Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 The Equal Employment Opportunity Act is passed, prohibiting job discrimination on the basis of, among other things, race, and laying the groundwork for affirmative action. Barbara Jordan (D-Texas) becomes the first African American woman from a Southern state to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She will serve three terms in Congress. International Women's Day From The Tavis Smiley Show Hank Aaron becomes the all-time leading hitter of home runs. Another African American baseball great, outfielder Reggie Jackson, sets records in several World Series in the 70s. Interview with Hank Aaron From Weekend Edition The Jeffersons, one of the first sitcoms about an African American family, premiers on television. It will run for 10 years and will become one of television's longest running and most watched sitcoms. Alex Haley receives a special Pulitzer Prize for his novel Roots. The next year, made into a mini-series, Roots will be one of the most popular shows in the history of television. Roots 25th Anniversary From The Tavis Smiley Show Andrew Young becomes the first African American person to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Interview with Andrew Young From Talk of the Nation In Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, the Supreme Court rules against universities using fixed racial quotas in making admissions decisions, a challenge to affirmative action. The song "Rapper's Delight," by the Sugar Hill Gang, helps bring rap to national prominence. Rapper's Delight From Morning Edition Nineteen-year-old artist Jean-Michel Basquiat wins critical and art-community acclaim for a collection of his paintings shown in a Manhattan exhibition of underground artists. Singer Michael Jackson's album Thriller becomes one of the best-selling albums of all time. Alice Walker's novel The Color Purple wins the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Astronaut Guion "Guy" S. Bluford, Jr., becomes the first African American in space, flying aboard the space shuttle Challenger. Vanessa Williams becomes the first African American Miss America. Breaking the Color Line at the Pageant From American Experience: Miss America Harold Washington is elected the first African American mayor of Chicago. Legacy of Harold Washington From All Things Considered Jesse Jackson is the first African American man to make a serious bid for the U.S. presidency, vying for the Democratic Party nomination. He will try again in 1988 but lose to Michael Dukakis. Interview with Jesse Jackson From The Tavis Smiley Show Jesse Jackson: The Decision to Run for President From Frontline Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4