Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace (pictured) was gunned down on March 9, 1997, just two months shy of his 25th birthday. With fame and all the perks that came along with his stellar rapping ability, he was destined to achieve so much more. On Tuesday, Biggie Smalls, as he also known, would have been 41 years of age. NewsOne takes a look back at the life and legacy of the heavyweight Brooklyn rap legend.

SEE ALSO: Haitian Revolution Leader Toussaint L’Ouverture Was Born On This Day In 1743

Hip-hop music was in a curious place, as many were still mourning the death of Wallace’s rival, Tupac “2Pac” Shakur, who was killed a mere six months prior on September 7, 1996, in Las Vegas via a drive-by shooting. Because of the tensions between East and West Coast rappers at the time, many fans thought 2Pac’s death was a fatal warning serving as a salvo for the escalating coastal war. Dying in a similar fashion, Biggie’s murder left a foreboding cloud over the industry as it suddenly became less about the music and more about the violence it inspired.

Born Christopher George Latore Wallace to Jamaican parents George Latore and Voletta Wallace, the future Bad Boy star was raised in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.  According to his mother’s accounts, Wallace was a good student but succumbed to the trappings of the streets while in middle school. By the time he reached high school, his involvement in the drug trade increased and he was later jailed for his actions. Despite his life of crime, Wallace had a natural knack for rapping and made a demo tape using the alias Biggie Smalls.

The tape made its way to the hands of Mister Cee, a popular DJ who worked with another Brooklyn legend, rapper Big Daddy Kane.  Mister Cee played the tape for editors at hip-hop magazine The Source who were so wowed that they featured Biggie in its “Unsigned Hype” column in a March 1992 issue and reportedly invited him to record more music. The demo caught the ears of Uptown Records producer and A&R Sean “Diddy” Combs who rushed to sign the hefty MC.

Wallace still sold drugs as he joined Combs’ newly minted label, Bad Boy Records, later in 1992. After an appearance on a remix of Mary J. Blige’s smash “Real Love” single as the Notorious B.I.G., Wallace became a household name.

Watch Blige’s “Real Love” remix with B.I.G. here:

Combs developed his protégé along slowly, having Wallace appear on tracks with reggae star Super Cat, LL Cool J, and more, but it was with his debut album, “Ready To Die,” in September of 1994 that Wallace cemented himself as a force.

Marrying R&B singer Faith Evans a month prior, Wallace’s career arc was exceptional, considering West Coast hip-hop ruled heavily on the air waves and among consumers. Spawning huge hits in the singles “Juicy,” “Big Poppa,” and “One More Chance,” the LP went on to go platinum four times.

Between his debut and sophomore effort, Wallace helmed the creation of off-shoot music group Junior M.A.F.I.A., featuring childhood friends Lil’ Kim and Lil’ Cease. The crew had hits in the singles “Player’s Anthem” and “Get Money” — both staples of any old-school rap mix nationwide.

Surprisingly enough, Shakur and Wallace were once allies and had even performed live shows with each other. Things took a turn, however, when Shakur accused Uptown Records boss Andre Harrell, Combs, and Wallace of setting him up for a robbery and shooting in a New York studio in 1994.

Wallace denied all claims, and just last year it was revealed the beleaguered businessman and music mogul James “Jimmy Henchman” Rosemond was responsible for ordering a hit on Shakur.

The feud between the pair never went away and Shakur released his infamous and scathing diss record “Hit ‘Em Up” in the summer of 1996, squarely aimed in Wallace’s direction. Shakur also claimed to have slept with Wallace’s wife on the record, but it went largely ignored by the target.

As aforementioned, Shakur was killed later that fall and the rumors began to swirl. Was Wallace responsible for Shakur’s slaying? Did the diss record cut that deep to warrant the shooting?

While in California to promote his second album, Wallace was shot after attending the Soul Train Music Awards the evening prior, and as he was leaving an industry after-party in a SUV, Wallace was hit with four bullets by an African-American man who hopped out of a vehicle while Wallace’s entourage was stuck at a red light.

The murder remains unsolved, although it was initially rumored that Suge Knight, the owner of Death Row Records who counted 2Pac as a signee, ordered the shooting.

The “Life After Death” album was released posthumously on March 25, 1997. It was a double-disc album, marking the progression of Wallace’s style, and highlighted his amazing ability to adapt to the times. It has gone on to become one of hip-hop’s best-selling albums and was certified Diamond (10 million sold) in 2000.

Survived by his daughter Tynna, who is now 19 and in college at Penn State, she just released a clothing line. Tynna was featured in Wallace’s “Juicy” video when she was just a toddler and maintains her father’s legacy. Wallace’s son with Evans, also named Christopher, is a budding actor and rapper as well.

The tragic circumstances that led to the death of Wallace just as he was ready to become an even bigger star still boggle the mind. Yet, there is some comfort knowing that Wallace’s legacy remains untarnished despite one too many posthumous releases from Bad Boy’s vaults. Listeners worldwide have been robbed of witnessing what Wallace would have done next, and while he left us with plenty, it will never be enough.

Rest In Powerful Peace, Biggie. You Are The Illest.

SEE ALSO: Entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. Died On This Day In 1990

In terms of historic merit, the achievements of Haitian Revolution leader Toussaint L’Ouverture (pictured) are noteworthy but also highlight a complex and sweeping story. In many historic accounts, it has been written that L’Ouverture was a slave, but some writings prove he may have been born free. What historians across the board do agree on is that L’Ouverture led a rebellion to rid the country — now known as Haiti — of slavery. NewsOne celebrates the life of Toussaint L’Ouverture, who was born on this day in 1743.

SEE ALSO: Entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. Died On This Day In 1990

L’Ouverture was born Francois Dominique Toussaint on the plantation of Bréda at Haut de Cap in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). It was thought that L’Ouverture was taught to read and write by his godfather, Pierre Baptiste, and later from Jesuit missionaries.

According to various documents, L’Ouverture was freed from slavery in 1776 and remained a worker on the Breda plantation as an employee.

Saint-Domingue was an especially volatile colony, considering White planters, free people of color, and slaves all had differing aims in regards to the abolishment of slavery in the French colony. Inspired by the French Revolution of 1789, citizens of Saint-Domingue wanted the same opportunity to impart their independence from Revolutionary France; plantation slaves wanted to be treated equal as well.

The tensions among the groups inspired France to become involved from afar, and the country sent officials to the colony to stave off the impending revolt.

Georges Biassou was an early leader and general of the slave rebels, and Toussaint joined his forces in 1791 as a doctor and junior commander. General Biassou, like many other slave rebel leaders, fought alongside the Spanish forces based in Santo-Domingo (now Dominican Republic) in beating back the French forces. The following year, Toussaint changed his named to L’Ouverture (French for “opening”), which some writers say originated from his ability to make openings in the French military’s front lines.

L’Ouverture first believed that the French government should gradually lesson slavery in the colony as a fair approach, but because of the French Revolution and its results, L’Ouverture ended up fighting for the immediate ending of the practice.

French politician Léger-Félicité Sonthonax traveled to the island nation in a bid to stave off the revolution in Saint-Domingue, but later inconspicuously ended slavery in the colony to get the ex-slaves to fight for him and extend his control of rich lands held there.

Under pressure by the masses and the loss of life on either side, France ended slavery in February 1794, mostly due to the leadership of L’Ouverture.

Months later, Spanish forces were wary of L’Ouverture’s control and allegiance with the French. Consequently, many began to break away from his leadership despite its effectiveness, and L’Ouverture switched his allegiance to the French largely because he believed France was ending slavery based on his fighting for the country. L’Ouverture began fighting against his former allies, namely Biassou, who fought exclusively for the Black Spanish forces and was soundly defeated.

By 1795, L’Ouverture was seen as the reason slavery ended on the island.

Even with British forces trying to maintain their small hold, L’Ouverture was able to also push back their forces as France defeated Spain that same year thus leading to a peace treaty.

Many political machinations were afoot during this war, and L’Ouverture’s focus remained on restoring order in Saint-Domingue, even though many ex-slaves feared a return to their former treatment and began small skirmishes that disrupted progress.

Between 1796 and 1797, British forces that held coastal towns and land began to attack, but their forces were largely depleted due to an outbreak of yellow fever. L’Ouverture’s forces easily overtook them as a result, and by 1798, he commanded all of French Saint-Domingue aside from one state held by mulatto general André Rigaud. L’Ouverture clashed with the general in 1799, although his lieutenant Jean-Jacques Dessalines carried out the brutal assault against Rigaud and oversaw the slaughter of mulatto captive soldiers and citizens.

Napoleon Bonaparte, a military leader who came to power in 1799, created new laws for the colonies. Many feared a return to slavery but Napoleon promised to uphold French law so long as L’Ouverture would not invade Santo Domingo.

L’Ouverture proceeded anyway, defeating the small Spanish forces there, gaining control of the entire island.

General Charles Leclerc, Napoleon’s brother-in-law, ordered Napoleon’s troops to the island to strike a diplomatic deal to rule the island, although a secret plot to deport Black officers was in place.

A clash broke out between Napoleon and L’Ouverture forces, which led to a peace talk and eventual treaty in On May 6, 1802. L’Ouverture negotiated amnesty for his generals and agreed to retire to his plantation home.  Shortly after, Leclerc betrayed the agreement and had L’Ouverture arrested and later deported. Leclerc originally asked Lieutenant General Dessalines to arrest L’Ouverture who later refused; the seizure of L’Ouverture was carried out by another general who pretended to be an ally.

Dessalines became the leader of L’Ouverture’s army and led the Haitian rebels to victory, beating Napoleon’s forces in 1803. That same year, L’Ouverture died in a mountain prison in France and warned his captors they would not be successful in silencing the revolution in Saint-Domingue.

Although Toussaint L’Ouverture’s life was often turbulent, he took necessary risks in seeking the emancipation of his people.

L’Ouverture’s fight for equal rights was instrumental in Haiti, with the island gaining its independence from France, proving that togetherness for a common cause is the only way change can truly be achieved.

SEE ALSO: Henry L. Johnson Fends Off German Captors During World War I On This Day In 1918

Nicknamed “Mister Show Business,” Sammy Davis Jr. (pictured throughout) occupies a significant portion of African-American experience in entertainment. Although the singer, dancer, and Rat Pack member was seen by many as an assimilating “uncle Tom,” Davis lived a complex life full of triumphs, failures, and everything in between before his passing in 1990 on this day. NewsOne takes a look back on the life of Sammy Davis Jr.

SEE ALSO: Henry L. Johnson Fends Off German Captors During World War I On This Day In 1918

Born Samuel George Davis on December 8, 1925, in Harlem, parents Samuel Sr. and his Cuban-American Mother Elvera Sanchez were both entertainers. Davis began his career early, performing in a vaudeville troop with his father at the age of 3. In 1933, Davis began his film career, starring in the satirical and often-criticized musical short “Rufus Jones for President.”

Watch Part 1 of “Rufus Jones for President” here:

Davis’ career took a turn during the inception of World War II, when he served in the United States Army. Largely protected from racism by his father and uncle, Will Mastin, Davis experienced prejudice in an extreme fashion for the first time during his time in service. The Army was aware of Davis’ prodigious singing and dancing abilities, so they assigned him to an integrated entertainment unit.

It was under those circumstances that Davis learned to cope with racism.

“My talent was the weapon, the power, the way for me to fight. It was the one way I might hope to affect a man’s thinking,” wrote Davis in one of his autobiographies.  After being discharged from the service, Davis went full speed with his career, recording several albums, touring with his family and landing on Broadway in 1956 with the play “Mr. Wonderful.”

In this file photo, actors, from left to right, Peter Lawford, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Frank Sinatra are shown in the 1960 movie, “Ocean’s Eleven.”

Three years later, Davis joined the Rat Pack, a legendary crew of entertainers and friends that included Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. The Rat Pack made splashes in Hollywood and abroad, most notably with the 1960 film “Ocean’s 11” (pictured above) and 1964’s “Robin and the Seven Hoods.” The troupe also performed stage shows together in various venues, catapulting their fame to high heights.

Davis supported the Civil Rights Movement in a variety of ways, although he was often criticized for hobnobbing with White Hollywood while seemingly snubbing other Black entertainers in favor of his Rat Pack friends. There were also rumblings going around that Davis fronted money for the Italian Mob all while becoming an international celebrity.  In 1972, Davis’ support of then-Republican President Richard Nixon was seen as a slight to the Black community.

Davis married Altovise Gore (pictured below) in 1970, and the ceremony was presided over by Rev. Jesse Jackson. Although the pair remained married until his passing, it was a troubled union sparked by Davis’ personal demons of drug addiction, poor spending habits, and a propensity to focus only on his career and not his family’s needs.

Considering that Davis remained somewhat popular throughout the 1970s, he never regained the star power and faded in to poverty, depression, and basic obscurity.

Davis succumbed to throat cancer in Beverly Hills; this after a delayed surgical procedure was performed to save his life. Davis was resistant to the surgery, as he didn’t want to lose part of his legendary voice. After his death, the Las Vegas Strip, in the city where he often performed for thousands, darkened its lights in tribute to Davis. He is buried next to his father and uncle in Glendale, Calif.

Davis was a polarizing figure indeed.

Although he seemed to take on mannerisms employed by White stars of his day, he couldn’t disguise the fact he was still a Black man. Even his conversion to Judaism was perceived as a ploy to shed his African-American roots, but that only raised intrigue in the man that much more. No matter what has been publicly said about Davis, there is no denying that Sammy Davis, Jr. deserves respect for his talents despite the murkiness of his private life and politics.

Watch Davis perform “The Candy Man” here:

Rest In Powerful Peace, Sammy Davis, Jr.

SEE ALSO: Robert Smalls, Family Escape To Freedom On This Day In 1862

United States Army soldier Henry L. Johnson (pictured), also known as “Black Death,” earned his fearsome nickname in France during World War I. After being ambushed by German forces and taken captive, Johnson freed himself and other soldiers using just a rifle and a knife. His heroic act was rewarded by France officials and has been awarded posthumously several times over. NewsOne takes a look back at the riveting tale of Johnson’s run-in with the Germans as he fought his way to freedom and future glory.

SEE ALSO: Robert Smalls, Family Escape To Freedom On This Day In 1862

Details of Johnson’s early life are scattered, with some historians saying he was born in Alexandria, Va., and others stating North Carolina was his place of birth. What is agreed upon, however, is that he moved to Albany, N.Y., as a teenager and took on a series of odd jobs, including working as a porter at Albany’s Union Station train stop.

While in Albany, Johnson married and had three children but still decided there were adventures to be had outside of upstate New York. Johnson joined the Army in June of 1917 in Brooklyn — just two months after the United States declared war on Germany. Johnson was initially part of a National Guard unit, which was later absorbed by the 369^th Infantry – a mostly African-American group combined with the Ninety-third Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF).

Not surprisingly, the U.S. Army used the AEF as laborers and ship workers. Nearly three-thirds of the 200,000 troops worked in this capacity, and only saw the frontlines within the ranks of the French Army after their forces were heavily depleted. AEF forces also contended with fellow White soldiers, who went as far as slandering their names with a pamphlet warning French civilians about them and citing their “inferior nature.”

Johnson and 17-year-old Needham Roberts were on night watch duty while stationed in France. A German sniper fired off a round at Johnson’s post, and the soldier wisely prepared by grabbing a box of grenades. After the enemy cut wire surrounding his post, Johnson tossed grenades toward the Germans and surprised them. Numbering about 20 deep, the enemy troops returned fire and grenades. Roberts was injured by a German grenade, but he was able to toss Johnson weapons during his defense.

According to Johnson’s personal account, the Germans attempted to take Roberts prisoner, but he was able to fend them off. Surrounded and stuck with a jammed rifle, Johnson took a bolo knife and began slashing at the Germans. They stabbed and beat him, but he did enough damage to save him and his comrade’s life and was assisted by fellow soldiers who came to their aid an hour after the melee began.

Johnson and Roberts suffered several wounds; Johnson had 21 wounds and fainted from his injuries en route to a French hospital. Army officials inspected the site of the clash the next morning and found four German soldiers dead and a large cache of weapons. It was said that there may have been more dead soldiers there, and it appeared that many as 32 Germans stormed the post’s fences.

Johnson was a short, slight man of five feet, four inches, weighing 130 pounds. With a humility that matched his diminutive stature, Johnson did not chase accolades or approval. “There wasn’t anything so fine about it,” he said later. “Just fought for my life. A rabbit would have done that.”

Johnson’s fame and notoriety grew and his troop was dubbed “the Harlem Hell-Fighters” by the French press. France also awarded Johnson with its highest military honor, the Croix de Guerre for his efforts. Although the 369th was met with a parade February 1919 in celebration of their bravery, Johnson was largely unrecognized. Long after his passing in 1929, Johnson’s son, Herman, led an effort to see his father be awarded with the Medal Of Honor.

The Army used Johnson’s image and story to recruit young Black men to its ranks but never rewarded Johnson or his family in any other way.

Herman Johnson finally got part of his wish, though, in 1996, Johnson received the Purple Heart award, and in February 2003, after his father was posthumously awarded with the Distinguished Service Cross in a lavish ceremony in Albany.

An interesting bit of trivia is that Herman Johnson followed in his father’s footsteps and was a World War II pilot as part of the Tuskegee Airmen squad.

There are efforts still by members of Congress and the Johnson family to have the Medal of Honor, the United States military’s most-prestigious award, pinned to the late soldier’s lapel. It would be a shame if this were not to pass, considering Johnson exemplified the true spirit of wartime with his tremendous fighting spirit. Yet, what cannot be removed from the annals of history is the fact a young man made history simply trying to survive.

SEE ALSO: Williams Wells Brown Becomes 1st African-American Published Playwright On This Day In 1858

The life of escaped slave, ship captain, and Republican congressman Robert Smalls (pictured) is an amazing story worthy of the Hollywood treatment. Born in to slavery, Smalls rose from his meager beginnings as a dock worker to planning a daring escape using a Confederate boat he piloted. On this day in 1862, Smalls, 23-years-old at the time, liberated himself and his family in the wee hours of the night.

SEE ALSO: Williams Wells Brown Becomes 1st African-American Published Playwright On This Day In 1858

Smalls was born April 5, 1839, in the small town of Beaufort in South Carolina. His mother was held as a slave by Henry McKee, and she was a descendant of the Lowcountry Gullah people of the coastal Sea Islands. As a preteen, Smalls was leased out in the town of Charleston as a street worker and hotel employee. His desire to be near the sea, however, led him to working on the docks.  As a dockworker, Smalls learned the trade swiftly and eventually became a wheelman (another name for pilot, although the White sailors were reluctant to give Blacks the title) for the “CSS Planter” ship.

Smalls knew the Charleston Harbor region well, and he eventually married hotel maid Hannah Jones. A proud man who desired freedom, he asked their owners to allow them to live with each other in Charleston.

Although he would receive his wish to live in the same house as his wife and children, Smalls contended with the fact that he was still a slave.

Smalls attempted to buy his family’s freedom, but it would cost him $800 to do so and he only had $100 to his name.

It was then when he began to plot the grand escape.

Watch Robert Smalls’ story here:

In the early morning hours of May 13th and with the Civil War taking place around them, Smalls and a crew of fellow enslaved ship workers decided to make a run for the Union’s blockade in hopes of securing freedom from Confederate rule. After the ship’s White crew members stayed ashore to rest, Smalls assumed the guise of the ship’s captain by wearing a similar outfit as to not alert Confederate troops.

Smalls commanded the “Planter” past Confederate gun batteries and gave proper signals for safe passage, riding the current of the Charleston Harbor out toward Union ships. The Union ships formed a blockade as forces moved in for attack, with Smalls stopping at one point at a wharf to pick up his family and members of the crew members’ families as well.

Wisely, Smalls flew a White flag for the Union forces, who had begun drills to fire on the ship, to see. Smalls encountered the Union and handed over the ship and its weapons to the United States Navy and requested to fly the Union’s flag.

Because of his knowledge of Confederate war tactics, the Union Navy put Smalls in their employ.

News of his escape reached papers in the North, making him a famous name. His actions led him to have an audience with President Abraham Lincoln who signed a Congress bill that gave Smalls a $1,500 reward for the capture of the “USS Planter.”

Smalls’ feat led to discussions with President Lincoln to allow African Americans to fight in the armed forces.

In December of 1863, Smalls would become the first Black captain of a vessel in service of the United States.

After the Civil War, Smalls returned to Beaufort and purchased his former master’s home. In a moment of grace, he allowed his former master’s wife to live in the home as well. Smalls went in to business in the town, opening a store for fellow freedmen. Later, as a Republican Party member, he was elected in both the House of Representatives and Senate on separate occasions.

Smalls has been honored time and again in Beaufort, where his home is now a national landmark. In 2004, the Army named one of its ships after him, making it the first vessel to bear an African-American’s name in that branch of the Armed Forces.

Smalls and his escape to freedom and rise to relevancy in the political landscape is an enthralling moment of Black history that deserves to be retold for generations to come.

SEE ALSO: Kentucky Derby Hopeful Plans On Winning, Making History!

Playwright, lecturer, and author Williams Wells Brown (pictured) is recognized for two historic feats in the literary world: He was the first African American to publish a novel in 1853, although “Our Nig” author Harriet Wilson was the first to do so in North America. Wells Brown’s other achievement came when he became the first published African-American playwright with his play, “The Escape: Or, a Leap for Freedom,” which was released on this day in 1858.

SEE ALSO: Inventor And Engineer Elijah McCoy Born On This Day In 1844

Wells Brown was born in to slavery  in Lexington, Ky., in 1814. In an odd twist of fate, Wells Brown’s White father was the cousin of his mother’s owner, who promised not to sell him.

The promise was broken, and Wells Brown was sold several times before the age of 20.

After an earlier attempt to escape from Louisiana, Wells Brown finally slipped away from his captors in 1834, after leaving a steamboat docked in Cincinnati.

Since Ohio was a free state, Wells Brown had some protection.

With the help of a Quaker (from which he took the Wells Brown name), the newly freed steamboat worker would leave his old life behind. Rising swiftly in society, Wells Brown moved to Buffalo, N.Y., working on steamboats while secretly freeing slaves. He would join the abolitionist movement in Buffalo as well as several other groups.

As a lecturer and powerful anti-slavery speaker, Wells Brown became known in the movement. Already a well-known writer from his 1947 memoir “Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave, Written by Himself,” Frederick Douglass was his closest contemporary and reportedly a rival.  Moving to Britain in 1849, Wells Brown published the novel “Clotel” or “The President’s Daughter,” which made him the first African American to do so.

His return to the States came after the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was lifted; Wells Brown rightfully  feared being recaptured as a high-profile speaker. Writing two plays, the later “The Escape: Or, a Leap for Freedom” (pictured at right) was published. Wells Brown was said to use the play as a talking point at abolitionist meetings.

The play was somewhat autobiographical, with Wells Brown focusing on the rampant sexual abuse and violation of Black slaves by White owners.

Wells Brown released several other works, and even backed away from his former nonviolent stances within the abolitionist movement. With his many writings, lectures, and visibility, Wells Brown became one of the most prolific writers of the 19th century.

After settling for many years in the Boston area, Wells Brown would pass away at age 70 on his birthday in 1844.

William Wells Brown may not have the name recognition that some of his peers enjoyed, but his contribution to the arts and the anti-slavery movement are cemented firmly in his words and work.

SEE ALSO: Inventor And Engineer Elijah McCoy Born On This Day In 1844

The popular phrase “the real McCoy” has been tied to Canadian-American inventor and engineer Elijah McCoy and one of his many innovative inventions in the steam engine industry. While the expression has been debated endlessly by scholars, what remains is McCoy’s amazing path to prominence — all sparked by a risky sacrifice made by his parents during slavery times. NewsOne celebrates the life of Elijah McCoy, who was born on this day in 1844.

SEE ALSO: Writer, Activist Eldridge Cleaver Died On This Day In 1998

McCoy was born free in Ontario, Canada, to parents George and Mildred, slaves who escaped Kentucky and fled to the Far North by way of the Underground Railroad. One of 12 children, McCoy’s family settled back in the States in 1847 in Michigan. As a teenager, McCoy was trained in Scotland as an apprentice engineer but was unable to land coveted jobs due to racism. Out of necessity, McCoy worked for the Michigan Central Railroad as an oiler and fireman.

McCoy’s time on the railroad gave him the inspiration for his earlier inventions.

After observing how train axles were oiled, he invented a lubricating cup that distributed oil more efficiently and allowed trains to run longer without manual assistance. Gaining the first of his 57 patents for the cup, McCoy tweaked and worked on lubricating systems almost exclusively. He also branched out with designs for ironing boards, lawn sprinklers, and other machines.

Without the financial backing to produce his inventions, McCoy sold or assigned his patent rights to others. Lubricators bearing McCoy’s name would appear until 1920, toward the end of his fantastic career.

McCoy would create the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company to produce his lubricating machines and operated the company until his passing.

Historians often ignore McCoy’s significant contributions, saying that self-lubricating machines such as his inventions were already in place. While that fact has been proven accurate, there is no discounting the fact McCoy’s cup was an improvement upon the older designs.

And based on his high number of patents — 50 focused on lubrication — he was one of the most-prolific Black inventors of the early 20th Century.

Booker T. Washington recognized McCoy’s achievements in the book “Story Of The Negro” in 1909.

The phrase “the Real McCoy” is largely credited to the inventor, based on railroad workers wanting to use an authentic McCoy oil-cup distributor and asking for it by name.

It’s been said that the origin of the phrase is found in a Canadian novel titled “The Rise And Fall Of The Union” club, which printed in 1881. To this day, this has been accepted as the first occurrence of the expression and is used mostly as an idiom these days.

McCoy married twice, surviving both his wives. His second wife, Mary, died in 1922 after a car accident, where McCoy was severely injured. He would pass away in 1929 in the Eloise Infirmary in Detroit, Mich., on October 10th.

McCoy’s desire to use his training in an industry that saw him as a non-factor and his determination despite the barriers he’s faced is truly inspirational. McCoy earned the respect of his peers and he willed himself into a success story in a time when African Americans were still reeling from the insidious stranglehold of slavery.

McCoy’s legacy lives on in Detroit, with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office naming their first satellite location after the inventor in one of the country’s classiest moves last summer.

Happy Birthday and Rest In Powerful Peace, Elijah McCoy!

SEE ALSO: Rodney King Riots In Los Angeles Began On This Day In 1992

The turbulent life of writer and political activist Eldridge Cleaver (pictured) highlights both the intellectual rise of a former criminal and a slow descent inspired by a series of acts that left a cloud over his fragmented legacy. Cleaver died on this day in 1998 at the age of 62, leaving behind one of the most potent social critiques of his time.

SEE ALSO: Rodney King Riots In Los Angeles Began On This Day In 1992

Cleaver was born in Wabbaseka, Ark., on August 31, 1935. After living in Phoenix with his family as a child, Cleaver eventually settled in Los Angeles. A troubled youth, Cleaver engaged in petty crimes and was a constant fixture at area detention centers. At 18, he entered the infamous Soledad prison on a felony drug charge. Later, he was convicted on several sexual assault charges and served time in the Folsom and San Quentin prisons.

While incarcerated, Cleaver was entranced by the teachings of Malcolm X and began to write a series of essays. Written mostly in Folsom State Prison in 1965, the essays were key to the reformation of Cleaver as he looked to separate himself from his violent criminal past.  Now-defunct political magazine Ramparts published parts of Cleaver’s essays, going on to receive high praise for their in-depth and unflinching revelations of Black America.

The essays were formed into a book titled “Soul On Ice” (pictured below), which was released in 1968. Cleaver’s essays are still often cited by many scholars of the Civil Rights Movement and beyond.

Watch Cleaver discuss America’s neo-colonial oppression here:

After his release in prison in 1966, Cleaver had fully embraced Marxist theories and sought out the militant Oakland-based Black Panther Party. Serving as the Party’s spokesperson, Cleaver began to emerge as a prominent voice among African-American activists of the late 1960s. In 1968, Cleaver’s desire for armed resistance took hold and he led the Panthers on an ambush of Oakland police. The shootout left two officers wounded and 17-year-old Panther member Bobby Hutton (pictured at right) dead.

After the shootout, Cleaver jumped bail and fled to Cuba to avoid an attempted murder charge. He would later live in Algeria then France much later. Cleaver and Huey Newton were at odds with each other on how the Panther Party should proceed in the face of government meddling. Cleaver wanted a more violent approach while Newton wanted to move away from the radicalism of the past.

In 1975, Cleaver returned to the United States and renounced his former militant past by becoming a born-again Christian. The murder chargers he faced as a result of the Oakland police shootout were dropped in 1979.

In a bizarre turn of events, Cleaver became a Mormon in the early 1980s and remained so until the time of his passing. Cleaver also became a conservative Republican, running for office in a pair of failed bids. Just two years outside of running for a Senate seat, Cleaver was placed on probation for burglary and jailed for a short stint after testing positive for cocaine in 1988.

Cleaver’s struggle with drugs never ended, after attempts at rehab proved fruitless. After suffering with poor health for a long time, Cleaver died in Pomona, Calif.

Cleaver’s story is both inspiring and somber all at once. After getting his education while in prison, he learned to examine his former ways with a measurable amount of intelligence. However, his legacy is somewhat tainted by the ensuing actions during his time with the Panthers and beyond. Still, that should not discredit his valuable contributions found in his essays nor should he be judged for trying to discover his own way considering his troubled past.

Rest in peace, Eldridge Cleaver.

SEE ALSO: Ku Klux Klan Holds 1st National Meeting On This Day In 1867

The “Rodney King Riots,” also known as the “Los Angeles Riots,” began this day in 1992, after four Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers were acquitted of charges in the savage beating of Rodney King (pictured below). The racially sparked riots lasted more than six days, with thousands of Angelenos taking to the streets in an especially violent display of protest. Fifty-three people were killed and more than two thousand were said to be injured.

SEE ALSO: Ku Klux Klan Holds 1st National Meeting On This Day In 1867

Back in March of 1991, King and two passengers were driving west on I-210 when he was ordered by California Highway Patrol officers to stop. After leading the officers on a high-speed chase, King stopped the vehicle and was the last to exit. As officers reportedly attempted to subdue King, they beat him, and the entire act was caught on videotape by a nearby resident.

Police initially claimed King was under the influence of drugs, but that was later refuted.

The mostly White jury could not determine if the officers acted excessively, especially since a small clip of the video was allowable in court. On the seventh day of deliberation, the jury acquitted three of the four accused officers after not being able to determine the fate of the fourth.

Officer Stacey Koon had to be escorted by police detail after the verdict was publicly released outside the courtroom. That afternoon, hundreds of rioters began marauding the streets and looting stores. People were attacked and the crowds began to swell and outnumber police forces.

That same day, White trucker Reginald Denny was cornered by rioters and struck violently in the head with a brick. The event took place during live television coverage and unveiled the tension of the riots to those outside of Los Angeles. Gang banger Damian Williams was accused of throwing the brick at Denny and was later said to have attacked construction worker Fidel Lopez.

Watch news coverage of Denny’s beating here:

On the second day of the riots, actor Bill Cosby took to the airwaves on the final episode of his hit series “The Cosby Show” to tell rioters to stop and watch the program. The California National Guard was called in to help assist police but failed to reach the city in adequate time.

On the third day, King held an unplanned news conference in front of his attorney’s home and urged rioters to cease their actions. His famous quote, “People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along?” would ring across televisions for days after the event, which had become serious after National Guard troops moved in with military vehicles and a bolstered police force.

Watch King’s comments here:

Then-President George H.W. Bush spoke on the riots in a public address, echoing the sentiment of then-Mayor Tom Bradley over the violence taking place in Los Angeles.

On the fourth day, Marine and Army troops arrived in the city, although much of the rioting had started to quiet down.  That day, 30,000 people attended a rally for peace and it was formerly announced that a federal investigation of the King case would ensue. In the days after, military troops stayed in the city to make certain all of the riots had been quelled. It was reported that some soldiers remained until almost the end of May.

Relationships between the Korean and African-American community were strained after the riots, as many stores owned by Asians were severely looted and destroyed. However, many Korean store owners denounced police violence and displayed a willingness to march alongside African Americans in a bid to show a semblance of solidarity in the wake of the violence.

In April of 1993, jurors found Officers Laurence Powell and Stacey Koon guilty of the excessive beating of King while the two other officers were acquitted. King was awarded $3.8 million in damages, investing much of his funds in to a failed rap label business. King’s life was troubled; he was arrested a reported 11 times since the encounter with the LAPD.

King died June 17th of last year.

For those who lived through the times of the King case and the riots, it was a firsthand look at how the media’s coverage of an event can both inform and inspire less desirable actions from its viewers. The constant news cycle of today has its roots in the real-time coverage of this tragic and unfortunate event. In its aftermath, we’re reminded that police brutality and a failed justice system nearly upended a city infamous for its treatment of minorities by police. The King case simply revealed what many already knew, and the reaction to the verdict was an expression of frustration years in the making.

SEE ALSO: ‘High Priestess Of Soul’ Nina Simone Died On This Day In 2003

SEE ALSO: Civil Rights, Labor Activist A. Philip Randolph Was Born On This Day In 1889

Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in the small town of Tyron in North Carolina, Simone was a musical prodigy: At age 4, she began piano lessons and singing in her church’s choir. With six other siblings, times were hard in her household, but a generous music teacher gave her special assistance. Winning a scholarship, Simone would head to New York to study at the Juilliard School of Music in the art of classical piano.

With money becoming scarce, Simone dropped out of Juilliard and traveled south to Philadelphia to restart her academic career. When she was rejected by a vaunted music program there, which she claims was racially motivated, she turned her back on classical music and began playing jazz standards.

Eventually, she would start singing along and amassed a following of admirers, such as writers Langston Hughes and James Baldwin in the 1950s. It was then she took the stage name Nina Simone, and her popularity grew.

In the 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement was taking shape and it coincided heavily with the arc of Simone’s career at that point. Growing tired of doing pop music tunes, Simone and then-husband/manager Andrew Stroud shifted her sound to a more radical, message-based path. Simone had never been shy about her African-American roots in song, but in the mid- to- late-’60s, it was apparent she was ready to rise to a new challenge.

Her 1964 album, “Nina Simone In Concert,” featured the stirring “Mississippi Goddamn,” a song she wrote in response to the savage murder of Medgar Evers and the Birmingham church bombings.

Watch Simone perform “Mississippi Goddamn” here:

On the same record, Simone touched upon the racist Jim Crow laws with the song “Old Jim Crow.” The songs catapulted her as a strong voice and fixture of the movement although she preached a far more fiery and violent message in contrast to Martin Luther King’s non-violent practices.

In the 1970s, Simone would embark on a journey that had her traipsing through several countries before settling in France. After returning to America from Barbados, Simone received a warrant for her arrest over unpaid taxes. She refused to pay the government in protest of the Vietnam War. Sensing that she would be detained, Simone lived abroad in Liberia, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Simone recorded heavily between 1974 and 1993 and maintained a busy touring schedule throughout Europe. She would record her final album, “A Single Woman,” in 1993.

Watch Simone perform “A Single Woman” here:

Simone struggled with her health and finances in her final years, but was performing recently as 1999 alongside her daughter, Lisa Stroud (pictured), who sings and acts under the stage name Simone.

Simone passed away in her home from still-unknown causes, although it was rumored to be cancer-related.

Watch Simone perform “The Other Woman” here:

Simone’s stirring and resonant vocals have yet to be re-enacted in current times, which is a testament to just how special her talents were. Although many of her songs possibly would not cut through the cookie-cutter din of today’s market, vocalists and musicians of high repute owe Simone a great deal of gratitude. A powerful woman with an even more powerful voice and message, Nina Simone lives on through song and spirit.

Rest In Powerful Peace, Nina Simone!

SEE ALSO: Critics: Zoe Saldana Is Not ‘Dark-Skinned Enough’ To Play Nina Simone

Labor and civil rights activist A. Philip Randolph made a number of notable contributions in regards to equal rights for Black Americans. Not only did Randolph strive to organize African-American laborers, he was also a prominent leader of the 1963 March On Washington event. On this day, the Florida native was born. Here, NewsOne takes a look back at the life and legacy of A. Philip Randolph.

Born Asa Philip Randolph in Crescent City in the Sunshine State, he was the second son of Rev. James William Randolph and Elizabeth Robinson Randolph.  The family embraced the concept of having sound character and strong values. Rev. Randolph, an AME minister, and Mrs. Randolph taught their children to be educated and also how to defend themselves from anyone looking to harm the family.

The Randolph family moved to Jacksonville, and were active in the community when it came to the rights of Black citizens. Randolph and his brother were capable students and excelled at the Cookman Institute (now Bethune-Cookman University). After graduating, Randolph struggled to find work in the deeply segregated South. With a love for singing and acting, Randolph would uproot himself and head to New York in 1911. He took classes at City College (CUNY), with a focus on English Literature and sociology.

In 1912, he would enact one of his first political demonstrations by co-founding an employment agency called the “Brotherhood of Labor” alongside Columbia University law student Chandler Owen. They began the group after realizing they shared similar socialist views and sought to mobilize Black workers.

Randolph married Harvard graduate Lucille Green (pictured at right) in 1913, then opened the Shakespearean Society in Harlem and was featured in several productions.  In 1917, during World War I, Randolph and Own would work together once more to create political magazine “The Messenger,” which aimed its efforts in promoting fair wages for African Americans and championing on their behalf to be included in the war industry and workforce.

After the war ended, Randolph became more involved with the Socialist Party and labor movement, lecturing at the Rand School of Social Science on occasion. In 1925, he formed the labor group Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) and sought to have them included in the American Federation of Labor (AFL), an organization that denied Black laborers entry in to their group. With a tireless bent, Randolph successfully got the BSCP included in the AFL in 1937, making it the first African-American union group.

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The victory was bittersweet, though, as Black laborers and unions still faced heavy discrimination from racists, so Randolph withdrew his union and began to speak out against racism during the early stages of World War II. Threatening a march on Washington to highlight the discriminatory practices of the war industry, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order that banned racial discrimination of government defense factories and established the first Fair Employment Practices Committee.

Randolph’s efforts continued after the conclusion of World War II; he organized the League for Nonviolent Civil Disobedience Against Military Segregation. The group was responsible for inspiring President Harry S. Truman to pass a 1948 executive order banning racial segregation in the U.S. Armed Forces.

In the 1950s, Randolph began to involve himself in the Civil Rights Movement, organizing prayer vigils and marches to highlight the injustices in the South, especially school integration. In 1963, he was one of the chief organizers of the famous March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, sharing the microphone with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who delivered the iconic “I Have A Dream” speech.

In 1964, Randolph was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon B. Johnson for his efforts at the March and other related causes.  Later he would founded the A. Philip Randolph Institute, an organization aimed at studying the causes of poverty. In 1966, he presented an economic and poverty elimination plan known as the “Freedom Budget.”

After 40 years as the president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, Randolph stepped down in 1968 and retired from public work. He moved to the Chelsea section of Manhattan and worked on his autobiography until his passing in 1979.

A. Philip Randolph was dedicated to the idea of working class individuals gaining the same access and rights that rich and powerful persons enjoyed. His devotion to the excellence and opportunity for African Americans became his hallmark, and his efforts live on to this day via labor unions, voting rights activists, and more.

Happy Birthday and Rest In Powerful Peace, A. Philip Randolph!

SEE ALSO: Nat King Cole Assaulted Onstage By White Supremacists In 1956

Celebrated crooner Nat King Cole (pictured) faced racism for much of his career, even at his Los Angeles home where Ku Klux Klan members set a burning cross on his lawn in the summer of 1948. However, on April 10, 1956, Cole was attacked by a Klan offshoot group while performing in Birmingham, Ala. The group of men attempted to kidnap the singer, and the news of the heinous attack came to light on this day in newspapers nationwide.

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Performing in front of 4,000 in Birmingham’s Municipal Auditorium, aghast onlookers witnessed three White men, who were members of the North Alabama Citizens Council, knock Cole to the ground. Luckily, the attackers were quickly apprehended by police waiting on the sides of the stage and Cole would return to finish his performance in a courageous move.

According to accounts read in Alabama newspaper the Florence Times, the singer was met with a passionate standing ovation and tears from members of the audience who were appalled by what they had seen. Three other men were arrested in the plot, and outside the venue, a car loaded with weapons was found.

At the time, the Council was led by KKK leader and famed novelist Asa “Forrest” Carter, and the attack was said to be part of the group’s plot to stop rock & roll music from being played publicly. The move was an obvious oversight as Cole did not perform music from that genre, but the attack was clearly motivated by racism.

Watch coverage of Cole’s attack here:

Cole was performing with English orchestra band leader Ted Heath at the time, and much of the audience members in attendance were considered part of high society. Considering he was a native of the state, Cole’s response to the attack, though, was controversial at the time:

“I can’t understand it. I have not taken part in any protests. Nor have I joined an organization fighting segregation. Why should they attack me? I’d just like to forget about the whole thing,” said Cole regarding his attack.

His comments prompted NAACP legal counsel Thurgood Marshall to consider him an “Uncle Tom.” NAACP members rejected Cole’s insistence on playing segregated shows and considered him a traitor. After years of berating, Cole would eventually join the Civil Rights Movement and was an active participant of the legendary 1963 March On Washington.

SEE ALSO: Enslaved Human Zoo Captive Ota Benga Ended Life On This Day In 1916

Singer Paul Robeson testifies in Washington June 12, 1956, before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, now probing possible use of passports by communists or fellow travelers. After a furious shouting session between the singer and Chairman Walter (D-PA) and other committee members, the group voted to cite Robeson for contempt. Later, Robeson told a reporter, “There was no contempt – I was just standing my ground.” (AP Photo/Bill Achatz)

Paul Leroy Robeson stands as one of the most accomplished African-American figures that sprung forth from the Harlem Renaissance movement early during the 20^th Century. Excelling in both academics and athletics, Robeson would later take on singing and acting on his way to becoming an international sensation. As time went on, Robeson was briefly active in the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement and other human rights causes.

NewsOne celebrates Robeson’s day of birth, taking a moment to marvel over his many achievements.

Born on this day in 1898 in Princeton, N.J., to parents William and Anna, Robeson and his siblings would encounter tragedy early on. Robeson’s mother perished in a fire when he was six years of age, and his clergyman father uprooted the family to the town of Somerville. There, Robeson excelled in sports and was a standout student. The future actor caught the bug for the stage while at Somerville High School, and he also sang at his church. While he a multi-sport athlete, Robeson won an academic scholarship to Rutgers University by way of a statewide contest, becoming only the third African-American to do so.

Robeson’s time at Rutgers was especially fruitful. He excelled in varsity sports, became an excellent orator, was elected Phi Beta Kappa and was the class valedictorian. After Rutgers, Robeson attended Columbia University’s Law School from 1920 to 1923 and earned his law degree. Marrying fellow Columbia student Eslanda Goode, Robeson worked for a spell as an attorney before racism drove him away. With the backing of his wife as his manager, Robeson took to the stage.

Landing the lead role in “All God’s Chilluns Got Wings,” Robeson’s name grew in the world of theater. Landing the posh role of Brutus in “The Emperor Jones” in production in London, Robeson was catapulted to a new stratosphere. Eslanda drove her husband to singing and acting. He landed a film role as well, after his wife negotiated on his behalf. Living in London for a spell, Robeson began to speak out against world injustice.

His travels took him to the Soviet Union, where he was enamored by the country and its communism political system. Robeson also supported pan-Africanism and did his best to be a champion for Blacks and other oppressed peoples. McCarthyism, the practice of accusing one of treason and conspiracy, coupled with the Cold War, singled out Robeson for his outspoken ways. Although world famous for his portrayal of Othello, he was labeled a Communist and was barred from obtaining a passport in 1950. Later, he was blacklisted from performing in domestic venues and studios.

In 1958, Robeson won the right to have his passport reinstated and was able to travel internationally again. However, his health had begun to deteriorate and he was never same again. That same year, he released his biography “Here I Stand” and continued to gain heavy praise for his work and activism.  Joining the fight for civil rights in the early 1960s, Robeson was continually harassed by government officials and others who unjustly saw him as a traitor. Sticking true to his support of communism, the union between Robeson and the Civil Rights Movement did not pan out.

Robeson died on Jan. 23, 1976 at the age of 77, largely in seclusion. But he was said to still have the same fight for justice burning inside him. A taped quote played at Carnegie Hall during a tribute in 1973, Robeson left this eloquent message:

“Though I have not been able to be active for several years, I want you to know that I am the same Paul, dedicated as ever to the worldwide cause of humanity for freedom, peace and brotherhood.”

Well said, Mr. Robeson. Happy day of birth and rest in powerful peace!

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stands with other civil rights leaders on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., on April 3, 1968, a day before he was assassinated at approximately the same place. From left are Hosea Williams, Jesse Jackson, King, and Ralph Abernathy. The 39-year-old Nobel Laureate was the proponent of non-violence in the 1960′s American civil rights movement. King is honored with a national U.S. holiday celebrated in January. (AP Photo)

The assassination of civil rights leader and clergyman Martin Luther King, Jr. rocked the nation, just as the charismatic and focused activist was rising to heights unknown.

Promoting a message of nonviolence in the face of unrelenting racism and opposition, King unflinchingly took on the responsibility of leading the nation into a new paradigm. Just a day before the tragic death of King, he delivered one of the most rousing speeches of his career. Some say King foretold his fortune that day; others were convinced he was murdered as part of a government plot to silence him.

SEE ALSO: Dr. King Delivers ‘I’ve Been To The Mountaintop’ Speech On This Day In 1968

King was in Memphis, Tenn., where he joined a group of Black sanitation workers who were striking for fair compensation and other rights. On the night of April 3, 1968, he visited the Mason Temple to address workers about the strike. The next day, King and his close ally, Ralph David Abernathy, were rooming at the Lorraine Motel. According to biographer Taylor Branch, King spoke his final words to musician Ben Branch, who was scheduled to play at an event the men were attending that evening.

At 6:01 p.m., a single .30 caliber bullet hit and struck King as he stood on the motel’s balcony. Witnesses saw accused gunman James Earl Ray fleeing the scene. Abernathy heard the shot from inside the room, and rushed to his friend’s aid. Andrew Young was also present, and feared that the leader was dead. After being rushed to a nearby hospital, King was announced dead at 7:05 p.m. after several attempts to revive him.

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Although many leaders and activists, including those from King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), wanted to continue the nonviolent protest in the fallen leader’s honor, others thought differently. Militant leaders such as Stokely Carmichael (later Kwame Toure) and others were forceful in voicing their emotions. Riots began to erupt in cities with large African-American populations such as Washington, D.C., Chicago, Baltimore, and Kansas City.

The King Speech That Is Never Talked About

James Earl Ray was the target of a worldwide manhunt, and was captured at London’s Heathrow Airport two months after firing the shot. The King family and other leaders, including Rev. Jesse Jackson, have long alleged that Ray was simply a scapegoat and that the government carried out the vicious murder of the leader. A civil court case in 1999 affirmed some of those findings and as recent as 2004, Jackson went on record saying that the King assassination was plotted.

The death of King still stings in the hearts of those close to the civil rights icon and those who never knew him. Many leaders since his passing have attempted to follow his mighty footsteps, but none have been nearly as effective or galvanizing. Leaving behind a rich history of devoted activism to bring fairness for all and preaching a message of acceptance, King‘s memory is supplanted by those who continue to strive for equality.

Rest In Powerful Peace, Rev. King.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., is seen in this undated file photo. Martin Luther King Jr., leader in the African-American civil rights movement was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis. (AP Photo)

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s last speech the evening before his assassination was especially resonant, considering the events that followed. Popularly known as the “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop” speech, King delivered the words at the Church Of God In Christ headquarters, Mason Temple, in Memphis, Tenn., on this day in 1968.

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Full of prophetic themes and such, King was addressing the Memphis Sanitation Strike and was galvanizing workers in a call for unity and nonviolent protests. One of the more chilling moments of the speech is the foretelling of his death, which some experts feel was the speech’s most poignant moments.

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Hear Dr. King’s ‘Mountaintop Speech’ Below:

Excerpts from the speech:

If I lived in China or even Russia, or any totalitarian country, maybe I could understand some of these illegal injunctions. Maybe I could understand the denial of certain basic First Amendment privileges, because they hadn’t committed themselves to that over there. But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for rights. And so just as I said, we aren’t going to let dogs or water hoses turn us around. We aren’t going to let any injunction turn us around.

The issue is injustice. The issue is the refusal of Memphis to be fair and honest in its dealings with its public servants, who happen to be sanitation workers. Now, we’ve got to keep attention on that. That’s always the problem with a little violence. You know what happened the other day, and the press dealt only with the window-breaking. I read the articles. They very seldom got around to mentioning the fact that one thousand, three hundred sanitation workers are on strike, and that Memphis is not being fair to them.

And then I got to Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers? … Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t really matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live – a long life; longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will.

Dr. King would be assassinated the very next day at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis at the age of 39.

Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Marvin Gaye remains as one of the most forward-thinking and influential soul musicians of all time.

Although he began his storied career in the Nation’s Capital as a doo-wop crooner, he would find fame at the iconic Motown Records label before later becoming a global sensation. NewsOne celebrates the life of Marvin Gaye, who would have turned 74 years of age today.

Gaye was born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. in Washington, D.C. to his minister father, Marvin Sr., and mother Alberta. Gaye later added the “e” to his name based on Motown’s suggestion. Along with his five siblings, Gaye lived his formative teen years in the city’s Deanwood section. He began singing at the age of four at the Pentecostal church he attended with his family.

Although his father was deeply religious, Gaye would often have to endure brutal beatings and severe punishment. The abuse later led to rebellion, and Gaye would drop out of high school to join several doo-wop vocal groups in the city. At 17, he enlisted in the United States Air Force but was shortly discharged over disobedience and other matters.

See Marvin Sr. and Jr. in rare interview below:

Gaye’s failed military bid led him back to D.C., and he formed a quartet with best friend Reese Palmer called the “Marquees.” Musician Bo Diddley was instrumental in getting the Marquees noticed, and they were signed to a Columbia Records subsidiary. Although the Marquees didn’t make a splash on the charts, the signing wasn’t entirely fruitless. Later, the group met Harvey Fuqua, co-founders of the Moonglows. Fuqua signed the Marquees and changed their name to Harvey and The Moonglows, moving to Chicago to work another Columbia subsidiary.

After the group disbanded, Gaye joined Fuqua in Detroit and worked for Anna Records (a precursor for Motown) as a handyman and odd jobs employee. However, it was a chance meeting with Motown CEO Berry Gordy that turned the tides of Gaye’s career for the better. After hearing Gaye sing at his house, Gordy joined a joint contract agreement with Fuqua and signed him to the label’s Tamla subsidiary.

Working as a session player and drummer, Gaye initially wanted to sing jazz. He would release his first album in 1961 called “The Soulful Moods Of Marvin Gaye” but the album was not a success. He returned to playing drums as a session musician, but things moved up for him in 1962. Gaye would release a string of top ten R&B singles and released an album with singer Mary Wells titled “Together” in 1964. Although the album was a hit, it would be the last for the successful duo.

In 1967, Motown paired him with singer Tammi Terrell and together they made magic. Singles such as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing,” and “You’re All I Need To Get By” made them into superstars. Terrell would later suffer a brain illness and couldn’t continue recording at a high level. Gaye forged ahead with his career, releasing his album “M.P.G.” It was his first successful album.

Terrell died in June of 1970, prompting Gaye to leave the music industry behind for a moment. This decision led to the troubled artist to record one of his most poignant and significant works in the “What’s Going On” album. Gordy and Motown initially resisted the record because of its political messages and themes, but it exploded on the charts. Released in 1971, nearly a year after it was recorded, the success carried over for the release of the “Trouble Man” soundtrack in 1972, the “Let’s Get It On” album in 1973, and sultry “I Want You” record.

1978’s “Here My Dear” album would signal the end of Gaye’s relationship with Motown and the start of his own personal downward spiral. With financial troubles, an ugly divorce case with ex-wife Anna Gordy and maintaining his current marriage with Janis Hunter, Gaye turned to drugs to quiet the din around him. Exiled to Europe to avoid jail time for owed taxes, Gaye toiled about and tried to kick the habit. In 1982, he would release the huge-selling “Midnight Love” album, his first record since leaving Motown. The record spawned the massive hit “Sexual Healing,” catapulting Gaye back into the spotlight.

Still struggling with his past demons, Gaye would perform his gripping rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game at The Forum. After a brief and well-received tour, Gaye would move back home with his parents in Los Angeles. The move jump-started old tensions between Gaye and his father. Reportedly arguing over business documents, Gaye’s father fatally shot his son April 1, 1 1984, just a day short of his 45^th birthday.

Although Gaye’s life ended tragically, the amazing body of work he’s left behind still serves as an inspiration to singers and songwriters the world over. Without Gaye, there is no “neo-soul.” Without Gaye, there is no “quiet storm.” Without Gaye, several artists who enjoy success today by being bare and vulnerable would not have a platform to express their art. By many accounts, Marvin Gaye remains one of the most dynamic vocalists of modern times and his silky vocals are sorely missed.

Happy Birthday and Rest In Powerful Peace To Marvin Gaye!

First lady Nancy Reagan, right, and Maureen Reagan, daughter of the President, applaud Jean Nguyen, second from left, and “Mother” Clara Hale, during President Reagan’s State of the Union speech, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 1985, Washington, D.C. Reagan hailed the two guests as demonstration of the axiom “Anything is possible in America.” The 79-year-old Hale of Harlem works with infants born to heroin addicts. Nguyen arrived in the United States 10 years ago as a refugee from Vietnam and is now graduating from the West Point Military Academy. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

Clara Hale, affectionately known as “Mother Hale,” was a notable humanitarian and caretaker of foster children born to drug addicted parents. After opening her home to small children in the 1940s to be closer to her family and make ends meet, the gesture would morph into her eventual calling to open up the Hale House Center in the late 1960s.

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Today, NewsOne celebrates the life of Clara Hale on her birthday.

Hale was born in Elizabeth City, N. C., with her parents moving to Philadelphia when she was young. As a baby, Hale’s father passed and her mother had to take in temporary renters to keep her and her siblings clothed and fed. Hale remarked that her mother’s capacity to care for her children and others would inspire her later in life. After completing high school, Hale would marry and moved to New York City. Unfortunately her husband would succumb to cancer, leaving her to care for her children Lorraine and Nathan.

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Working as a domestic, Hale began to take in children in her Harlem neighborhood after school. The children were often so attached to Hale that they didn’t want to return to their own homes. Eventually, she began keeping some of children during the week and took them to their parents on weekends. Other parents struggled much as Hale did, so she continued the care-taking service. However, it was her becoming a licensed foster parent that would change the course of her life.

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In 1960, Hale became an official foster parent and she cared for hundreds of children at her home over the years. Known then as Mother Hale, she became a solid landing ground for some of the troubled and under-served youth in Harlem. In 1969, the 64-year-old Hale would become a foster parent to a child born to a cocaine addict. The baby also had the affliction, leading her to open the Hale House to dozens of other children who were addicted to drugs. Hale’s innovative center also served as a shelter and rehabilitation center for drug-addicted mothers, who were required to stay at Hale House until they showed improvement.

In the 1980s, the explosion of drug culture and the rise of HIV negatively affected young mothers and children. In response, Hale would expand her services to care for young mothers and babies suffering with HIV and those children who lost parents to AIDS. In 1991, Hale was said to have cared for over 1,000 children and infants during the inception of the center.

Winning various awards and recognized widely for her charitable acts, Hale would later receive a posthumous tribute from President Ronald Reagan. Hale passed away December 18, 1992. Her daughter Lorraine Hale carried on her mother’s work until 2001.

Hale’s legacy as a selfless caretaker of the less fortunate children of New York City still serves as an inspiration to those in the foster care industry and beyond. The Hale House Center stands today as a living testimony to Ms. Hale’s amazing body of work.

Happy Birthday and Rest In Powerful Peace, Mother Hale!

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The Golden Stool (pictured above, bottom) is the royal throne of the Ashanti, and it is also a spiritual symbol as the tribe believed it held the souls of the people. For years during the end of the 19th century, the Ashanti people clashed with British forces.

In an attempt of peace, British Governor Sir Frederick Hodgson called for a meeting with the Ashanti and boldly asked to sit upon the golden throne.

Having already exiled the tribe’s King Prempeh in 1896, Governor Hodgson made the foolish demand not understanding the offense he made.

Read an excerpt of Governor Hodgson’s speech and demand here:

Where is the Golden Stool? I am the representative of the Paramount Power. Why have you relegated me to this ordinary chair? Why did you not take the opportunity of my coming to Kumasi to bring the Golden Stool for me to sit upon?

Enraged at the British, the Ashanti showed no outward reaction to the Governor. Instead, Queen Mother Yaa Asantewaa (pictured at right), herself a war leader, gathered men to attack the Brits and find their king. Hodgson ordered a search of the throne, which the Ashanti kept hidden from the forces. Asantewaa, seeing fear in the eyes of her soldiers, then delivered a stirring speech to inspire them to go to war.

Yaa Asantewaa to the Ashanti:

Now I see that some of you fear to go forward to fight for our king…in the brave days of Osei Tutu, Okomfo Anokye, and Opoku Ware, chiefs would not sit down to see their king to be taken away without firing a shot. No European could have dared speak to chiefs of Asante in the way the governor spoke to you this morning. Is it true that the bravery of Asante is no more? I cannot believe it. It cannot be! I must say this: if you, the men of Asante, will not go forward, then we will. We, the women, will. I shall call upon my fellow women. We will fight! We will fight till the last of us falls in the battlefields.

Watch Queen Asantewaa’s speech and story here:

Queen Asantewaa’s (also pictured at left) bravery and leadership inspired her people to fight, and for months, they kept the British forces at bay. Using sharp military techniques, Queen Asantewaa and her soldiers cut food supplies, communications, and set up blockades. However, the British would send 1,400 troops and seize the Ashanti fighters.

Although Queen Asantewaa was not able to fight off the reinforcements, they did save the Golden Stool from capture.

Asantewaa and other leaders were exiled from the Gold Coast. She would die in the Seychelles on October 17, 1921. Three years later, King Prempeh returned from exile and would give Asantewaa a proper burial as custom for the Ashanti people. On March 6, 1957, Ghana would declare its independence and became the first sub-Saharan African country to do so.

SEE ALSO: 200 Free Blacks Leave State Of Georgia For Liberia On This Day In 1895

Black inventors were plentiful in the 19th Century, often creating innovative tools and techniques despite a known struggle to be recognized for their hard work. In the annals of Black History, the name Thomas J. Martin may not be immediately familiar, but his work as an inventor is quite notable. In 1872, Martin would make an improvement upon an earlier model of the fire extinguisher and was granted a patent (pictured) for his version of the fire-fighting tool on this day.

SEE ALSO: Pioneering Civil Rights Leader, Journalist Ida B. Wells Died On This Day In 1931

Not much is known about Martin, but what is known is that he lived in the town of Dowagiac in the state of Michigan.  According to research compiled by BlackInventions.org, Martin’s fire extinguisher would wisely be attached to a reservoir of stored water and used to spray burning fires.

Below is a description of the invention from the awarded patent:

The nature of invention relates to the construction, arrangement and combination of suitable pipes and valves for conducting water from suitable reservoirs to buildings by means of stationary engines, for the purpose of preventing or extinguishing fires in dwellings, mills, factories, towns and cities and may also be used for warning, ventilating and washing buildings and for washing pavements and sprinkling streets.

Although British Captain George William Manby is credited with creating the modern style of the fire extinguisher in 1818, Martin’s improved version is often regarded as the first practical use of the machinery by some historians.

SEE ALSO: Enslaved Human Zoo Captive Ota Benga Ended Life On This Day In 1916

Ida Bell Wells-Barnett (pictured) was a pioneering journalist, newspaper editor, and lecturer. Not only was she one of the early civil rights leaders of her time, she also championed women’s rights and was part of the women’s suffrage movement. After a rich and active life, Wells would pass away in Chicago on this day in 1931.

SEE ALSO: Enslaved Human Zoo Captive Ota Benga Ended Life On This Day In 1916

Wells was born during the height of the Civil War to slave parents on July 16, 1862, in Holly Springs, Miss. After losing her parents and a sibling to the Yellow Fever epidemic, Wells was orphaned at 16 and left to care for her five brothers and sisters. With her father instilling the importance of education early on, Wells would become a teacher in the rural town to support her family. Wells blossomed during this time, and so did her responsibilities.

Moving to Memphis with her family, Wells attended Fisk University for a brief spell. Her move to Tennessee would be where she would find her life’s calling as a journalist. After purchasing a first-class ticket from Memphis to Nashville in 1884, Wells was forced from the train after refusing to give up her seat. Suing the train company, she would win a $500 settlement that was later overturned by the state’s Supreme Court.

Inspired by the breakdown of the case, Wells began to write about race and politics in the Deep South.

Using the moniker “Iola,” she would be published in several small Black news outlets and eventually came to be the owner of the “Memphis Free Speech and Headlight” paper. While Wells worked as a teacher in Memphis at a segregated public school, she became openly critical of the conditions of the “Blacks Only” facilities.

She was later fired from her job as a result of her criticism.

After a lynching in Memphis by a White mob, Wells would begin reporting on the racist practice. Traveling for months in the South, she would gather leads and information for her editorial pieces. Because of her writing, Whites were offended and destroyed her newspaper’s offices while she was away in New York. Remaining in the North, Wells would write several anti-lynching reports and became a known activist and commentator. Lecturing also became her passion and she used her platform to call for reforms in the lynching practice.

In her “Lynch Law in America” article, which was published in 1900, she wrote:

Not only are two hundred men and women put to death annually, on the average, in this country by mobs, but these lives are taken with the greatest publicity. In many instances the leading citizens aid and abet by their presence when they do not participate, and the leading journals inflame the public mind to the lynching point with scare-head articles and offers of rewards.

Whenever a burning is advertised to take place, the railroads run excursions, photographs are taken, and the same jubilee is indulged in that characterized the public hangings of one hundred years ago. There is, however, this difference: in those old days the multitude that stood by was permitted only to guy or jeer. The nineteenth century lynching mob cuts off ears, toes, and fingers, strips off flesh, and distributes portions of the body as souvenirs among the crowd.

If the leaders of the mob are so minded, coal-oil is poured over the body and the victim is then roasted to death. This has been done in Texarkana and Paris, Tex., in Bardswell, Ky., and in Newman, Ga. In Paris the officers of the law delivered the prisoner to the mob. The mayor gave the school children a holiday and the railroads ran excursion trains so that the people might see a human being burned to death.

In Texarkana, the year before, men and boys amused themselves by cutting off strips of flesh and thrusting knives into their helpless victim. At Newman, Ga., of the present year, the mob tried every conceivable torture to compel the victim to cry out and confess, before they set fire to the faggots that burned him. But their trouble was all in vain–he never uttered a cry, and they could not make him confess. . . .

Starting the National Association of Colored Women in 1896, she would later begin work with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People before later cutting her ties with the group. Wells cited that at the time, the NAACP lacked programs that called for action and clashed with her more activist stances.  Continuing to work on behalf of women’s rights, she joined forces with the National Equal Rights League.

As her health began to fail, Wells still made an impact as a vocal champion of justice; however, kidney disease would overtake Wells and she passed away from the condition in Chicago at the age of 69.

Watch Wells-Barnett’s life here:

Wells left behind writings, speeches, and a record of protests that marks her as one of the early heroes of Black America. Her tireless work and desire to see that African-American men and women entered a level playing field with their White counterparts counts her as one of the most-revolutionary figures of our time.

Rest In Powerful Peace, Ida B. Wells!

SEE ALSO: 200 Free Blacks Leave State Of Georgia For Liberia On This Day In 1895

President Barack Obama has used the second term of his presidency to make a series of moves that have figured prominently in defining the African-American experience. After honoring Civil Rights pioneer Rosa Parks with a statue inside the U.S. Capitol building last month, President Obama will announce the designation of five monuments, two of which feature icons of Black History in Harriet Tubman (picture above) and Charles Young (pictured below).

SEE ALSO: Enslaved Human Zoo Captive Ota Benga Ended Life On This Day In 1916

On Monday (March 25th), Obama will sign proclamations to designate the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument in Maryland as a National Monument under the Antiquities Act.  The new park will be housed in Maryland’s Eastern Shore of the famed Chesapeake Bay.

Tubman is perhaps the most-well-known “conductor” of the Railroad, which helped enslaved African Americans gain freedom. Stewart’s Canal, the tunnel dug by the hands of freedmen and slaves, will be a part of the park’s many exhibits. The park will also be the site of the home of Jacob Jackson, a free man who used an elaborate system to assist Tubman in communicating with family and friends.

The new site will house the State of Maryland’s Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park Visitor Center and will open to the public in 2015.  The monument will be maintained by the National Park Service.

Also under the Antiquities Act, the President will sign another proclamation designating the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Ohio. This monument will serve to historically preserve the home of Col. Charles Young (pictured at right), the third African American to graduate from the West Point military academy. Young was also the first Black man to receive the rank of colonel and also made history as an early park service administrator before the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916.

Since Young was a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, the group made Young’s home available to the government, jump starting the development of the monument and historic site. Located in the town of Wilberforce, Ohio, the National Park Service will maintain the grounds.

Three additional monuments will be announced and they include: First State National Monument in Delaware; Río Grande del Norte National Monument in New Mexico; and San Juan Islands National Monument in Washington State.

SEE ALSO: 200 Free Blacks Leave State Of Georgia For Liberia On This Day In 1895

The sad tale of Ota Benga (pictured) highlights the many racially motivated atrocities Black people faced even as the dawn of the 20th century was unfolding. A Congolese native and Mbuti pygmy, Benga suffered under America’s racist practices as part of an exhibit for the St. Louis World Fair. Benga, snatched away from his home under the gaze of a businessman and missionary, would later be put on display at the Bronx Zoo’s “Monkey House” exhibit. Dismayed that he couldn’t return to his native land, Benga would commit suicide on this day in 1916.

SEE ALSO: 200 Free Blacks Leave State Of Georgia For Liberia On This Day In 1895

Benga narrowly escaped enslavement and death as his lands were invaded by Belgium forces. Losing his family and children to the Belgian military force, Benga survived but was later captured by slave traders.

American businessman and missionary Samuel Phillips Verner (pictured at right) was sent to Africa by the St. Louis World Fair officials to bring a group of pygmies back to the States for an exhibition.

Anthropologist W.J. McGee wanted an assortment of races to study as part of plan to highlight the theory of “cultural evolution” as he called it.

Verner was able to negotiate Benga’s freedom with a pound of salt and some cloth, which gained him favor in the eyes of the suspicious Mbuti tribesman.

It was later written that because of Verner’s gesture in freeing Benga, it allowed him to persuade other Africans to join the effort in returning to America.

Benga was the most curious of them all, and the group left their home. Upon arrival, Benga was a sensation for the onlookers. As was the tradition for his people, Benga’s teeth were filed into sharp points and local papers referred to him as a “cannibal” and other such names.

Verner, ill with malaria in 1904 when they arrived, couldn’t protect the group from crowds who wanted to gawk at them. McGee tried to allow the Africans space to live as they did before in forests, but the spectators grew too immense. At one point, military forces were called in to command the crowds and Benga would imitate their moves, according to accounts.

Benga and Verner would return to the Congo, with the pygmies later living among the Batwa people. Benga married a Batwa woman, but she later died of a snakebite. Returning back to America with Verner, he lived in a spare room at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Benga was allowed to stay in the museum ,but Verner was cast out for asking for too much money to house the pygmy. Benga worked as a host at the building, but he was later asked to leave after a violent outburst with a guest.

Benga also made several attempts to escape to no avail.

After a relatively innocent visit to the Bronx Zoo in 1906, Benga was given freedom to run the grounds before zoo officials slyly convinced the man to live in the Monkey House.

An exhibit was erected, and unknown to Benga, he was exploited.

Black clergymen decried Benga’s involvement in the exhibit, which brought unwanted negative attention to the zoo.

Rev. James H. Gordon, one of the clergymen who protested Benga’s time in the zoo, got custody of the pygmy after the zoo ousted him. After entering an orphanage, Benga was later moved to Lynchburg, Va., and started learning English. Gordon had Benga’s teeth capped and dressed him as a southerner. Becoming independent, Benga would find work at a local tobacco plant. Longing to return home, Benga began planning to get back to his beloved Congo.

In 1914, however, World War I erupted and made such a trip nearly impossible. Depressed over his failed prospects, Benga would commit suicide by firing a borrowed revolver in to his chest after chipping the caps off his teeth and starting a ceremonial fire.

Phillips Verner Bradford, the grandson of Samuel Phillips Verner, would publish a book in 1992 titled “Ota Benga: The Pygmy in the Zoo.”

SEE ALSO: African Americans Protested For Voting Rights In Pennsylvania On This Day In 1838

For much of the 19th century, the Society for the Colonization of Free People of Color of America, later known as the American Colonization Society (ACS), assisted in efforts for former slaves to return to Africa. The ACS’ Quaker and evangelical abolitionist founders established Liberia as a colony for freedmen, which was sparked by the earlier efforts of the wealthy Black ship owner Paul Cuffee (pictured below). On this day with the help of the ACS, 200 free Blacks left Savannah, Ga., in 1895 and returned to their home continent.

SEE ALSO: African Americans Protested For Voting Rights In Pennsylvania On This Day In 1838

Then-President Grover Cleveland named former slave and diplomat William Henry (Harrison) Heard (pictured at top) Minister Resident and Consul General to Liberia a month before the trip. Arriving in Monrovia, Liberia, Heard served as superintendent of the Liberia Annual Conference of the A.M.E. Church and built the first A.M.E. church, Eliza Turner Memorial Chapel, in the city, which stands today.

Liberia was unique in the massive “Back-To-Africa” movement because it was begun as neither a native state nor former European colony.

The ACS, who abhorred slavery, established the country’s roots because Southern states, looking to rid themselves of freed Blacks after the Civil War, wanted Liberia to take on the freedmen, even though many middle class African Americans wanted to establish roots in America.

Either way, while the Quakers and evangelicals fought against slavery, many among them did not want to mix with the newly freed slaves.

Unfortunately, it would take the Americo-Liberians nearly a century to be accepted by other countrymen and tribes on the continent, with many natives seeing the migratory group as invaders.

SEE ALSO: Rose Fortune, Canada’s 1st Female Police Officer, Born On This Day In 1774

SEE ALSO: Rose Fortune, Canada’s 1st Female Police Officer, Born On This Day In 1774

Around the tail end of the Civil War, many African Americans began to challenge the status quo, especially in the North where many Black people thrived in varying areas of society.

Desiring the same rights as their White counterparts, they would launch a series of campaigns regarding their citizenship and place in the world.

A year prior to the protest, the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention of 1837 disenfranchised Blacks and constitutionally barred them from the electoral process. Although many petitioned against the ruling, their call went unheard at the convention.

The following year, a large gathering of African Americans went to the Convention to issue an appeal statement decrying the ruling and offered a moving and humbling statement:

What have we done to forfeit the inestimable benefits of this charter? Why should tax-paying colored men, any more than other tax-payers, be deprived of the right of voting for their representatives? It was said in the Convention that this government belongs to the Whites. We have already shown this to be false, as to the past. Those who established our present government designed it equally for all. . . . . .

We love our native country, much as it has wronged us; and in the peaceable exercise of our inalienable rights, we will cling to it. The immortal Franklin, and his fellow laborers in the cause of humanity, have bound us to our homes here with the chains of gratitude. We are PENNSYLVANIANS, and we hope to see the day when Pennsylvania will have reason to be proud of us, as we believe she has now none to be ashamed! Will you starve our patriotism?. . .

Firm upon our Pennsylvania BILL OF RIGHTS, and trusting in a God of Truth and justice, we lay our claim before you, with the warning that no amendments of the present Constitution can compensate for the loss of its foundation principle of equal rights, nor for the conversion into enemies of 40,000 friends.

Although free Blacks in Pennsylvania had the right to vote before the new state constitution rule was implemented, many did not participate in the practice.

It was not until the right was snatched away that African Americans in the state realized the gravity of their previous inaction.

As expected, the eloquent statement fell on deaf ears, during a time when racism and segregationist rule had deeply implanted roots in America. Other protests would ensue, but it would not be until the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965 before a semblance of balance would be restored.

SEE ALSO: Happy 81st Birthday To Civil Rights Activist, Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young

SEE ALSO: Happy 80th Birthday To Civil Rights Activist, Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young

Although Black Loyalists were free, opportunities for employment were scarce for them. Fortune didn’t rest on her laurels, though. Instead, she started a baggage and luggage delivery business in 1825 using little more than a wheelbarrow. As her delivery business grew, Fortune later started an alert “wake-up call” service for passengers at inns who needed to make it to the docks for departing ships. As a result of her work on the docks, she began to monitor activity on the wharves.

Setting curfews at the wharves and surrounding areas, Fortune effectively appointed herself as Annapolis Royal’s police officer, making her the first female police officer in Canada.

Fortune’s delivery service continued to thrive, expanding in 1841 to include horse-driven wagons instead of her customary wheelbarrow. After Fortune passed in 1864, her grandson Albert Lewis took over the business and family descendants continued the service until 1980.

In Fortune’s honor, the Association of Black Law Enforcers began a scholarship in her name. Fortune’s descendant, Daurene Lewis (pictured), would eventually become Canada’s first Black female mayor in 1984. Lewis would pass away January 26th of this year.

SEE ALSO: Black New Orleans Dock Workers Attacked By White Mob On This Day In 1895

Andrew Young (pictured throughout) has not been in public office since 1990, but his contributions as a politician to the Civil Rights Movement and his service as an elected official have catapulted him to legendary status. Even after a failed gubernatorial bid, Young has gone on to do amazing work as a private citizen. Today, NewsOne celebrates another milestone of Young as he reaches the rich age of 81 today.

SEE ALSO: Black New Orleans Dock Workers Attacked By White Mob On This Day In 1895

Born in 1932 in New Orleans to parents Andrew Sr., a dentist, and Daisy Fuller, a schoolteacher, Young benefited from a middle-class upbringing that was rare for many African Americans during the Great Depression. By Young’s own admission, he didn’t take advantage of his good fortunes and nearly failed out of Howard University but eventually graduated in 1951. It was expected that Young would enter the dentistry field, but he went on to obtain a divinity degree from Hartford Theological Seminary in Connecticut.

Young’s path to becoming the pastor of Bethany Congregational Church in Thomasville, Ga., in 1955 also placed him squarely in the mix of the burgeoning fight for equal rights. Although the times were turbulent, Young organized voting registration drives and other activities centered on civil rights despite the obstacles faced.

In 1961, Young would leave his pastoral post and joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), leading workshops on non-violent protests and community organizing. Young rose within the ranks of the SCLC, becoming the group’s executive director and a close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Young was with King during the 1968 assassination of the beloved orator and leader.

Afterward, Young thrust himself in to the world of politics, winning Georgia’s Fifth District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Young was the first African American since Reconstruction to be elected to Congress from Georgia.

Young was joined by Texas congresswoman Barbara Jordan as the first Blacks from the South to be elected to Congress in the 20th Century.

Young would serve two terms as a representative, resigning from the office in 1977. During that time, then-president Jimmy Carter tapped Young to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and he held the post until 1979. Unfortunately, Young’s time in the post was marred with controversy because of the so-called “Andy Young Affair,” where Young met privately with Palestinian officials causing Israel to balk. He was asked to resign by Carter shortly after.

Young returned to Atlanta and was later elected mayor in 1981 over Maynard Jackson. It marked the first time in history a Black mayor would pass the reigns to another person of color. Young would later run for governor in 1989, losing a 1990 Democratic primary bid. From there, Young decided not to pursue politics any further.

In 1994, President Bill Clinton and South African President Nelson Mandela appointed Young as the chairman of the Southern Africa Enterprise Development Fund.

Young would release a biography in 1996 titled “A Way Out of No Way: The Spiritual Memoirs of Andrew Young.” A later book, “Walk in My Shoes: Conversations between a Civil Rights Legend and his Godson on the Journey Ahead with Kabir Sehgal,” was released in 2010.

Largely out of the public eye except for television stints and his professorial position at Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Young is still considered one of Black America’s brightest political superstars.

Happy Birthday, Andrew Young!

(Correction: Andrew Young turned 81, not 80.)

SEE ALSO: ‘Bloody Sunday’ March Took Place 48 Years Ago On This Day In 1965

Toward the end of the 19th century, labor and the distribution of jobs between Blacks and Whites became the centerpiece of a heinous attack that resulted in a riot that left six African-American workers dead. White workers, angered at the prospect that Black laborers were taking their jobs, launched their violent offensive on this day in 1895 in New Orleans.

SEE ALSO: Expert: Black Unemployment Compounded By White Favoritism During Hiring

According to research compiled by the  University of Richmond, the conflict had roots starting in February of that year. The Harrison Steamship Line of Liverpool (pictured) fired a number of unionized White longshoremen and crewmen, electing instead to hire 300 non-union and inexperienced Black dock workers. The move, apparently a bid to save monetary resources, was copied by other shipping businesses with the claim that it wasn’t about cutting costs but instead conducting sound business.

On March 11th, a group of White laborers went uptown to confront the Black workers in a show of solidarity. Surprisingly, police deterred the crowd and moved the throng along. An hour later, however, a shot was fired, which struck worker Philip L. Fisher in the back.

The shot was the launching point for the riots that ensued.

The next day, two riots fueled by tensions of workers assisting with the loading of cotton shipping boats sparked off. The unionized White workers felt that the Blacks were undermining their ability to earn instead of coming to an amicable consensus.

Six Black workers were dead and the mobs that attacked and killed the men were never charged.

On March 13th of that year, Black workers, fearing for their safety, did not report to work. Although the state offered protection to the dock workers to return to the docks, it was about a month before they returned to their posts. A grand jury investigation was subsequently launched and many arrests were made.

The White rioters avoided jail time for their crimes, and shortly after, their powerful labor union would disband.

SEE ALSO: ‘Bloody Sunday’ March Took Place 48 Years Ago On This Day In 1965

The historic “Selma to Montgomery marches,” with the first of the three protest marches known as “Bloody Sunday,” highlighted a turbulent time of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) led voter registration drives in the small town of Selma, Ala., with the intent of combating White resistance toward African Americans gaining rights to vote in elections.

SEE ALSO: Prince Hall, Group Of African Americans Admitted To Freemasonry On This Day In 1775

Along with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the gathering of activists held several demonstrations to protest the death of fellow protester Jimmie Lee Jackson (pictured in below portrait) who was shot and killed by Alabama State Trooper James Bonard Fowler.

On March 7th, more than 600 hundred marchers led by the SNCC and SCLC gathered in Selma to march in solidarity. Coupled with the original aim of the protest, marchers also wanted to call attention to the denial of their voting rights. With the 1964 Civil Rights Act passing, King and other leaders hoped the gathering would speed along the opportunity for fairness.

Led by current Georgia congressman John Lewis (then-chairman of the SNCC) and Rev. Hosea Williams of the SCLC, the marchers were undeterred until they reached the Edmund Pettus Bridge that crosses the Alabama River heading in to Montgomery.

RELATED: Montgomery Police Chief Apologizes To Freedom Rider Rep. John Lewis

Police gathered and formed a wall barring the passing of the marchers, after Sheriff Jim Clark called all able-bodied White men to become temporary deputies and assist in enforcement.

When Rev. Williams tried to peacefully reason with the officers, shoving matches ensued and the carnage began: officers fired tear gas in to the crowd and began beating the non-violent protesters with billy clubs.

The aggressive actions of the Alabama police force were televised nationally and around the world, sparking fierce debate and renewed support for the Civil Rights Movement. Reports vary, but between 17 and 50 people were injured and hospitalized with one woman, Amelia Boynton, nearly beaten to death.

Watch real-time news coverage of Bloody Sunday here:

Defiantly, Dr. King roused nationwide support for a following march known as “Turnaround Tuesday” and returned to Selma on March 9th.

Although the SCLC tried to legally obtain a court order to march to Montgomery, they were denied the document. The march went on, but in order to stay within legal means, King did not violate the court order and instead instructed the 2,500 walkers to turn around after a short prayer.

It was known that the SNCC wanted more radical action compared to the peaceful tactics of the SCLC, but King was able to manage the tensions between the groups. On March 21 and under federal protection, a massive group of 8,000 marched successfully to Montgomery and were met with a “Stars For Freedom” rally, featuring Sammy Davis, Jr., Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, Nina Simone, and more.

Sadly, Ku Klux Klan members angered by the protests killed two White persons who supported the marchers and their movement.

It would be several months until the Voting Rights Act Of 1965 would pass in August of that year, solidifying that the SNCC’s and SCLC’s hard work was not in vain.

With Blacks in Alabama finally able to vote without being blocked by racist authority figures, Sherriff Clark was voted out immediately.

The Selma marches show that through concerted effort and some measurable pain, African Americans were able to withstand the brunt of racism and achieve heights long denied to them simply because of racism.

Today, many of us reap the benefits of the Selma marchers’ determination to create a fair and balanced life for all.

SEE ALSO: The Little-Known Lynching Story Of Postmaster Frazier Baker

NewsOne honors the GAME CHANGERS: Everyday heroes whose actions make life better for the people around them. SEE ALL OUR GAME CHANGERS HERE.

Byron Patrick Hurt

Place of Residence: New Jersey

Why He’s a Game Changer: Hurt’s documentary “Soul Food Junkies” takes a serious look at the fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, pigs’ feet and salty pork-seasoned collard greens that many of us grew up on and asks an important question: Is our culture killing us?

SEE ALSO: Whitney Houston: FBI Files Reveal Singer Had Been Threatened, Blackmailed

In a way, you can argue that that’s the theme of much of Hurt’s work. His previous film, “Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes,” examines misogyny, homophobia, and sexism in hip-hop.

“I’d say I’m trying to make the culture better and stronger and challenge people to think critically about their culture,” said Hurt.

The food that our forebearers ate and then passed down to us holds an important place in our hearts. It links us to the past. But what happens when it exacerbates already high rates of diabetes and heart disease?

“Slaves did what they needed to do to survive and make it through harsh times,” Hurt told KQED.  “Then that way of cooking got passed down from generation to generation. And today there is a reluctance to let go of the vestiges of the way of life of our forefathers and foremothers, even though things have changed: foods are now processed and full of chemicals and we’re not as active as previous generations.”

Dick Gregory calls soul food “death food” in the documentary.

But does that mean letting go of those traditions entirely? Not necessarily.

Not every soul food dish has to be cooked in grease. Deep fried chicken can become oven fried chicken. Greens can be cooked with turkey as opposed to ham hocks. A variety of herbs can season food well and replace the need for a slathering of salt. Isn’t a side of collard greens better than the greasy Chinese fast food I see so many kids scoffing down? Or what about all the processed food I see loaded into the shopping carts of black and brown shoppers at the supermarket?

And don’t forget that in many predominately minority areas, it’s easier to buy a 40 ounce than 40 ounces of fresh vegetables.

Hurt uses his own family as an example of how food choices can affect your life.:

It was my sister who set the first example in my family, when she changed to a plant-based diet and I saw how healthy she looked. I had started to gain weight in my late 20s and early 30s. I realized that not being involved in athletics anymore [Hurt was a football quarterback in college], I couldn’t continue to eat and eat and eat the same way I had been. So I changed my diet and lost weight and felt better. My mom was more open than my father. She was a nurturer. She changed the way she cooked because she wanted to make us happy.

Hurt’s dad resisted and died at an early age due to pancreatic cancer. He was overweight and in poor health when he came down with the disease.

But it doesn’t have to be that way, according to food activist and eco-chef Bryant Terry:

When people say African-American cuisine, they think it’s synonymous with Soul Food, the deep-fried fatty meats like fried chicken and sugary desserts like red velvet cake — which used to be just for holidays and celebrations. I’m not necessarily trying to discard those completely but get people to recognize these are only a part of our food ways. Things have changed over the past 40 to 50 years. My grandparents had an urban farm. They grew vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Any dietician would tell you we should all be eating more fruit and vegetables. Somehow growing food has taken on the meaning of being backward and just country folk. But it is vital to our society.

That’s why Hurt sees the film as part of a larger, important conversation about food and health and social justice. He tells NPR:

And so, you know, the point with my film is not to throw the entire tradition out, you know, in the trash, but it’s really to say we can continue to enjoy our great tradition if we change the way we prepare it and the way that we cook it — to make modifications, and that’s really what the film is suggesting.

But we also have to pay attention to some other larger food issues that are affecting our community too — like the fast food industry and processed food, you know, that is so easily accessible and readily accessible in our neighborhoods.

So, you know, while the film uses soul food as a jumping off point, it’s a much bigger conversation about food and our relationship to food as a community, which may be a factor in what’s making us so sick.

Check out this hilarious clip from “Soul Food Junkies,” where Hurt runs in to a little Southern Hospitality wrapped in pigs’ feet and turkey necks:

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The fraternal tradition of freemasonry in North America began as a predominately White organization between the 16th and 17th century. Today, many African Americans belong to a group of Masons named after abolitionist Prince Hall, who is known as the Father of Black Freemasonry, and on this day, he and 14 other African Americans were initiated as Masons in 1775.

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Hall, born in 1735, rose to prominence as a politically active abolitionist and activist who fought for the protection of free Blacks in the North from kidnappers and traders from the South. Other accounts also say that Hall petitioned for African Americans to return back to their native continent.

Hall was also involved in fighting for equal treatment of Black schoolchildren in comparison to their White counterparts. Serving as an educator himself, Hall’s contributions to the improvement of African Americans and their living conditions are vast.

In the 18th century, many Free Blacks in the North wanted the same access to platforms that Whites enjoyed, such as those in the political and social arenas. Freemasonry was one such area that was exclusive to Whites, although the group shared philosophies with Hall and had his admiration.

Just before the American Revolutionary War, Hall and 14 other Black men tried to gain admittance to Boston’s St. John’s Lodge. Turned away and causing a stir among Whites who wanted no parts of his group, Hall and the others went looking at other lodges.

On this day, Hall and the 14 men were made masons at Lodge No. 441 of the Irish Registry.

The occasion marked the first time men of color achieved the lofty status. A year later, however, the conflict between America and England escalated and the lodge dissolved. The move left Hall and his newly initiated brothers without a lodge of their own. Hall and the others were granted permission to meet as a lodge and perform masonic burial rituals but could not do other Freemason work. Known as the African Lodge, the group thrived although they still fought for acceptance from White masons.

The African Grand Lodge would finally go independent, and 20 years after Hall’s passing in 1807, the group would finally declare themselves as separate from the White Grand Lodge.

In 1847, the group changed their name from the African Grand Lodge to Prince Hall Grand Lodge as it is known today. The group has members around the globe, with 5,000 lodges and 47 grand lodges all around the world.

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