1927 – John H. Adams Is Born
Clergyman and civil rights leader John Hurst Adams was born November 27, 1927, in Columbia, South Carolina. He earned degrees from Johnson C. Smith University and Boston University, studying alongside Martin Luther King Jr., and later briefly taught at Payne Theological Seminary. At age 29, he became the youngest president of Paul Quinn College, serving until 1962.
Adams later led Seattle’s First AME Church and became a key civil rights organizer, co-founding CAMP and chairing the Central Area Civil Rights Committee. He went on to serve as an AME bishop nationwide, spearheading the successful effort to remove the Confederate flag from South Carolina’s State House. He and his wife, Dolly, live in Atlanta.
1942 – Jimi Hendrix Is Born
Jimi Hendrix, born in 1942 in Seattle, rose from poverty to become a prodigious guitarist inspired by R&B legends. After serving in the 101st Airborne, he built his music career performing with major acts like the Isley Brothers and Little Richard before pursuing his own sound.
Moving to London in 1966 made him an instant star. With the Jimi Hendrix Experience, he delivered groundbreaking performances and albums that reshaped rock. Hendrix became a pioneer of psychedelic music before his death in 1970.
1977 – Walter Fenner “Buck” Leonard Passes Away
Walter “Buck” Leonard, born in 1907 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, grew up in poverty and left school early to work after his father’s death. While employed on the railroad, he played for local Black teams and turned to professional baseball full time during the Great Depression, joining the Baltimore Stars in 1933.
Leonard became a legend with the Homestead Grays, helping lead them to multiple Negro National League titles. After later playing in Mexico, he retired, entered civic work, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.
