Four notable historical events from This Day in U.S. History.
Andrew Young’s U.N. Appointment (1976): Andrew Young was named Ambassador and Chief U.S. Delegate to the United Nations, becoming the first African American to hold this position. Young Jr. spent his career alongside prominent civil rights activists, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and aided in the struggle to secure civil rights for African Americans.
O.J. Simpson’s Rushing Record (1973): O.J. Simpson set an NFL record by rushing 2,003 yards in a single season. Simpson became the first back in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards—securing 419 rushing yards in his final two games that year. The late athlete broke Cleveland Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown’s single-season rushing record (1,863 in 1963) and ended the season with 2,003 yards.
Image credit: Jeno’s
Establishment of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (2003): President George W. Bush signed H.R. 3491 into law, establishing the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) within the Smithsonian Institution. The NMAAHC is the only national museum devoted exclusively to documenting African American life, history and culture.
Tragic Fire in Fontana, California (1945): The Short family home was set ablaze, resulting in the deaths of Helen Short and her two children, Barry and Carol Ann. After purchasing land in Fontana, California, to build their new home, the family was targeted by their white neighbors after they refused to move out. O’Day H. Short, a devoted husband and father, survived the explosion but remained in critical condition for weeks before succumbing to his injuries.
The Shorts were sadly the first and only Black family in their neighborhood.
