Black History is 24/7/365, and at the Defender, we proudly celebrate our incredible story, the triumphs and tragedies, all year long. Still, we take it up a notch every February. Doing so now, amid the current socio-political climate, seems almost to be an act of courageous resistance to the mind-numbing attacks on all things Black that continue to rage on.
Hence, every month we take a moment to spotlight incredible moments in our story that took place in particular months. To keep this tradition going, we highlight now some of the big things that happened in “our story” during the month of February over the decades.
Shadrach Minkins rescued from re-enslavement by 20 brothers, Feb 15, 1851
The greatest hip-hop song in history is Public Enemy’s “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos.” This is not up for debate. It is proven fact. The song is a scathing social commentary on the abuses of the criminal justice system; more specifically, abuses of the prison system. In the song, the “Hard Rhymer” Chuck D tells the story of a brother unjustly imprisoned who’s in the process of leading 52 other brothers to break out, when his plan goes awry, and all seems lost. Then, out of nowhere, as Chuck D tells it, “And to my rescue, it was the S1Ws. Secured my getaway, so I just got away. The joint broke, from the black smoke. Then they saw it was rougher than the average bluffer. ‘Cause the steel was black, the attitude exact. Now the chase is on, tellin you to c’mon. 53 brothers on the run, and we are gone!”
What if I told you that song was art imitating life? Because not only did the song give a major shout-out to Joseph Cinque’s efforts to free himself and 52 others from enslavement (another powerful moment in “our story”), but it also mirrored the real-life rescue of Shadrach Minkins, who had escaped from slavery in Norfolk, Virginia.
According to zinnedproject.org, on Feb. 15, 1851, Minkins became the first person arrested in Massachusetts under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. But that’s not the only thing that went down that day.
While working in Boston, Minkins was “captured” by professional slave hunter John Caphart from Norfolk, VA directly across the street from the federal courthouse. Minkins was taken into the courthouse and was about to hear the judge condemn him to re-enslavement.
Then came Chuck D’s S1Ws.
Here’s a description from Mass Moments:
A furious mob [of abolitionists] rushed the courtroom door, overpowering the marshals inside. About 20 Black men grabbed Minkins “by the collar and feet” and ran out the door, down the hallway and stairs, and into the crowded street. The crowd was so large and so hostile that the marshals dared not pursue the rescuers.
Abolitionists Lewis Hayden and Robert Morris separated Minkins from the crowd and took him to a hiding place on Beacon Hill. A few hours later, Hayden smuggled Minkins out of Boston to Cambridge and that night took him by carriage to an Underground Railroad stop in Concord. Minkins (1814? – Dec. 13, 1875) got to safety in Canada, where he and other African American expatriates in Montreal created the city’s first Black community.
DuBois Organizes Pan-African Congress, Feb 19, 1919
The Pan-African Congress, organized by W.E.B. Du Bois, met a Grand Hotel, Paris, with 57 delegates, 16 from the U.S. and 14 from Africa. Sixteen countries and colonies were represented. Blaise Diagne (Senegal) was elected president. DuBois was named secretary.
Black History Month Born, Feb. 7, 1926
Dr. Carter G. Woodson creates Negro History Week as a way to push back against conversations in Ivy League schools regarding a “final solution” (i.e. deportation or extermination) to the “race problem.” In 1976 it became Black History Month.
Leontyne Price born, Feb. 10, 1927
Born to James and Kate Price on February 10, 1927, in Laurel, Mississippi, Leontyne Price became one of the world’s leading opera sopranos and among the first African Americans to gain prominence in major performance halls in that musical genre.
Hank Aaron born, Feb. 5, 1934
Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron, one of the top three baseball players to ever do their thing on the diamond, was born on Feb. 5, 1934 in Mobile, Alabama. Known as “Hammerin’ Hank,” Aaron was a model of consistency. The most homers he hit in one season was 47 (1971), far fewer than the gaudy numbers many others have produced in a year. But Aaron had 15 seasons of 30-plus dingers, allowing him to far surpass Babe Ruth and reign as the all-time home run king for decades, with 755.
Not only that, because driving in runs is probably the most important aspect of being a baseball player, Aaron should get way more love for being the all-time MLB leader in RBIs with 2,297, followed by Albert Pujols (2,218) and Babe Ruth (2,214). And to underscore just how great, and arguably, how under-rated and under-appreciated Aaron is, in the gazillion-year history of major league baseball, Aaron has the third most hits ever in history. Only the legendary Pete Rose (4,256) and the legendary racist Ty Cobb (4,189) had more hits than Aaron’s 3,771.
And if that’s not enough to convince you of Aaron’s greatness, he ended his playing days with a career .305 batting average. Power hitters today swing strictly for the fences and usually come in with batting averages at or below .240. None of today’s sluggers will come close to Aaron’s 755 HRs, his 3,771 hits, or his lifetime .305 batting average.
At the time of his retirement, Aaron owned 12 all-time MLB records. And I haven’t even mentioned the fact that brotherman won three Gold Gloves during his career and was an advocate for Black businesses and the Black community during and after his playing days. Every time I read or hear of a list ranking the greatest baseball players ever, and the name Hank Aaron is nowhere in sight, I know the debate participants don’t know what the hell they’re talking about.
Audre Lorde born, Feb. 18, 1934
American feminist poet Audre Lorde was born in NYC.
Malcolm X’s Home Bombed (Feb. 13, 1965); Malcolm Assassinated (Feb. 21, 1965)
After Brother Malcolm’s NYC home was bombed (Feb. 13), and thankfully, neither he nor his family were hurt, he kept a longstanding speaking commitment in Detroit the next day. It was Malcolm’s last public appearance. On Feb. 21 he was murdered in Harlem’s Audubon Ballroom.
Debi Thomas wins medal, Feb. 27, 1988
Thomas becomes the first African American to win a medal (bronze) at the Winter Olympics.
Ron Brown becomes Democratic Party Chair, Feb. 10, 1989
Attorney Ronald Brown becomes the first Black elected national chairman of the Democratic Party. Brown was later appointed Secretary of Commerce under the Clinton administration in 1994. He served in this capacity until he was killed in 1996 when he died in a plane crash while on a diplomatic mission in Croatia.
Iron Mike Wins Title, Feb. 25, 1989
Mike Tyson becomes the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World by defeating challenger Frank Bruno.
