Valentine Black History Connections

February 14, 2011 Posted by TiffenyC in Features

Valentine Black History Connections

Today is that special day dedicated for families, spouses, friends, & associates to express there love for one another. In lieu of Black History month I decided to post some interesting facts about a few notable African Americas born on Valentine’s day.

Gregory Hines-Most notable for being an African American actor, singer, dancer, director, and choreographer. He was the tap dance king in the eyes of many. He studied dance with master tap dancer Henry Le Tang and spent much of his early career dancing at the Apollo Theater, gleaning knowledge from such fellow performers as the Nicholas Brothers and Sandman Sims.
Moneta Sleet-Won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography for his photograph of Martin Luther King, Jr.‘s widow, Coretta Scott King, at Dr. King’s funeral. Sleet is the first African American man to win the Pulitzer, and the first African American to win award for journalism.
Richard Allen-Was a minister, educator, writer, and the founder in 1816 of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME), the first independent black denomination in the United States. He opened his first church in 1794 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was elected the first bishop of the AME Church. Allen had started as a Methodist preacher but wanted to establish a black congregation independent of white control. The AME church is the oldest denomination among independent African-American churches.
Charlotta Bass-An American educator, newspaper publisher-editor, and civil rights activist. Bass was probably the first African American woman to own and operate her own newspaper in the United States; she published the California Eagle from 1912 until 1951. In 1952 Bass became the first African American woman nominated for Vice President, as a candidate of the Progressive Party.
Oliver Harrington-He was multi-ethnic descent, was called by Langston Hughes, “America’s greatest African-American cartoonist,” an assessment that has stood the test of time. An outspoken advocate against racism and for civil rights in the United States, Harrington lived in East Berlin for the last three decades of his life.