People, Locations, Episodes

Alberta W. King is Killed

On this date in 1974, Mrs. Alberta Williams King, the mother of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was shot and killed.

The murder happened as Mrs. King sat at the organ in the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Suddenly, Marcus Wayne Chenault, 23, opened fire with two revolvers. “I’m tired of all this!” he screamed. He wounded three people, two of them, Mrs. King and Deacon Edward Boykin, died.

Milliken v. Bradley is Decided

*On this date in 1974, Milliken v. Bradley was decided. This was a significant United States Supreme Court case dealing with the planned desegregation busing of public school students across district lines among 53 school districts in metropolitan Detroit. It concerned the plans to integrate public schools in the United States following the Brown v. Board […]

Racism In Boy Scouts of LDS In Utah

On this date in 1974, a 12-year-old African American Boy Scout was denied a senior patrol leadership in his troop because he was Black.

The Dinkinesh Fossils is Discovered

*On this date in 1974, Australopithecus afarensis, or AL 288-1, was discovered in Ethiopia. Several hundred bone fossils representing 40 percent of the skeleton of a female of the hominin species were found. In Ethiopia, the assembly is known as Dinkinesh, which means “you are marvelous” in the Amharic language.  In the Western language, the […]

Elijah Muhammad Dies

*On this date in 1975, Elijah Muhammad died. He was an African American Black Muslim, who was leader of the Nation of Islam from 1934 until his death.

Black Coach Wins A Pro Basketball Championship

On this date in 1975, Al Attles became one of the first African American coach to win a professional championship in any team sport.

On that Sunday afternoon, his Golden State Warriors swept the Washington Bullets 4 games to 0 with a 96 to 95 victory in the NBA finals. The Bullets were coached by K.C. Jones, another African American. Attles coached the Warriors until 1983, compiling a 557-518 record overall.

Mozambique Gains Independence From Portugal

On this date in 1975, Mozambique gained its independence from Portugal. The exodus of most whites, which formed the technical and professional class, weakened the nation’s economy.

The first multi-party elections in Mozambique were held in October 1994. Chissano was elected president with 53.3 percent of the vote and his Frelimo Party received a majority in the assembly with 129 out of 250 seats. Renamo Party leader Afonso Dhlakama received 33.7 percent of the vote and the party garnered 112 seats in the assembly. Some 90 percent of eligible voters participated in the election.

Amadou Diallo, Student and Police Brutality Victim born

*Amadou Diallo was born on this date in 1975. He was an immigrant student. Diallo was born in Liberia, the eldest of four children of relatively prosperous parents. He grew up in Liberia, Guinea, neighboring Togo, and Thailand. Diallo was the eldest of four children born to Kadiatou Diallo and Amadou Saikou Diallo. He attended the International […]

Suriname Gains Independence From The Netherlands

*On this date in 1975. Suriname gained complete independence from the Netherlands. During World War II, on November 23, 1941, under an agreement with the Netherlands government-in-exile, the United States sent 2,000 soldiers to Suriname to protect the bauxite mines from supporting the Allies’ war effort. In 1942, the Dutch government-in-exile reviewed the relations between […]

The Soweto Uprising Begins

*On this date in 1976, The Soweto uprising occurred. Also called the Soweto riots were three days of demonstrations and protests led by black youths in South Africa. Black South African high school students in Soweto protested the Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974, which forced all black schools to use Afrikaans and English in equal terms as languages of […]

The Mini-Series ‘Roots’ Airs on Television

*On this date in 1977, ABC-TV began televising the Roots mini-series. This television show (which would go on to be the most watched mini-series in history), was based on Alex Haley’s book.

The January 30th installment (final episode) became the third most watch TV program in history with a 51% rating.

North Carolina Accepts Interracial Marriage

On this date in 1971, the first legal interracial marriage in North Carolina took place.

John A. Wilkinson’s marriage to Lorraine Mary Turner was officially recognized by that state. Wilkinson was Black and Turner was white.

North Carolina was one of over 15 states in 1967 whose laws were eventually changed to accept interracial marriage legally.

The Martinican Independent Movement is Formed

*On this date in 1978, the Martinican Independence Movement, or M.I.M., was formed. This is a left-wing political party in the overseas department of Martinique, West Indies.   Alfred Marie-Jeanne founded it to secure “the decolonization and independence of Martinique.” Its secretary is the deputy and president of the Regional Council of Martinique. It has one […]

Reed v. Rhodes is Decided

*On this date in 1978. Reed v. Rhodes was decided. This was a desegregation case of the Cleveland Public School system. African American parents voiced the first rumblings of discontent in the late 1950s. The protests reverberated through the city streets during the early 1960s. Against this backdrop, the National Association for the Advancement of […]

The Full Employment Bill is Signed

On this date in 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed the Hawkins-Humphrey Full Employment Bill.

Co-authored and sponsored by black Congressman Augustus F. Hawkins, with Minnesota Senator Hubert H. Humphrey, a leading champion of civil rights, this act was also called the “Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act.”