83 Years Old
A pioneering journalist and activist who broke racial barriers in the American South, known for her courageous efforts to desegregate Little Rock Central High School in 1957.
December 7th, 1941, is a date that will live in infamy, etched in the collective memory of humanity as a day of devastating attack and profound loss. On this fateful morning, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise assault on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, drawing America into the Second World War.
The attack, which began at 7:48 am Hawaiian Time, caught the U.S. Navy by surprise, with Japanese fighters, bombers, and torpedo planes descending upon the unsuspecting American fleet. The assault lasted for nearly two hours, resulting in the sinking of four U.S. battleships, including the USS Arizona, and damaging several others. A total of 2,403 Americans lost their lives, with 1,178 wounded.
The Pearl Harbor attack marked a pivotal moment in world history, as the United States, previously maintaining a policy of isolationism, was thrust into the global conflict. In the aftermath of the attack, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his famous "Infamy Speech" to a joint session of Congress, requesting a declaration of war against Japan. This, in turn, led to Germany and Italy declaring war on the United States, drawing America into the European theater of the Second World War.
On this day of tragedy, a young Melba Pattillo Beals was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. Beals would go on to become a pioneering journalist and activist, known for her courageous efforts to desegregate Little Rock Central High School in 1957, as part of the historic Little Rock Nine.
December 7th, 1941, is a day that will forever be remembered as a day of great loss and profound consequences. The events that unfolded on this morning marked a turning point in world history, drawing the United States into the Second World War and setting the stage for the Allied victory that would follow. It is also a day to remember the birthdays of individuals, like Melba Pattillo Beals, who would go on to make significant contributions to the fight for equality and justice.
In the words of President Roosevelt, "Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."