Birthday Celebrations — November 9

Born on this day. These are the birthdays we celebrate on November 9 — the people whose lives added to the story of Black history.

Benjamin Banneker

Born November 9, 1731 — died October 19, 1806

Astronomer, mathematician, almanac author and D.C. boundary surveyor.

Benjamin Banneker, a free Black farmer from Maryland, built a wooden clock from his own calculations and taught himself astronomy. In 1791 he assisted Andrew Ellicott in surveying the boundaries of the new federal capital, and from 1792 he published popular almanacs. His letter to Thomas Jefferson challenging slavery and Jefferson’s views on Black intellect is a founding document of Black protest writing.

Arthur McKinnon Brown

Born November 9, 1867 — died December 4, 1939

Birmingham physician and Spanish-American War contract surgeon.

Arthur McKinnon Brown, a University of Michigan medical graduate, made the highest score then recorded on Alabama’s medical exam and practiced in Birmingham. In 1898 he served in Cuba as a contract surgeon with the 10th Cavalry, one of only a handful of Black contract surgeons in the Spanish-American War. He was president of the National Medical Association in 1914, and his Birmingham home is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Victor Hugo Green

Born November 9, 1892 — died October 16, 1960

Creator of ‘The Negro Motorist Green Book’.

Victor Hugo Green, a Harlem postal carrier, first published ‘The Negro Motorist Green Book’ in 1936 to list hotels, restaurants and gas stations that served Black travelers during segregation. The guide expanded nationally and internationally and was published until 1966. It was the subject of the 2018 Oscar-winning film ‘Green Book’ and several documentaries.

Paulene Myers

Full name: Paulene Elenora Myers

Born November 9, 1913 — died December 8, 1996

Broadway and television actress, pioneer of the stage.

Paulene Myers made her Broadway debut in 1933 in ‘Growing Pains’ and appeared in ‘Take a Giant Step’ on stage and film. On television she played a judge on ‘All in the Family’ and Grandpa Evans’s lady friend on ‘Good Times,’ and her films include ‘Lady Sings the Blues,’ ‘The Sting’ and ‘My Cousin Vinny.’ Her name is also spelled Pauline Myers.

Martha Settle Putney

Born November 9, 1916 — died December 11, 2008

WAC officer and historian of Black military service.

Martha Putney joined the Women’s Army Corps in 1943 as one of its first Black officers and commanded a WAC hospital company in Chicago. She earned a Ph.D. in history at the University of Pennsylvania, taught at Bowie State and Howard, and wrote ‘When the Nation Was in Need: Blacks in the Women’s Army Corps During World War II’ and ‘Black Sailors.’

Leon Gilbert

Full name: Leon Aaron Gilbert Jr.

Born November 9, 1920 — died March 28, 1999

Korean War lieutenant whose death sentence sparked a national campaign.

Lieutenant Leon Gilbert of the all-Black 24th Infantry Regiment was sentenced to death by court-martial in 1950 for refusing an order he considered suicidal. Worldwide protests followed, the NAACP took up the cause, and President Truman commuted the sentence; the case drew attention to the Army’s treatment of Black soldiers. He served about five years in prison.

Dorothy Dandridge

Full name: Dorothy Jean Dandridge

Born November 9, 1922 — died September 8, 1965

First Black woman nominated for the Best Actress Oscar.

Dorothy Dandridge began in the Dandridge Sisters act and at the Cotton Club, then starred in ‘Carmen Jones’ (1954), becoming the first Black woman nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She also starred in ‘Island in the Sun’ and ‘Porgy and Bess.’ She died at 42, and Halle Berry won an Emmy for playing her in a 1999 HBO film.

Alice Coachman

Full name: Alice Marie Coachman Davis

Born November 9, 1923 — died July 14, 2014

First Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal.

Alice Coachman won the high jump at the 1948 London Olympics with an Olympic-record leap, becoming the first Black woman from any country to win Olympic gold. She won 10 straight national high jump titles while competing for Tuskegee Institute. In 1952 she became the first Black woman to endorse an international product, for Coca-Cola.

Bob Gibson

Full name: Pack Robert Gibson

Born November 9, 1935 — died October 2, 2020

Hall of Fame Cardinals pitcher with a 1.12 ERA in 1968.

Bob Gibson won 251 games for the St. Louis Cardinals and two World Series (1964 and 1967), earning World Series MVP both times. His 1.12 ERA in 1968 is the lowest of the live-ball era and led baseball to lower the mound. He won two Cy Young Awards and the 1968 NL MVP and entered the Hall of Fame in 1981.

Charlie Robinson

Full name: Charles P. Robinson

Born November 9, 1945 — died July 11, 2021

Actor who played Mac on ‘Night Court’.

Charlie Robinson played court clerk Mac Robinson on NBC’s ‘Night Court’ from 1984 to 1992 and also appeared on ‘Buffalo Bill’ and ‘Home Improvement’ and in films including ‘Set It Off’ and ‘Antwone Fisher.’ He won an Ovation Award for playing Troy Maxson in ‘Fences.’ He died in Los Angeles in 2021.

Pepa

Full name: Sandra Jacqueline Denton

Born November 9, 1964

Rapper in Salt-N-Pepa.

Pepa co-founded Salt-N-Pepa, the first major all-female rap group to go gold and platinum and the first to win a Grammy, with hits including ‘Push It,’ ‘Shoop’ and ‘None of Your Business.’ The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025. She moved from Jamaica to Queens as a child.

Scarface

Full name: Brad Terrence Jordan

Born November 9, 1970

Geto Boys rapper and Southern hip-hop pioneer.

Scarface rose with the Geto Boys, whose ‘Mind Playing Tricks on Me’ (1991) is a landmark of introspective rap, and released acclaimed solo albums including ‘The Diary’ and ‘The Fix.’ He headed Def Jam South in the early 2000s. In 2019 he ran for Houston City Council.

Sisqó

Full name: Mark Althavan Andrews

Born November 9, 1978

Dru Hill singer and ‘Thong Song’ star.

Sisqó fronted the Baltimore R&B group Dru Hill, whose hits included ‘In My Bed’ and ‘How Deep Is Your Love.’ His 1999 solo album ‘Unleash the Dragon’ went multi-platinum on the strength of ‘Thong Song’ and the No. 1 single ‘Incomplete.’ He continues to tour with Dru Hill.