January 21

1964- Carl T. Rowan was named director of the United States Information Agency.

January 22

1981- Samuel Pierce was named housing secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Reagan administration.

January 23

1977- ABC began televising the mini-series based off of Alex Haley’s book “Roots”. The series went on to be the most watched mini-series in television history.

January 24

1993- Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court Justice died in Bethesda, Maryland.

January 25

1972- Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm started her campaign for U.S. president. Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress.

January 26

1958- Eight-time Grammy Award winning-singer Anita Baker was born in Toledo, Ohio.