Black History Knowledge — August 12

What happened on this day. These are the August 12 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.

1922 — Frederick Douglass’s Cedar Hill home is dedicated as a memorial

On August 12, 1922, the restored Frederick Douglass Memorial Home at Cedar Hill was formally dedicated in Washington, D.C. Black women’s organizations, including the National Association of Colored Women, had led the campaign to preserve Douglass’s home and legacy.

1981 — IBM unveils the personal computer with help from Mark Dean

On August 12, 1981, IBM introduced its mass-market personal computer in New York City. Black engineer Mark Dean was a key member of the design team and later held three of the nine original patents associated with the IBM PC.

2017 — White supremacist violence strikes Charlottesville

On August 12, 2017, white nationalists and neo-Nazis gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, for the Unite the Right rally. A participant drove a car into people opposing the rally, killing Heather Heyer and injuring dozens in an attack that exposed the continuing danger of organized white supremacy.