“Henry Aaron, in the second inning, walked and scored. He's sittin' on 714,” said Braves’ announcer, Milo Hamilton, calling the game on WSB Radio. “Here's the pitch by Downing ... Swinging! There's a drive into left-center field! That ball is gonna be-eee ... Outta here! It's gone! It's 715! There's a new home run champion of all time, and it's Henry Aaron!
The fireworks are going. Henry Aaron is coming around third. His teammates are at home plate. And listen to this crowd!”
April 8, 1974—The first home game of the season for the Atlanta Braves, with a packed crowd of 53,775 people in attendance. It is the fourth inning, and Al Downing was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Downing throws a slider, and Hank “Hammer” Aaron makes history hammering home run number 715, surpassing Babe Ruth for all-time career home runs.
“I had creeped up on the plate just a little bit … that pitch honed the outside part of the plate, but it hung right down the middle and I was able to get my bat on it,” said Aaron.
The ball flew into the Braves' bullpen, where Dodgers’ outfielder, Bill Buckner, nearly went over the outfield fence trying to catch it.
The crowd cheers senselessly, cannons blast, fireworks burst into the sky in celebration. As Aaron rounds third base, a swell of teammates, media, as well as his parents and adoring fans, all engulf him at home plate.
Henry Louis Aaron was born February 5, 1934, in Mobile, Alabama, to Herbert and Estella Aaron. The Aarons lived in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Mobile; they called it “Down the Bay,” but Henry spent most of his formative years in the nearby district of Toulminville.
Young Henry was one of eight siblings. His younger brother, Tommie later also played in the majors, and for what it’s worth—the two brothers still hold the record for the most career home runs by a pair of siblings—768 home runs.
As a child he was fully entrenched in what was the most viciously segregated section of America. Aaron once recalled, “I remember many nights my brother and I would be out playing baseball … [My mother] would tell all of us ‘Come in the house and get under the bed!’
About 10 minutes later, we would have the Ku Klux Klan coming through, intimidating and throwing firebombs and things like that. That is what really kind of set you apart and say just because your skin is little different, they were going to treat you a little different.”
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson, at the age of 28, stepped onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, and historically became the first African American player to play Major League Baseball. Two years later, the fifteen-year-old Aaron became very much influenced by the accomplishments of Robinson, and tried out for the Brooklyn Dodgers; however, did not earn a contract offer.
Entering the 1950’s, at 18-years-old, Henry Aaron was signed by the Negro American League’s Indianapolis Clowns, earning $200 a month. During that season, his contract was sold for $10,000 to the Boston Brave’s before the team relocated to Milwaukee.
He worked his way up, and in 1953, Aaron was promoted to the Jacksonville Braves, becoming one of the first Black players to integrate the South Atlantic League.
Aarons tribulations with racism would be ongoing throughout his career; however, he stayed focused and took his aggressions out on the baseball field.
That season, Aaron won the MVP and led the Class-A affiliate league in runs (115), hits (208), doubles (36), RBIs (125), total bases (338), and batting average (.362).
Aaron’s talent was undeniable. In 1954, he attended spring training camp with the major league club. Some reports said that Aaron hit the ball so hard that management could hear the crack of his bat from the inside the clubhouse.
Author, Roger Kahn said to Sports Century, “Spring Training the Dodgers and the Braves traveled together. Aaron was on second base, and between pitches [Jackie] Robinson walked over and shoved some dirt into [Aaron’s] shoes.
Here was a young [Hank Aaron] and the great Jackie Robinson shoving dirt into his shoes. ‘What are you doing?’ asked Aaron, ‘Well, I have to do something to slow you down,’ Jackie said.”
During a spring training scrimmage, left fielder, Bobby Thomson, fractured his ankle while sliding into second base. With no options, the team signed him to a major league contract. Aaron made his major league debut wearing number 5 on his jersey on April 13.
However, he went hitless his first five-at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds. With a batting average of .280 with 13 home runs, he suffered a fractured ankle the following September.
Coming back from injury, he changed his number to 44, in which some recognize as his “lucky number.” Call it coincidence, after the number change, Aaron went on to hit 44 home runs in four different seasons.
Aaron surely entered his athletic prime in the 1950’s; in 1955, hitting a batting average of .314 with 27 home runs and 106 RBIs; or 1957, in Milwaukee, when he hit a two-run walk-off home run against the Cardinals, clinching the pennant for the Braves, and going on to win the World Series against the New York Yankees.
In 1966, the Braves moved to Atlanta during the pinnacle of the Civil Rights Movement. At the time of reintegration of Whites and Blacks, 100 years after reconstruction era. Though Aaron spent the bulk of his career in relative obscurity concerning media popularity, he burned with a type of hard gem-like flame.
His appeal slowly grew on the public when his reputation developed into the home-run hitter who would surpass Babe Ruth’s untouchable record.
Dick Gregory once said, “That record didn’t mean nothing to Black folks that wasn’t into sports. It was when they added the racial thing to it, then, for the first time, we knew it was important.
With Martin Luther King, Jr.’s death in 1968, and the riots in 1969, the White backlash after the Civil Rights Movement, and the Braves playing baseball in the heart of the movement—Aaron received death threats surrounding his play.
Dodgers broadcaster, Vin Scully, addressed the controversy leading up to Aaron’s recording setting hit, “What a marvelous moment for baseball; what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia; what a marvelous moment for the country and the world.
A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. And it is a great moment for all of us, and particularly for Henry Aaron ... And for the first time in a long time, that poker face in Aaron shows the tremendous strain and relief of what it must have been like to live with for the past several months."
Though, Aaron spent the bulk of his 23-year career in relative obscurity concerning media popularity, he burned with a type of hard gem-like flame.
Aaron, who drove in more runs than Lou Gehrig, scored more runs than Willie Mays, and had over 12 more miles worth of bases than the runner up, Stan Musial; and even if you take away every single home run, he still had 3,000 hits.
He is a Baseball Hall of Famer—class of 1982, and was awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President George W. Bush, and was awarded with the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP in 1976, and countless other accolades.
The life and legacy of Hank Aaron transcended sports.
He spoke for peace and shined a light on a broken system that still rears its head through prejudice.
Aaron inspired generation to chase their dream in a manner of grace by discovering his inner strength.
Aaron once said, “As a little boy growing up in Mobile, Alabama, I dreamed of playing baseball.
I wanted to play baseball so bad but had nobody to help me, so I just thought that if I ever got into a position to help other children, regardless of whatever color they may be, and [help] them chase their dream, I was going to do anything that I possibly could … that’s why we have the Chasing the Dream Foundation.”
Hank Aaron’s Chasing the Foundation promotes youth development by funding programs that support the achievements of the youth, struggling with limited opportunities but enabling them to develop their individual talents in the pursuit of their dreams.
America has seen true darkness; the COVID-19 outbreak catapulted the nation into a new way of operation, with many lives lost. The escalated climate during the leadership of the 45th president, Donald Trump, coupled with unjust behavior fueled by racism, created a hemorrhage in the country’s unity and applied pressure to a new awareness around the minds of society.
However, there is a new light leading America; one that touches a new precipice, as the nation witnesses Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian woman take an oath as Vice President on Wednesday, January 20.
The 59th Inauguration had an air of division, but due to Kamala Harris’ presence, there is a beacon that is signaling equality and unity that will guide monumental steps into a new day in America.
Events leading up to the inauguration set the stage for the original vision of Martin Luther King, Jr.
On Monday, the Presidential Inaugural Committee collaborated with multiple organizations to highlight the national day recognized for Martin Luther King, Jr.; the hour-long televised celebration brought a wide range of speakers and entertainers, such as Dr. Bernice King, Martin Luther King III, Aloe Blacc, and Rev. Al Sharpton.
Harris is living proof that King’s words have carried through generations in order to get to this point of acceptance.
Newly sworn-in national leaders, Biden and Harris, took their oath on Jan. 20, at 7 a.m. pacific standard time. They were surrounded by heavy security due to recent events that compromised the safety of Capitol Hill weeks before.
President Biden and Vice President Harris attended a service at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle before heading to the ceremony, where they have devoted their time in office to uniting America.
Former president, Trump did not participate in the passing of the torch; he was set to be at the Palm Beach International Airport as the event took place, according to CBS News.
Howard University’s Showtime Marching Band escorted Vice President Kamala Harris and performed a special drum cadence in her honor. Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick stated, “It is our esteemed honor to be involved in the historic inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.”
Pop icon, Lady Gaga sang the National Anthem, and Jennifer Lopez serenaded Capitol Hill with “This Land is Your Land.” Later that day, Tom Hanks hosted a 90-minute primetime television special that celebrated the Biden-Harris inauguration. Other performers included Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato, and Ant Clemons.
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latinx woman to serve on the Supreme Court, administered the oath to Kamala Harris; the new vice president raised her right hand with pride and defined today as a monumental time in American history.
President Joe Biden was sworn in and called for America to be “better” in his following speech. President Biden stated, “Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation, and I ask every American to join me in this cause.”
Amanda Gorman is America’s first youth poet laureate; her words followed President Biden’s inaugural speech.
Gorman said, “We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be, a country that is bruised but whole, benevolent but bold, fierce and free. We will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction and inertia will become the future.”
Mirroring the new normal Americans see today, the 59th inauguration looked different.
The event’s pandemic restraints allowed 1,000 people in attendance; generally, 200,000 tickets are distributed. This inauguration was the first of its kind, being produced as a digital-only ceremony.
The traditional inaugural parade was also virtual; Biden and Harris were escorted from 15th Street to the White House, with heavy security in step with the US Army Band, the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard, and the Fife Drum Corps.
According to the official website for the 59th inauguration, Bideninaugural.org, President Biden and Vice President Harris were sworn in on the West lawn front of the U.S. Capitol building.
Following the moment of promise, Biden and Harris, along with their spouses, participated in a Pass in Review on the East front, a tradition performed to reflect a peaceful transaction that transfers the symbolic passing of power to the new Commander-in-Chief.
The organization responsible to uphold the legacy of Inaugural Ceremonies is the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC); they have organized these events since 1901. The committee is made up of House and Senate lawmakers, who earlier this year in July, finalized a budget of 1.5 million dollars for this event.
The Associated Press reported a statement released from the committee outlining their goal for the 59th inauguration, which stated, “Our goal is to create an inauguration that keeps people safe, honors the grand traditions of the presidency, and showcases the Biden-Harris administration’s renewed American vision for an inclusive, equitable, and unified citizenry.”
The theme for Biden’s inauguration was “America United,” an ideal that social distancing does not warrant a discord in social behavior.
He said the truth has been revealed countless times; the nation is living in a space of hate based on the color of one’s skin. However, as it is well known, that the truth will set one free.
The president wants an America free from ignoring the racial problems that plague underrepresented communities.
He wants an America free from the glass ceiling that has historically held women and minorities back from national power and influence.
There is a sense of freedom still ringing; Dr. King heard it before the rest of his peers.
Through his legacy and combined work of the activists who followed him, America has seen a woman of color hold one of the most powerful seats in the world, and her oath reflects her truth that aligns to the constitution she respects. The story of America is a melting pot of the world’s narrative, the one thing that remains constant is the principle of acceptance in change.
After the ceremony and the traditions are exercised, the real work begins for the Biden-Harris administration. The theme that looks to shape the political journey is that democracy will prevail.
The message of peace and racial equality has been a legacy channeled through solicited speeches of balance; from the visionary activist, Martin Luther King, Jr., all communities have been impacted by the awareness that rose from the Civil Rights Movement. Through his leadership, King brought on new enlightenment.
He warned the nation of the pernicious effects of segregation and racial inequity, and fortified what the world is seeing today as a racial revolution of equality.
The roots of the world-renown activist are tied to the rural south in Atlanta, Georgia. After the union of Alberta and Michael, Sr., they began to sew their heritage in the congregation of Ebenezer Baptist Church. Michael King, Jr. was born as the middle child on January 15, 1929.
The household was described to have a strong disciplinary father figure, met with the gentle hand and nurturing atmosphere, stemming from King’s mother.
Inspired by protestant-based historic events, led by a German professor of theology and priest, Martin Luther, Michael King, Sr. changed his name, taking Luther’s sir name, and Michael King, Jr. would eventually follow suit.
This was the first incantation of reformed energy, entering an era of division.
The teachings of King’s parents installed a broader picture than the reality King faced, according to the information found on Biography.com, Martin, Sr. fought against racism, not only for the dangers that plagued the collective community, but he also rebuked the essence of racial imbalance and segregation because it displayed an extreme disregard to the act of God’s will.
With a strong sense of faith and equality, King grew up and journeyed out to develop his mind at Morehouse College, Crozer Theological Seminary, and Boston University.
He was only 15 when he first attended Morehouse. Receiving an in-depth study of people, King graduated with a B.A. in sociology. While working on his Doctorate at Boston University, he met his future wife, Coretta Scott and together they would later parent four children.
The world was still only able to see through a black and white lens.
Although he found his own way to spiritual enlightenment, King became the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, in Montgomery, Alabama. At the age of 25, King completed his Ph.D and earned his degree.
After he satisfied his appetite for learning in 1955, the universe presented him with a stage to speak.
Early December in that same year, Rosa Parks boarded the Cleveland Avenue bus, and carried out an intentional strike. Parks refused to give her seat up for the comfort of her White constituent.
The night Parks was arrested, leadership from The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) met with King and other civil right leaders to plan the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
The influential power in his voice became clear after his first speech as the group’s president, he said, “We have no alternative but to protest.”As the elected leader, King took the reigns of the operation.
King declared, “For many years we have shown an amazing patience. We have sometimes given our White brothers the feeling that we liked the way we were being treated.
But we come here tonight to be saved from that patience that makes us patient with anything less than freedom and justice," rendering this quote from his profile on Biography.com.
King’s influence grew to a national level in 1957, after the creation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
It was the central hub for faith-based unity and shared goals of equality among Black communities located all over the country.
Being open to a variety of spiritual lessons, King gained strength from the insightful teachings by Mahatma Ghandi. They consisted of a non-violence approach to change, peace and resilience were the pillars of King’s success in changing the nation.
He used it as armor as he fought the battle internally; dueling the minds that stood on the foundation for racism and segregation.
Many milestones came to past, such as the Greensboro Sit-in, where King supported the youth in their efforts of a non-violent demonstration on their college campus, and the influential letter King wrote from his jail cell in Birmingham; it outlined the mission to peace for all Americans and the non-violent steps that would be used to reach that goal.
The Civil Rights Movement took hold in all major cities, from Chicago to Los Angeles.
The countless united efforts for equality fueled one of the greatest acts of civic protest on August 28, 1963.
It was the day King spoke of a dream at the Lincoln Memorial; he affirmed a vision where skin color does not work as a measurement for the available opportunity for freedom.
In his speech, King said, “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Over 100,000 people heeded his words on Capitol Hill; his efforts were acknowledged when he received the Nobel Peace Prize, and his works are symbolic to the social change and revolution that America is seeing today.
Breaking through to legislative power, the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, enforced the desegregation of public places and outlawed the discrimination of facilities.
It was a major political shift that changed the tone of the country, but people of color were still feeling the rejection they lived through in the times of separation.
The marches protesting equality that are seen in present-day, still follow the footprints left behind by King and those who marched and protested alongside him.
His words still echo from Capitol Hill, as the first Black Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris announced her candidacy on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, in 2020.
King’s message for peace is timeless, and it continues to push the agenda of inclusivity forward.
He laid down the framework to a solid diplomatic strategy, to resolve an issue that seemed impossible to overcome.
Although there are still bridges that need to be built in order to get to the promise land, there is also a wind blowing from the mountain top, carrying King’s message to keep moving forward.
Last week, the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) elected Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) chair of the group comprised of African Americans serving in State Legislature.
Bradford, 60, who is the longest serving member in the caucus and the only African American member in the California Senate, is succeeding the CLBC’s outgoing chair Dr. Shirley N. Weber (D-San Diego).
Two weeks ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom nominated Weber for the soon-to-be open California Secretary of State position, which will be vacated by Alex Padilla.
The governor appointed Padilla to replace Sen. Kamala Harris as California’s junior Senator in the United States Congress.
Bradford, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Safety and also leads the Senate’s Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color, promised to continue -- and build on --Weber’s many accomplishments as head of the CLBC.
“We are grateful for Dr. Weber’s leadership during her time with the Caucus and have no doubt she will lead with the same passion and desire for equality and justice as Secretary of State.
I look forward to serving in a similar fashion of Dr. Weber and previous chairs championing African American issues for the state and nation,” said Bradford, who served as vice chair of the CLBC during the last legislative session.
Bradford said Weber made significant progress passing legislation that focused on social justice, education, criminal justice reform and equity for Black Americans and other ethnic minorities in California.
The CLBC, which has existed for more than 50 years now, prides itself on the influence it has had over the last half-century crafting legislature to promote racial and gender equality in California.
“With the support of my colleagues, I intend to continue and build upon the successes she achieved while serving as chair,” Bradford said, referring to Weber.
Bradford says the CLBC has identified the issues it will prioritize over the next year.
“We will be tackling issues such as the massively disproportional effect of COVID-19 on Black Californians, establishing a more transparent and accountable police system, enhancing economic opportunity through social equity programs, protecting the state’s ratepayers from unfair energy policies, supporting our formerly incarcerated with rehabilitative programs, pursuing representation in all forms of government, and so much more,” he said.
“I look forward to all that we will accomplish together and remain committed to making California a more prosperous, diverse, and equitable state for all Californians.”
During Bradford’s tenure as chair, Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles) will serve as vice chair; Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) will serve as secretary; and Assemblymember Jim Cooper will continue in his role as the group’s treasurer.
Bradford was first elected to the California Legislature in 2009 to represent the 51st District in Los Angeles County in the State Assembly.
He served in the role until 2012 when he was elected to represent the 62nd District in the Assembly, which includes areas in the South Bay of Los Angeles County. He served in that role until 2014.
In 2016, he was elected to the State Senate, representing the 35th District, which covers a section of the Los Angeles area that stretches north, beginning in inland areas of the South Bay and encompassing the communities of Carson, Compton, Gardena, Harbor City, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lennox, San Pedro, Torrance, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington.
Other members of the CLBC are: Assemblymember Chris R. Holden (D-Pasadena), Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) and Assemblymember Autumn Burke (D-South Bay, Los Angeles).
Weber says she will continue to work with the CLBC in her new role as Secretary of State.
“It is a bittersweet moment as I pass the leadership torch to Senator Steven Bradford. The California Legislative Black Caucus is a small but mighty group of nine members.
Together, we have been a powerful force, united and unwavering in our commitment to fight and win tough battles to improve the lives of Black Californians,” Weber said.
“I thank the Black Caucus for its support during my tenure as chair, and I have full trust and confidence in Senator Bradford to take on the leadership of the Caucus.
I also look forward to building on the partnership between the Secretary of State’s office and the CLBC to protect and expand voting rights in California.”