Black History Knowledge
Black History Knowledge — June 26
Jun
What happened on this day. These are the June 26 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.
1844 — Oregon Country passes a Black exclusion law
On June 26, 1844, the legislative committee of Oregon Country passed one of the first Black exclusion laws in the region. The law barred free Black people from moving into the territory and authorized whipping as punishment, showing how anti-Black law shaped the American West as well as the South.
1966 — The March Against Fear reaches Jackson, Mississippi
On June 26, 1966, the March Against Fear reached Jackson, Mississippi, with about 15,000 participants. What began as James Meredith’s solo walk had grown into one of the largest civil rights marches in Mississippi history, registering thousands of Black voters and amplifying the demand for Black political power.
2015 — President Obama eulogizes Rev. Clementa Pinckney after the Emanuel AME massacre
On June 26, 2015, President Barack Obama delivered the eulogy for Rev. Clementa Pinckney, one of the nine Black worshippers murdered at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. This fits the Knowledge track because it is tied to a racist massacre inside a historic Black church, not an ordinary death anniversary.
