ON THIS DAY IN BLACK HISTORY 2014

ON THIS DATE: March 5, 1770 On this day, Crispus Attucks, an escaped slave became the first man killed in the cause of America's freedom. This event is better known as the Boston Massacre. Attucks and over 5,000 other Blacks fought in the American Revolution.

ON THIS DATE: March 3, 1865 The Freeman's Bureau was established by Congress on March 3, The bureau was designed to protect the interests of former slaves. This included helping them to find new employment and to improve educational and health facilities. In the year that followed the bureau spent 17,000,000 establishing 4,000 schools, 100 hospitals and providing homes and food for former slaves.

12 Years a Slave made history Sunday night as the first film directed by a black man, with a predominately black cast, to win an Oscar for best picture. Lupita Nyongo takes the Oscar for best supporting actress. Director Steve McQueen accepts the best picture award for 12 Years a Slave.

ON THIS DATE: February 27, 1834 Father Patrick Francis Healy, the first Black awarded a Ph.D. degree, was born in Georgia on this date in First African-American to head a college (Georgetown): 1873 Patrick was born into slavery in Macon, Georgia, to the Irish-American plantation owner Michael Healy and his bi-racial slave Mary Eliza. Because of the law of slavery that children took the status of the mother, Patrick and his siblings were legally considered slaves, although they were three-quarters or more European in ancestry. This is Patrick Francis Healy. He was considered black…. What do you think? He was not allowed to receive an education in Georgia because he was legally considered black. His father sent him north and he passed as white…

ON THIS DATE: February 25, 1964 Cassius Clay, boxing legend, changed his name to Muhammad Ali after converting to Islam on this date in 1964 It was immediately after winning his first heavyweight title (KO of Sonny Liston, round seven) No, I am not going 10,000 miles to help murder, kill, and burn other people to simply help continue the domination of white slavemasters over dark people the world over. This is the day and age when such evil injustice must come to an end. Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?"

ON THIS DATE: February 21, 1933 Nina Simone, entertainer known as the "High Priestess of Soul," was born in Tryon, NC, on this date in Simone recorded the highly acclaimed "I Love You Porgy" in Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone in upcoming movie… Nina Simone - I Loves You Porgy

ON THIS DATE: February 19, 1919 W.E.B. Du Bois, activist, author, and educator, organized the first Pan- African Congress in Paris on this date in The treatment of Black soldiers who were fighting in World War I was a major topic that was addressed. There were fifty-seven delegates sixteen from the United States and fourteen from Africa form sixteen countries and colonies.

ON THIS DATE: February 11, 1990 Nelson Mandela, South Africa's Black nationalist leader, was released from prison after 27 years on this date in Four years after his release, he was elected President of South Africa.

ON THIS DATE: February 10, 1927 Leontyne Price, world- renowned lyric soprano and the first Black to sing opera on television, was born in Jackson, MS, on this date in She rose to international fame in the 1950s and 60s, and became the first black "superstar" at the once- segregated Metropolitan Opera. Video: Leontyne Price -"O Patria Mia-"O Patria Mia Video: NEA Opera Honors: Leontyne Price TributeLeontyne Price Tribute

ON THIS DATE: February 7, 1926 Carter G. Woodson creates Negro History Week. In 1976 it became Black History Month. Purpose was to bring national attention to the contributions of black people throughout American history. Woodson chose the second week of February for Negro History Week because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the black American population, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

ON THIS DATE: February 4, 1913 Rosa L. Parks, civil rights activist and inspiration for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, was born in Tuskegee, AL, on this date in Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus led to the historical year-long boycott of the bus system.

ON THIS DATE: January 30, 1787 Sojourner Truth (Isabella Baumfree), preacher, abolitionist, speaker, and women's rights advocate, was born a slave in Hurley, NY, on this date in 1787.