Black History Knowledge
Black History Knowledge — August 19
Aug
What happened on this day. These are the August 19 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.
1791 — Benjamin Banneker challenges Thomas Jefferson on slavery
On Aug 19, 1791, Black mathematician and astronomer Benjamin Banneker sent Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson a forceful letter condemning slavery. By confronting the contradiction between American liberty and human bondage, Banneker asserted Black intellect and demanded that the nation honor its stated principles.
1958 — Clara Luper and young activists launch an Oklahoma City sit-in
On Aug 19, 1958, teacher Clara Luper led members of the NAACP Youth Council to the segregated lunch counter at Katz Drug Store in Oklahoma City. The children’s peaceful sit-in helped desegregate the store and began a sustained local campaign years before the better-known Greensboro sit-ins.
2020 — Kamala Harris accepts the Democratic vice-presidential nomination
On Aug 19, 2020, Senator Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for vice president. She became the first Black woman and first South Asian American nominated for national office by a major United States political party.
