Almanac - Thursday February 8, 2024

Klay Alexander Thompson was born February 8, 1990 in Los Angeles, California. He is a professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Golden State Warriors. Thompson

On this day in Black History….

Philadelphia Dentist John S. Rock would eventually become a medical doctor and attorney. He was also an abolitionist and civil rights activist. In 1865 would become the first African American lawyer to argue a case before the United States Supreme Court. On this day February 8, 1850, the 25 year old Rock gave a speech in New Jersey where he called upon the state’s white residents to treat the “disfranchised portion of the legal tax-payers” of the state fairly by extending to them the right to vote. You can read his speech on Black Past dot com

Feb 8, 1894 Congress repeals the Enforcement Act which makes it easier for some states to disenfranchise African American voters.

Feb 8, 1925 Marcus Garvey entered federal prison in Atlanta. Students staged strike at Fisk University to protest policies of white administration.

Feb 8, 1944 Harry S. McAlphin - First African American news reporter to be accredited to attend White House press conference.

Feb 8, 1968 Officers killed three students during demonstration on the campus of South Carolina State in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Students were protesting segregation at an Orangeburg bowling alley.

Feb 8, 1978 Leon Spinks defeated Muhammad Ali for heavyweight boxing championship. Ali regained the title on September 15 and became the person to win the title three times.

Feb 8, 1985 Brenda Renee Pearson an official court reporter for the House of Representatives was the first black female to record the State of the Union message delivered by the president in the House chambers.

Feb 8, 1986 Oprah Winfrey becomes the first African American woman to host a nationally syndicated talk show.

Feb 8, 1990 Andy Rooney, a CBS "60 Minutes" commentator, received a 90-day suspension from work because of racist remarks about African Americans

Also on this day in history….

1693 – The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, the second-oldest institution of higher education in the Thirteen Colonies, is granted a charter by King William III and Queen Mary II.

1865 – Delaware refuses to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, delaying the criminalization of slavery until the amendment's national adoption on December 6, 1865. The amendment is ultimately ratified by Delaware on February 12, 1901, the 92nd anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth.

1879 – Sandford Fleming first proposes the adoption of Universal Standard Time at a meeting of the Royal Canadian Institute.

1910 – The Boy Scouts of America is incorporated by William D. Boyce.[35][36]

1915 – D. W. Griffith's controversial landmark film The Birth of a Nation premieres in Los Angeles.

1940 – Sophie Lihau-Kanza, Congolese politician (d. 1999). Sophie Lihau-Kanza or Zala Lusibu N'Kanza (8 February 1940 – 2 April 1999) was a Congolese politician and sociologist. She was the first woman of her country to receive a secondary education, the first to graduate from a university, and the first to hold a government office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, serving as Minister of Social Affairs from 31 October 1966 to 6 December 1970. In her later life she held positions within the United Nations.

1943 – Valerie Thomas, American scientist and inventor. Valerie L. Thomas (born February 8, 1943) is an American data scientist and inventor. She invented the illusion transmitter, for which she received a patent in 1980. She was responsible for developing the digital media formats that image processing systems used in the early years of NASA's Landsat program.

Also on this day in history….

1960 – Queen Elizabeth II issues an Order-in-Council, proclaiming the House of Windsor and declaring that her descendants will take the name Mountbatten-Windsor.

1960 – The Hollywood Walk of Fame is founded.

1974 – The crew of Skylab 4, the last mission to visit the American space station Skylab, returns to Earth after 84 days in space.

If today is your birthday, Happy Birthday To You! You share your special day with….

1792 – Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, German princess (d. 1873)

1819 – John Ruskin, English author, critic, and academic (d. 1900)

1820 – William Tecumseh Sherman, American general (d. 1891)

1828 – Jules Verne, French author, poet, and playwright (d. 1905)

1850 – Kate Chopin, American author (d. 1904)

1860 – Adella Brown Bailey, American politician and suffragist (d. 1937)

1876 – Paula Modersohn-Becker, German painter (d. 1907)

1878 – Martin Buber, Austrian-Israeli philosopher and academic (d. 1965)

1888 – Edith Evans, English actress (d. 1976)

1894 – King Vidor, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1982)

1903 – Greta Keller, Austrian-American singer and actress (d. 1977)

1909 – Elisabeth Murdoch, Australian philanthropist (d. 2012)

1911 – Elizabeth Bishop, American poet and author (d. 1979)

1913 – Betty Field, American actress (d. 1973)

1918 – Freddie Blassie, American wrestler and manager (d. 2003)

1921 – Lana Turner, American actress (d. 1995)

1922 – Audrey Meadows, American actress and banker (d. 1996)

1925 – Jack Lemmon, American actor (d. 2001)[

1926 – Neal Cassady, American author and poet (d. 1968)

1926 – Birgitte Reimer, Danish film actress (d. 2021)

1930 – Alejandro Rey, Argentinian-American actor and director (d. 1987)

1931 – James Dean, American actor (d. 1955)

1932 – John Williams, American pianist, composer, and conductor

1933 – Elly Ameling, Dutch soprano

1937 – Harry Wu, Chinese human rights activist (d. 2016)

1940 – Ted Koppel, English-American journalist

1941 – Nick Nolte, American actor and producer

1941 – Tom Rush, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

1942 – Robert Klein, American comedian, actor, and singer

1944 – Sebastião Salgado, Brazilian photographer and journalist

1949 – Brooke Adams, American actress, producer, and screenwriter

1953 – Mary Steenburgen, American actress

1955 – John Grisham, American lawyer and author

1957 – Karine Chemla, French historian of mathematics and sinologist

1958 – Sherri Martel, American wrestler and manager (d. 2007)

1958 – Marina Silva, Brazilian environmentalist and politician

1960 – Benigno Aquino III, Filipino politician, 15th President of the Philippines (d. 2021)

1969 – Pauly Fuemana, New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2010)

1969 – Mary Robinette Kowal, American puppeteer and author

1969 – Mary McCormack, American actress and producer

1970 – Stephanie Courtney, American actress and comedian

1971 – Susan Misner, American actress

1973 – Michelle Brogan, Australian basketball player

1974 – Seth Green, American actor, voice artist, comedian, producer, writer, and director

1981 – Myriam Montemayor Cruz, Mexican singer

1984 – Cecily Strong, American actress

1985 – Petra Cetkovská, Czech tennis player

1987 – Carolina Kostner, Italian figure skater

1989 – Courtney Vandersloot, American-Hungarian basketball player

1990 – Bethany Hamilton, American surfer

1997 – Kathryn Newton, American actress