(Bo Diddley)
December 25
1951- Christmas evening a bomb blast by the Ku Klux Klan killed Florida’s NAACP President Harry T. Moore and his wife Harriette. Harry was a civil rights pioneer who was the founder of the first branch of the NAACP in Brevard County, Florida. The Moores were the first NAACP members to be murdered for their civil rights activism.
December 26
1966- Dr. Maulana Karenga started Kwanzaa. It is a week long celebration that honors African heritage in the African American culture. Its seven principles, Nguzo Saba, created a celebration of family, community and culture. The name Kwanzaa derives from the Swahili language, which means “first fruits of the harvest.”
December 27
1941- Dr. Charles Richard Drew, the pioneer of blood plasma research, established a blood bank in New York City. Drew went to New York to direct the U.S. Blood for Britain project. He created a central location for the blood collection process of donors who wanted to give blood to British soldiers.
(Dr. Karen White)
December 28
1977- Karen Batchelor Farmer became the first African American member of the Daughters of the American Revolution when she traced her ancestry back to Revolutionary War solider William Hood.
December 29
1907- The first African American appointed to a presidential cabinet was Robert Weaver born. During President Lyndon B. Johnson term he named Weaver the head of the newly created Department of Housing and Urban Development.
December 30
1928- Legendary Rhythm and Blues singer, guitarist and songwriter Bo Diddley was born in McComb, Mississippi. His key role of transitioning from blues to rock and roll made a major influence in the entertainment world. He was known for his influence on musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, and The Beatles.
December 31
1900- Sculptor and educator Selma Burke was born in Mooresville, North Carolina. The famous artist was commissioned to create a profile of President Franklin D. Roosevelt after a national competition sponsored by the Fine Arts Commission in Washington, D.C. The finished project was installed in the Record of Deeds Building in Washington, D.C.
