Today In Black History
Samuel L. Jackson, civil rights activist and the highest-grossing actor of all time.
Issue #598 Today In Black History, Friday, May 10, 2024
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Samuel Leroy Jackson was born in Washington, D.C., on December 21, 1948, the only child of Elizabeth and Roy Jackson and grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. His father lived away from the family in Kansas City, Missouri, and later died of alcoholism. Jackson met him only twice during his life. He was raised by his mother and his maternal grandparents. According to DNA tests, Jackson partially descends from the Benga people of Gabon, and he became a naturalized citizen of Gabon in 2019.
Before graduating from Riverside High School in Chattanooga, Jackson played the French horn, piccolo, trumpet, and flute in the school orchestra. He developed a stutter during childhood and learned to "pretend to be other people who didn't stutter". He still famously uses the word "motherfucker" to get through a speech block. He still has days where he stutters.
Initially intent on pursuing a degree in marine biology, he attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. After Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968, Jackson attended King's funeral in Atlanta as one of the ushers. He then traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, to join an equal rights protest march.
In 1969, Jackson and several other students held members of the Morehouse College board of trustees (including Martin Luther King Sr.) hostage on the campus, demanding reform in the school's curriculum and governance. The college eventually agreed to change its policy, but Jackson was convicted of unlawful confinement, a second-degree felony. He was suspended for two years for his criminal record and his actions. He would later return to the college to earn a BA in drama in 1972.
Jackson began acting on the stage, including Home and A Soldier's Play, the inspiration for the 1984 film A Soldier's Story. After also appearing in some movies, he moved from Atlanta to New York City in 1976 and spent the next decade appearing in stage plays, including the premieres of The Piano Lesson and Two Trains Running at the Yale Repertory Theater. To supplement his income while auditioning, he worked as an overnight security guard. It was during these years that Jackson developed addictions to alcohol and cocaine.
He made his film debut in the 1972 movie "Together for Days" and appeared in several other films throughout the 1970s and 1980s. His breakout role in Spike Lee's 1991 film "Jungle Fever.”
In 1980, Jackson married actress and producer LaTanya Richardson, whom he met while attending Morehouse College. His wife helped him to overcome his addictions. The couple has a daughter named Zoe (born in 1982).
Jackson quickly became one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. He has appeared in a wide range of films, from action-packed blockbusters like "Pulp Fiction" (for which he won an Academy Award nomination) and "Die Hard with a Vengeance" to more dramatic roles in films like "A Time to Kill" and "The Glass Shield."
In addition to his film work, Jackson has also made a name for himself on the small screen in notable roles in TV shows like "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." and "The Last Days of American Crime." His voice acting work is equally impressive, with roles in animated films like "The Incredibles" and "The Lion King."
The 2009 edition of The Guinness World Records, which uses a different calculation to determine film grosses, stated that Jackson is the world's highest-grossing actor, with $7.42 billion generated across 68 films.
The films in which Jackson has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him the highest-grossing actor of all time. In 2022, he received the Academy Honorary Award as "a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide.”
Jackson returned to Broadway as Doaker Charles in a revival of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson opposite John David Washington and Danielle Brooks. The 2022 production was directed by Jackson's wife LaTanya Richardson Jackson. He received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play nomination. He reprised his role as Nick Fury in the Disney+ series Secret Invasion, and in The Marvels, the sequel to Captain Marvel.
Samuel L. Jackson has also appeared in commercials and other small but relevant movies and plays and has done extensive voice-over work, including audiobooks and musical performances.
Off-screen, Jackson is known for his activism and philanthropy work, particularly in the areas of education and civil rights. He has been a vocal advocate for equality and justice, using his platform to speak out against racism and discrimination in all its forms. In 2009, Samuel and LaTanya Jackson started their own charity to help support education.
Today In Black History
In 1865, Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America, was captured by Union troops in Georgia.
In 1950, Jackie Robinson became the 1st Black person to appear on the cover of Life magazine.
In 1930, the National Panhellenic Council, a collaborative organization of the nine Black Greek Letter fraternities and sororities (unofficially known as the “Divine Nine”) was formed on the campus of Howard University.
In 1994, Nelson Rolihlala Mandela (“Mandiba”) was inaugurated as the first democratically elected State President of South Africa.
In 2019, Rihanna announced the formation of her label “Fenty” and her partnership with the world’s largest luxury group LVMH, as their 1st Black designer.
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