October

This Month in Black History

First black women in the Navy
October 1944
The US Navy admits black women into the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). Harriet Ida Pickens (l) and Frances Wills (r) were the first black female commissioned officers.

First black man to win Nobel Peace Prize

 

October 1950
Ralph Bunche becomes the first black man to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

 

Civil Rights Leader
October 1964
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

 

 

First black Supreme Court Justice
October 1967
Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first Black Supreme Court Justice.

 

 

First black Secretary of State
October 1989
Colin Powell began serving as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

 

 

Nobel Prize in Literature
October 1993
Toni Morrison wins the Nobel Prize in Literature.

 

 

First black president
October 2009
Barack Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

 

 

Greatest gymnast of all time.
October 2019
Simone Biles wins her 5th consecutive all-around world gymnastic title and wins her 25th world medal, the most held by any gymnast.