Black History Month originated in 1926, founded by Carter G. Woodson and was created to celebrate achievements, births, important timelines, events and to remember those we lost.
February 5: This Day in Black History was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
1. Trayvon Martin
1995- The late Trayvon Martin was born on February 5, 1995 to Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin. Martin was shot and killed on February 26, 2012 in Sanford, Florida by George Zimmerman. On July 13, 2013, a jury acquitted Zimmerman of murder.
2. Hank Aaron
1934: Major league baseball’s leading homerun hitter, Hank Aaron,was born on this day in Mobile, AL. He retired with a career total of 755 in 1976. (Photo: Retna)
3. Barrett Strong
1941: Singer and first artist to record a hit for Motown, Barrett Strong, was born on this day. He is also a Grammy award wining songwriter and inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is 72 years old. (Photo: Retna)
4. Armstrong Williams
1959: Columnist, political activist, TV/Radio host and writer, Armstrong Williams, was born on this day in Marion, SC. He is 54 years old. (AP/Photo)
5. The Shirelles
1961: The Shirelles ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ went to Number 1 on this day. (Photo: YouTube)
6. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
1965: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gets a big welcome from several youngsters at Marion, Alabama during visit after his release from jail in nearby Selma on this date. (AP Photo/Horace Cort)
7. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
1965: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shown with a congressional delegation after his release from jail on this day in Selma, Alabama. The group, headed by Rep. Charles Diggs, D-Mich, left, came to Selma to observe the racial situation first hand. At right is Rev. Ralph Abernathy, an associate of King who was jailed with him. (AP Photo)
8. Sugar Ray Leonard
1977: Sugar Ray Leonard beat Luis Vega in his first professional fight that went six rounds on this day. (Photo: AP)
9. New Edition
1983: The newly formed New Edition made their New York performance debut at the world famous Copacabana on this day. (Photo: YouTube)
10. Chuck Cooper
1984: Chuck Cooper, the first African American player drafted by an NBA team (The Boston Celtics) passed away on this day. (Photo: AP)
11. Law Student Barack Obama
1990: Law student Barack Obama became the first African Americann named president of the Harvard Law Review on this day. (Photo: AP)
12. Medgar Evers
1994: Medgar Evers’ killer, White Supremacist Byron De La Beckwith, was finally convicted of the 1963 murder 30 years after the crime. (Photo: AP)
13. Joe Stubbs
1998: Singer, songwriter Joe Stubbs passed away on this day at age 56. He was a member of The Falcons (late-1950s/early 1960s), The Contours (mid-1960s), The Originals (mid-1960s) and 100 Proof Aged In Soul (late 1960s/early 1970s). (Photo: YouTube)
14. The Hank Aaron Award
1999: The MLB announced the introduction of the Hank Aaron Award, the first award named after a player who was still alive. It was also his 65th birthday. (Photo: Flickr)
15. Gwen Guthrie
1999: R&B singer and songwriter Gwen Guthrie passed away on this day in Orange, NJ. She was 49 years old. (Photo: YouTube)
16. Doris Coley
2000: Doris Coley of the Shirelles passed away on this day at age 58.
(Photo Tumblr)
17. Ms. A.M.E. Logan
2011: Ms. A.M.E. Logan perhaps the oldest Avon Lady in the US passed away on this day at age 96. Named for the African Methodist Episcopal Church, of which her father was a pastor, she was still driving and delivering Avon products to her customers when she died after a fall at her home in Jackson, Mississippi.
