Ridgefield Allies

Today in “Hidden” History is a daily listing of important but little-known events illustrating the range of innovators, contributors, or incidents excluded from formal history lessons or common knowledge. Hidden history is intended not as an exhaustive review, but merely as an illustration of how popular narratives "hide" many matters of fundamental importance. Bookmark this page and check daily to quickly expand your knowledge. Suggest entries for Today in “Hidden” History by clicking the Contact Us link. Entries for July 26:

Date	Type	Event
1916		Educator, civil rights attorney, and federal judge Spottiswood William Robinson III is born. Working through the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Robinson litigated the lawsuit Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, which was consolidated with four other cases decided under Brown v. Board of Education by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1954. In his arguments before the Court, Robinson made the first argument on behalf of the plaintiffs. Robinson also participated as litigator in Chance v. Lambeth, which invalidated carrier-enforced racial segregation in interstate transportation. In 1964, Robinson was appointed a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the first African-American to serve on that court. In 1966, he was elevated to United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, on which he served as Chief Judge from 1981 to 1986, becoming the first African-American to both serve on that court and serve as its Chief Judge. Learn more.
1948		President Harry S. Truman issues Executive Order 9981 abolishing discrimination "on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin" in the United States Armed Forces. The order led to the desegration of the services during the Korean War (1950–1953). It was a crucial event in the post-World War II civil rights movement and a major achievement of Truman's presidency. The order was in large part due to the decades-long efforts of civil rights activist A. Philip Randolph, along with colleague Grant Reynolds, to end discrimination in the military and the federal government. Most of the actual enforcement of the order was accomplished by President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration (1953–1961), including the desegregation of military schools, hospitals, and bases. The last of the all-black units in the United States military was abolished in September 1954. Learn more.
2016		First Lady Michelle Obama is met with public backlash the day after she gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention truthfully acknowledging the history of American slavery. Reflecting on our national history, Mrs. Obama remarked during her July 25th speech: "The story of this country, the story that has brought me to this stage tonight, the story of generations of people who felt the lash of bondage, the shame of servitude, the sting of segregation” she explained, “is the story of striving and hoping and doing what needed to be done so that today I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves.” Her truthful statement was answered with derision online and in social media; typical of the hostile responses was one conservative blog’s remark that Mrs. Obama’s statement showed “the disdain she has for America.” The objections to Mrs. Obama’s references to the difficult and painful history of American slavery were an attempt to avoid the truth rather than reveal it. Learn more.