Weekly Roundup: June 8th-June12th

We at Historianspeaks are starting a new feature where we highlight stories of interest that occuring in contemporary Black America. We will elaborate on some of these stories in the coming weeks. Click on the hyperlinks for more information about the story.

Oklahoma Supreme Court dismisses the lawsuits of the last two survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921

The Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit of the last two survivors of the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 on June 12, 2024. The suit was designed to force the city of Tulsa to provide reparations for the destruction of the African American community in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921. The area of town was Greenwood and was dubbed "Black Wall Street" because it had a number of thriving Black business establishments. Greenwood was attacked during a race riot between May 31st and June 1st by whites who were deputized, which facilitated the burning and looting of the district. More than 300 African Americans were killed and more than a 30-block disrict was left in rubbles.

The Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage on June 12, 1967. This is the 57th anniversary of that decision.

Loving v. Virginia was a landmark Civil Rights case that legalized interracial marriage in the United States. On June 12, 1967, 57 years ago, the Supreme Court effectively struck down statutes in 16 states that prohibited interracial marriage based on anti-miscegnation laws. Mildred and Richard Loving were the two plantiffs in the case.

Anniversary of Medgar Evers Assassination in 1963

Medgar Evers, the fearless field secretary for the NAACP in Mississippi, was assassinated in his driveway by Ku Klux Klansman Byron De La Beckwith. Evers was a graduate of Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi and served as the in World War II from 1943 to 1945. He paritcipated in the landings in Normandy (D-Day). He attained the rank of Sergeant. He served as Field Secretary of the Mississippi NAACP from 1954 until his assasination in 1963.

This month marks the 60th anniversary of Nelson Mandela''s sentence of life imprisonment in 1964

Nelson Mandela, South African nationalist , African National Congress leader and future President of South Africa, was sentenced to life in prison on June 12, 1964. He was sentenced to life in prison for terroristic acts against the South African government. He was imprisoned on Robben Island. He was released in 1991 and subsequently became the President of South Africa.