Physician Rachel Keith dies on this date.

Three African American actors win Golden Globes on this date in Hollywood, California. Forest Whitaker wins Best Actor for his role as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. Eddie Murphy wins Best Supporting Actor for his role as James "Thunder" Early in Dreamgirls, and Jennifer Hudson wins Best Supporting Actress in her debut role as Effie White in Dreamgirls.

Entertainer and songwriter Thornton James "Pookie" Hudson dies on this date in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Hudson was the lead singer in the group, The Spaniels.

Educational Administrator Ruth Brett Quarles dies.

Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy becomes the first African American to win the Superbowl beating fellow African American head coach Lovie Smith's Chicago Bears on this date in Miami, Florida.

U.S. Olympic long jumper and two-time silver medalist Willye B. White dies on this date.

U.S. Senator Barack Obama announces his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Presidency on this date in Springfield, Illinois.

Jazz musician Eldee Young dies on this day in Thailand where he was performing. Young was 71 years old.

Former pro basketball player Dennis Johnson dies on this date at the age of 52. Johnson was a three-time NBA world champion and a five-time NBA All-Star.

Amazon Brooks dies on this date in Chicago, Illinois.

Singer and actress Jennifer Hudson becomes the third African American to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Dreamgirls on this date in Hollywood, California.

Veteran actor Forest Whitaker becomes the fourth African American to win the Academy Award for his portrayal of former Ugandan President Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland on this date in Hollywood, California. Whitaker's other film credits include The Crying Game, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai and Good Morning Vietnam.

Founder & Director, Boys Choir of Harlem Walter J. Turnbull dies.

Six Tuskegee Airmen, including Roscoe Brown, Jr., are awarded Congressional Gold Medals by President George W. Bush on this date in Washington, D.C. for their heroic actions during World War II.

Former Grambling State University football coach Eddie Robinson dies on this date. Robinson retired from coaching in 1997 with 408 victories, the most wins by any football coach in college history at the time of his retirement. Robinson was 88 years old.

Actor Roscoe Lee Browne dies.

Historian and autor Roland McConnell dies on this date at the age of 97.

Actress and motivational speaker Yolanda King, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King's eldest daughter, dies on this date in Santa Monica, California at the age of 51.

Actor and comedian Carl Wright dies on this date in Chicago, Illinois. Wright is best known for his film roles in Soulfood, Barbershop and Big Momma's House. Wright also co-hosted a Chicago cable access show entitled Blues and More with Pervis Spann.

Former U.S. Congressman, Maryland Parren J. Mitchell dies

African filmmaker Ousmane Sembene's family announced publicly that he died on this date in Dakar, Senegal. Sembene is widely known as the Father of African Cinema.

Cartoonist Robert “Buck” Brown dies on this date in Olympia Fields, Illinois. Brown’s cartoons appeared in Ebony, Jet, The New Yorker and his most famous cartoon, “Granny” appeared in Playboy magazine. He was 71 years old.

Civil Rights Attorney Oliver Hill dies

San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds breaks Henry Aaron's career homerun record on this date in San Francisco. Bonds hit his career 756th homerun surpassing Hall of Famer Henry Aaron on the Major League's all-time career homeruns list.

Educational Psychologist Asa Hilliard dies

Jazz precussionist Max Roach dies on this date in New York City.

Artist Allan Crite dies

Dentist Dr. Daniel Collins dies

Golf Instructor Julius Richardson dies

Photojournalist Ernest C. Withers dies

Educator and mother of hip hop artist Kanye West, Donda West dies on this date in Los Angeles, California.

U.S. Congressman, California Augustus Hawkins dies

Railroad Chef Boots Shepard dies

Newspaper publisher Frances Murphy II dies on this date in Baltimore, Maryland. Murphy was 85 years old.

Corporate Lawyer Reynaldo Glover dies

Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson dies on this date in Mississauga, Ontario.