The 99th Flying Training Squadron, previously the 99th Pursuit Squadron, was created as the first African American fighter group on this day in 1941. Since their training started in Tuskegee, the 99th became known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
In honor of Dr. King’s birthday celebration, a bust of his was placed in the Capitol in Washington, DC on this day in 1986. A few days later, the First celebration of the King Holiday took place across the nation.
On this day in 1978, NASA announced its Astronaut class of 35 that included the first African Americans: Major Guion Bluford, Dr. Ronald McNair, and Colonel Frederick Gregory.
McNair Bluford Gregory
Deborah Kaye Allen, actress, producer, dancer, choreographer, singer, and songwriter was born on this day in 1950 in Houston, Texas. In the last thirty years, she has won awards such as a Tony, an Emmy, and a Golden Globe.
Aaliyah Dana Haughton, singer, model, and an actress, was born on this day in 1979 in Brooklyn, New York. After commercial success singing and acting, she died in a plane crash at the age of 22.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. is an African American sorority organized on this day in 1920 on the campus of Howard University.
“Now the other thing we'll have to do is this: Always anchor our external direct action with the power of economic withdrawal. Now, we are poor people. Individually, we are poor when you compare us with white society in America. We are poor. Never stop and forget that collectively -- that means all of us together -- collectively we are richer than all the nations in the world, with the exception of nine. Did you ever think about that? After you leave the United States, Soviet Russia, Great Britain, West Germany, France, and I could name the others, the American Negro collectively is richer than most nations of the world. We have an annual income of more than thirty billion dollars a year, which is more than all of the exports of the United States, and more than the national budget of Canada. Did you know that? That's power right there if we know how to pool it.”
MLK, Jr, 1968
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