January 1965

Completed with journalist Alex Haley, the Autobiography chronicled Malcolm X's transformation from street criminal to Nation of Islam minister to pan-African humanist. The book sold millions of copies and became one of the most influential American autobiographies of the 20th century.

Baraka's establishment of the Black Arts Repertory Theatre and School in Harlem in the aftermath of Malcolm X's assassination catalyzed the Black Arts Movement, the cultural wing of the Black Power movement. The movement produced a generation of poets, playwrights, and novelists and established Black self-determination as a principle in American cultural production.

After Malcolm X's assassination Baraka founded BARTS in Harlem, creating a model for community-based Black arts institutions that catalyzed a national network of Black arts centers in over 800 cities.

After Malcolm X's assassination Baraka moved to Harlem and founded BARTS, creating a model for community-based Black arts institutions. Though the Harlem school lasted only one year before moving to Newark, it catalyzed a national network of Black arts centers in over 800 cities.

Statistician and mathematician David Blackwell was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, becoming the first Black American to receive this honor. A pioneer in game theory, probability, and statistics, Blackwell was also the first Black scholar tenured in UC Berkeley's College of Letters and Science, and the Rao-Blackwell theorem bears his name.

Written by Smokey Robinson, 'My Girl' was the Temptations' first #1 pop single, featuring David Ruffin's lead vocal over a string intro that became one of the most recognizable openings in pop music history.

Levi Stubbs's powerhouse lead vocal on the Holland-Dozier-Holland composition gave the Four Tops their first #1 pop hit, spending two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and defining the Motown sound of upbeat urgency.

Brown's recording pivoted from blues-based R&B to a new emphasis on rhythm, syncopation, and the 'one' beat, effectively inventing funk music. The record won Brown his first Grammy and launched a decade of innovation that would influence hip-hop.

Often cited as one of the greatest pop songs ever written, Robinson's meditation on hidden heartbreak was called 'one of the best songs ever written in my estimation' by Bob Dylan. The song reached #16 pop but became a standard of the soul era.

Mayfield's gospel-soul civil rights anthem, drawing on his Chicago church upbringing, became one of the most spiritually powerful songs of the movement era. Rolling Stone ranked it #24 on its list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

Hancock's Blue Note album, with its suite of ocean-themed compositions, became a landmark of post-bop jazz. Its lush harmonies and modal explorations influenced generations of jazz musicians and established Hancock as a leading voice in modern jazz.

Chicago Bears running back Gale Sayers scored 22 touchdowns in his rookie season — including 6 in a single game against San Francisco — setting an NFL record. His elusive running style was considered the most electrifying in professional football.

Davis's second great quintet — with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams — recorded 'E.S.P.' at Columbia's studios, launching a series of albums that defined 'time, no changes' jazz and rank among the greatest small-group recordings in the music's history.

Coltrane's 1965 recordings — including 'Ascension' and performances at the Village Vanguard — documented the complete evolution of the classic quartet with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones before each member departed for solo careers. These recordings remain the summit of 1960s jazz.

Montgomery's live recording at a New York club with the Wynton Kelly Trio is considered his masterpiece — a document of improvisation at the highest level. Both Pat Metheny and John Scofield named it the greatest jazz guitar album ever recorded.

Davis's second great quintet with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams launched a series of albums defining 'time, no changes' jazz and ranking among the greatest small-group recordings in the music's history.

Montgomery's live recording with the Wynton Kelly Trio is considered his masterpiece and one of the greatest jazz guitar albums ever recorded, named as such by Pat Metheny and John Scofield.

Simone's Philips Records debut combined jazz, folk, blues, and her signature classical piano training in a set that included 'Feeling Good' and 'Ne Me Quitte Pas.' The album demonstrated her range as both interpreter and original artist and became a landmark of sophisticated soul.

Throughout the 1960s the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta — a consortium of six Black seminaries — provided training for the ministerial leadership of the civil rights movement. Its graduates staffed churches that served as headquarters for local organizing across the South.