1865: The 13th Amendment (abolished slavery) was adopted by the 38th Congress.

1914: Artist William Ellisworth Artis is born.

1989: Tennis professional Lori McNeal seeded seventh in the Pan Pacific open in Tokyo.

1913: Birth date of Civil Rights advocate, Rosa Parks.

1990: Barack Obama became the first black named President of the Harvard Law Review.

1950: Birth date of singer, Natalie Cole.

1883: Birth date of composer and pianist Eubie Blake.

1986: Debbie Thomas became first black to win the women`s singles of the National Skating Competition.

1906: 'The Sport of Gods' author and poet Paul Laurence Dunbar dies.

1989: Ronald Brown was the first black elected as national chairman.

1989: Barbara Harris was the first woman consecrated as an Episcopal Bishop.

Lincoln`s Birthday

1909: National Association for the advancement of colored people is formed (NAACP).

1907: Wendell P. Dabney establishes The Union.

Valentine`s Day

1957: Southern Christian Leadership Conference is formed Martin Luther King Jr., is elected first president.

1804: New Jersey Legislature approved a law calling for gradual emancipation of Blacks.

1951: New York City prohibits discrimination in public housing.

PRESIDENTS` Day

1942: Birth date of Heuy P. Newton, Co-founder of the Black Panther Party.

1913: The Delta Sigma Theta sorority was founded at Howard University.

1942: Army Air Corps activated at Tuskegee Institute.

1929: Wallace Thurman`s Play, Harlem, opens in New York City.

1965: Malcolm X was assassinated in New York.

Washington`s Birthday

1938: Poet and novelist Ishmael Reed is born.

1868: Birth date of William Edward Burghardt DuBois.

1987: Affirmative Action canons were attacked by the United States Justice Dept.

1870: Sen. Hiram Revels of Mississippi became the first black to sit in the United States Senate.

1884: Birth date of James O'Hara, congressman of North Carolina.

1869: Congress adopted the 15th Constitutional Amendment.

1784: Poet Phillis Wheatley died.