This Week in Black History

January 25
1980–Black Entertainment Television – BET Black Entertainment Television {BET} – first black owned company to be listed on the NYSE, begins broadcasting from Washington, D.C.
January 26
1940– Army Brig. Gen. Sherian Grace CAdoria born. Birthday of Army Brig. Gen. Sherian Grace Cadoria, in Marksville, Louisiana. A graduate of Southern University, Gen. Cadoria was the highest-ranking African American woman officer in the US Armed Forces.
January 27
1972–Mahalia Jackson , Gospel music legend Mahalia Jackson dies this day in Evergreen Park, IL.
January 28
1989– Colgate-Palmolive Co. redesigned packaging for its “Darkie” toothpaste sold in Asia. The logo for the toothpaste, previously a black face sambo character named “Darkie,” was renamed “Darlie” and replaced with a silhouette.
January 29
1837–Alexandar Pushkin, “Father of Russian Literature,” dies.
January 30
1956–Home of Martin Luther King Jr. Montgomery bus boycott leader bombed.
1965–Leroy “Satchel” Paige, major league baseball player, named all-time outstanding player by National Baseball Congress.
January 31
1919–Jackie Robinson – the first African American to play major league baseball is born.