James Jonathan Youngblood (1820 - 1889)

Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during James' lifetime.

In 1820, in the year that James Jonathan Youngblood was born, on March 4th, Maine became the 23rd state in the United States as the result of the Missouri Compromise. The Missouri Compromise allowed Maine to neither recognize nor permit slavery within the state while allowing the Missouri Territory to recognize and allow slavery.

In 1837, James was 17 years old when on February 25th, in Philadelphia, the Institute for Colored Youth (ICY) - the oldest African-American university in the United States - was founded. It was the first institution for the higher education of black people in the United States. Founded by Quaker Richard Humphreys who gave $10,000 to establish the school, it still exists today - although the location has moved and it has been renamed Cheyney University. Humphreys was concerned about the struggles of free African Americans to make a living.

In 1850, James was 30 years old when on April 4th, the city of Los Angeles - now the 2nd most populous city in the US - was incorporated. On April 15th, the city of San Francisco - now the 15h most populous city in the US - was incorporated. Both cities were incorporated before California became a state.

In 1873, by the time he was 53 years old, on February 12th, The Coinage Act of 1873 was signed by President Ulysses S. Grant. It went into effect on April 1st and ended the use of gold and silver in the U.S. for currency - placing the country on the gold standard. The Act wasn't popular with everyone.

In 1889, in the year of James Jonathan Youngblood's passing, on April 20th, Adolf Hitler was born in Austria-Hungary - now Austria. In his early 30's, he began his rise to power in German politics, eventually becoming the leader of the Nazi Party and Führer of Nazi Germany. He presided over the death of millions of civilians as well as leading Germany through World War II.