Historical Accomplishments: Three African Americans

With the celebration of Juneteenth this year I felt it was appropriate to celebrate three African Americans that went beyond the boundaries and accomplished feats that helped pave the future for other African Americans to break the boudaries of segregation, racism, and oppression.

CAB CALLOWAY

The legendary Cab Calloway was an American jazz singer and bandleader whose biggest successes happened during the 1930s. He is best known for his scat style of singing. "Minnie the Moocher" (1931) was his first #1 hit. The "Hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-hi" song went on to sell a million copies making Cab Calloway the first African American to earn a million selling single. In 1978 a disco rendition of the song was released but did not fare so well. This jazz classic, which is loaded with drug references, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and in 2019 was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.

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LEMUEL HAYNES

Lemuel Haynes was born in West Hartford, Connecticut in 1753. At the time, what is now known as Connecticut was called British America. It is believed his mother was caucasian and his father was African American.

At the age of five months he was given over to indentured servitude to Deacon David Rose. He was a forced servant throughout most of his childhood. * Indentured Servitude is a form of labor in which a person is contracted to work without salary for a specific number of years. *

In his adulthood Haynes became an anti-slavery activist and argued against involuntary servitude. He was also an early advocate against the Back to Africa movement in which African Americans would be sent "back" to Africa. Due to a lack of interest that movement failed.

In his servitude Haynes was required to become educated, which was overseen by Deacon Rose. This education led to Haynes 7accompanying Rose to church. His religious outlook was shaped during this time. Haynes was raised by Deacon Rose's wife who raised him as if he was her own child. Haynes' servitude ended when he turned 21.

In 1785 Haynes became an ordained minister with the Congregational church. He was a pastor for more than 30 years. Lemuel Haynes was the first African American to become an ordained minister in the United States.

ALICE COACHMAN

Alice Coachman was born in Albany, Georgia in 1923. In her youth she had very limited (virtually no) access to athletic equipment or facilities. She also wasn't able to participate in organized sports. This was due to the discriminatory Jim Crow laws of the South which enforced racial segregation. The fact that she was a woman was also a barrier. Back in the 1930s, 40s and to a degree 50s women were not accepted in sports. Even her parents were not supportive of her athletic dreams. But that did not stop her. Coachman was determined and ran on dirt roads and built her own hurdles in order to practice jumping.

While attending Madison High School in Albany, Ga. she joined the boys’ track team. The coach recognized her abilities and helped her develop her skills.

Soon after she drew the attention of the Tuskegee Institute and in 1939 she joined the Tuskegee Preparatory School on a scholarship at the age of sixteen. The scholarship required her to work while studying and training, which included cleaning and maintaining sports facilities as well as mending uniforms.

Coachman dominated the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) outdoor high jump championship from 1939 through 1948, winning ten national championships in a row.

Coachman's first opportunity to compete on a global stage was during the 1948 Olympic Games in London. The 1940 and 1944 Olympic Games were canceled because of World War II.

In the high jump finals of the 1948 Summer Olympics, Coachman leaped 5 ft 6 1⁄8 in on her first try. She was the only American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics in 1948. She became the first African American and first woman to win an Olympic gold medal.

In 1952 she signed as a spokesperson with the Coca-Cola Company making her the first African-American woman to endorse an international product.

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