Pharmacist Dr. Henry Lewis III is born in Tallahassee, Florida.

UPS executive Calvin Darden is born in Buffalo, New York.

Author Bebe Moore Campbell is born on this date in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Journalist Lena Williams is born on this date in Washington, D.C. Williams was the senior writer at The New York Times.

William Grayson Mitchell is born in Mobile, Alabama. He will become a journalist and public relations consultant.

Jazz musician Bobby McFerrin, known for his hit "Don't Worry Be Happy" is born on this date in New York City.

William Warfield, acclaimed vocalist, has his debut recital at New York’s Town Hall. Twenty-five years later, a gala event attended by thousands of his fans and admirers celebrated his triumphant recital at Carnegie Hall's Duke Ellington Center in New York.

Publisher 1962">Rosalind Harris is born.

Robert Foster is born on this date in Cashville, South Carolina.

Charles Drew, surgeon, professor, and blood plasma researcher, noted for his pioneering research regarding methods of blood preservation and collection and responsible for revolutionizing medicine by creating two of the world's largest blood banks, dies at the age of forty-six.

Carter G. Woodson, the father of African American history and scholarship, passes away on this date.

Youth organizer Rev. Eugene F. Rivers, III is born on this date in Boston, Massachusetts.

Thomas W. Dortch Jr., community leader, is born in Toccoa, Georgia.

Attorney Theodore V. Wells, Jr. is born.

Gwendolyn Brooks, an accomplished poet whose formative works appeared in The Chicago Defender, becomes the first African American to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

Charles "Chuck" Cooper became the first Black drafted into the NBA on this date by the Boston Celtics.

Oscar DePriest died on this date in Chicago, Illinois. DePriest became the first Black to win a seat in the House of Representatives in the 20th Century. He was also the first Black to serve in the city council of Chicago as Alderman of the Second Ward.

Multitalented songwriter and musician Stevie Wonder was born on this date in Saginaw, Michigan. His given name was Steveland Judkins Morris. Stevie Wonder began recording music at the age of 12. Some of his hits include Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Sir Duke, and Higher Ground. He was inducted into the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

Bill Campbell, television personality at WLS-TV, is born on Chicago’s South Side in Illinois.

Corporate Lawyer 1971">Cheryl Blackwell Bryson is born.

In McLaurin v. Oklahoma, the Supreme Court rules that the segregation of black students in a school with a racially mixed student body is unconstitutional.

The American Medical Association seats its first Black delegates at its convention on this date.

Athlete, actor, and activist Paul Robeson called for 0">President Truman to stop sending troops to Korea on this date at a Civil Rights Congress rally. Robeson told Blacks they should fight for freedon here in America, instead of fight a war in Korea.

CEO and company president Ralph Sheldon Tyler is born on this date in Cleveland, Ohio.

Black troops of the 24th Regiment won the first victory for the U.S. in the Korean War on this date by recapturing Yechon, Korea.

Jazz Pianist Ghalib Ghallab is born.

President of the Interdenominational Theological Center Michael Battle is born in St. Louis, Missouri.

Fashion Artist & Painter Glenn Tunstull is born.

President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Freeman Hrabowski is born in Birmingham, Alabama.

Judge Edith Sampson was named delegate to the United Nations on this date. She became the first Africa American woman to hold such a position.

Former NFL player and attorney Eddie Jenkins, Jr. is born on this date in Jacksonville, Florida.

Harvard professor and author Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was born on this date in Keyser, West Virginia.

Ralph Bunche is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his successful mediation of the dispute between Israel and the Arab States.

Teacher & Talk Show Host Maureen Forte is born.

Author Khephra Burns is born on this date.

Journalist Luther Keith is born on this date in Detroit, Michigan.

Journalist Iola Johnson is born on this date in Texarkana, Arkansas.

Community Activist & Newspaper Columnist Jamala Rogers is born.

Astronaut Ronald McNair was born on this date in Lake City, South Carolina. McNair earned a Ph.D. in physics from M.I.T. and joined NASA several years later. He and all his crew members were killed during the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger in January of 1986.

Television Executive Jocelyn Dorsey is born.

Dr. Alexa Canady was born on this date in Lansing, Michigan. Canaday went on to become the first Black woman neurosurgeon.

Neurosurgeon Dr. Alexa Canady-Davis is born.

Poet & Author E. Ethelbert Miller is born.

Lecturer & Author Dennis Kimbro is born