September 6 – National Black Convention And More

History is something that illuminates the culture and its origin. It also forecasts the awareness and how and when everything evolved and fell into place. It not only helps us trace the origins of the past but also helps us understand it better which leads to an understanding of the present more desirably. We, at Brag Social, try to keep you updated with the happening of past and present through our today column. Let us now read the historical milestones of September 6.

1848 – National Black Convention meets in Cleveland

The National Black Convention began on September 6th, 1848 which was presided over by Frederick Douglass. It was a 3-day conference for Black Freemen and brought about 50-70 free black leaders from the Old Northwest and Canada. WILLIAM H. DAY of Ohio and JOHN MALVIN of Cleveland were among the famous African-American leaders present in the meet. The convention took place in Cleveland and debated over issues such as business education and what kinds of work were considered honourable. Resolutions such as favouring business education, equality before the law regardless of colour, affiliation with the antislavery cause, statistical studies on the status of Negroes, along with frequent state and local conventions were passed in the Conference.

1907 – The luxury liner Lusitania leaves for her maiden voyage.

The Lusitania was a luxury British ocean liner built for the highly lucrative transatlantic passenger trade. The Lusitania was launched on June 7, 1906, becoming the largest ship in the world, measuring some 787 feet (240 metres) in length and weighing approximately 31,550 tons. The ship made its maiden voyage, sailing from Liverpool, England, to New York City on September 6, 1907, and won the Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic crossing, averaging nearly 24 knots the following month.

1936 – Aviator Beryl Markham flies the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

Beryl Markham was the first person to fly solo, non-stop east to west across the Atlantic from Britain to North America. She was an English-born Kenyan aviator, adventurer, racehorse trainer and author. Markham learned to fly and became a commercial pilot, doing free-lance transporting of goods, while she was in her 20’s. ‘West with the Night’ was Markham’s memoir where she wrote about her adventures and journey. Markham was the first woman in Africa to get a racehorse trainer’s license at the age of 18.

1974 – Saudi Arabia increases its oil buy-back price 

 Among the petroleum exporting nations, Saudi Arabia has been the chief proponent of lower crude‐oil prices. The company had been advised that the price would be higher than it had been, thereby raising her price—arid may have already raised it—at the very time that she has been advocating price reduction. The price charged by the Saudis for buyback oil would be raised to 94.864 per cent of posted prices—or thereabouts—from 93 per cent with the possibility of retro-activity still not being clear.

1988 – Lee Roy Young becomes the first African-American Texas Ranger 

In the 165-year history of the elite law enforcement group, Lee Roy Young was appointed as the first black Texas Ranger in Austin, Texas on September 6, 1988. On the 94-man force that assists local authorities in the investigation of major crime cases, Lee Young, a 15-year state police veteran was appointed the first African-American Ranger. Among 80 applicants who took written and oral examinations, Young was chosen to be one of the four Rangers.

1991- Leningrad, is changed to Saint Petersburg

Leningrad which is the second-largest city in the USSR is changed to Saint Petersburg, which had been the city’s name before 1924. The city became the capital of the Russian empire and was founded by Tsar Peter on May 27, 1703, and named it after his patron saint, the apostle Saint Peter. At the beginning of World War I, the city was renamed Petrograd in 1914. Later after the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924, it was named as Leningrad. In 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed, the city opted the name St. Petersburg.

1997 Martina Hingis wins her first US title

Martina Hingis is a Swiss professional Tennis player to set a series of “youngest-ever” records during the 1990s. Among her masterpiece accomplishments are the Grand Slam singles, Grand Slam doubles and the WTA Finals. On September 6, 1997, Hingis won her first US title against Venus Williams at the US Open Women’s Tennis with a score of 6-0, 6-4. Winning over five Grand Slam singles titles, thirteen Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, a calendar-year doubles Grand Slam in 1998, and seven Grand Slam mixed doubles titles; making a combined total of twenty-five major titles, Martina became the ‘Youngest ever Grand Slam champion.’