Black History Knowledge
Black History Knowledge — September 8
Sep
What happened on this day. These are the September 8 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.
1957 — Althea Gibson wins the U.S. National Championship
On September 8, 1957, Althea Gibson defeated Louise Brough at Forest Hills to become the first Black player to win the U.S. National tennis championship. Fresh from her historic Wimbledon title, Gibson stood at the top of a sport that had barred her from its courts only a decade earlier.
1966 — Star Trek premieres with Nichelle Nichols on the bridge
On September 8, 1966, Star Trek premiered on NBC with Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Uhura, a Black woman serving as a bridge officer in television’s vision of the future. When Nichols considered leaving the show, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. personally urged her to stay, calling the role too important to abandon.
1986 — The Oprah Winfrey Show goes national
On September 8, 1986, The Oprah Winfrey Show began national syndication. Winfrey built it into the highest-rated talk show in television history, and the ownership stake she negotiated made her the first Black woman billionaire and one of the most influential figures in American media.
