(Wednesday, November 18, 1964; during the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–68)) — FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover today described civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. as “the most notorious liar in the country” for allegedly accusing FBI agents in Georgia of failing to act on complaints filed by blacks.
King, who denied making such a claim, replied, “I cannot conceive of Mr. Hoover making a statement like this without being under extreme pressure.”
Video: 'Benjamin Davis'
(Wednesday, October 27, 1954) — U.S. Air Force Col. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. was promoted to brigadier general by President Dwight Eisenhower today, the first black officer to achieve that rank in the USAF.
Video: 'Marian Anderson canta Un ballo in Maschera'
(Thursday, October 7, 1954) — Marian Anderson today became the first black singer hired by the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York. Anderson made her Met debut in January 1955 playing the role of Ulrica in Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera.”
Video: 'The True Story of Mississippi Burning' (Aug. 4, 1964, at 32:29)
(Tuesday, August 4, 1964, just after 3:00 p.m. local time; during the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–68)) — Bodies believed to be those of three civil rights workers (Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney) missing since June 21, 1964, were found buried in an earthen dam early tonight near Philadelphia, Mississippi. Continue reading FBI finds three bodies of missing civil rights workers 50 years ago this hour (Aug 4 1964)
Video: 'NYC Riots 1964
(Saturday, July 18, 1964, about 10:00 p.m. EDT; during the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1954–68)) — Nearly a week of rioting erupted tonight in New York’s Harlem neighborhood, two days after the fatal police shooting of a black teenager, James Powell.
Video: 'Malcolm X - By Any Means Necessary - Organization for Afro American Unity'
(Sunday, June 28, 1964; during the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1954–68)) — Civil rights activist Malcolm X declared, “We want equality by any means necessary” today during the Founding Rally of the Organization of Afro-American Unity in New York.
Image: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reacts in St. Augustine after learning that the U.S. Senate passed the Civil Rights Act by two votes, June 19, 1964
(Friday, June 19, 1964, during the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–68)) — The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was approved today by the U.S. Senate, 73-27, after surviving a lengthy filibuster.
(Wednesday, June 10, 1964, during the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–68)) — The U.S. Senate voted today to limit further debate on a proposed civil rights bill, shutting off a filibuster by Southern senators. Never in history had the Senate been able to muster enough votes to cut off a filibuster on a civil rights bill.
(Monday, May 25, 1964) — The U.S. Supreme Court, in Griffin v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, today ordered the Virginia county to reopen its public schools, which officials had closed in an attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka public school desegregation ruling.
Video: '36th (1964) Oscars' (20 videos)
(Monday, April 13, 1964, 7:00 p.m. PST) — Tom Jones, a British adventure comedy film about a country boy in 18th-century England who becomes a playboy, won four Oscars tonight at the 36th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Tony Richardson for Best Director. Continue reading ‘Tom Jones’ wins Best Picture at 36th Academy Awards 50 years ago this hour (Apr 13 1964)
