BLACK HISTORY MONTH

I was talking to a good friend of mine that lives in Chicago.  He was in route to a Black History Month Luncheon given by some organization (I forgot the name).  I had totally forgotten February was Black History month.  And I had not seen any commercials or heard anyone talking about it.  I have always loved history so I took it upon myself to educate myself more on the topic.  I found the following site:

              http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/index.jsp

As I read thru the site I was AMAZED.  I was clueless to a lot of the inventions created and facts by African Americans.

Here are a few that surprised me:

•  Garret Agustus Morgan - invented, among many other things, a 3-way automatic stop sign, which he sold to General Electric. It was used in the U.S. until the 3-light traffic sign was developed.
•  Otis Boykin - invented electronic control devices for guided missiles, IBM computers, and the control unit for a pacemaker.
•  George T. Sampson - invented a clothes dryer that used heat from a stove in 1892.
•  Dr. Charles Drew - discovered techniques to store blood and developed blood banks.
• Thomas J. Martin - patented a fire extinguisher in 1872.
• John Love - invented the pencil sharpener in 1897.
• Sarah E. Goode - invented a bed that folded up into a cabinet in 1885.
• L. P. Ray - invented the dustpan in 1897.
• Matthew Henson - was a part of the first successful U.S. expedition to the North Pole in 1909.
• The banjo originated in Africa and up until the 1800s was considered an instrument only played by blacks.
• York, a black slave, accompanied Lewis and Clark when they made their 1804 expedition from Missouri to Oregon. York’s presence aided in their interactions with the Native Americans they encountered.
• Nancy Green - a former slave, was employed in 1893 to promote the Aunt Jemima brand by demonstrating the pancake mix at expositions and fairs. She was a popular attraction because of her friendly personality, great story-telling, and warmth. Green signed a lifetime contract with the pancake company and her image was used for packaging and billboards. In 1923 she was struck by a car in downtown Chicago.

So the next time you are in traffic at a stop light , or put your clothes in a dryer, or use a dust pan, or travel from Missouri to Oregon, or use a fold-away bed, or donate blood, or use a fire extinguisher....thank of Black people LOL.  And there are tons more accomplishments if you are interested.  Like Dr. Daniel Hale Williams (first open heart surgery).  I was very impressed.

From slavery.........

To President of the United States.

 

I am soo inspired by this part of my bloodline.  But I am also embarrassed for not knowing these facts prior to my conversation with my friend.  I have put forth soo much of a effort to learn about other cultures that I forgot about my own.

Thanks "Black History Month" for bringing me back to my roots.