African-American History and Women Timeline 1990-1999

More of the  Timeline:  1980 - 1989  /  2000 - 1990 †¢ Sharon Pratt Kelly elected mayor of Washington, DC, the first African-American mayor of a major American city †¢ Roselyn Payne Epps became the first woman president of the American Medical Association †¢ Debbye Turner became third African American Miss America †¢ Sarah Vaughan died (singer) 1991 †¢ Clarence Thomas nominated for a seat on the US Supreme Court; Anita Hill, who had worked for Thomas in the federal government, testified about repeated sexual harassment, bringing the issue of sexual harassment to public attention (Thomas was confirmed as Justice) †¢ Marjorie Vincent became fourth African American Miss America 1992 †¢ (August 3) Jackie Joyner-Kersee became the first woman to win two Olympic heptathlons †¢ (September 12) Mae Jemison, astronaut, became the first African-American woman in space †¢ (November 3) Carol Moseley Braun elected to the US Senate, the first African-American woman to hold that office †¢Ã‚  (November 17)  Ã‚  Audre Lorde  died (poet, essayist, educator) †¢Ã‚  Rita Dove named the US Poet Laureate. 1993 †¢ Rita Dove became the first African American poet laureate †¢Ã‚  Toni Morrison  became the first  African-American  winner of the  Nobel Prize for Literature. †¢ (September 7) Joycelyn Elders became the first African American and first woman US Surgeon General †¢ (April 8) Marian Anderson died (singer) 1994 †¢ Kimberly Aiken became fifth African American Miss America 1995 †¢ (June 12) Supreme Court, in Adarand v. Pena, called for strict scrutiny before establishing any federal affirmative action requirements †¢ Ruth J. Simmons installed as president of Smith College in 1995. becoming the first African-American president of one of the Seven Sisters 1996 1997 †¢ (June 23) Betty Shabazz, widow of Malcolm X, died of burns sustained in a June 1 fire in her home 1998 †¢ DNA evidence was used to test the theory that Thomas Jefferson fathered the children of a woman he enslaved, Sally Hemings -- most concluded that the DNA and other evidence confirmed the theory †¢ (September 21) track and field great Florence Griffith-Joyner died (athlete; first African-American to win four medals in one Olympics; sister-in-law of Jackie Joyner-Kersee) †¢ (September 26) Betty Carter died (jazz singer) 1999 †¢ (November 4) Daisy Bates died (civil rights activist) More of the Timeline:  1980 - 1989 / 2000 -