Black History Knowledge
Black History Knowledge — August 10
Aug
What happened on this day. These are the August 10 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.
1821 — Missouri enters the Union as a slave state
On August 10, 1821, Missouri was admitted to the United States as a slave state under the Missouri Compromise. Its admission preserved a political balance between slave and free states while reinforcing a system that denied freedom to thousands of Black people.
1965 — Federal examiners begin registering Black voters
On August 10, 1965, federal voting examiners opened offices in four Alabama counties, three Louisiana parishes, and two Mississippi counties. Acting under the Voting Rights Act, they created a direct route to registration for Black citizens obstructed by discriminatory local officials.
1989 — Colin Powell is nominated to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff
On August 10, 1989, President George H. W. Bush announced General Colin Powell as his choice for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After confirmation, Powell became the first Black officer and the youngest person to hold the nation’s highest-ranking military position.
