May 3
James Brown Born
James Joseph Brown was born on May 3, 1933. He became one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, pioneering funk music and influencing hip-hop. His song "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" became an anthem of the Black Power movement in 1968.
Septima Clark Born
Born May 3, 1898, Septima Poinsette Clark developed citizenship education programs that taught thousands of African Americans to read so they could pass voter registration tests. Martin Luther King Jr. called her the "Mother of the Movement."
Sugar Ray Robinson Born
Walker Smith Jr. was born on May 3, 1921, and became known as Sugar Ray Robinson. He held the world welterweight title and won the middleweight title five times. His skill, style, and dominance made him an icon in sports and a source of pride for Black Americans during the Jim Crow era.
Birth of Septima Poinsette Clark
Septima Poinsette Clark was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and became a key educator and civil rights activist.