Juneteenth is celebrated by many Blacks on this date annually. It marks the day in 1865 when slaves in south Texas first heard news about the Emancipation Proclamation, more than two years after their freedom had been proclaimed.

Elmer “Geronimo” Pratt (Gijaga), former Black Panther leader, was released from prison on this date in 1997. Evidence regarding jury tampering and government informants was used to reopen his case. Pratt served 27 years of a murder conviction.

On May 29, 1973, Tom Bradley became the first Black mayor of Los Angeles and the second of any major U.S. city, who served for five terms from 1973 to 1993.

Patricia Roberts Harris, Howard University law professor, was appointed Ambassador to Luxembourg. Harris was the first Black woman in the United States to be named an Ambassador.

The U.S. Supreme Court reverses an 1896 ruling that education should be “separate but equal,” ruling that racial segregation in schools is unconstitutional.

On May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela became the first Black and oldest elected President of South Africa when he took office at the age of 77 - four years after his release from prison.As President, Mandela presided over the reconciliation of white and Black South Africans, earning him much national and international respect.

On May 1, 1992, the third day of the Los Angeles riots, Rodney King appeared live on CNN attempting to appeal for peace and the end of the looting, arson, assault and murder at that had plagued the city after the acquittal of four police officers who were videotaped beating King after a high-speed pursuit.

On Saturday, April 22, 2000, due to an order issued by a federal magistrate, eight SWAT-equipped agents of the Border Patrol’s Unit BORTAC unit siezed 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez from the Miami, Florida home of his paternal relatives .

On April 14, 1775 in Philadelphia, the first abolitionist society in the United States was founded by Pennsylvania Quakers.

On April 8, 1974, in front of a crowd of 53,775 people, Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron, hit the 715th home run of his 23-year career, breaking the record previously held by Babe Ruth.