Events in history help complete the understanding of African American history. This month-by-month outline of historic dates relevant to South Carolina African American history offers readers a perspective that compliments the biographical data on African American leaders. This timeline view helps complete the picture of the African American impact on South Carolina history.
| January | February |
| March | April |
| May | June |
| July | August |
| September | October |
| November | December |
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April |
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1 | Hampton Institute opened in 1868. |
16 | Founding of Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee in 1960. |
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2 | John Thompson became the first African-American coach to win NCAA basketball tournament, 1984. . |
17 | Rev. Ralph David Abernathy died in 1990. |
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3 |
Carter G Woodson, the father of African- American history, died in 1950. |
18 | Alex Haley won the Pulitzer Prize for Roots, 1977. |
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4 | Maya Angelou, author, born in 1928. |
19 |
Cheyney State College, one of the oldest Black colleges in the US, founded in 1837. |
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5 | Colin Powell was born in 1937. |
20 |
Harriet Tubman started working on the Underground Railroad, 1853. |
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6 |
Robert E. Perry and Matthew Henson reached the North Pole in 1909. |
21 |
Pvt. Milton L. Olive, III, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously, 1966. |
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7 | Billie Holliday, blues singer, was born in 1917. |
22 | Charles Mingus, bassist, composer, pianist and bandleader, was born in 1922. |
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8 |
Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run in 1974. |
23 | Granville T. Woods, inventor of over 40 products, was born in 1856. |
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9 |
Civil Rights Bill granting citizenship passed in 1866. |
24 |
The United Negro College Fund was established in 1944. |
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10 |
Richard Allen was made Bishop of the AME Church in 1916. |
25 | Ella Fitzgerald, singer, was born in 1917. |
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11 | Spelman College was founded in 1881. |
26 | William "Count" Basie, jazz pianist and musician, died, 1984. |
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12 | Free African Society organized in 1787. |
27 | Coretta Scott King, activist (and wife of Martin Luther King) was born, 1927. |
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13 | Thomas Jefferson's birthday. |
28 | Samuel L. Gravely became first African- American admiral in the US Navy, 1962. |
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14 | The first abolition society in the U.S. was founded in Pennsylvania, 1775. |
29 | "Duke" Ellington, musician and composer, born, 1899. |
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15 | Jackie Robinson made Major League debut in 1947. |
30 | Wallace Saunders wrote the song "Casey Jones" in 1900. |
