On this day, John E. Lee became the first African American to be commissioned as an officer in the South Carolina National Guard since Reconstruction. His commissioning marked a significant step toward racial integration within the U.S. military forces in the South and reflected the broader civil rights advances of the era.

On this day, Maurice Bishop led the New Jewel Movement in a bloodless coup that overthrew the Grenadian government, making him the new Prime Minister. Bishop, a charismatic socialist leader, aimed to implement progressive reforms in education, health care, and workers’ rights. His leadership marked a significant chapter in Caribbean Black political history and resistance to colonial legacies.

Col. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the legendary leader of the Tuskegee Airmen, assumed command of Lockbourne Air Force Base in Ohio. This marked a historic moment as he became the first Black officer to command an integrated U.S. Air Force base. Davis had previously led the 99th Fighter Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group during World War II—units composed of Black pilots, bombardiers, navigators, and support crews who overcame racial discrimination to earn a distinguished combat record in Europe. Their success challenged racist beliefs and laid the groundwork for the desegregation of the U.S. military.

The Atlanta Daily World, founded by William A. Scott III, began publication on this day, becoming the first Black daily newspaper in the United States. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the paper played a pivotal role in advocating for civil rights, informing the Black community, and challenging racial injustice in the segregated South. Its founding marked a significant milestone in Black journalism and media empowerment.

James Rhoden, a prominent African American sculptor known for his abstract and figurative works, was born on this day. Rhoden’s art often explored themes of heritage, identity, and the Black experience in America. Over his career, he contributed public sculptures, taught art, and became a respected figure in the American modernist movement.

In response to rising violence and intimidation by the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction, the Arkansas legislature passed a landmark anti-Klan law on March 12, 1869. This legislation empowered the governor to use the state militia to suppress white supremacist terrorism and protect Black citizens and Republican officials. The law represented one of the earliest state-level efforts to combat racial violence during the post-Civil War era.

In a significant shift in federal policy during the Civil War, the U.S. Congress passed an act forbidding Union military personnel from assisting in the capture or return of fugitive slaves. This law effectively ended what historian James McPherson referred to as the “military slave hunt.” It marked a critical step toward the emancipation of enslaved people and signaled a broader move by the Union toward abolitionist principles.

On March 12, 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis signed legislation permitting the enlistment of enslaved African Americans as soldiers in the Confederate army. This desperate act came in the final weeks of the Civil War, as the Confederacy faced imminent defeat. Though the policy marked a major contradiction in the South’s pro-slavery stance, very few enslaved men were actually armed or saw combat before the war ended.

Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a Black French-speaking trader of African descent, established the first permanent settlement at “Shikaakwa” (later anglicized to Chicago), meaning “the place of wild onions.” Recognized as the founder of Chicago, du Sable also operated trading posts in what are now Peoria, Illinois; Port Huron, Michigan; and Michigan City, Indiana. His legacy as a pioneering merchant and settler underscores the foundational role of African Americans in early American frontier history.