BLACK HISTORY

February is Black History Month. How knowlegable are you of the facts behind Black History Month? Do you know it's origins? Why the month of February?

Black History Month, started as Negro History Week in 1926. The pioneer behind this idea was Carter Godwin Wodson. The month of February was chosen because it is the birth month of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
The son of former slaves, Carter Godwin Wodson was born in New Canton, Virginia on December 19 1875. He spent his childhood working in the coal mines of Kentucky and enrolled in high scool at age twenty. He graduated in two years, after studying at Berea College, the University of Chicago, and the Sorbonne, Dr. Wodson earned his Ph.D in 1912 at Harvard University.
Carter Godwin Wodson also founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915, the Journal of Negro History in 1916, Associated Publishers in 1922 and the Negro Bulletin in 1937.
Dr. Wodson died on April 3 1950.

Other significant February dates in Black american history.

February 23, 1868 - Birthdate of W.E.B. Dubois, Civil rights leader
February 3, 1870 - The 15th ammendement was passed. This amemdment granted blacks the right to vote
February 25, 1870 - First black U.S. senator,Hiram R. Revels, took his oath of office (1822-1901)
February 12, 1909 - Founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People(NAACP) in New York, by concerned black and white citizens
February 6, 1945 - Birthdate of Robert Nester Marley
February 1, 1960 - Sit in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter by group of black college students in Greensboro, N.C.
February 21, 1965 - Malcolm X, Militant leader of Black Nationalism shot dead by three black muslims

Kudos to Canada
Though it is not often mentioned, Canada has played a major role in the development of black history. Canada was a significant player in the Underground Railroad. Canada became home to many runaway and freed slaves. Many of the celebrated black leaders, visonaries, athletes, inventors was in some way connected to Canada.

Here is a list of just a few:

Elijah McCoy, "The real McCoy", was born in Ontario, Canada

Mary Ann Shadd, the oldest of 13 children was born in Wilmington, Delaware in October of 1823. The Shadds, an abolitionist family moved from Delaware to Pennsylvania in 1833. After teaching black children in Deleware, New York and Pennsylvania, Mary emigrated to Canada in 1851. There she bacame the first newspaper woman of African descent in North America. mary puplished the pamplet Notes on Canada West, in 1952 and the Provincial Freeman newspaper in 1953. Later she went on to become first black female attorney in North America.

Charles Drew(1904-1950) was born on June 3, 1904 in Washington. After graduating from Amherst College in Massachusetts, Dr Drew attended McGill university Medical school in Montreal, Canada where he graduated with honors.

Jackie Robinson in 1945, Branch Rickey, of the Brooklyn Dodgers, signed his "Great Experiment". Mr. Ricky signs a black second baseman to the Montreal, Royals baseball team. Although faced with jeers, racist remarks and death threats while touring with the Royals, Jackie was mostly welcomed in Montreal. Jackie Robinson had a tremendous first game as a Royal, and then later went on to lead the Dodgers to six pennants in 10 years. In 1949 he was voted the league's Most Valuable Player.

Blacks can be credited with hundreds of inventions which are still in use today. The origins of these inventions to this day are not well known to the general public. It is important to note that to this date there are only four (4) Black Inventors in the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Little known BLACK FACTS

The four black inventors in the National Inventors Hall of Fame

George Washington Carver - Inducted in 1990
Percy Lavon Julian - Inducted in 1990
Mark Dean - Inducted in 1997
James E. West - Inducted in 1999

Did you know

Blood, is life. You've heard it time and time again. Did you know that American Red Cross was established by a Black man, Charles Richard Drew.

It has been performed millions of times, saved millions of lives. Did you know the first first open heart surgery was performed by a black man Dr. Daniel Hale Williams

It's the "Real Mccoy". Yes, it does stem from a black inventor. The "Real Mccoy" is an automatic lubricating systems used for railroads and heavy machinery. That is just on of the 57 patents awarded to Elijah Mccoy

What's the time Mr. Wolf? Ask Benjamin Benneker, he built the first watch ever made in America

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream. In 1832 Agustus Jackson graced the world with this delicious treat. It took a while to get here but in 1897 Alfred L. Cralle gave us the ice cream scoop. So will it be one scoop or two?

Rain, rain go away. Thanks to A.L. Rickman and his Galoshes, no more wet feet

Special Mentions

He may not be an inventor but Onesimus is credited with saving millions of lives.
Born in Africa, Onesimus was a slave in Boston in the year 1792. When a smallpox epidemic broke out, Onesimus told his master of a centuries old procedure practiced in Africa. This ancient practice introduced smallpox inoculation to the United States

The steel drum, or "pan" as the instrument is called in Trinidad is an acoustic instrument invented by freed African slaves, on the little carribean island of Trinidad. It is the only musical instrument to be invented in the 20th century. What started out as a garbage can, can now be heard heard accompaning classic orchestras.
Countries like Japan and Sweeden, United States to name a few have also adopted the sweet sound of the pan.

BLACK INVENTORS
*** This list is only a partial representation of the hundreds of inventors/inventions ***

INVENTOR	INVENTOR	YEAR
A.P. Abourne	Refining of coconut oil	1980
A. B. Blackburn	Spring seat for chairs	1888
A.C. Richardson	Casket-Lowering Device	1894
A.C. Richardson	Churn	1891
A.E. Long and A.A. Jones	Caps For Bottles And Jars	1898
A.L. Lewis	Window Cleaner	1892
A.L. Rickman	Galoshes	1898
Anna M. Mangin	Pastry fork	1892
Alexander P. Ashbourne	Biscuit Cutter	1875
Alexander Miles	Elevator and also safety device for elevators	1887
Alfred L. Cralle	Ice Cream Scooper	1897
Alice Parker	Heating Furnace	1918
Andrew Beard	Automatic Car Coupling Device	1897
Augustus Jackson	Ice cream	1832
B. F. Cargill	Invalid cot	1899
B.F. Jackson	Gas Burner
Benjamin Banneker	Clock, Prints for Wash. DC 1st Almanac
Bessie V. Griffin	Portable Receptacle	1951
C.B. Brook	Street Sweeper	1896
C.V. Richey	Fire Escape Bracket	1897
C. W. Allen	Self Leveling table	1898
D. McCree	Portable Fire Escape	1890
Darryl Thomas	Cattle Roping Apparatus
Dr. Charles Richard Drew	Blood Banks And Established Them Around The World	1940
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams	Performed First Open Heart Surgery	1893
Edmond Berger	Spark Plug
Elbert R. Robinson	Electric Railway Trolley
Ellen Elgin	Clothes Wringer	1880s
Elijah Mccoy	Automatic Lubrication System, for railroad and heavy machinery 1892	1892
Folarin Sosan	Package-Park
Frederick Jones	Ticket Dispensing Machine	1939
	Starter Generator	1949
	Two-Cycle gasoline Engine	1950
	Air Condition	1949
	Portable X-Ray Machine
G.W. Murray	Cultivator and Marker	1894
	Combined Furrow Opener and Stalk-Knocker	1894
	Fertilizer Distributor	1894
	Cotton Chopper	1894
	Planter	1894
G. F. Grant	Golf Tee	1899
G.T. Sampson	Clothes Drier	1892
G.W. Kelley	Steam Table	1897
Garret A. Morgan	Gas Mask	1914
George Alcorn	Fabrication of spectrometer	1986
George Tolivar	Ship's propeller
George Washington Carver	Peanut Butter, Over 400 other products derived from Peanuts, Sweet Potatos Soybeans and Pecans	1900-1943
Garret A. Morgan	Automatic Traffic Signal	1923
Gertrude E. Downing and William Desjardin	Corner Cleaner Attachment	1973
Granville Woods	Telephone	1884
	Trolley Car	1888
	Multiplex Telegraph System	1887
	Railway Air Brakes	1903
	Steam Boiler/Radiator	1884
H. Grenon	Razor Stropping Device	1896
H.H. Reynolds	Window Ventilator for Railroad Cars	1883
H.A. Jackson	Kitchen Table
Henry Blair	Mechanical Seed Planter	1830
	Mechanical Corn Harvester
Henry Sampson	Cellular Phone	1971
I.O. Carter	Nursery Chair	1960
Issac R. Johnson	Bicycle Frame
J. A. Joyce	Ore Bucket	1898
J. Hawkins	Gridiron	1845
J. Gregory	Motor
J.A. Sweeting	Cigarette Roller	1897
J.B. Winters	Fire Escape Ladder
J. H. Hunter	Portable Weighing Scales	1896
J.F. Pickering	Air Ship	1892
J. H. Robinson	guards for Street Cars	1899
	Dinner Pail	1887
J. W. Reed	Dough Kneader and Roller	1884
J. Ross	Bailing Press	1899
J.H. White	Convertible Sette	1892
	Lemon Squeezer	1896
J.L. Love	Pencil Sharpener	1897
J.S. Smith	Lawn Sprinkler	1897
James Forten	Sailing Apparatus	1850
James S. Adams	Airplane Propelling
Jan Matzelinger	Automatic Shoe Making Machine	1883
Joan Clark	Medicine Tray	1987
John A. Johnson	Wrench
John Burr	Lawn Mower
John Parker	Parker Pulverizer Follower-Screw for Tobacco Presses	1884
John Standard	Refrigerator	1894
Joseph Gammel	Supercharge System for Internal Combustion Engine
Joseph N. Jackson	Programmable Remote Control
L.C. Bailey	Folding Bed	1899
L. Bell	Locomotive smoke stack	1871
L. F. Brown	Bridle bit	1892
L.S. Burridge And N.R. Marsham	Typewriter	1885
Lewis Howard Latimer	Light Bulb Filament
Lewis Temple	Toggle Harpoon	1848
Lloyd A. Hall	Chemical compound to preserve meat
Lloyd P. Ray	Dust Pan
Lydia Holmes	Wood Toys	1950
Lydia O. Newman	Hair brush
M.C. Harney	Lantern/Lamp	1884
Madam. C. Walker	Hair Care Products	1905
Majorie Joyner	Permanent hair wave machine	1928
Madeline M. Turner	The Fruit Press	1916
Marie V. Brittan Brown	Security System	1969
Manley West	Discovered compound in canibis to cure glaucoma.	1980-1987
Norbett Rillieux	Sugar Refining System	1846
O.B. Clare	Rail Tresle	1888
O. E. Brown	Horse Shoe	1892
Otis F. Boykin	Wire Type Precision Resistor	1959
Paul E Williams	Helicopter
Peter Walker	Machine for Cleaning Seed Cotton
Phillip Downing	Letter Drop Mailbox	1891
Philip Emeagwali	Accurate Weather Forecasting	1990
	Hyperball Computer	1996
	Improved Petroleum Recovery	1990
	World's Fastest Computer	1989
R.P. Scott	Corn Silker	1894
Richard Spikes	Automatic Gear Shift
Robert Flemming Jr.	Guitar	1886
Sara E. Goode	Cabinet Bed	1885
Rufus Stokes	Exhaust Purifier	1968
Sarah Boone	Ironing Board	1892
T. Elkins	Toilet	1897
T. J. Byrd	Rail car coupling	1874
Thomas Carrington	Range Oven	1876
Thomas J.Martin	Patented the Fire Extinguisher	1872
Thomas W. Stewart	Mop	1893
W. A. Lovette	The Advance Printing Press
W. F. Burr	Railway Switching device	1899
W. Johnson	Egg Beater	1884
W.B. Purvis	The Fountain Pen	1890
W.D. Davis	Riding Saddles	1895
W.H. Sammons	Hot Comb	1920
W.S. Grant	Curtain Rod Support	1896
William Barry	Postmarking and Canceling machine