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February is the month in which Black History is discussed more openly and freely than any other month in the year. However, as a Black Activist for social change and justice, we need to dialogue everyday about the contributions of the black race.
One usually obtains their information from the media and unfortunately tends to believe as truth what they see on the nightly news, hear on the radio or read in the newspapers. How sad it is that our vision of history is so narrow and clearly lacking in accurate information. We are controlled in this nation by a few, who have led us down the path of bigotry and hated, by false imagery, based on fear and lies and blatant discrimination. The black community is lacking in black media, which clearly would enable us to educate and distribute the truth of who the black person really is. You will not hear this on CNN or FOX news, not even on 610 radio (Columbus, Ohio).
Let us be honest with each other. When was the last time you had dinner at a black person home or even invited a black family to your home for dinner? Do you know why we don’t use the word picnic? Why is it offensive to refer to a black person as boy or gal? If there are two people at the counter at the same time, why does the clerk usually ask the non-black person if they were next? Why do so many white people believe that the welfare roll were created for black people and when you see people with food stamps, why do you feel blacks are misusing the system? Have you asked yourself lately why black men are in prison in large numbers for marijuana and crack cocaine while white men serve little or no time for using cocaine? Certainly, cocaine as everyone knows is a more expensive drug. Is it because they say cocaine is just a recreational drug? What would you think if I told you all four of my siblings went to college and two of us have hours on our Doctorate? Would you say my family is the exception and not the norm, why?
Let me share with you a small sampling of the contributions made to the world by BLACK PEOPLE. Ask yourself why this information is not being taught in school.
A.E. Long and A.A. Jones invented the CAPS FOR BOTTLES AND JARS
A.L. Lewis invented WINDOW CLEANER
A.L. Rickman invented GALOSHES
Anna M. Mangin invented the PASTRY FORK
Alexander P. Ashbourne invented the BISCUIT CUTTER
AlexanderMiles invented the ELEVATOR AND ALSO SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS
Alfred L. Cralle invented the ICE CREAM SCOOPER
Alice Parker invented the HEATING FURANCE
Augustus Jackson invented ICE CREAM
C.B. Brook invented the STREET SWEEPER
C.V. Richey invented the FIRE ESCAPE BRACKET
Dr/ Charles Drew invented BLOOD BANKS AND ESTABLIHED THEM AROUND THE WORLD
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams PERFORMED THE FIRST OPEN HEART SURGERY
Edmond Berger invented the SPARK PLUG
Elbert R. Robinson invented the ELECTRIC RAILWAY TROLLEY
Ellen Elgin invented the CLOTHES WRINGER
Frederick Jones invented the TICKET DISPENSING MACHINE, STARTER GENERATOR,TWO-CYCLE GASOLINE ENGINE, AIR CONDITIONING, PORTABLE X-RAY MACHINE
G. F. Grant invented the GOLF TEE
G. T. Sampson invented the CLOTHES DRIER
G. W. Kelley invented the STEAM TABLE
Garret A. Morgan invented the GAS MASK, AUTOMATIC TRAFFIC SIGNAL
George Tolivar invented the SHIP’S PROPELLER
Henry Sampson invented the CELLUAR PHONE
Issac R. Johnson invented the BICYCLE FRAME
J. Gregory invented the MOTOR
L. S. Burridge and N. R. Marsham invented the TYPEWRITER
J. S. Smith invented the LAWN SPRINKLER
James S. Adams invented AIRPLANE PROPELLING
John Burr invented the LAWN MOWER
Joseph N. Jackson invented the PROGRAMMABLE REMOTE CONTROL
John Standard invented REFRIGERATOR
John A. Johnson invented the WRENCH
Robert Flemming Jr. invented the GUITAR
M. C. Harney invented the LANTERN/LAMP
Lydia O. Newman invented the HAIR BRUSH
Marie V. Brittan Brown invented the SECURITY SYSTEM
Paul E. Williams invented the HELICOPTER
We hope you will take the time to talk with someone this month, that you think you have nothing in common with, you might find them the most interesting. You would not tell a Holocaust survivor to forget their past, so do not say that a black person should forget their past or their ancestral roots either.
--
Judith Powell is a Black Activist for Social Change and Justice
One usually obtains their information from the media and unfortunately tends to believe as truth what they see on the nightly news, hear on the radio or read in the newspapers. How sad it is that our vision of history is so narrow and clearly lacking in accurate information. We are controlled in this nation by a few, who have led us down the path of bigotry and hated, by false imagery, based on fear and lies and blatant discrimination. The black community is lacking in black media, which clearly would enable us to educate and distribute the truth of who the black person really is. You will not hear this on CNN or FOX news, not even on 610 radio (Columbus, Ohio).
Let us be honest with each other. When was the last time you had dinner at a black person home or even invited a black family to your home for dinner? Do you know why we don’t use the word picnic? Why is it offensive to refer to a black person as boy or gal? If there are two people at the counter at the same time, why does the clerk usually ask the non-black person if they were next? Why do so many white people believe that the welfare roll were created for black people and when you see people with food stamps, why do you feel blacks are misusing the system? Have you asked yourself lately why black men are in prison in large numbers for marijuana and crack cocaine while white men serve little or no time for using cocaine? Certainly, cocaine as everyone knows is a more expensive drug. Is it because they say cocaine is just a recreational drug? What would you think if I told you all four of my siblings went to college and two of us have hours on our Doctorate? Would you say my family is the exception and not the norm, why?
Let me share with you a small sampling of the contributions made to the world by BLACK PEOPLE. Ask yourself why this information is not being taught in school.
A.E. Long and A.A. Jones invented the CAPS FOR BOTTLES AND JARS
A.L. Lewis invented WINDOW CLEANER
A.L. Rickman invented GALOSHES
Anna M. Mangin invented the PASTRY FORK
Alexander P. Ashbourne invented the BISCUIT CUTTER
AlexanderMiles invented the ELEVATOR AND ALSO SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS
Alfred L. Cralle invented the ICE CREAM SCOOPER
Alice Parker invented the HEATING FURANCE
Augustus Jackson invented ICE CREAM
C.B. Brook invented the STREET SWEEPER
C.V. Richey invented the FIRE ESCAPE BRACKET
Dr/ Charles Drew invented BLOOD BANKS AND ESTABLIHED THEM AROUND THE WORLD
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams PERFORMED THE FIRST OPEN HEART SURGERY
Edmond Berger invented the SPARK PLUG
Elbert R. Robinson invented the ELECTRIC RAILWAY TROLLEY
Ellen Elgin invented the CLOTHES WRINGER
Frederick Jones invented the TICKET DISPENSING MACHINE, STARTER GENERATOR,TWO-CYCLE GASOLINE ENGINE, AIR CONDITIONING, PORTABLE X-RAY MACHINE
G. F. Grant invented the GOLF TEE
G. T. Sampson invented the CLOTHES DRIER
G. W. Kelley invented the STEAM TABLE
Garret A. Morgan invented the GAS MASK, AUTOMATIC TRAFFIC SIGNAL
George Tolivar invented the SHIP’S PROPELLER
Henry Sampson invented the CELLUAR PHONE
Issac R. Johnson invented the BICYCLE FRAME
J. Gregory invented the MOTOR
L. S. Burridge and N. R. Marsham invented the TYPEWRITER
J. S. Smith invented the LAWN SPRINKLER
James S. Adams invented AIRPLANE PROPELLING
John Burr invented the LAWN MOWER
Joseph N. Jackson invented the PROGRAMMABLE REMOTE CONTROL
John Standard invented REFRIGERATOR
John A. Johnson invented the WRENCH
Robert Flemming Jr. invented the GUITAR
M. C. Harney invented the LANTERN/LAMP
Lydia O. Newman invented the HAIR BRUSH
Marie V. Brittan Brown invented the SECURITY SYSTEM
Paul E. Williams invented the HELICOPTER
We hope you will take the time to talk with someone this month, that you think you have nothing in common with, you might find them the most interesting. You would not tell a Holocaust survivor to forget their past, so do not say that a black person should forget their past or their ancestral roots either.
--
Judith Powell is a Black Activist for Social Change and Justice