BRIAN THOMAS

1957

William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. is 86 today.

On February 18, 2001, Dale Earnhardt Sr., considered one of
the greatest drivers in NASCAR history, died at the age of 49
in a last-lap crash at the 43rd Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach,
Florida.

Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s death made him the fourth NASCAR driver
to die within a nine-month period and eventually prompted
NASCAR officials to implement a series of more stringent
safety regulations, including the use of head-and-neck
restraints.

CHICAGO (TNND) — Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a prominent
civil rights leader who worked closely with Rev. Martin
Luther King Jr. and continued his work after his death,
died Tuesday.

Avel Gordlywas an activist, community organizer, and former
politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. In 1996, she became the
first African-American woman to be elected to the Oregon
State Senate, serving from 1997 to 2009.

After retiring from the legislature, Gordly joined the faculty
of Portland State University as an associate professor in
the Black studies Department. She was 79. 

Avel Louise Gordly (February 13, 1947 – February 16, 2026)