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A Salute to Black History

Understanding Wisdom And FOREVER Appreciating The Past


Email:  Dr. Alice Tyler Milton

 


 

Visits to this page

   

Below, right, and left are links that will enrich your knowledge of the past and present selfless contributions made by just a FEW of our MANY great African Americans. As you read the wealth of information on the pages, think about how our world would be today without the selfless contributions and what we have learned from the good and the bad. Also, recognize the unbending focus and intensity of their efforts despite repeated rejections and unfulfilled expectations.

   

We must continue to remember and respect our heritage (even though one might not agree with the actions of some--it is still history) by never saying good-bye to yesterday, for we are still standing on their shoulders—yesterday made our present possible.  Appreciate OUR Past . . .

   
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Entrepreneurs  /  Science  /  Inventors

 

   
   
 
 - Ronald McNair
 - Dr. Mae Jemison
 - Madame C. J. Walker
 - Willie Gary
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 - Guion Bluford
 - Elijah McCoy
 - A. G. Gaston
 - Bernard Kinsey
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 - Maggie Walker
 - Joycelyn Elders
 - George W. Carver
 - Johnny Cochran
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 - Kenneth/Mamie Clark
 - Dr. Richard Allen
 - William W. Cardozo
 - Trish M. Dziko
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 - Granville T. Woods
 - Benjamin Banneker
 - Ernest E. Just

 - Earl G. Graves
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» African American Entrepreneurs  » African American Scientists
» African American Entrepreneurs » African American Scientists
» African American Entrepreneurs  » African American Entrepreneurs 
» African American Chemists  » African American Medical Doctors
» African American Chemists » African American Medical Doctors 
» African American Inventors » African American Inventors
» African American Inventors  » African American Inventors
 
» Frances Ashe-Goins » Betty Smith Williams » Joseph W. Robinson
» Frederick Jones » Hamilton E. Homes » William "Bob" Bailey
» Hamilton E. Holmes » Bernard A. Harris, Jr. » Rovenia Brock
» Dr. Jeanne Spurlock » Lloyd Augustus Hall » Susan McKinney-Steward
» Charlayne Hunter-Gault » Shiriki Kumanyika » Bessie J. Griffin-Blount
» Comer Cottrell, Jr. » Sherrie Hinz » Percy Julian
» Daniel Hale Williams » Janet Bragg » Roger Young
» Solomon Carter Fuller » Dr. LaSalle Leffall » Keith Black
» Clarence Otis, Jr. » James Derham » Clive Orville Callender
» Henry Blair » Norman Merrick Sklarek » Dr. Wanda Austin
     
 
     
     

   

Inventors of Yesterday

and

A Salute of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

By:  Dr. Alice Tyler Milton

   

 

   

   

The United Negro College Fund

Inventors I - Inventors II - Inventors III - Inventors IV

   

   

Dr. Patricia E. Bath, Inventor -- Laser Phaco

Dedicated her life to the treatment and prevention of visual impairments.

   

   

Link I - Laser Phaco 1 and Link II - Laser Phaco 2

 

 

   

The Blue Baby Syndrome - Vivien Thomas

   

   

Dr. Herman Smitherman, Inventor

The "Jackie Robinson" of Proctor & Gamble

   

   
Article 1 Article 2 Article 3
     


Crest Toothpaste, Folgers Coffee, Bounce Fabric Softener and Safeguard Soap were all created by an African-American Man.  Dr. Herbert Smitherman was a pioneering executive and professional chemist at Proctor & Gamble who led the way for other African-Americans at the prestigious company in the 1960s. He was the first black person with a doctorate hired at Proctor & Gamble.

With a Ph.D in physical organic chemistry, Dr. Smitherman developed a number of incredibly popular patents, including Crest toothpaste, Safeguard soap, Bounce fabric softeners, Biz, Folgers Coffee and Crush soda, to name a few. Not only are they still on the shelves, but many of them are on display at the Cincinnati Museum Center in the featured exhibit, “America I AM: The African-American Imprint.”

Nicknamed the “Jackie Robinson of Proctor & Gamble,” Dr. Smitherman spent 29 years there before turning in his labcoat to work as a professor at Wilberforce University. But after serving at the historically black college, Smitherman turned his attention to starting a high school called the Western Hills Design Technology School to help black students perform better in math and science.

A child of the south, Dr. Smitherman’s family lived in Birmingham, Alabama, where his father served as a reverend. A young Smitherman would see his father’s church burn down twice during their push for voting registration and voting rights.  He died on Oct. 9, 2010.


   
   

 

Albert W. Johnson: GM's First Black Franchise Owner


   

Albert Johnson began his career selling cars door to door (out of a briefcase) and then to become

General Motors' first African-American franchise owner.

   
   

   

Biography:  Movie--Hidden Figures ~ The story of a team of African-American women mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the United States space program:   

         
k_johnson   d_vaughan   m_jackson
Katherine G. Johnson Dorothy Vaughan Mary Jackson
Link 1 - Johnson   Link 1 - Vaughan   Link 1 - Jackson
Link 2 - Johnson   Link 2 - Vaughan   Link 2 - Jackson
Link 3 - Johnson   Link 3 - Vaughan   Link 3 - Jackson
     
     

 

   

Dr. Naki Hamilton

A Self-Taught Gifted Surgeon

nanki 

   
   

   
   

First African American Dentist

Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman

 

freeman

   
   

   

Henry Sampson - Inventor of the Gramma-Electrical Cell (Used in Cell Phones)

   

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Link 2
   
   

   
   

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler

 

First African American Female to Earn A Medical Degree in the United States

crumpler

   
   

   
   

Dr. Charles Drew

   

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Dr. Drew was a physician, surgeon and medical researcher. 

He is known for the area of blood transfusions.

   
   

   
   

Frederick Drew Gregory -- The nephew of Dr. Charles Drew (Above)

and a former NASA astronaut and former NASA Deputy Administrator

   

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Gerald "Jerry" Lawson
Inventor of the Video Game Console (XBox, Wii, PlayStation, etc.)
   
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A Self-Taught Engineer
   
   
 

Ben Carson

A neurosurgeon and the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at John Hopkins Hospital

   

 

  Book 1 - Think Big Book 3 - Take The Risk
  Book 2 - Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story Book 4 - The Big Picture