Ella Fitzgerald, famed jazz singer known for her “skat” style of singing, was born in Newport News, VA, on this date in 1918. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ella Fitzgerald was born in 1917 and raised in Yonkers, a New York suburb. She got into singing by accident. At the age of 15, she entered an amateur night talent […]
In this execlusive report by NewsOne, correspondent Stacy Samuel looks into Al Sharpton’s movement from firebrand to a elder statesman in the civil rights movement, and the televised conversation with Cornel West. Sharpton says during the interview “A lot of Blacks in the intellectual circles have a problem with me because of class issues,” Sharpton […]
Chalese Jenelle Brown Anyone with information on the disappearance of 16-year-old Chalese Jenelle Brown is urged to call Baltimore County Police Department at 410-307-2020 or 410-853-3650. . She was last seen on March 28 at about 6:45 a.m. at her home in the 1600-block of Wentworth Avenue in Parkville. Her mother reported her missing on […]
Dr. Charles Richard Drew ,pioneer in blood plasma research, died in a car accident in Burlington, NC,on April 1,1950. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dr. Charles Richard Drew was the first person to develop the blood bank. His introduction of a system for the storing of blood plasma revolutionized the medical profession. Drew first utilized his system on the […]
Booker Taliaferro was born a mulatto slave in Franklin Country on 5th April, 1856. His father was an unknown white man and his mother, the slave of James Burroughs, a small farmer in Virginia. Later, his mother married the slave, Washington Ferguson. When Booker entered school he took the name of his stepfather and became […]
Jack Johnson, boxing’s first Black Heavyweight Champion, was born March 31, 1878 Galveston, TX. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TO LEARN MORE OF THIS PERSON VISIT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY.
Sammy Davis, Jr., legendary entertainer, received the 53rd NAACP Spingarn Medal on this March 30, 1969 for :his multi-faceted talent, his participation in the civil rights movement, and for his dedication to freedom, justice, quality, and the brotherhood of all mankind. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TO LEARN MORE OF THIS PERSON VISIT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY.
Pearl Bailey ,famed entertainer ,was born in Newport News,VA, on March 29,1918. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pearl Bailey was a singer and actress known for her talent, warmth and genuine style. Her career spanned over six decades (1933 – 1990) and she was successful in many different entertainment venues – Nightclubs, Broadway, Movies and Television. Pearl Bailey began […]
At the time of Bessie Smith’s birth in Chattanooga, Tennesee, blacks were so little thought of that no record was made; only the date she gave on her marriage license leads us to give the year as 1894. At the time of her death her funeral was among the largest ever held in Philadelphia. Bessie […]
Ma Rainey was born Gertrude Pridgett in Columbus, Georgia, on April 26, 1886, to minstrel troupers-Thomas Pridgett, Sr. and Ella Allen-Pridgett. Rainey worked at the Springer Opera House in 1900, performing as a singer and dancer in the local talent show, “A Bunch of Blackberries.” On February 2, 1904, Pridgett married comedy songster William “Pa” […]