National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (the Kerner Commission) said white racism was the fundamental cause of the riots in American cities. The commission said America was “moving toward two societies, one Black, one white, separate and unequal.

Juanita Hall, a celebrated singer and actress, passed away on this day. She was best known for her role as Bloody Mary in the Broadway musical South Pacific, for which she became the first African American to win a Tony Award. Hall broke racial barriers in American theater and film, leaving a legacy of artistic excellence and representation in the performing arts.

Hattie McDaniel made history by becoming the first African American to win an Academy Award. She received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as “Mammy” in Gone With the Wind. Despite the racial segregation of the era, which even limited her presence at the awards ceremony, McDaniel’s win was a landmark moment in Hollywood. She remained the only Black woman to win an Oscar until Whoopi Goldberg won in 1991.