Today in Black History: October 31st
1896 – Ethel Waters Is Born
Born on October 31, 1896, Waters began her singing career in Philadelphia after winning a talent contest. Her early experiences shaped her versatile vaudeville performances. In 1938, her recital at Carnegie Hall marked a shift towards dramatic acting, leading to roles in Cabin in the Sky and other films. In 1950, Ethel Waters became the first Black American performer to star in her own television show, Beulah. However, it was her role in the 1961 Route 66 episode “Good Night, Sweet Blues” that earned her an Emmy Award, making her the first Black actress to receive this honor.
Initially a singer across jazz, blues, pop, and gospel, Waters made a successful transition to acting, becoming the first Black performer to receive top billing alongside white stars on Broadway. She later earned an Academy Award nomination for her role in the film Pinky. An accomplished author, she published two autobiographies and continued performing until her death on September 1, 1977.
1950 – Earl Lloyd, First Black Player in the NBA
Lloyd, 6′ 6″, was born on April 3, 1928, in Alexandria, Virginia, and graduated from Parker-Gray High School in 1946. He enrolled in West Virginia State University in 1946, where he was an All–American player and received his Bachelor of Science in health and physical education in 1950. The 21-year-old was drafted in the ninth round, and on October 31, 1950, he became the first Black athlete to play in the NBA with the Washington Capitols. Lloyd also played for nine seasons with the Syracuse Nationals (who later became the Philadelphia 76ers).
In 1970, Lloyd became the first full-time African American head coach in the NBA when he coached the Detroit Pistons for a year. Earl Francis Lloyd was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and, a decade later, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Lloyd died on February 26, 2015, in Crossville, Tennessee at the age of 86.
