Black History Knowledge — October 3

What happened on this day. These are the October 3 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.

1904 — Mary McLeod Bethune opened her school for Black girls in Daytona Beach

On October 3, 1904, Mary McLeod Bethune opened the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training Institute for Negro Girls with minimal resources. The school grew into Bethune-Cookman University, a historically Black university.

1949 — WERD began broadcasting as the first Black-owned U.S. radio station

WERD began broadcasting on October 3, 1949, after accountant and bank president Jesse B. Blayton Sr. purchased the station and installed a Black management and announcing staff. The station created a commercial broadcast voice directed by and toward Black Atlantans. Its Auburn Avenue location later placed it near major civil-rights organizations and organizers.

1974 — Frank Robinson was named Major League Baseball’s first Black manager

Cleveland announced Frank Robinson as its player-manager on October 3, 1974. When the 1975 season began, he became the first Black manager in modern Major League Baseball. The appointment broke a leadership barrier that remained long after baseball’s player color line had fallen.