The Mountain Top

Martin Luther King, Jr was born on January 15, 1929. The federal holiday was established to give people a three day week, and the date changes every year. He died on April 4, 1968 famous for being an American clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the African-American civil rights movement.

Dr. King addressed a rally on April 3, 1968 where he delivered his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech at the Mason Temple, the world headquarters of the Church of God in Christ. Before flying to Memphis, Dr. King’s flight was delayed by a bomb threat. King referred to the bomb threat and other threats against his life in the last speech he made. He seemed to use language that foreshadowed his impending death:

“... And then I got to Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers? Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. (the opening line of The Battle Hymn of the Republic)—Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the 1970's

• Joseph L. Searles III first African-American member of the New York Stock Exchange
• Willis Reed, New York Knicks, first African-American basketball player to win the NBA All Star MVP, the NBA Finals MVP, and the NBA MVP all in the same season.
• Hal Jackson and Percy Sutton, first African American owners of a radio station WLIB in New York City.
• Satchel Paige first African American pitcher inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
• Shirley Chisholm (Democratic Party) first African American to campaign for the U.S. presidency in a major political party and to win a U.S. presidential primary/caucus, New Jersey primary.
• Bob Douglas first African American individual inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor.
• Tom Bradley first African American elected mayor of Los Angeles, California
• Doris A. Davis, Compton, California first African-American woman mayor of a U.S. metropolitan city
• First African-American model on the cover of American Vogue magazine and on the cover of ELLE magazine: Beverly Johnson
• First African American elected mayor, and first mayor, of Washington, D.C.: Walter Washington
• Frank Robinson (Cleveland Indians) first African-American manager in Major League Baseball
• First African-American four-star general: Daniel James, Jr.
• Barbara Jordan and Addie L. Wyatt first African-American women named as Time magazine's, Person of the Year
• The Jeffersons first TV-series cast with African-American interracial couple, actors Franklin Cover (white) and Roxie Roker (African American) as Tom & Helen Willis
• Bill Russell first African American player inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame
• Carolyn R. Payton first African American woman, appointed director of the Peace Corps
• Patricia Roberts Harris, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, first African-American woman in the U.S. Cabinet
• First African-American woman whose signature appeared on U.S. currency: Azie Taylor Morton, the 36th Treasurer of the United States
• Max Robinson first African-American broadcast network news anchor

• Channel Black Entertainment Television
• Astronaut Guion Stewart "Guy" Bluford, Jr., Challenger mission STS-8
• Mayor of Chicago Harold Washington
• Miss America Vanessa L. Williams
• Jesse Jackson first African American to win a delegate-awarding U.S. presidential primary/caucus: (Louisiana, the District of Columbia, South Carolina, Virginia and one of two separate Mississippi contests).
• Ronald McNair first African-American to die in spaceflight
• David Dinkins first African-American mayor of New York City
• Four star Gen. Colin Powell first African-American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; 2000’s Secretary of State: Colin Powell
• Lenora Fulani first African-American candidate for President of the United States to obtain ballot access in all 50 states
• Ron Brown first African-American Chairman of the Democratic National Committee

• Douglas Wilder first elected African-American governor, Democrat Virginia
• Sharon Pratt Kelly first African-American woman mayor of Washington, DC
• Dr. Mae Jemison first African-American woman astronaut, Space Shuttle Endeavour
• Carol Moseley Braun, Democrat Illinois, first African-American woman elected to U.S. Senate
• First African American appointed Surgeon General of the United States: Joycelyn Elders
• Barack Obama first African American elected president of the Harvard Law Review; jump ahead to 2009 and Barack Obama first African American to become President of the United States

2008

• Rohan Freeman was born in Jamaica and has lived in Connecticut for the past 25 years.

  Rohan Freeman first African-American man to reach the summit of Mt. Everest; below are four of the seven summits on four different continents that Freeman has accomplished in addition to Mount Everest.
  Africa - 19,340 feet Kilimanjaro - June 2002
  North America - 20,320 feet Mount McKinley - June 2005
  Europe - 18,510 feet Mount Elbrus - June 2006
  South America - 22,841 feet Aconcagua - December 2006

  the Mountain Tops....