October 1991
Events
- October 11, 1991Anita Hill testifies against Clarence Thomas before Senate Judiciary Committee
Hill's testimony alleging sexual harassment by Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas galvanized a national conversation about workplace harassment, contributed to the 'Year of the Woman' in 1992, and remains a landmark moment in Black American women's public history.
- October 15, 1991Clarence Thomas confirmed to U.S. Supreme Court
Thomas replaced Thurgood Marshall as only the second Black Justice in Supreme Court history. His sharply conservative jurisprudence made his appointment deeply controversial within the Black community.
- October 30, 1991BET Becomes First Black-Owned Company Listed on NYSE
On October 30, 1991, Black Entertainment Television (BET), founded by Robert L. Johnson, became the first Black-owned company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Shares were bid up to over $23 on the first day, giving the company a market value of $475 million. Johnson would later become America's first Black billionaire when BET sold to Viacom.