Leading in Politics, Service and the Billboards

On January 15 in Black history...Dr. King, AKA and The Supremes

In 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. born in Atlanta. King was an iconic leader of the civil rights movement in America. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a vital figure of the modern era. His lectures and dialogues stirred the concern and sparked the conscience of a generation. The movements and marches he led brought significant changes in the fabric of American life through his courage and selfless devotion. This devotion gave direction to thirteen years of civil rights activities. His charismatic leadership inspired men and women, young and old, in this nation and around the world.

Dr. King’s concept of “somebodiness,” which symbolized the celebration of human worth and the conquest of subjugation, gave black and poor people hope and a sense of dignity. His philosophy of nonviolent direct action, and his strategies for rational and non-destructive social change, galvanized the conscience of this nation and reordered its priorities. His wisdom, his words, his actions, his commitment, and his dream for a new way of life are intertwined with the American experience.
http://www.thekingcenter.org/DrMLKingJr/

On December 10 1964, Dr. King accepted the Nobel Peace Prize.  Watch a video and read more here: http://experiencinghistory.blogspot.com/2010/12/mlk-gets-nobel-peace-prize.html

In 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority was founded  by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman (Lyle) at Howard Universityin Washington, D.C.  Alpha Kappa Alpha was first organization of black Greek sisterhood.  Forming a sorority broke barriers for African American women in areas where little power or authority existed due to a lack of opportunities for minorities and women in the early 20th century.
After the organization's establishment over a century ago, Alpha Kappa Alpha has helped to improve social and economic conditions through community service programs. The sorority works with communities through service initiatives and progressive programs relating to education, family, health, and business.  Notable members of Alpha Kappa Alpha include Dr. Maya Angelou, Bebe (Elizabeth) Moore Campbell , Sarah “Sadie” Delaney, Ella Fitzgerald, Dr. Mae Jemison, Star Jones, Gladys Knight, Toni Morrison, Rosa Parks, Phylicia Rashad and Coretta Scott King.
http://wwhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Kappa_Alpha ; www.aka1908.com/

In 1961, "The Supreme" signed with Motown. The girl group of the 60's had 12 number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and was one of the top FIVE artists with the most number one hits.  Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglass public housing project in Detroit,[3] formed The Primettes as the sister act to The Primes (with Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks, who would go on to form The Temptations).[3] Barbara Martin replaced McGlown in 1960, and the group signed with Motown the following year as The Supremes. Martin left the act in early 1962, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio.

During the mid-1960s, The Supremes achieved mainstream success with Ross as lead singer. In 1967, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Ross left to pursue a solo career in 1970 and was replaced by Jean Terrell, at which point the group's name reverted to The Supremes. After 1972, the lineup changed more frequently; Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all became members of the group during the mid-1970s. The Supremes disbanded in 1977 after an 18-year run.