Black History - April 22nd
April 22nd
You have musical talent, which should be developed. You are positive in your opinions but when thoroughly convinced, yield with good grace. You have a clear and alert mind and keen foresight. You are capable of a deep and sacrificing love.
1882 Benjamin Griffith Brawley, first dean at Morehouse University and author (A Short History of the American Negro) was born in Columbia, SC.
1892 Vernon Johns, minister (Martin Luther King, Jr. predecessor as pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama) was born in Darlington Heights, VA.
1894 Graham T. Perry, attorney (uncle of playwright Lorraine Hansberry) was born in Columbia, TN.
1902 Ralph W. Tyler educator and chairman of the National Assessment of Education Progress was born in Chicago, IL.
1906 Alex Hill, jazz pianist was born.
1908 (Avery) Kid Howard, trumpet player and member of the Tuxedo Band was born in New Orleans, LA.
1911 (William T.) Wee Willie Smith, professional basketball player (New York Renaissance) was born in Cleveland, OH.
1919 (Benjamin Clarence) Bull Moose Jackson, saxophonist, blues and rhythm singer (I Can’t Go On Without You) was born in Cleveland, OH.
1921 Vivian Alferettia Dandridge, singer, actor and sister of Dorothy Dandridge was born in Cleveland, OH.
1921 Eugene Smith, gospel singer was born in Chicago, IL.
1922 Charles Mingus, jazz double bassist, bandleader and composer (Shadows) was born in Nogales, AZ.
1927 (Lorenzo) Laurel Aitken, pioneer of Jamaica ska music was born in Cuba.
1928 (Thomas Walter) Tommy Turrentine, trumpeter and older brother of Stanley Turrentine was born in Pittsburgh, PA.
1934 Henry Thomas Sampson, engineer and inventor of the Gamma Electrical Cell was born in Jackson, MS.
1935 (Charles H.) Rucker Blackwell, Negro League Baseball player dies in Proviso, IL.
1935 Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers, jazz bassist was born in Pittsburgh, PA.
1943 Scott Warner Williams, mathematician and one of the 50 most important African Americans in Research Scientist was born in Staten Island, NY.
1943 Mel Carter, singer (Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me) was born in Cincinnati, OH.
1944 (Robert) Bob B. Jones, Mayor of Kalamazoo, Michigan was born in Jeffersonville, GA.
1945 (Cleveland) Cleve Francis, country music singer was born in Jennings, LA.
1947 (Catherine Elizabeth Woods) Cathy Hughes, founder of Radio One and TV One was born in Omaha, NE.
1949 Spencer Haywood, National Basketball Association player was born in Silver City, MS.
1950 Charles Hamilton Houston, lawyer and Dean of Howard University Law School (known as the man who killed Jim Crow) dies in Washington, DC.
1956 Bruce A. Young, actor (Jurassic Park, III) was born.
1956 Phill Wilson, founder of the Black AIDS Institute was born in Chicago, IL.
1957 James Armstrong, blues guitarist, singer and songwriter (Hear No Evil) was born in Los Angeles, CA.
1959 Reverdy Assius Ransom, 48th African Methodist Episcopal Church Bishop dies in Wilberforce, OH.
1959 Freeman McNeil, National Football League player was born in Jackson, MS.
1961 Byron Allen (Folks), chairman and chief executive officer of Entertainment Studios was born in Detroit, MI.
1962 Randy Monroe, assistant dean and assistant boys basketball coach was born in Philadelphia, PA.
1964 Mary V. Ware, the first African American teacher at Manassas Industrial School dies in Washington, DC.
1967 Sherri Evonne Shepherd, comedienne, actor and co-host (The View) was born in Chicago, IL.
1968 (Vernell Eufaye) Bimbo Coles, National Basketball Association player was born in Covington, VA.
1969 Dion Dublin, professional footballer was born in Leicester, England.
1969 Robin Armstrong, physician and politician who served as vice chairman of the Republican Party of Texas was born in Texas City, Galveston County TX.
1970 Cedric Tillman, Arena Football League player was born in Pueblo, CO.
1974 (Napoleon) Chance Cummings, Negro League Baseball player dies in Atlantic City, NJ.
1977 Tiffany Alston, member of the Maryland House of Delegates was born in Washington, DC.
1978 (Tyree Cinque Simmons) DJ Drama, hip-hop artist was born in Philadelphia, PA.
1980 Malcolm Barett, actor (Timeless) was born in New York, NY.
1983 Lwazi Maziya, professional footballer was born in Manzini Nazarene, South Africa.
1983 Drew Antrion Coleman, National Football League player was born in Henderson, TX.
1983 (Remilekun) Remi Ayodele, National Football League player was born in GrandPrairie, TX.
1983 (Earl Kenneth) Fatha Hines, pianist, vocalist and composer dies in Oakland, CA. A radio announcer gave him the nickname ‘Fatha’.
1984 Ryan McBean, National Football League player was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
1986 Marshawn Terrell Lynch, National Football League player was born in Oakland, CA.
1987 Dante Lamar Cunningham, National Basketball Association player was born in Clinton, MD.
1987 Tyson William Ross, Major League Baseball player was born in Berkeley, CA.
1988 (James William Ross, IV) Tyra Sanchez reality television personality and drag queen (RuPaul’s Drag Race) was born in Gainesville, FL.
1988 (Devaris) Dee Gordon, Major League Baseball player was born in Windermere, FL.
1989 Louis Antoine Smith, gymnast was born in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England.
1989 DeJuan Lamont Blair, National Basketball Association player was born in Pittsburgh, PA.
1990 Verda Freeman Welcome, first African American woman elected Maryland state senator dies in Baltimore, MD.
1991 Marlon D. Brown, National Football League player was born in Memphis, TN.
1991 Jeremy Butler, National Football League player was born in Bradenton, FL.
1993 (Chigozie Eze) Gozie Ugwu, professional footballer was born in Oxford, England.
1995 Don Gabriel Pullen, jazz pianist and organist dies in Los Angeles, CA.
2007 Juanita Millender-McDonald, US Congresswoman from California dies in Carson, CA.
2013 (Richard Pierce) Richie Havens, singer, songwriter (Mixed Bag) and guitarist dies in Jersey City, NJ.