“The girls and women of our race must not be afraid to take
hold of business endeavor and, by patient industry, close economy, determined
effort, and close application to business, wring success out of a number of
business opportunities that lie at their very doors.” –Madame C.J. Walker, 1913
in A’Leila Bundles, On Her Own Ground, p.
153.
Sarah Breedlove came into the world in 1867 in Louisiana. The
hard-working, widowed Ms. Breedlove moved and found steady work in St. Louis,
MO, to support herself and her young daughter. Then, to solve her own hair loss
problem, Ms. Breedlove, the woman who would later take the name Madame C.J.
Walker (Charles Joseph Walker was her second husband’s name), developed hair
products. She moved her business to Denver, CO., to avoid competition in St.
Louis, and expanded her product line and her business, training a sales force
of women who sold her products. Ms. Walker was so successful as an entrepreneur
that she became a millionaire and a philanthropist. Her efforts extended to her
advocacy for the early Civil Rights movement as well. When Madam C. J. Walker
passed away in 1919, she left funds to the NAACP and the Tuskegee Institute.
________________________________
Sources:
Smith, C.A. (2005). Market
Women: Black Women Entrepreneurs: Past, Present, and Future. Westport, CT:
Praeger. p. 75.
Vare, E. A., & Ptacek, G. (1993). Madam C.J.
Walker. Women Inventors & Their Discoveries, 50.
“Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out,
because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass
it on.”
Justice Marshall, the first African American justice
appointed to the United States Supreme Court, also argued the Brown v. Board of Education case in
front of the Supreme Court. Justice Marshall graduated from Lincoln University
and graduated top in his class from Howard University’s law school. President
Lyndon Johnson appointed Marshall to the post of Solicitor General in 1965, and
then in 1967, President Johnson appointed him to the U.S. Supreme Court. As
Solicitor General, Justice Marshall participated in the famous Miranda v.
Arizona case. When Justice Marshall passed away in 1993, he lay in state in the
Great Hall of the Supreme Court.
“History,
despite its wrenching pain, Cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need
not be lived again.” From On the Pulse of Morning. [1993]
Maya Angelou
read these words from her poem “On the Pulse of Morning,” at the inauguration
of President William Clinton in 1993. Angelou, the author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, also
wrote plays, children’s books, essays, produced documentaries, and created
spoken word albums, making her mark on the literary and cultural landscape of
the United States and the world. Ms. Angelou won numerous awards during her
lifetime including: a Grammy, the Springarn Medal given by the NAACP, the
Lincoln Medal, the Presidential Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of
Freedom. To learn more about this remarkable woman visit the following sites or
borrow a book from the Sullivan University Library.
Department of State. (2005, February). Condoleezza Rice. Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Condoleezza_Rice_cropped.jpg
“The essence of America - that which really unites us - is not ethnicity, or nationality or religion - it is an idea - and what an idea it is: That you can come from humble circumstances and do great things.”
Dr. Condoleezza Rice made history when she became the first African American woman to be Secretary of State for the United States. She made her mark in both academia and government prior to her government service with President George W. Bush’s administration though. She was the Provost at Stanford University from 1993-1999, and prior to that she taught at the university. Dr. Rice also served with President George H.W. Bush’s administration. Currently, Dr. Rice is a professor at Stanford University, and she is on the board at companies like Dropbox, C3, and Makena Capital.
You can follow Dr. Rice on Twitter: @CondoleezzaRice and learn more about her here:
Sources: Condoleezza Rice Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 25, 2018, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/condoleezza_rice_453866
"Some people think we don’t have the right to say it’s my
country. Before they give in they’d rather fuss and fight than say it’s my country.
I’ve paid three hundred years or more of slave-driving sweat and welts on my
back. This is my country.” From This Is
My Country. [1968].
When Illinois senator Barack Obama walked on to the stage at
the Democratic National Convention in 2004, a Curtis Mayfield song, “Pushing,”
ushered him to the stage. Curtis Mayfield made music by writing songs,
performing with bands like the Roosters and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
group, The Impressions, and as a solo artist. According to Mr. Mayfield’s
website, his song, “People Get Ready,” has been recorded by over 100 artists. A
tragic accident in 1990 paralyzed Mayfield from the neck down, but Mr. Mayfield
did not stop. He recorded his final album, “New World Order,” despite his
paralysis. Mr. Mayfield passed away in 1999.
To learn more about Mr. Mayfield and his remarkable life,
see the following websites:
“When you
know your name, you should hang on to it, for unless it is noted down and
remembered, it will die when you do.” From Song of Solomon. [1977]
Ms. Morrison, the first African American (man or woman) to win the Nobel Prize for
Literature, won the prestigious award in 1993. Educated at Howard and Cornell
universities, Ms. Morrison published her first novel, The Bluest Eye, in 1970. She
has worked as an editor, professor, and a writer, and she has won several other
awards and accolades including: the Pulitzer Prize for her novel Beloved, the National Book Foundation
Medal, the National Humanities Medal, and the Coretta Scott King Award.
For
additional information about Ms. Morrison, see the following sites:
John Lewis addresses students at T.C. Williams High School on Monday, November 16, 2015
“Never give up. Never give in. Never become hostile... Hate is too big a burden to bear.”
Congressman John Lewis heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak on the radio about the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and decided to get involved with the civil rights movement. Congressman Lewis participated in sit-ins, the Freedom Rides, was chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and co-led the walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL, in 1965. Congressman Lewis has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1986. March: Book Three, a graphic novel about the Civil Rights movement written by Congressman Lewis, Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell, won several awards last year. http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog/march-book-three/945
Image
from: YoungArts. (2016, March 7). Amanda Gorman, Writing/Selection from Novel
& Short Story: 2016 YoungArts Los Angeles.Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/zM4En012IJo
“I did a lot
of sitting back and thinking about what I wanted for myself and what I wanted
for my country: more unity, more support for the arts and more opportunities
for young writers from marginalized groups.” From New York Times article, “How
Amanda Gorman Became the Nation’s First Youth Poet Laureate.” (2017, November
3). Ms. Gorman,
a sophomore at Harvard University, became the first National Youth Poet
Laureate in April 2017. She served as the Los Angeles Youth Poet Laureate in
2014 and the Youth Poet Laureate of the West before being named to the National
Youth Poet Laureate post. She also heads up an organization for student writers
known as One Pen One Page.
Visit the
sites below to find out more about Ms. Gorman and the National Youth Poet
Laureate program.
“We are
one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending
the United States of America.” –From keynote address at Democratic National
Convention. [2004]
Four years
before he was elected President of the United States, Mr. Barack Obama spoke
these impactful words. President Obama was the first African American elected
to be the President of the United States. Prior to serving as President, Mr.
Obama was an Illinois state senator from 1997-2004, and a United States Senator
from 2004-2008. Mr. Obama was also the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review.
“Baby, we have no choice of what color we’re born or who our
parents are or whether we’re rich or poor. What we do have is some choice over
what we make of our lives once we’re here.” From Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, 1976.
The book, Roll of
Thunder, Hear My Cry, written by Ms. Mildred Taylor and from which this
quote came, won the John Newbery Medal for distinguished children’s literature
in 1977. In addition to the Newbery Medal, Ms. Taylor has won four Coretta
Scott King Awards and a Boston-Globe-Horn Book Award. Ms. Taylor continues to
write and lives in Colorado with her family.
Visit the
websites below to learn more about Ms. Mildred Taylor.
Graythen, C. (2012, June 28). Attorney General Eric Holder addresses the media following a vote in the House of Representatives at the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Louisiana office in New Orleans, LA. Retrieved from: http://ktla.com/2017/01/04/bracing-for-trump-california-taps-ex-u-s-atty-gen-eric-holder-as-lead-litigator/
“Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an
ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and continue to be, in
too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards. Though race related issues
continue to occupy a significant portion of our political discussion . . . we,
average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race.”
- Remarks at the Department of Justice African American History Month Program,
February 18, 2009. Mr. Eric Holder, a former Attorney General of the United
States from 2009-2015, and the first African American to hold the positions of
Deputy Attorney General and Attorney General, spoke the words above almost nine
years ago. His words continue to be relevant today.
To learn more about Mr. Holder, or if you want to read the
entirety of the speech he gave on February 18, 2009, check out the following
websites:
Words matter. Words can inspire and encourage. To celebrate Black History Month, the Sullivan University Library in Lexington has a display of quotes written or spoken by African American men and women. While the words in these quotes come from different periods in U.S. history, they all reflect these common themes: justice, dignity, and awareness.
In addition to the library’s display, the librarians plan to post quotes from African Americans on our blog each school day.
The first African American to go into space was Dr. Guion
Bluford, Jr. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. Dr.
Bluford then entered the United States Air Force, and served as a pilot in
Vietnam. He went on to earn a Master’s and a Ph.D. degree in aerospace
engineering. “Dr. Bluford became an astronaut in 1979. . . and in 1983, Bluford
became the first African American to go into space aboard the STS-8” (Asante,
61). Bluford, was among four men who became the first African American
astronauts; the other three are: Dr. Ronald McNair, Major General Charles
Bolden, Jr., and Frederick Gregory. Dr. Bluford attended the reinternment ceremony
of explorer Matthew Henson, and he was among the NASA astronauts who attended
the funeral of Dr. Ronald McNair.
A native of Columbia, S.C., Mr. Bolden became the
first African American in charge of NASA’s space program. Before becoming the
lead administrator at NASA, Mr. Bolden graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in
1968, served in Vietnam, Kuwait, and Japan, earned a Master’s degree in systems
management, and was a NASA astronaut for 14 years. In 1990, during his fourteen
year term at NASA, Major General Bolden piloted the Space Shuttle Discovery. On
this mission he and his team launched the Hubble Space Telescope. Major General
Bolden became NASA’s 12th administrator, the first African American
to hold this position, in 2009.
Here is a video about Major General Bolden, presented by actor Levar Burton.
Go to the link below to see Major General Bolden's flight suit.
Astronaut Frederick Gregory was born in the United States in Washington, D. C. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a degree in science, and he went on to earn a master's degree in information systems (NASA, n.d.). Mr. Gregory became an astronaut in 1978 and worked for NASA until 2005 (NASA, n.d). Along with Dr. Bluford, Major General Bolden, and Dr. McNair, Mr. Gregory was one of the first four African-American astronauts.
A Brilliant Physicist-Dr. Ronald McNair
(Photo by NASA)
The accomplished Dr. McNair, one of the 7 astronauts
who perished during the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger, was the
second African American to go into space and the first to die in space. Dr.
McNair had a Ph.D. in Physics from MIT, and he excelled early on in life
becoming valedictorian of his high school class (Cheers, 84). According to Ebony magazine,
Dr. McNair was, “recognized nationally for his work in the field of laser
physics” (Cheers, 84). In addition to his scientific pursuits, Dr. McNair
played the saxophone and was a sixth degree black belt in karate. In a tribute
to Dr. McNair in Ebony magazine, it was said that he, “walked humbly and never
boasted about his achievements” (Cheers, 90). The Reverend Jesse Jackson, who
was a friend of Dr. McNair’s, spoke at his funeral.
Go here to see an interview on CBS News with Dr. McNair’s widow.
_______________________________
Sources:
Asante, M.K. (2002). 100 Greatest African Americans: A Biographical Encyclopedia. New York: Prometheus Books. pp.61.
Cheers, D.M. (1986, May). Requiem for a Hero: ‘Touching the Face of God.’ Ebony. 41(7). pp. 82-94.
Joiner, L. (2009, Fall). Bold Moves. The Crisis. 116(4). pp. 22-27
Leavy, W. (1983). Lt. Co. Guion S. Bluford Jr. takes…A Historic Step Into Outer Space. Ebony, 39(1), pp. 162-168.
Myers, A. (2005). Bluford, Guion Stewart (Guy). In Appiah, K.A. & Gates, H.L., (eds). Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience, 2nd. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 558.
Elijah McCoy was born in Colchester, Ontario, Canada on May 2, 1844. His parents were George and Emillia McCoy, former slaves from Kentucky who escaped through the Underground Railroad.
At an early age, Elijah showed a mechanical interest, often taking items apart and putting them back together again. Recognizing his keen abilities, his parents arranged for him to travel to Scotland at the age of 15 for an apprenticeship in mechanical engineering. After finishing his studies as a “master mechanic and engineer” he returned to the United States.
Elijah moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan but was unable to find work as an engineer due to racial barriers. Skilled professional positions were not available for African Americans at the time, regardless of their training or background. He was thus forced to take on a position as a fireman-oilman on the Michigan Central Railroad. As a fireman-oilman, McCoy was responsible for shoveling coal onto fires which would help to produce steam that powered the locomotive and ensuring that the train was well lubricated. Every few miles, the train would be forced to stop and he would have to walk alongside the train applying oil to the axles and bearings.
1st page of Elijah's patent application
McCoy set out to create a method of automating the task to improve efficiency and eliminate the frequent stopping necessary for lubrication of the train. In 1872 he developed a “lubricating cup” that could automatically drip oil onto the friction bearing components. He received a patent for the device later that year. McCoy continued to refine his devices, receiving nearly 60 patents over the course of his life. While the majority of his inventions related to lubrication systems, he also developed other designs. Lacking the capital with which to manufacture his lubricators in large numbers, he typically assigned his patent rights to his employers or sold them to investors. In 1920, toward the end of his life, McCoy formed the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company to produce lubricators bearing his name.
The “lubricating cup” was quite successful, and orders for it came in from railroad companies all over the country. Other inventors sold their own versions of the device–often inferior knock-offs, but most companies wanted Elijah's device, asking for “the Real McCoy.”*
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