Black History Knowledge — June 5

What happened on this day. These are the June 5 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.

1950 — The Supreme Court decides Sweatt v. Painter

On June 5, 1950, the Supreme Court ruled in Sweatt v. Painter that Heman Sweatt could not be denied admission to the University of Texas Law School because of race. The case became an important step toward dismantling segregated higher education before Brown v. Board of Education.

1910 — Douglas Lemon and Rankin Moore are killed by a white mob in Texas

On June 5, 1910, a white mob in Orange County, Texas, killed Douglas Lemon and Rankin Moore. This entry fits the Knowledge track because it is a racial violence event, showing how mob terror was used to intimidate Black communities and deny Black people protection under the law.

1966 — James Meredith begins the March Against Fear

On June 5, 1966, James Meredith began the March Against Fear, a planned walk from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi. His goal was to challenge the fear Black Mississippians faced when trying to register to vote and claim political power.