People, Locations, Episodes

The Rivonia Trial (South Africa) Begins

*On this date in 1963, the Rivonia Trial in South Africa began. The Rivonia Trial led to the imprisonment of the accused, who were convicted of sabotage and sentenced to life at the Palace of Justice, Pretoria. Charges were:  · Recruiting persons for training in the preparation and use of explosives and guerrilla warfare for […]

Zanzibar Gains Independence From Britain

On this date in 1963, Zanzibar gained its independence from Britain.

The history of Zanzibar is out of proportion with its size. Simply to mention the name Zanzibar is to conjure up an air of mystery. Sultans, ivory, slaves, spices, navigators, and explorers–words that start to tell the story of Zanzibar.

The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party is Formed

*On this date in 1964, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) was formed.  Also referred to as the Freedom Democratic Party, it was an American political party created as a branch of the populist Freedom Democratic organization in Mississippi during the 20th-century American Civil Rights Movement. Blacks and whites organized it from Mississippi to challenge the established power of the Mississippi Democratic Party, which at the time allowed participation only […]

The 1964 Civil Rights Act is Passed

On this date in 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act.

John F. Kennedy had argued for a new Civil Rights Act during the 1960 presidential election. But for the next two years, over 70 per cent of the African American vote went to Kennedy, the new president did nothing to promote this legislation.

The Civil Rights bill was brought before Congress in 1963. Kennedy presented arguments in favor of it on June 11 in a speech on television. Kennedy’s Civil Rights bill was still being debated by Congress when he was assassinated in November 1963.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is Enacted

On this date in 1964, the Civil Rights Act was enacted into law in America. The first of three such legislations was an attempt to deal with the increasing demands of African Americans for equal rights.

Malawi Gains Independence From Britain

*On this date in 1964, Malawi gained independence from Britain.   This occurred almost 80 years after the European invasion and the Berlin Conference.  In 1961, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) gained a majority in the Legislative Council elections, and Banda became Prime Minister in 1963. The Federation was dissolved in 1963, and the following […]

Gambia Gains Its Independence From the UK

*On this date in 1964, the Gambia Independence Act 1964 was issued.  This was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that gave independence to The Gambia with effect from February 18, 1965.   This episode happened 80 years after the Berlin Conference convened.  It marked the high point of white European competition […]

Elaine Weddington Steward, Sports Lawyer born

*The birth of Elaine Weddington Steward is celebrated on this date in 1964. She is a Black Lawyer and administrator. Born in New York City, Steward was hired by the New York Mets. She won the Jackie Robinson Foundation program scholarship in sports management to attend St. John’s University and graduated with honors, earning a […]

Kamala Harris, Politician born

*Kamala Harris was born on this date in 1964. She is a Black politician and community advocate. From Oakland, California, Harris is the daughter of a Tamil Indian mother, Dr. Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a breast cancer researcher who emigrated from Chennai, India, in 1960, and a Jamaican American father, Donald Harris, a Stanford University economics […]

Kenya Achieves Independence From Britain

On this date Jomo Kenyatta was elected the first minister of the newly independent Kenya.

As an independent country, Kenya was initially a constitutional monarchy, with the British monarch as its nominal head of state and a prime minister as head of the government. Although the British hoped to hand over power to moderates, when Kenya became independent, it was the Kenya African National Union (KANU) of Jomo Kenyatta that formed a government shortly before Kenya became independent in December 1963.

Hicks v. Knight is Filed

On this date in 1965, Hicks v. Knight was filed.  The suit, aimed against Bogalusa Chief of Police Claxton Knight, argued that police “must protect black demonstrators instead of harassing them, beating them, arresting them, and leaving them at the mercy of white mobs.” The racial episode at Cassidy Park, especially the canine attack on […]

The 1965 American Voting Rights Act is Passed

*On this date the American Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed into law. The most sweeping reforms were embodied in the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The Voting History of Black Women in America, a story

*On this date in 1965, Black women and voting history in America is briefly shared.  Black women in America began to agitate for political rights in the 1830s, creating Female Anti-Slavery Societies in New York and Philadelphia. These interracial groups were radical expressions of women’s political ideals, leading directly to voting rights activism before and after the […]

LeRoy W. Homer, Pilot, and 9/11 Hero born

*LeRoy Homer, Jr. was born on this date in 1965. He was an African American pilot.

Guyana Gains Independence From Britain

*On this date in 1966, Guyana gained independence from Britain. Located in Northeastern South America, Guyana’s recorded history began in 1499, when Alonso de Ojeda’s first expedition arrived from Spain at the Essequibo River through the Middle Passage. The Guyana story has been shaped by the many national and ethnic groups and the colonial policies […]