, The Complete Jacob Lawrence (2000); P. T. Nesbett, Jacob Lawrence: The Complete Prints (1963–2000) (2001); biography by E. H. Wheat (1986, repr. 1990).

M is for

Mingus, Charles

Mingus, Charles (ming'gus) [key], 1922–79, American jazz musician, b. Nogales, Ariz. Mingus was a bassist, pianist, bandleader, composer, and vocalist. He was one of the most important jazz composers of the 20th cent. and an influence on a broad spectrum of musicians. A charismatic, demanding, and sometimes violent risk-taker, Mingus created works with unconventional structures and innovative harmonies. In the 1950s and 60s he led groups noted for their collective improvisations, loose rhythms, and high energy. At various times in his career he played with Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Red Norvo, Charlie Parker, and Duke Ellington, to whom he dedicated his Open Letter to Duke. He organized his first group, a sextet, in 1945, and later (1955) formed the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop, a group that brought him worldwide acclaim. His compositions include the ambitious Epitaph, first performed in 1989; Fables of Faubus; Better Git It in Your Soul; and Sue's Changes.

See his autobiography, Beneath the Underdog (1971); biographies by B. Priestly (1982) and G. Santoro (2000).

Monk, Thelonius

Monk, Thelonius (Thelonius Sphere Monk), 1917–82, American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, b. Rocky Mount, N.C. Monk is considered one of the most important, and eccentric, figures in modern jazz. He spent most of his life in New York City, playing in nightclubs; in the 1940s he was one of the first players of bop. His style is astringent, marked by discordant harmonies, alternating rhythms, and melodic interpretations. There is a subtle mixture of cynicism, humor, and warmth in his interpretations. Among the many jazz pieces Monk composed, the best known is probably “Round Midnight.” Others that have become standards include “Monk's Mood,” “Straight No Chaser,” “Crepuscule with Nellie,” and “Epistrophy.”

See biography by L. Gourse (1997); study ed. by R. Van Der Bliek (2001); C. Zwerin, dir., Thelonious Monk: Straight No Chaser (documentary film, 1989).

Marshall, Thurgood

Marshall, Thurgood, 1908–93, U.S. lawyer and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1967–91), b. Baltimore. He received his law degree from Howard Univ. in 1933. In 1936 he joined the legal staff of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. As its chief counsel (1938–61), he argued more than 30 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, successfully challenging racial segregation, most notably in higher education. His presentation of the argument against the “separate but equal” doctrine achieved its greatest impact with the landmark decision handed down in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954). His appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1961 was opposed by some Southern senators and was not confirmed until 1962. President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him to the Supreme Court two years later; he was the first black to sit on the high court, where he consistently supported the position taken by those challenging discrimination based on race or sex, opposed the death penalty, and supported the rights of criminal defendants. His support for affirmative action led to his strong dissent in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978). As appointments by Presidents Nixon and Reagan changed the outlook of the Court, Marshall found himself increasingly in the minority; in retirement he was outspoken in his criticism of the court.

See biography by J. Williams (1998); studies by R. W. Bland (1973) and H. Ball (1999); R. Kluger, Simple Justice (1976).

N is for

Huey Newton

black activist
Born: 1942
Birthplace: Monroe, La.

Newton, with Bobby Seale, founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. Illiterate when he graduated from high school, Newton taught himself how to read and enrolled in Oakland, California's Merritt College and studied law at the San Francisco School of Law. He met Seale at Merritt, and in 1966 they formed the Black Panthers as an alternative to the nonviolent civil rights movement. The Panthers called on all blacks to arm themselves for the liberation struggle. The militant party engaged in several high-profile, violent confrontations with police. In 1967, Newton was convicted of voluntary manslaughter for killing a policeman. After three mistrials, Newton was cleared in 1971. That same year he announced the Panthers would embrace a nonviolent strategy and shift their focus to offering community services to African Americans. In 1974, he fled to Cuba to avoid drug and murder charges. He returned three years later, and two trials ended with hung juries. Newton earned a Ph.D. in social philosophy from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1980. He was shot and killed in Oakland in 1989.

Died: 1989

O is for

Barack Obama

U.S. Senator (D-Illinois)
Born: Aug. 4, 1961
Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii

Barack Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961 to an American mother and a Kenyan father. When he was two, his parents, who had met as students at the University of Hawaii, divorced. Obama's Harvard-educated father then returned to Kenya, where he worked in the economics ministry. Obama lived in Indonesia with his mother and stepfather for part of his childhood, returning to Hawaii to finish high school. He graduated from Columbia University, where he majored in political science and specialized in international relations. He then attended Harvard Law School, graduated magna cum laude, and served as the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. After law school, he worked as a community organizer and a civil rights lawyer in Chicago. He also taught at the University of Chicago Law School as a senior lecturer specializing in constitutional law. Obama represented the South Side of Chicago in the Illinois State Senate from 1996–2004 as a Democrat. In 2004, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, winning with 70% of the vote against the conservative black Republican, Alan Keyes. Obama became the only African-American serving in the U.S. Senate (and the fifth in U.S. history). Obama's idealism, commitment to civil rights, and telegenic good looks generated enormous media attention for his Senate campaign. The eloquence of his keynote address at the 2004 Democratic Nation Convention in Boston, Mass., confirmed his status as one of the Democratic party's freshest and most inspirational new leaders.

Obama published an autobiography, Dreams From My Father, in 1995; it became a best-seller during his 2004 Senate campaign. The Audacity of Hope became a bestseller after its Oct. 2006 publication. He is married to Michelle Obama, a Chicago native who also graduated from Harvard Law School. They have two daughters: Malia Ann and Sasha.

P is for

Parker, Charlie “Bird”

Parker, Charlie “Bird” (Charles Christopher Parker, Jr.), 1920–55, American musician and composer, b. Kansas City, Kans. He began playing alto saxophone in 1933, and after shifting from one band to another he met Dizzy Gillespie in New York City. They formed a quintet, which in 1945 made the first bop (or bebop) records and thus became the leaders of the bop movement in jazz. Parker's brilliant improvisations, noted for their power and beauty, soon earned the admiration of innumerable musicians. He composed several instrumental quartets and made many recordings. For many years Parker was addicted to drugs, which hastened his death.

See biography by B. Priestley (2006); studies by L. O. Koch (1988) and G. Giddens (1998).

Oscar Peterson

Pianist / Jazz Musician

Born: 15 August 1925

Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Best known as: Canadian jazz piano virtuoso

Oscar Peterson was a teen sensation on piano in his native Montreal, playing in dance bands and recording in the late 1930s and early 1940s. In the late '40s he began touring the United States and Europe and quickly made a name for himself as a jazz virtuoso, often compared to piano great Art Tatum for his speed and technical skill. Though Peterson usually played in a trio (notably with Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar in the 1950s), he has also played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie. A recipient of Canada's highest awards and honors, he also has a Lifetime Grammy (1997) and a spot in the International Jazz Hall of Fame.

Q is for

Queen Latifah

(Dana Owens)
rap musician, actress
Born: 3/18/1970
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey

Queen Latifah, who began in hip-hop music when she formed Ladies Fresh, released her first album, All Hail the Queen in 1989. Subsequent releases include Nature of a Sista (1991), Black Reign (1994), and U.N.I.T.Y. (1995, for which she received a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance). Her recording success led to small movie roles in Jungle Fever (1991) and Juice (1992). Her portrayal of a nurse in Michael Keaton's My Life (1993) revealed her dramatic talent, and larger roles followed, including one of the leads on the Fox network's situation comedy Living Single (1993–97). Latifah has continued her recording career, releasing Order in the Court (1998), and her film career, co-starring with Holly Hunter and Danny Devito in the 1998 theatrical release Living Out Loud. She hosted her own television talk show Queen Latifah Show (1999-2001). In 2002, she netted a supporting actress Oscar nod for her role as Mama Morton in that year's Best Picture winner, Chicago. 2003 saw her starring in the box office hit Bringing Down the House with Steve Martin. Her recent films include Beauty Shop, The Muppets' Wizard of Oz (both 2005), in which she plays Auntie Em, a remake of the 1950 Alec Guinness film, The Last Holiday (2006), and Hairspray (2007).

R is for

Robinson, Jackie

Robinson, Jackie (Jack Roosevelt Robinson), 1919–72, American baseball player, the first African-American player in the modern major leagues, b. Cairo, Ga. He grew up in Pasadena, Calif., where he became an outstanding athlete in high school and junior college. While attending (1939–41) the Univ. of California at Los Angeles, he established a wide reputation in baseball, basketball, football, and track.

Robinson left college to support his mother, but in 1941 played professional football with the Los Angeles Bulldogs of the Pacific Coast League. He entered the army in World War II and was discharged as a lieutenant in 1945. In Oct., 1945, Branch Rickey, then president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, signed Robinson to play for the Montreal Royals, a Brooklyn farm club in the International League. Despite several incidents in spring training in the South and many inconveniences during the season, Robinson—the first African-American ballplayer in that league—excelled as a second baseman and won the league batting crown.

In 1947 precedent was shattered when Robinson was brought up to the Brooklyn club. African Americans had not played in big-league competition in the 20th cent., but resistance dwindled as Robinson excelled. In 1949 he won the National League batting crown, hitting .342, and was named the NL's most valuable player. Robinson played his entire career (1947–56) with Brooklyn, where he set fielding and batting records and gained a reputation for base stealing. Other African Americans began playing in the major leagues soon after his debut. In 1962 Robinson became the first African American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

See his autobiography (1972); J. Tygiel, Baseball's Great Experiment (1983) and Extra Bases (2002); A. Rampersad, Jackie Robinson (1997); S. Simon, Jackie Robinson and the Integration of Baseball (2002).

S is for

Willie Stargell

Age: 61

one of baseball's greatest home-run hitters and the intimidating but amicable leader of the great Pittsburgh Pirates teams of the 1970s; nicknamed "Pops" after naturally inheriting his role as patriarch of the Pirates family after the death of teammate Roberto Clemente in 1972; 6-4, 225-pound left-handed outfielder and cleanup hitter often overlooked in discussions of baseball's most prolific home-run hitters; hit 475 career home runs, and at one point in his career held the record for the longest homer in nearly half of the N.L. parks; historians agree the left-handed hitter's HR total would have reached 600 if not for the fact that the Pirates played at Forbes Field (with its giant right-field power alley of 436 feet) for the first 8¹/2 of his 21 seasons with the team; for 30 years he was the only player to hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium (he did it twice); won N.L. pennants and World Series titles in 1971 and 1979; won six N.L. East titles from 1970-79; holds team records for home runs, extra-base hits and RBI; in 1979, at age 39, he had an unprecedented sweep of MVP awards (sharing regular season, playoffs, World Series); oldest player to be named MVP; led the N.L in home runs twice and RBI once; retired in 1982; career: .282–475–1,540; despite a long battle with a kidney disorder he had coaching stints with the Pirates and Braves; inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988; a 12-foot bronze statue in his honor was unveiled in 2001, two days before the first game at PNC Park. He died of a stroke.

Died: Wilmington, N.C, April 9

T is for

Tubman, Harriet

Tubman, Harriet, c.1820–1913, American abolitionist, b. Dorchester co., Md. Born into slavery, she escaped to Phildelphia in 1849, and subsequently became one of the most successful “conductors” on the Underground Railroad. Returning to the South more than a dozen times, she is generally credited with leading more than 300 slaves (including her parents and brother) to freedom, sometimes forcing the timid ahead with a loaded revolver. She became a speaker on the anti-slavery lecture circuit and a friend of the principal abolitionists, and John Brown almost certainly confided his Harpers Ferry plan to her. During the Civil War, Tubman attached herself to the Union forces in coastal South Carolina, serving as a nurse, cook, laundress, scout, and spy, and in 1863 she played an important part in a raid that resulted in the freeing of more than 700 slaves. At Auburn, N.Y., her home for many years after the war, the Cayuga co. courthouse contains a tablet in her honor.

See biographies by S. Bradford (1869, new ed. 1961), E. Conrad (1942), C. Clinton (2004), J. M. Humez (2004), and K. C. Larson (2004).

U is for.........okay it's a stretch

Blake, Eubie

Blake, Eubie (James Hubert Blake), 1883–1983, African-American pianist and composer, b. Baltimore. His career has extended from ragtime (see jazz) to the 1980s. With the songwriter Noble Sissle he produced early African-American Broadway musicals, e.g., Shuffle Along (1921). His most famous songs are “Memories of You” and “I'm Just Wild about Harry.”

V is for

Vaughan, Sarah

Vaughan, Sarah (Sarah Lois Vaughan), 1924–90, American jazz singer, b. Newark, N.J. Nicknamed “Sassie,” she studied piano and organ, began singing in her church choir, and won (1942) the famous amateur contest at Harlem's Apollo Theater. Subsequently, she sang with bands led by Earl “Fatha” Hines, Billy Eckstine, and John Kirby. During this period she was also associated with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, learning much from their bop horn stylings. From 1947 on, Vaughan worked as a soloist, becoming one of jazz's finest vocalists. An alto who moved easily from honeyed to harsh, she had a huge range and a finely controlled vibrato, and was acclaimed for her performance of such songs as “Lover Man,” “It's Magic,” and “Misty.” An active recording artist from the mid-1940s on, she frequently (1950s–80s) toured the United States and Europe.

See biographies by L. Gourse (1993) and M. Ruuth (1994); discography by D. Brown (1991).

W is for

Waters, Muddy

Waters, Muddy, 1915–83, African-American blues singer and guitarist, b. Rolling Fork, Miss., as McKinley Morganfield. As a teenager he began singing and playing traditional country blues on harmonica and guitar, and in 1941 he was recorded by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress. Two years later he settled in Chicago, where he switched from Delta blues to a more sophisticated urban rhythm and blues, using an electric guitar backed by other amplified instruments. He soon became known for his driving slide guitar technique and darkly expressive vocal style. From the 1950s on Waters recorded, toured, and played various music festivals. His electric blues influenced such American musicians as Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan and such British rockers as the Rolling Stones, who took their name from a Waters song, and Eric Clapton, who recorded with him.

See J. Rooney, Bossmen: Bill Monroe and Muddy Waters (1991); S. B. Tooze, Muddy WatersCan't Be Satisfied (2002). (1997); R. Gordon,

Flip Wilson

Clerow Wilson
Age: 64

During his stint in the Air Force, Wilson was nicknamed Flip for his irreverent, flippant humor. The name stuck. The affable comedian's talents were showcased as host of television's The Flip Wilson Show from 1970 to 74. His most memorable character on the variety show was the sassy Geraldine who liked to quip “The devil made me do it” and “What you see is what you get.”

Died: Nov. 25, 1998.

X is For

Malcolm X

Malcolm X, 1925–65, militant black leader in the United States, also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, b. Malcolm Little in Omaha, Neb. He was introduced to the Black Muslims while serving a prison term and became a Muslim minister upon his release in 1952. He quickly became very prominent in the movement with a following perhaps equaling that of its leader, Elijah Muhammad. In 1963, Malcolm was suspended by Elijah after a speech in which Malcolm suggested that President Kennedy's assassination was a matter of the “chickens coming home to roost.” He then formed a rival organization of his own, the Muslim Mosque, Inc. In 1964, after a pilgrimage to Mecca, he announced his conversion to orthodox Islam and his new belief that there could be brotherhood between black and white. In his Organization of Afro-American Unity, formed after his return, the tone was still that of militant black nationalism but no longer of separation. In Feb., 1965, he was shot and killed in a public auditorium in New York City. His assassins were vaguely identified as Black Muslims, but this is a matter of controversy.

See his autobiography (as told to A. Haley, 1964) and selected speeches, Malcolm X Speaks (1965); biographies by P. Goldman (1973) and B. Perry (1992); J. H. Clarke, ed., Malcolm X (1969); study by M. E. Dyson (1994).

Y is for

Young, Lester Willis

Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

Young, Lester Willis, 1909–59, American jazz musician, b. Woodville, Miss. He played the tenor saxophone with various bands (1929–40), including those of Fletcher Henderson and Count Basie, with whom he first recorded in 1936. Young and Coleman Hawkins are considered the major influences on tenor-saxophone playing, and Young's style was important in the development of progressive, or cool, jazz, which arose in the late 1940s. He won several jazz polls and made a number of records, including a series with Billie Holiday, who gave him his nickname, “President,” later shortened to “Pres” or “Prez.”

Young, Andrew Jackson, Jr.

Young, Andrew Jackson, Jr., 1932–, African-American leader, clergyman, and public official, b. New Orleans. He was a leading civil-rights activist in the 1960s and, as a Democrat from Georgia, served (1973–77) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Under President Carter, Young was permanent representative to the UN (1977–79) and was noted for his outspokenness. He served as mayor of Atlanta (1982–90) and ran for, but failed to win, the Democratic nomination for governor of Georgia in 1990. In 1999 he was elected to a two-year term as head of the National Council of Churches.

See his autobiography (1994).

Z is for

Van Der Zee, James

Van Der Zee, James, 1886–1983, American photographer, b. Lenox, Mass. The son of Ulysses S. Grant's maid and butler, Van Der Zee opened his first studio in Harlem, New York City, in 1915. For 60 years, working in obscurity, he made a visual record of Harlem life unsurpassed in scope and detail. In 1967 the Metropolitan Museum of Art discovered Van Der Zee's remaining 40,000 prints and negatives and displayed many of them in its “Harlem on My Mind” exhibit (1969).

5 comments:

Anonymous4:15 AM
you go girl thanks for keeping black history alive and well thanks for helping remember all these great and for leting the other get a chance to read about them when they pop on to your page keep up the great work!
BRE7:22 AM
Sarah, this is one of the most creative approaches to writing about Black History Month 2007 I've read in the past two days. If this is your first attempt at blogging, I'd be interested in reading your work when you've come up to full speed.

Come on now, ALL of these people couldn't have had that much of an impact on your life, could they? I'm writing about the history of black Africans in European history over at my place (blog). Our planned blog posts in celebration of Black History Month may be interesting for you and your students back in California.

Thanks for the A to Z list of important figures in African American history. Greetings from across the Atlantic (Germany) and keep on blogging.
Anonymous4:30 PM
Hi, Sarah!

What a fantastic tribute. You name some of my favorite people.:) Thank you.
Anonymous2:47 AM
this is cool!

just a fyi - Huey Newton didn't get his phD from UCSC in 'social philosophy.' The program is called the 'History of Consciousnes.' It's a pretty cool interdisciplenary grad program with lotsa good folks in it.

keep up the good work!

- a ucsc student activist
Sarah6:09 AM
Thanks to all of you.

I am visiting sites, learning.....In a way if you pick one person you exclude another, so I should create some form where others suggest their choices. Which is a great lesson plan! My Mother is upset I did not pick Roberto Clemente and I have heard about his wonderful (and well loved) career all night. I said...Mom you know Love Supreme has to be in there...as I was rather raised on it...and she gave me the story of the Pirates. So this proves to me that we can celebrate for a year over a month...I am a bit concerned that where I work I'm not hearing the lessons and study for the month I once did. That ....inspires me to return to how much my life is in the shadow of human beings like this. Just remarkable. Makes me feel inspired as a teacher, that's for sure.

Thanks for the comments, I'm trying to place here each evening something that I valued that helped my career, and we all know I'd love to see your choices ..if not in ABC format just as those making a difference in your world or personal view.
Sarah

I am now moderating comments.

A Day In the Life

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Monday, February 05, 2007

Black Americans that Shaped My Worldview, Sarah's ABC Tribute