Inventors

I am enjoying my journey of learning especially because I have found some modern day African American Inventors.

There are many African Americans inventors.  Today we will learn about Alexander Miles, Alexander Brown, Bessie Blount, Benjamin Banneker, Earl Lucas, George Washington Carver and George E Alcorn Jr.

Alexander Miles invented the elevator and Alexander Brown invented the automatic mechanism to close the doors of the elevator.

Bessie Blount was a Physical Therapist, who invented a device that would feed the disabled one bite at a time by biting down on a tube.

Benjamin Banneker built one of  the first watches in America, a wooden pocket watch and he saved the survey layout of Washington D.C by reproducing the plan in from memory.

Earl Lucas is a Designer at the Ford Motor Company.

George Washington Carver was an Agricultural Chemist and invented peanut butter and discovered over 300 ways to use peanuts.  He also invented  500 different shades of dye and  his is responsible for the process of producing paints and dyes from soybeans.   President Franklin D. Roosevelt honored George Washington Carver with a national monument dedicated to his accomplishments on July 14, 1943.

George E Alcorn Jr invented the Spectrometer.  The Spectrometer assists scientists in identifying a material by producing an x-ray spectrum of it, allowing it to be examined visually. Alcorn patented his “method for fabricating an imaging x-ray spectrometer” in 1984. George E. Alcorn was awared the NASA/GSFC Inventor of the Year Award.

Can you tell who are the modern day inventors listed above? 

To learn more about this individuals go to http://www.african-americaninventors.org  or simply type in the name on an internet search engine.

More to come from the Africana Princess.

 

Man of Faith

In my quest to learn more, I find that there are many resources to acquire the information I am thirsting to know.  I can go to my own library of books, magazines, library or the internet.  Where should I begin today to learn more about my history?

Today is Sunday, the day that we all are to go to church and worship our Lord.  Well, the Lord Jesus may not be your Lord and Savior, but He is my Lord and Savior.  Sunday according to the Christian faith, is the day of rest.  I have attended service today, participated in Praise and Worship and I have heard the word of the Lord.  One of the things that was spoken today was “See the Invisible”, Numbers 13:25-33.  In the text we see the children of Israel were spying out the land, the promise land.  Ten men were instructed to go to spy out the land and only 2 brought back a good report, Joshua and Caleb.  Joshua and Caleb had a different spirit than the other men, they saw with their Faith.  They saw the invisible and the impossible. They exercised their FAITH in GOD and stood on the word of the Lord.  We are well able to take the land they said.  My God, what great men of FAITH.

Reverend Martin Luther King Jr was a great man of FAITH. He saw what many people could not see, a America where African American people were accepted for who they are and not denied because of the color of their (our) skin. Not just African American people, but all people are to be accepted no matter the race, color or creed.   He knew that he would not see what America is today, but he kept praying and setting the example. He won the Noble Peace Prize, he wrote books, he was a man of great stature.  It is because of what he did that paved the wave for all people. Dr. King believed in non-violence.  He knew that prayer would change things. You see not all were able to see the man of God down on his knees praying for his people, praying for America, praying for the world.  It is when one is on their knees presenting themselves before Father God and  humbly telling Him the problems of this world. Believing that God is able to do ALL things EXCEPT FAIL.

I do not profess to know it all, but I can say without a doubt in mine mind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was a great man of FAITH.  He was a true MAN of GOD. Not doubt about it!!

To learn more about the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, visit your local library or go on line enter Martin Luther King Jr., into the search engine and begin you voyage of learning African American History!

More to come from the Africana Princess.

 

Abbey Lincoln

Abbey Lincoln

Abbey Lincoln’s biological name is Anna Marie Wooldridge.  The name Abbey Lincoln was giving to her by her manager which comes from the name Abraham Lincoln and the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster AKA Westminster Abbey. She was born on August 6, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois.   Abbey Lincoln was a song writer, actress, and singer.  In the 1956 film The Girl Can’t Help It, she wore the famous red sexy dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.  In 1990, Abbey was in the Spike Lee movie Mo’ Better Blues. Abbey Lincoln was one of the most innovative “storytellers” in the world of Jazz.

To learn more about Abbey Lincoln go to http://www.npr.org/programs/…/lincoln.hmtl or simply type in Abbey Lincoln on a internet search engine.

More to come from the Africana Princess.

 

Paul Robeson

Paul Robeson (1898 -1979).
Paul Robeson was an All-American football player, Phi Beta Kappa, graduate of Rutgers College, world-renowned actor, singer, and movie star. Paul Robeson owned a home in Enfield, Connecticut on Enfield Street.

Paul Robeson was born on April 9, 1898 in Princeton, New Jersey. He graduated High School with honors at the age of 17 and he won a 4 year scholarship to attend Rutgers College in New Brunswick, NJ.. In college he received 15 Varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball and track and field. Paul Robeson was the Valedictorian of his class at Rutgers College.

More to come from the Africana Princess.

 

Why I Created This Blog

This blog was created for my children and me to learn more about our history, African American History.  As an African American woman it is important that I set the example and learn our history and share this history with my children. You see my husband knows our history.   I have to admit that I do not know as much as I should know.  As one gets older we can not blame the school system for not teaching our children about African American History.  Yes, the school system teaches about Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Rose Parks, and Thurgood Marshall. There is so much more that we as a people need to know and our children need to know about African American History. African Americans have added insight and changed to the world in medicine, finance and so much more. It is my responsibility and my husbands’ responsibility to make sure our children know their history.  Join me as we embark upon this journey of learning our history, African American History!