On this day, the first Pan-African Congress, organized by W.E.B. Du Bois, was held in Paris, France in 1919. The Congress was a series of meetings held from 1919-1994 to address issues facing Africa as a result of European colonization. One of the demands of the group was to end colonial rule and racial discrimination. Fifty-seven delegates from 15 countries attended the first meeting.
Also on this day, in 2002, Vonetta Flowers became the first African-American woman to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics. She and partner Jull Brakken won the two-person bobsled event.

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