Birthday Celebrations — October 1

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on October 1 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

John Brown Russwurm

Born October 1, 1799 — died June 9, 1851

Abolitionist, educator, newspaper editor, and Pan-African political figure.

Russwurm co-founded Freedom’s Journal, the first Black-owned and operated newspaper in the United States. A Bowdoin College graduate, he used journalism to argue for Black dignity and self-determination before later serving as a colonial governor in Liberia.

Fannie Richards

Full name: Fannie M. Richards

Born October 1, 1840 — died February 14, 1922

Educator and pioneering Black teacher in Detroit.

Educator and pioneering Black teacher in Detroit; an early advocate for educational opportunity and racial equality.

Albert Collins

Born October 1, 1932 — died November 24, 1993

Influential blues guitarist and singer known as “The Iceman”.

Influential blues guitarist and singer known as “The Iceman”; celebrated for his distinctive Telecaster sound and Texas blues style.

George Carruthers

Full name: George Robert Carruthers

Born October 1, 1939 — died December 26, 2020

Astronomer, physicist, engineer, and inventor.

Carruthers developed the ultraviolet camera and spectrograph used on the Moon during Apollo 16. His instrument expanded scientific knowledge of Earth’s outer atmosphere and deep space, and he later devoted substantial time to mentoring Black students in science and engineering.

Herb Fame

Born October 1, 1942

R&B singer best known as one half of Peaches & Herb.

R&B singer best known as one half of Peaches & Herb, whose hits became staples of soul and pop music.

Carrie Lucas

Born October 1, 1945

R&B and disco singer associated with Soul Train Records and SOLAR Records.

R&B and disco singer associated with Soul Train Records and SOLAR Records; known for “I Gotta Keep Dancing.”

Donny Hathaway

Full name: Donny Edward Hathaway

Born October 1, 1945 — died January 13, 1979

Soul singer, songwriter, arranger, pianist, and producer.

Hathaway fused gospel training, classical musicianship, jazz harmony, and soul feeling in recordings such as ‘The Ghetto,’ ‘Someday We’ll All Be Free,’ and ‘This Christmas.’ His celebrated duets with Roberta Flack helped establish one of modern R&B’s defining vocal partnerships.

Rod Carew

Full name: Rodney Cline Carew

Born October 1, 1945

Baseball Hall of Famer, seven-time batting champion, and 1977 American League MVP.

Born in the Panama Canal Zone and raised in New York, Carew became one of baseball’s greatest pure hitters. He collected 3,053 hits, finished with a .328 career batting average, and entered the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.

Howard Hewett

Full name: Howard Hewett Jr.

Born October 1, 1955

R&B and gospel singer-songwriter; lead vocalist of Shalamar.

Hewett’s expressive tenor helped power Shalamar classics including ‘A Night to Remember’ and ‘The Second Time Around.’ His solo work, especially ‘I’m for Real’ and ‘Say Amen,’ extended his place in contemporary soul and gospel-rooted R&B.

Yvette Freeman

Born October 1, 1957

Actress and singer.

Actress and singer known for television work including ER and Orange Is the New Black and for a long stage career.

Rudi Johnson

Born October 1, 1979 — died September 22, 2025

NFL running back and 2004 Pro Bowl selection.

NFL running back best known for his productive years with the Cincinnati Bengals; one of the franchise’s leading rushers. Death date corrected September 29, 2026: NBC News, citing the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, reports he was found dead at his home in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida on Monday, September 22, 2025; the Bengals’ statement and ESPN’s report followed on September 23, which earlier sources carried as the death date.

Jurnee Smollett

Full name: Jurnee Diana Smollett

Born October 1, 1986

Actress and producer.

Smollett began acting as a child and developed into a leading dramatic performer through works including Eve’s Bayou, The Great Debaters, Underground, and Lovecraft Country. Her performances have repeatedly centered Black family life, resistance, and historical memory.