In response to racial discrimination on public transportation, Black residents in Macon, Georgia, launched a bus boycott on February 11, 1962. The protest followed the arrest of a Black woman who refused to give up her seat to a white passenger. Inspired by the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Macon movement demonstrated the power of organized, nonviolent resistance in the struggle for civil rights.

Celebrated pianist and composer Eubie Blake died in Brooklyn, New York, just five days after his 100th birthday. A pioneer of ragtime and early jazz, Blake was known for works such as Charleston Rag and the Broadway musical Shuffle Along (1921), one of the first musicals written and directed by African Americans. His influence on American music spanned more than a century.

Arsenio Hall, who would go on to become the first Black late-night talk show host in American television history, was born on this day in Cleveland, Ohio. He gained widespread fame with The Arsenio Hall Show, which debuted in 1989 and broke new ground by showcasing a diverse range of guests and performers, becoming a cultural phenomenon in the early 1990s.

On February 11, 1952, Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism during the Korean War. He led a determined assault against a heavily defended enemy position, continuing to fight despite being wounded, and ultimately sacrificing his life. Charlton was one of the few African American soldiers to receive the nation’s highest military decoration for actions in Korea.

On February 12, 1948, First Lieutenant Nancy C. Leftenant became the first Black nurse accepted into the regular U.S. Army Nurse Corps. Her acceptance marked a significant milestone in the integration of the U.S. military and the advancement of African American women in nursing and military service.

On February 12, 1939, Augustus Nathaniel Lushington passed away. He was the first African American to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), receiving his degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1897. His groundbreaking achievement paved the way for future generations of Black veterinarians.

William Felton “Bill” Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana. A legendary basketball player and civil rights advocate, Russell later became the first Black head coach in major U.S. professional sports when he served as player-coach of the Boston Celtics in 1968 and 1969. He led the team to two NBA championships in those seasons.

On this day, a health study began in Tuskegee, Alabama, where over 400 African American men were part of a project to learn more about syphilis, a serious disease. The men were told they would get free medical care, but doctors never gave them the treatment they needed. The study continued for 40 years without helping the men, even after medicine to cure the disease became available. This became one of the most tragic examples of unfair treatment in medical history.

Founded in New York City by a diverse group of Black and white citizens committed to social justice, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) became the United States’ largest and most influential civil rights organization. Its principal objective is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights for all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

Roberta Martin was born on this day in Helena, Arkansas. A pioneering figure in gospel music, she worked closely with gospel greats like Thomas Dorsey and Theodore Frye. She also became the owner of one of the largest gospel publishing houses in Chicago, significantly shaping the direction of modern gospel music. Martin passed away on January 18, 1969.

For a Lincoln birthday celebration, James Weldon Johnson writes the lyrics for “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” With music composed by his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, the song is first performed by 500 children in Jacksonville, Florida. It will later become known as the “Negro National Anthem,” a powerful hymn of resilience and hope in the African American community.

Black rights activist Henry Highland Garnet dies, shortly after being appointed as the U.S. ambassador to Liberia. Garnet was a powerful abolitionist, minister, and orator known for being the first African American to deliver a sermon in the U.S. House of Representatives. His work emphasized Black self-determination and direct resistance to slavery.

Isaac Burns Murphy, one of the greatest jockeys in American horse racing history, died on this day in 1896. Known for his integrity and exceptional talent, Murphy was the first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby three times and maintained an extraordinary win rate. His legacy remains a symbol of Black excellence in a sport that would later marginalize Black jockeys.

On February 12, 1865, Henry Highland Garnet became the first Black person to speak in the U.S. Capitol when he delivered a memorial sermon on the abolition of slavery in the House of Representatives. Born into slavery in New Market, Maryland, in 1815, Garnet escaped with his family in 1824 and settled in New York. He later studied at the Oneida Theological Institute and became a prominent abolitionist, minister, and advocate for African American rights.

On February 12, 1793, the U.S. Congress passed the first Fugitive Slave Law to enforce the Constitution’s Fugitive Slave Clause. This law allowed slaveholders to reclaim escaped enslaved individuals by presenting oral or written proof of ownership before a magistrate. Once satisfied, the magistrate would issue an order for the arrest and return of the escaped person. The law denied alleged fugitives the right to a jury trial or to testify on their own behalf, laying the foundation for further legal enforcement of slavery across state lines.