Today In Black History – February 16, 2015 [VIDEO]

107 Jamz celebrates Black History month.  On this day in history, actor/director/author LeVar Burton was born.

107 Jamz salutes African Americans who've made & continue to make history through art, music, inventions and more.  To the artists on the canvas or stage, to the poets, the authors, the inventors, innovators and trailblazers, we honor and remember them all, especially every Black History Month.

1857

Frederick Douglass was elected President of Freedman Bank and Trust.

1923

On this day Bessie Smith made her first recording, "Down Hearted Blues," which went on to sell 800,000 copies for Columbia Records.

1951

New York City Council passed a bill prohibiting racial discrimination in city-assisted housing developments.

1957

Actor Levar Burton was born in Landsthul, Germany. Best known for his role in the legendary TV movie "roots," based on the Alex Haley novel.  Then of course his famous recurring role in the 1980s and 1990s in the "Star Trek: Next Generation" series and movies.  Not to mention, being a constant presence director of various PBS children's shows Reading Rainbow.  He's also been known to hang-out with the Muppet's too. Burton has always been a pioneer of promoting reading and learning in children.  Recently the actor/director/actor singed and discussed his new book 'The Rhino Who Swallowed A Storm' at Barnes & Noble Booksellers on December 20, 2014 in Burbank, California.  Below is more details about his new book.

Hip-Hop legend and celebrated actor, Tracy Lauren Marrow, better known as Ice-T was born. His rap acolates date back to the 1980s and after being signed to Sire Records in 1987, he dropped his debut album Rhyme Pays.  It would become the first hip-hop album to carry an explicit content sticker.  Since 2000, he's graced the TV screen portraying NYPD Detective Odafin Tutuola on the NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Best known as the "The Bus", NFL legend Jerome Bettis was born on this day.  He's one of the NFL's all-time leading rushers with over 13,662 yards, which is where he gets his nickname.  The famous Pittsburgh Steeler helped lead his team to victory in Super Bowl XL.

Grammy and Academy Award-winning R&B singer/producer James Ingram was born on this day.  The legendary singer's career has spanned more than four decades, releasing #1 hits like "Baby, Come to Me."

1970

Boxing legend Joe Frazier became the world heavyweight champion, when he knocked out Jimmy Ellis in the second round of their New York fight.