Video: 'A Legal Slave Uprising? | United States v. The Amistad'

(Tuesday, March 9, 1841) — The U.S. Supreme Court, in United States v. Schooner Amistad, ruled 7-1 in favor of a group of illegally enslaved Africans who were captured off the U.S. coast after seizing control of a Spanish schooner, La Amistad; the justices ruled that the Africans should be set free.
Continue reading U.S. Supreme Court frees Africans who seized control of slave ship and taken into slavery illegally 180 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 9 1841) →

Video: '3/7/91: Video of Rodney King Beaten by Police Released'

(Sunday, March 3, 1991, 12:30 a.m. PST) — Four Los Angeles Police Department officers were captured on amateur video early this morning savagely beating black motorist Rodney King after a pursuit through the streets of Los Angeles.
Continue reading Amateur video captures severe beating of black motorist Rodney King by four LAPD officers 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 3 1991) →

Video: 'Satchel Paige Biography'

(Tuesday, February 9, 1971) — Pitcher Satchel Paige became the first primarily Negro League player to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, today.
Continue reading Satchel Paige becomes first Negro League player voted into baseball’s Hall of Fame 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 9 1971) →

Video: 'AX HANDLE SATURDAY'

(Saturday, August 27, 1960, early afternoon; during Ax Handle Saturday) — 50 people were injured today when group of 200 middle aged and older white men (allegedly some were members of the Ku Klux Klan), armed with baseball bats and ax handles, clashed with African Americans who were engaging in sit-in protests opposing racial segregation in Hemming Park in Jacksonville, Florida. Continue reading 50 people injured in racially motivated ‘Ax Handle Saturday’ attack in Jacksonville, Florida 60 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 27 1960) →

Video: 'Woolworth Lunch Counter'

(Monday, July 25, 1960, 2:30 p.m. EDT; during the Greensboro sit-ins, part of the civil rights movement) — The lunch counter at the Woolworth’s store in Greensboro, North Carolina, where the “Greensboro Four,” four black students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (Joseph McNeil, David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Ezell Blair, Jr.), had started the first sit-in on Feb. 1, 1960, began service to African-American customers (actually, four store employees) today. Continue reading Lunch counter at Woolworth store in Greenboro, North Carolina desegregated 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 25 1960) →

Video: 'The Rhythm Club Fire Documentary (full movie)'

(Tuesday, April 23, 1940, 11:15 p.m. CST) — The Rhythm Club fire (or The Natchez Dance Hall Holocaust), a fire in a dance hall in Natchez, Mississippi, killed 209 people — all African Americans — and severely injured many others tonight. Continue reading Rhythm Club fire kills 209 people in Natchez, Mississippi 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 23 1940) →

Video: 'Woolworth Lunch Counter'

(Monday, February 1, 1960, 4:30 p.m. EST; during the Greensboro sit-ins, part of the Civil rights movement) — Four black students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University began a sit-in today at the Woolworth department store in Greensboro at a lunch counter that, like many in the South, would not serve African-American customers except for take-out orders. Continue reading Black students mount lunch counter sit-in at Greenboro Woolworth store 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 1 1960) →

Video: '"Marian Anderson Sings at the Lincoln Memorial" Newreel Story'

(Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939, 5:00-5:30 p.m. EST, during the Civil rights movement (1896–1954)) — Singer Marian Anderson performed an open air concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to 75,000 people today after being denied the use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution because she was black. Continue reading Marian Anderson performs historic concert at Lincoln Memorial 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 9 1939) →