June 16
Stokely Carmichael Coins "Black Power"
On June 16, 1966, during the March Against Fear in Mississippi, SNCC chairman Stokely Carmichael (later Kwame Ture) used the phrase "Black Power" in a speech that electrified the crowd and shifted the direction of the civil rights movement toward Black nationalism, self-determination, and pride.
Soweto Uprising
On June 16, 1976, thousands of Black students in Soweto, South Africa, marched to protest the mandatory use of Afrikaans in schools. Police opened fire, killing hundreds. The iconic photo of 12-year-old Hector Pieterson being carried became a symbol of apartheid's brutality and inspired global opposition.
Tupac Shakur Born
Born June 16, 1971, Tupac Amaru Shakur's music addressed poverty, racism, and social inequality with poetic intensity. His albums "All Eyez on Me" and "Me Against the World" are considered classics. He was also an accomplished actor. He was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in 1996 at age 25.