Those We Lost
Those We Lost — May 2
May
Honoring those we lost on May 2 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind.
Maidie Norman
Born October 16, 1912 — Died May 2, 1998
Field: Acting / Theater Education / Black Film History
Maidie Norman was a radio, stage, film, and television actress as well as an educator in African American literature and theater.
Why it matters: Norman matters because she worked inside an entertainment industry that often reduced Black women to stereotypes, while also teaching, mentoring, and preserving Black cultural expression.
Dan Bankhead
Born May 3, 1920 — Died May 2, 1976
Field: Baseball / Negro Leagues / MLB Integration
Dan Bankhead became the first Black pitcher in Major League Baseball. His life connects the Negro Leagues, military service, and the difficult transition into integrated Major League Baseball.
Why it matters: Bankhead expands the Jackie Robinson-era story by showing that integration was not one man and one moment. It was a series of breakthroughs across positions, teams, and pressure points.
