JANUARY 1, 1916:

The Journal of Negro History was founded as a quarterly research journal. It was founded by Carter G. Woodson.

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JANUARY 2, 1965:

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, to formerly launch the voting campaign, Protests and voter registration drives began again in Selma.

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JANUARY 3, 1989:

The Arsenio Hall Show premiered. It was the first regularly scheduled nightly talk show to star an African American.

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 JANUARY 4, 1961:

Theotis Robinson Jr., Charles Edgar Blair, and Willie Mae Gillespie began classes at the University of TN. They were the first African Americans enrolled as undergraduate students.

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JANUARY 5:

This day is George Washington Carver Day. This day is the anniversary of George Washington Carver's death in 1943.

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JANUARY 6, 1869:

Howard University School of Law started as Howard University Law Department, under the leadership of Professor John Mercer Langston. 

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JANUARY 7, 1955:

Marian Anderson made her Metropolitan Opera debut, becoming the first African American to sing a leading role with the company. 

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JANUARY 8, 1975:

Alabama Educational Television Commission had its application for license renewal denied by the Federal Communication Commission because of the racial discrimination against African Americans in employment and programming.

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JANUARY 9, 1866:

Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, opened its doors to newly freed slaves and held its first classes on this day.

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JANUARY 10, 2017:

Barack Obama's farewell address in Chicago was the final public speech of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States.

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JANUARY 11, 1978:

Toni Morrison won the National Book Critics Circle Award for "Song of Solomon."

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JANUARY 12, 1948:

In the Sipuel v. Board of Regents case the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously (9-0) to force the University of Oklahoma Law school to admit Ada Lois Sipuel, the school's first African American student. 

 

 

JANUARY 13, 1953:

Don Barksdale became the first Black person to play in an NBA All-Star Game.

 

 

JANUARY 14, 1970:

Diana Ross and the Supremes performed their final concert at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

 

 

JANUARY 15, 1908:

The first Black Greek letter sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, was founded at Howard University.

Three more Black Greek Letter sororities have been founded since this date.

Delta Sigma Theta was founded on January 13, 1913 at Howard University.

Zeta Phi Beta was founded on January 16, 1920 at Howard University.

Sigma Gamma Rho was founded on November 12, 1922

at Butler University.

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JANUARY 16, 1967:

Lucius Amerson was sworn in as sheriff in Alabama. He became the first African-American sheriff elected in the South since Reconstruction.

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JANUARY 17, 2000:

More than 46,000 rallied at the state capitol in Columbia, South Carolina to protest the Confederate battle flag flying atop the statehouse dome. Sponsors of the march included

the NAACp, the Urban League, and the AME Church.

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JANUARY 18, 1958:

Willie O'Ree of the Boston Bruins became the first African American to play in the National Hockey League.

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JANUARY 19, 2000:

Michael Jordan joined the Washington Wizards as part owner and President of Basketball Operations, overseeing all aspects of the team.

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JANUARY 20, 2009 AND 2021:

In 2009, Barack Obama was inaugurated as the first Back president. In 2021, Kamala Harris was inaugurated as the first Black vice president and the first woman.

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JANUARY 21, 2007:

Lovie Smith became the first Black head coach to make it to the Super Bowl. Hours later, Tony Dungy became the second. This Super Bowl, on Feb. 4 2007, was the first Super Bowl with a

black coach.   

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JANUARY 22, 1994:

Actress Angela Bassett won the Golden Globe for best actress in a motion picture, comedy or musical for her portrayal of Tina Turner in the biopic "What's Love Got to Do With It."

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JANUARY 23, 2018:

Lebron James crossed the 30,000 career points threshold. He became the youngest player and seventh all-time to reach 30,000 career points.

 

  

JANUARY 24, 2001:

The United States Postal Service issued the Roy Wilkins stamp.

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JANUARY 25, 1980:

Black Entertainment Television (BET), the first black owned company to be listed on NYCE, began broadcasting.

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JANUARY 26, 1990:

Elaine Weddington Steward was promoted to assistant general manager for the Boston Red Sox. She was the first woman to ever be promoted to that position and the second Black person. 

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JANUARY 27, 1973:

"Superstition" the lead single from Stevie wonder's Talking Book album became his second No. 1 single in the US, 10 years after his first No. 1 hit.

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JANUARY 28, 1986:

Ronald McNair, an African-American astronaut, was killed on the Space Shuttle Challenger. A booster engine failed, causing the Shuttle Challenger to break apart just 73 seconds after launch. All seven crew members died.

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 JANUARY 29, 1926:

Violette N. Anderson was the first African American woman admitted to practice before the Supreme Court.

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JANUARY 30, 2018:

The U.S. Postal Service issued the Lena Horne Stamp in the "Black Heritage" series.

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JANUARY 31, 1934:

Etta Moten Barnett sang at the birthday party for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She became the first African American to sing at the White House.

 

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