February 18
Toni Morrison Born
Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison, known as Toni Morrison, was born on February 18, 1931, in Lorain, Ohio. She became one of America's greatest novelists, winning the Pulitzer Prize for "Beloved" in 1988 and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993, the first African American woman to receive the honor.
Audre Lorde Born
Born February 18, 1934, Audre Lorde's poetry and essays — including "Sister Outsider" and "The Cancer Journals" — explored intersections of race, gender, and sexuality. She was New York's Poet Laureate from 1991 to 1992.
Myrlie Evers-Williams Becomes NAACP Chair
On February 18, 1995, Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, was elected chair of the NAACP board of directors. She helped restore the organization's financial stability and public standing during a period of crisis.