This Week In Black History November 20-26, 2024

TINA TURNER NOVEMBER 20 1867—Howard University is founded in Washington, D.C., as a result of a Congressional order. The school goes on to become an incubator of African Americans who play major roles in civil rights as well as Black intellectual and cul­tural development. It has approxi­mately 12,000 students and is thus one of the largest predominantly Black universities in the nation. 1923—Prolific Black inventor Garrett T. Morgan is awarded a patent for his t-shaped traffic sig­nal—the basis of modern traffic lights. Morgan later sold the rights to the General Electric Corpora­tion for $40,000. Shortly before his death in 1963, the U.S. government awarded Morgan a citation for his invention. He also invented the gas mask. 1939—The state of Maryland purchases Morgan State College in Baltimore. The predominantly Black educational institution was originally founded in 1867 by the Methodist Episcopal Church as the Centenary Bible Institute. It was re­named Morgan College in 1890. It currently has 6,000 students and is one of the leading Black universi­ties in the nation. 1962—President John F. Ken­nedy issues an executive order barring racial discrimination in all federally financed housing. It was one of several acts which led to the Kennedy name being highly re­vered...