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BlackFacts Minute: January 10

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Black Facts for January 10th

1988 - Walter Payton

Walter Payton was an American footballer who played for the Chicago Bears. He was born in Columbia, Mississippi on July 25, 1953 to Peter and Alyne Payton. He had two siblings and was a member of the Boy Scouts, Little League, and the local church. He also played in the marching band at his high school, and participated in the track team as well as the school choir. He wanted to play football in high school, but because his brother Eddie was also on the team, he refrained from playing in order to avoid competing with his brother. After his brother graduated, Payton’s coach asked him to try out for the team and he did so but only on the condition that he be allowed to continue with the band. Once Payton got selected to the team, he was an immediate success. Despite the disadvantage of his relatively small build of 5 ft 10 in, Payton’s speed and strength made him an asset to the team.

The year that Payton started playing, his high school was integrated with a neighboring high school, and their head coach was made the assistant coach at the new school. To protest this decision, Payton and some of his teammates boycotted some matches the following season, but returned to play in the fall. He went on to earn state-wide honors as a member of Mississippi’s all-state team and led his school to a victorious season. Following in his older brother Eddie’s footsteps, he enrolled at Jackson State University, where they both played football. This was a team laden with future football stars such as Jerome Barkum, Robert Brazile, and Jackie Slater.

In 1973, Walter Payton was selected for the All-American Team and was named “Black College Player of the Year” the next year. He was a popular member of the team which earned him the nickname “Sweetness”. He graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. He has since been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. His professional career lasted from 1975 till 1987. He made his career with the Chicago Bears, who drafted him in the first round of the 1975 NFL

1945 - The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed | An Online Reference Guide to African American History by Professor Quintard Taylor, University of Washington

Home

Global African History Timelines: To 1800

Global African American History Timelines:

To 1800

After 1801

This timeline covers all the events not listed on the African American History or African American History in the West timelines.

 

Year Events SubjectCountryEra

5-2.5 million BCE Skeletal remains uncovered suggest the Rift Valley in East Africa is home to the earliest human ancestors. 00-01 Early Human Ancestors

Ethiopia

1492-1600

4-2.7 million BCE Hominid species Australopithicus afarensis lived in the Hadar region of Ethiopia, including Lucy, the famous skeletal remains found in 1974. 00-01a Early Human Ancestors

Ethiopia

1492-1600

600,000 to 200,000 BCE Period of migration across the African continent and out of Africa to Asia and Europe. Fire is first used during this period. 00-01aa African Migration

n.a.

1492-1600

6000-4000 BCE Spread of agriculture across Africa. River societies emerge along the Nile, Niger, and Congo Rivers. 00-01ab African Migration

n.a.

1492-1600

5000 BCE (ca.) Egyptian agriculturalists develop irrigation and animal husbandry to transform the lower Nile Valley. The rise in the food supply generates a rapidly increasing population. Agricultural surpluses and growing wealth allow specialization including glass making, pottery, metallurgy, weaving, woodworking, leather making, and masonry. 00-02 Ancient Egypt

Egypt

1492-1600

4500 BCE (ca.) Egyptians begin using burial texts to accompany their dead into the afterlife. This is the first evidence of written texts anywhere in the world. 00-03 Ancient Egypt

Egypt

1492-1600

4000 BCE (ca.) Egypt emerges as a centralized state and flourishing civilization. 00-04 Ancient Egypt

Egypt

1492-1600

2700-1087 BCE (ca.) Period of the Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt and Northeastern Africa. 00-05 Ancient Egypt

Egypt

1492-1600

2500 BCE (ca.) Other civilizations emerge in Mesopotamia, northern China,

1949 - George Foreman

Never has the sport of boxing seen such an exhaustive transformation as that in the career of George Edward Foreman, who started off as a world-renowned boxer and later became an ordained Christian minister. Born in Marshall, Texas on January 10, 1949, the 6 foot 3 inch tall American has a lot of recognition to his name. Foreman’s boxing career can be viewed to comprise of two different time slots, one from 1969-77, and the other from 1987-97, following a 10-year break from the sport. Foreman also upheld a strong streak of 76 wins to only 5 losses, and is known to be the oldest Heavyweight Champion in history. Given Foreman’s accomplishments, the Ring Magazine ranks him as the 9th Greatest Puncher of all time.

Before beginning his career in 1969, Foreman represented the United States in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, winning the gold medal in the Heavyweight boxing category. In his first year as a professional boxer, he participated in 13 games, winning all of them. 11 of these games were won as a result of a knockout blow. The year 1970 turned out to be even more glorious for the 21 year old superstar, as he beat celebrated names in the game, such as Gregorio Peralta and George Chuvalo. Eventually, by 1971, Foreman had an impressive record of 32-0, and was now ranked as the number one challenger to the World Heavyweight title. In 1972, in an event labelled ‘The Sunshine Showdown’, every spectator could see the sheer ferocity with which Foreman had finally worked his way up to have a real shot at the title. He was to face the much feared and undefeated Joe Frazier, who had a near perfect record and had previously beaten Oscar Bonavena and Jerry Quarry successively to secure the championship. Foreman was to make history, as against all essential odds, he beat Frazier with a technical knockout in close to six rounds. One of the most difficult title defenses came against Ken Norton in 1974, who had 30-2 record. Norton was known to have an unorthodox boxing style, and could catch opponents by surprise.

2017 - (2017) President Barack Obama's Farewell Address

On January 10, 2017, Barack Obama delivered his last farewell address in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. His speech is appears below:

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Chicago! (Applause.) Its good to be home! (Applause.) Thank you, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you. (Applause.) All right, everybody sit down. (Applause.) Were on live TV here. Ive got to move. (Applause.) You can tell that Im a lame duck because nobody is following instructions. (Laughter.) Everybody have a seat. (Applause.)

My fellow Americans — (applause) — Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well wishes that weve received over the past few weeks. But tonight, its my turn to say thanks. (Applause.) Whether we have seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people, in living rooms and in schools, at farms, on factory floors, at diners and on distant military outposts — those conversations are what have kept me honest, and kept me inspired, and kept me going. And every day, I have learned from you. You made me a better President, and you made me a better man. (Applause.)

So I first came to Chicago when I was in my early 20s. And I was still trying to figure out who I was, still searching for a purpose in my life. And it was a neighborhood not far from here where I began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills. It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss.

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT: I cant do that.

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT: This is where I learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved and they get engaged, and they come together to demand it.

After eight years as your President, I still believe that. And its not just my belief. Its the beating heart of our American idea — our bold experiment in self-government. Its the conviction that we

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