June 22, 1912 – Anthropologist, Choreographer and dancer, Katherine Dunham was born in Chicago, Illinois. Dunham earned a doctorate in anthropology from the University of Chicago. Her research in Afro-American dance, particularly the Caribbean culture, led her to form a company of black dancers. This company performed throughout the United States and Europe. One of her best works was the Broadway musical “Cabin in the Sky.” In the late 1960’s, she became the director of Southern Illinois University’s Performing Arts Training Center. Later, she established her own dance school and museum in East St. Louis, Illinois.