* Today in Black History - November 7 * 1775 - Lord Dunmore, the British governor of the colony of Virginia, issues a proclamation granting freedom to any slave who is willing to join the British army in its fight against the American revolutionaries. The offer applies only to slaves owned by "rebels." About 800 slaves will eventually accept the offer. 1876 - Edward Bouchet, is the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from a college in the United States (Yale University). 1876 - Edward Bannister, the first African American artist to win wide critical acclaim, is awarded a prize at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition for his work, "Under the Oak". 1885 - Lightfoot Solomon Michaux is born in Newport News, Virginia. He will become a man of God, an evangelist. He will be an early pioneer in radio and television evangelism, an innovative real estate developer, an astute businessman, a newspaper publisher, and a restaurateur. He will found seven East Coast Church of God congregations. He will also be the founder of the National Memorial to the Progress of the Colored Race in America, an 1100-acre farm on the James River in James City County, Virginia. He will begin moving up the East Coast, founding congregations as he travelled, and by 1935 will had establish a network of seven churches. By 1928 he will have moved his church organization headquarters to Washington, D.C. In 1929 he will begin broadcasting his religious message from radio station WJSV in Alexandria, Virginia. The "Happiness Hour" will be a mixture of upbeat, syncopated gospel music performed by the Radio Choir, energetic holiness gospel sermons delivered by Elder Michaux, and inspirational themes related to the power of positive thinking. In 1932 WJSV will be sold to the CBS Radio Network and the weekly program will be syndicated and broadcast by over 50 CBS affiliated radio stations. The audience for the Saturday evening broadcasts will be estimated to be as much as 25 million, making Michaux the most popular Black evangelical preacher to that time. The introductory theme song to the show was an upbeat version of a gospel song, "Happy Am I", which will lead to Elder Michaux becoming known as the "Happy Am I" preacher. His flamboyant, fast-paced, entertaining, theatrical radio shows will attract large audiences at home and internationally, and the live shows will be attended by important political and cultural figures. He will be interested in all manner of media and evangelism, including newspaper, television, and community outreach. He will publish a newspaper called the "Happy News". He will contract with the BBC for two broadcasts in 1936 and 1938, making him an early pioneer in international radio ministry. In 1947he will begin broadcasting the Elder Michaux program on television station WTTG which will eventually be broadcast on the DuMont Television Network from 1948 to 1949. He will be among the earliest U.S. television shows with an African American host. The church organization that Elder Michaux founded is still in existence today and is known as the Gospel Spreading Church of God. He will join the ancestors on October 20, 1968. 1915 - Meharry Medical College is incorporated as a separate entity in Nashville, Tennessee. 1916 - The NAACP's Spingarn Medal is awarded to Col. Charles Young, U.S. Army, for organizing the Liberian constabulary and establishing order on the frontiers of Liberia. 1934 - Arthur L. Mitchell, becomes the first African American Democratic congressman (Illinois), after defeating Republican Oscar Depriest in a Chicago election. 1938 - Delecta Clark is born in Blythesville, Arkansas. He will become a rhythm and blues singer better known as "Dee" Clark. He will move to Chicago as a child and be in the Hambone Kids with Sammy McGrier and Ronny Strong. They will record for Okeh Records in 1952 - the next year Clark will sing with the Goldentones. This group will later become the Kool Gents. Clark will go solo in 1957 and in 1958 enjoyed his first smash with "Nobody for You," an Abner release that will reach number three Rhythm & Blues and just miss the Top 20 on the pop charts. He will continue a string of R&B winners with "Just Keep It Up," "Hey Little Girl," and "How About That" for Abner in 1959 and 1960. Clark will team with guitarist Phil Upchurch to write "Raindrops" in 1961, which will become his signature song. Raindrops will peak at number three Rhythm & Blues and number two pop, and will be his last major hit. He will join the ancestors on December 7, 1990. 1950 - Alexa Canady is born in Lansing, Michigan. She will become, at age 30, the first African American female neurosurgeon in the United States. She will be first in her class at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. She will become one of the finest neurosurgeons in the country, and be highly esteemed for her outstanding ability as a pediatric surgeon and researcher. Canady will become the director of neurosurgery at Children's Hospital in Detroit and a clinical professor at Wayne State University. 1955 - In reviewing a Baltimore, Maryland case, the U.S. Supreme Court bans segregation in public recreational areas. 1963 - Elston Howard, of the New York Yankees, becomes the first African American to win the American League MVP award. 1967 - Carl Stokes of Cleveland, Ohio, and Richard Hatcher of Gary, Indiana, become the first African American mayors of these major United States cities. 1967 - The NAACP's Spingarn Medal is presented to Edward W. Brooke for his public service as the first African American U.S. senator since Reconstruction. 1967 - A report of the Senate Permanent Investigating Committee says there were seventy-five major riots in 1967, compared with twenty-one major riots in 1966. The committee reports that eight-three persons were killed in 1967 riots, compared with eleven in 1966 and thirty-six in 1965. 1970 - A racially motivated civil disturbance occurs in Daytona Beach, Florida. 1972 - Reverend Andrew Young of Atlanta, Georgia and Barbara Jordan of Houston, Texas become the first southern African Americans elected to Congress since Reconstruction. Also elected for the first time was Yvonne Brathwaite Burke (California). Republican Senator Edward W. Brooke of Massachusetts was overwhelmingly endorsed for a second term. 1978 - Five African Americans are elected to Congress: William Gray III (Pennsylvania), Bennett Stewart (Illinois), Melvin Evans (Virgin Islands), Julian Dixon (California) and George "Mickey" Leland (Texas). 1988 - Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu is born in Plumstead, London, England. Better known by his stage name, Tinie Tempah, he will become a rapper, singer, songwriter and entrepreneur. He will sign to Parlophone Records in 2009, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group. He will create his own entertainment company Disturbing London in 2006 along with his cousin, Dumi Oburota. After releasing a number of mixtapes, he will release his long-awaited debut album, "Disc-Overy," in October 2010. Preceded by two British number-one singles, "Pass Out" and "Written in the Stars", the album will chart at number one and be certified Platinum the next year. In February 2011, he will win two Brit Awards for Best British Breakthrough Act and Best British Single. In November 2013, he will release his second album, entitled "Demonstration." Preceded by top ten singles "Trampoline" and "Children of the Sun", the album will chart at number three and be certified gold by the BPI the next year. In June 2015, he will release "Not Letting Go", the first single from his third album "Youth." This will give Tempah his sixth UK number one, passing out Dizzee Rascal as the most by any rap artist. 1989 - David Dinkins becomes the first African American elected mayor of New York City. 1989 - L. Douglas Wilder is elected as the first African American governor (D-Virginia) in the United States since Reconstruction. 1990 - The National Football League withdraws its plans to hold the 1993 Super Bowl in Phoenix due to Arizona's refusal to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. 1991 - Los Angeles Lakers' superstar Magic Johnson announces his retirement from professional basketball after learning he has tested positive for the AIDS virus. 1999 - Tiger Woods becomes the first golfer since Ben Hogan in 1953, to win four straight tournaments. 1999 - Kenya's Joseph Chebet wins the New York City Marathon. 2011 - Former Heavyweight Champion, Smokin' Joe Frazier, succumbs to liver cancer at the age of 67. Winner of 27 out of 32 fights, Frazier only lost 4 times in his career, twice to George Foreman and twice to Muhammad Ali. ______________________________________________________________ Munirah Chronicle is edited by Mr. Rene' A. 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