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Comedian and activist Dick Gregory was born on 12 October 1932.   What better way to talk about political and racial issues in American than through comedic stand-up? Activist and comedian Richard Claxton “Dick” Gregory transitioned his comedic background into a versatile career, which included scientific research, activism for civil rights and other human injustices, and politics.   Gregory was born on Oct. 12, 1932, in St. Louis, Missouri. He discovered […]

Moses Fleetwood Walker, often called Fleet, was the first African American to play major league baseball in the nineteenth century. Born 7 October  1857, in Mount Pleasant, Ohio, Walker was the fifth of six children born to parents, Dr. Moses W. Walker, a physician, and Caroline Walker, a midwife.   Oberlin College admitted Walker for the fall 1878 semester. In 1881, he played in all five games of the new […]

06 October 1871  - Fisk Jubilee Singers begin their first national tour   The Fisk Jubilee Singers, an cappella group of nine students from Fisk University was organized in 1871 to raise money ($20,000, to be exact) for their financially troubled institution.   They succeeded magnificently.   In the process, they were instrumental in preserving traditional African American spirituals and bringing them to a vastly wider audience, both in the […]

Yvonne B. Burke speaking at Democratic National Convention, 1972 Courtesy Ebony Collection, NMAAHC   Born Perle Yvonne Watson on October 5, 1932 in Los Angeles, California, Yvonne Burke became the first black woman elected to the California legislature (1966), the first black woman elected to Congress from California (1972), and the first black woman to serve as Chair of the Los Angeles County Supervisors (1993).   Educated in Los Angeles […]

  Full Name: Ernest Evans Profession: Singer and Dancer Nationality: American Why Famous: Chubby Checker will forever be remembered for kicking off a dance craze that took hold of the early countercultural generation in the 1960s. In 1960 he released "The Twist", a cover of a song by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters. Checker's song topped the Billboard Hot 100 twice, and kicked off the Twist dance craze, which spread around the world. He would […]