Honoring those we lost on September 28 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Mantan Moreland Born September 3, 1902 — died September 28, 1973 Comedian and actor. One of the busiest Black actors of Hollywood’s studio era, Moreland’s split-second timing made him a star of the Charlie Chan films […]
Honoring those we lost on September 27 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Frank Wills Born February 4, 1948 — died September 27, 2000 The security guard who caught Watergate. On a June night in 1972, Wills noticed tape over a door latch at the Watergate complex, found it […]
Honoring those we lost on September 26 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Bessie Smith Born April 15, 1894 — died September 26, 1937 Empress of the Blues. The highest-paid Black entertainer of the 1920s taught America what the blues could carry, influencing Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, […]
Honoring those we lost on September 25 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Herbert Lee Born in 1912 — died September 25, 1961 Farmer and voting rights martyr. A father of nine and founding member of his county NAACP, Lee drove SNCC organizer Bob Moses through Amite County, Mississippi, […]
Honoring those we lost on September 24 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Bill Nunn Full name: William Goldwyn Nunn III Born October 20, 1952 — died September 24, 2016 Actor. Nunn’s Radio Raheem in Do the Right Thing — the young man with the LOVE and HATE rings, […]
Honoring those we lost on September 23 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Carl Rowan Full name: Carl Thomas Rowan Born August 11, 1925 — died September 23, 2000 Columnist, author, and diplomat. One of the Navy’s first Black officers in World War II, Rowan became a nationally syndicated […]
Honoring those we lost on September 22 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Vesta Williams Full name: Mary Vesta Williams Born December 1, 1957 — died September 22, 2011 R&B singer. Vesta’s four-octave range powered "Once Bitten Twice Shy," "Sweet Sweet Love," and "Congratulations" — one of R&B’s great […]
Honoring those we lost on September 21 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Florence Griffith Joyner Born December 21, 1959 — died September 21, 1998 The fastest woman who ever lived. Flo-Jo’s 1988 world records in the 100 and 200 meters still stand after nearly four decades. With one-legged […]
Honoring those we lost on September 20 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. J. California Cooper Full name: Joan California Cooper Born November 10, 1931 — died September 20, 2014 Playwright and fiction writer. Discovered by Alice Walker, Cooper wrote folk-wise stories of ordinary Black women — collections like […]
Honoring those we lost on September 19 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind. Rex Ingram Full name: Clifford Rex Ingram Born October 20, 1895 — died September 19, 1969 Actor of Hollywood’s golden age. Ingram commanded rare major roles for a Black actor of his era — De Lawd […]