looking at all the inventions and their inventors it is clearly seen that the white demoninate field.
what's happening to the blacks?does it mean they can't invent or what?tell me what a black man both dead and alive has done to help transform the world.

Blacks changed the phrase/simile ‘as poor as a church mouse’ to ‘as … (use your imagination)’, it appears they now act as reverse missionaries (see BBC’s TV show: Reverse Missionaries).
This is in no way a sarcastic statement, just saying they were able to reinvent the way a Church operates by bringing out texts that were overlooked.

Besides that, slave labour was also responsible for many ancient Engineering feats. In addition, The Great Pyramid of Giza happens to be one of the wonders of the ancient world.

I think Walter Sammons invented a comb?

On a lighter note,we did take "witchcraft" to another level. . .flying without wings.

The White Race have skillfully re-writen history for the Black Race to believe that all inventions are
a White Man's revelation.

Writing in began in Africa! Mathematics and electronic science as well as civil engineering. We did not need Galileo
to tell us that the Sun was the center of the solar system.
It was only after Napoleon raided Egypt with a team of european researchers/looters that we started hearing
of Fourier trigonmetric series and electromagnetism.

The ancient african texts that were used to form the Torah, Bible and Koran
contain inventions written in a symbolic language. For example,
a "chariot of fire" is a rocket engine. "Commandments" are a set of commands; an instruction set for
a microprocessor made from Silicon, which is the primary constituent of a "clay tablet". The fabrication atmosphere
has to be "holy"; completely dust free. The integrated circut is etched using "a bright light"; ultraviolet-photolithograpy.


All Black children in this world are taught in schools to believe that inventions are
are not their domain.

As a person who is half African American, I know some famous black inventors that my teachers used to discuss, back when I was in high school.

George Alcorn
Inventor of the Imaging X-ray Spectrometer




Not many inventors have resumes as impressive as George Edward Alcorn's. Among his credits, the African-American inventor received a B.A. in physics, a master's degree in nuclear physics and a Ph.D in atomic and molecular physics. On top of that, Alcorn worked for the likes of Philco-Ford, Perkin-Elmer, IBM and NASA, created over 20 different inventions and was granted eight patents.

Despite such impressive credentials, Alcorn is probably most famous for his innovation of the imaging x-ray spectrometer – a device that helps scientists better understand what materials are composed of when they cannot be broken down. Receiving a patent for his method in 1984, Alcorn's inclusion of the thermomigration of aluminum in the spectrometer was regarded as a major innovation by experts in the field. The invention led to Alcorn's reception of the NASA Inventor of the Year Award.

And that wasn't the only award George Edward Alcorn received. Along with being awarded a NASA medal for his work in recruiting minority scientists and engineers, he also won the Government Executives Magazine's prestigious Technology Leadership Award for the Airborne Lidar Topographical Mapping System. And, in 2001, Alcorn was awarded special congressional recognition for his efforts in helping Virgin Islands businesses through application of NASA technology and technology programs.

George Alcorn's work as an educator should not be overlooked either. He held positions at both Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia, where he taught courses in electrical engineering. He also was an organizer and mentor for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's (UMBC's) Myerhoff Program, which works to promote minority Ph.Ds in science and mathematics.

Benjamin Banneker
Invented America's First Clock




In the Stevie Wonder song "Black Man," the Motown marvel sings of Benjamin Banneker: "first clock to be made in America was created by a black man." Though the song is a fitting salute to a great inventor (and African Americans in general), it only touches on the genius of Benjamin Banneker and the many hats he wore – as a farmer, mathematician, astronomer, author and land surveyor.

Like a lot of early inventors, Benjamin Banneker was primarily self-taught. The son of former slaves, Benjamin worked on the family tobacco farm and received some early education from a Quaker school. But most of his advanced knowledge came from reading, reading and more reading. At 15 he took over the farm and invented an irrigation system to control water flow to the crops from nearby springs. As a result of Banneker's innovation, the farm flourished – even during droughts.

But it was his clock invention that really propelled the reputation of Benjamin Banneker. Sometime in the early 1750s, Benjamin borrowed a pocket watch from a wealthy acquaintance, took the watch apart and studied its components. After returning the watch, he created a fully functioning clock entirely out of carved wooden pieces. The clock was amazingly precise, and would keep on ticking for decades. As the result of the attention his self-made clock received, Banneker was able to start up his own watch and clock repair business.

And Benjamin Banneker's accomplishments didn't end there. Borrowing books on astronomy and mathematics from a friend, Benjamin engorged himself in the subjects. Putting his newfound knowledge to use, Banneker accurately predicted a 1789 solar eclipse. In the early 1790s, Banneker added another job title to his resume – author. Benjamin compiled and published his Almanac and Ephemeris of Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland (he would publish the journal annually for over a decade), and even sent a copy to secretary of state Thomas Jefferson along with a letter urging the abolition of slavery.

Impressed by his abilities, Jefferson recommended Banneker to be a part of a surveying team to lay out Washington, D.C. Appointed to the three-man team by president George Washington, Banneker wound up saving the project when the lead architect quit in a fury – taking all the plans with him. Using his meticulous memory, Banneker was able to recreate the plans. Wielding knowledge like a sword, Benjamin Banneker was many things – inventor, scientist, anti-slavery proponent – and, as a result, his legacy lives on to this day.

George Washington Carver
Inventor of Over 300 Peanut Products




Generally, when people think of famous African-American inventors, one of the first names that springs to mind is George Washington Carver. Perhaps most famously, Carver's inventions included the discovery of over 300 different uses for peanuts – such as making cooking oil, axle grease and printer's ink. But despite his penchant for inventing, Carver was never interested in money or prestige so much as helping his fellow man.

Born at the end of the civil war, George Washington Carver displayed a strong desire for knowledge from an early age and took particular interest in plants. As a young boy, Carver became known as the "plant doctor" and was regularly called upon by neighbors to "cure" ailing plants. But it wasn't until late in his twenties that Carver had the opportunity to study plants more thoroughly. While initially enrolled at Simpson College to study art and piano, Carver transferred to Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now known simply as Iowa State University) to follow his passion.

Though he was the first African-American student accepted to Iowa State, George Washington Carver quickly became a campus leader and, excelling in botany and horticulture, went on to become the university's first African-American faculty member. After finishing his education, George Washington Carver was convinced by Booker T. Washington to serve as the director of agriculture at the upstart Tuskegee Institute. Though the job offered very little in terms of pay, Carver took the position and ran with it. It was there he devised his method of crop rotation, whereby farmers would rotate cotton (which depleted the soil of nutrients) with peanuts (which replenished them) from year to year.

Through the system, crops flourished – but a large surplus of peanuts also developed. This led George Washington Carver to develop alternate uses for the peanut. When he later determined that sweet potatoes and pecans also could help replenish soil, he invented over a hundred different uses for them too. Despite the positive impact George Washington Carver's inventions had on the South, the inventor never sought out glory. Instead, he continued to invent, discover and teach in order to make the world a better place. Inscribed on his tombstone is the epitaph: "He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither, he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world."

Otis Boykin
Invented an improved electrical resistor



Few inventors have had the lasting impact of Otis Boykin. Look around the house today and you'll see a variety of devices that utilize components made by Boykin – including computers, radios and TV sets. Boykin's inventions are all the more impressive when one considers he was an African American in a time of segregation and the field of electronics was not as well-established as it is today.

Though he attended the Illinois Institute of Technology for a time, Otis Boykin never made it to graduation because he couldn't afford tuition. Instead, Boykin went to work as an inventor. He received his first patent in 1959 for a wire resistor that allowed a precise amount of electricity to flow to a component. Two year later, he created an even better resistor that could be manufactured inexpensively and withstand extreme temperature changes and shock. A low-cost product that was more reliable, the invention brought Otis Boykin to the forefront of American electronics.

Consumer electronics manufacturers, the United States military and IBM all placed orders for the resistor. It would come to be used in household appliances, computers and guided missiles – and is still used in many of those devices to this very day. But, perhaps most importantly, a version of his resistor was used in the invention of the pacemaker. That device, which keeps the heart beating regularly through electronic pulses, has helped to extend the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals.

And Otis Boykin's accomplishments didn't stop there. He continued to invent throughout the duration of his life (which ended in 1982), working as a consultant for firms in America and Europe. All in all, he earned 11 patents and invented 28 different electronic devices. Some of his lesser known inventions include a burglar-proof cash register and a chemical air filter – both of which were never produced.

In my country (Uruguay), in times of slavery different ethnic groups, in a time of year, playing their drums announcing public for each group to present his music. That fact was born what is now known as "llamadas" (calls). Of these festivals was born a rhythm called "Candomble" which is something symbolic in my country.
It's a rhythm created by blacks, but absolutely adore all the people here.
Regards!

Dr. Charles Drew
Blood Bank Inventor



It's impossible to determine how many hundreds of thousands of people would have lost their lives without the contributions of African-American inventor Dr. Charles Drew. This physician, researcher and surgeon revolutionized the understanding of blood plasma – leading to the invention of blood banks.

Born in 1904 in Washington, D.C., Charles Drew excelled from early on in both intellectual and athletic pursuits. After becoming a doctor and working as a college instructor, Drew went to Columbia University to do his Ph.D. on blood storage. He completed a thesis titled Banked Blood that invented a method of separating and storing plasma, allowing it to be dehydrated for later use. It was the first time Columbia awarded a doctorate to an African-American.

At the onset of World War II, Drew was called upon to put his techniques into practice. He emerged as the leading authority on mass transfusion and processing methods, and went on to helm the American Red Cross blood bank. When the Armed Forces ordered that only Caucasian blood be given to soldiers, Drew protested and resigned.



Frederick McKinley Jones
Refrigerator Inventions



Anytime you see a truck on the highway transporting refrigerated or frozen food, you're seeing the work of Frederick McKinley Jones.

One of the most prolific Black inventors ever, Jones patented more than 60 inventions in his lifetime. While more than 40 of those patents were in the field of refrigeration, Jones is most famous for inventing an automatic refrigeration system for long haul trucks and railroad cars.

Before Jones' invention, the only way to keep food cool in trucks was to load them with ice. Jones was inspired to invent the system after talking with a truck driver who lost his whole cargo of chicken because he couldn't reach his destination before the ice melted. As a solution, the African-American inventor developed a roof-mounted cooling system to make sure food stayed fresh.

In addition to that refrigerator invention, Jones also invented an air-conditioning unit for military field hospitals, a refrigerator for military field kitchens, a self-starting gas engine, a series of devices for movie projectors and box-office equipment that gave tickets and made change. Jones was posthumously awarded the National Medal of Technology in 1991 – the first Black inventor to ever receive such an honor.

Garrett A. Morgan
Traffic Signal and Gas Mask Inventor



Many of the world's most famous inventors only produced one major invention that garnered recognition and cemented their prominent status. But Garret Augustus Morgan, one of the country's most successful African-American inventors, created two – the gas mask and the traffic signal.

Born in the last quarter of the nineteenth century to former slaves, Garrett A. Morgan was only formally educated to a sixth-grade level. Fortunately, like many great inventors, Morgan had an innate mechanical mind that enabled him to solve problems. And, unlike most other inventors, he also was a skilled entrepreneur.

After moving to Cleveland, Ohio, at the age of 18, Garrett Morgan's business sense and strong work ethic led him to almost immediate success. He invented and patented the first chemical hair straightener, started his own sewing equipment repair business, and even established a newspaper – the Cleveland Call.

But Morgan's most prolific accomplishments came in his role as an inventor. He received a patent for the first gas mask invention in 1914, but it wasn't until two years later that the idea really took off. When a group of workers got stuck in a tunnel below Lake Erie after an explosion, Morgan and a team of men donned the masks to help get them out. After the rescue was a success, requests for the masks began pouring in.

Similarly, Garrett Morgan's other famous invention – the traffic signal – was also invented to help save lives. After witnessing an accident on a roadway, Morgan decided a device was needed to keep cars, buggies and pedestrians from colliding. His traffic signal was designed to stand on a street corner and notify vehicles and walkers whether they should stop or go. After receiving a patent in 1923, the rights to the invention were eventually purchased by General Electric.

John Henry Thompson
Computer Programming and Software Inventions



Even in high school, John Henry Thompson was interested in computer programming languages. He taught himself several programming languages such as FORTRAN, PLI, COBOL and JCL while working in a New York research facility. Thompson's goal was to absorb as much knowledge as possible so he could invent his own computer language.

After graduating from High School, he attended MIT where he obtained a degree in Computer Science and a minor in Visual Arts. By combining these two seemingly disparate disciplines, Thompson wanted to bridge the gap between art and technology. Four years later as a chief scientist at Macromedia™, he was able to make progress towards this goal. He developed a number of products, many of them based on his most famous invention, Lingo programming: a scripting language that helps render visuals in computer programs. Thompson used Lingo in one of his better-known computer inventions, Macromedia™ Director. Macromedia™ Director is able to incorporate different graphic formats (such as BMP, AVI, JPEG, QuickTime, PNG, RealVideo and vector graphics) to create multi-media content and applications, thus combining computer programming language with visual art.

Lingo is now used with many programs that have interactive simulations with graphics, animation, sound, and video. Along with Macromedia™ Director, Thompson has helped develop MediaMaker, Actions, VideoWorks Accelerator, and Video Works II. Lingo has also been used to create flash and shockwave programs that now are prevalent in video games, web design, animation, and graphics.

Dr. James E. West
Electret Microphone Inventor



Ninety percent of microphones used today are based on the ingenuity of James Edward West, an African-American inventor born in 1931 in Prince Edwards County, VA. If you’ve ever talked on the telephone, you’ve probably used his invention.

Dr. James E. West and a colleague, Gerhard Sessler, developed the mic (officially known as the Electroacoustic Transducer Electret Microphone) while with Bell Laboratories, and they received a patent for it in 1962. The acoustical technologies employed became widely used for many reasons including high performance, acoustical accuracy and reliability. It is also small, lightweight and cost effective.

West started at Bell labs as an intern and joined them full-time in 1957 after graduating from Temple University. As the inventor of the microphone, James West has received numerous awards and honors including a Fellow of IEEE, Industrial Research Institute's 1998 Achievement Award, 1995 Inventor of the Year from the State of New Jersey and induction in the Inventors Hall of Fame in 1999. James E. West holds 47 US patents and more than 200 foreign patents from his 40-year career with Bell Laboratories.

During his career, West also involved himself with programs designed to encourage minorities to take more of a role in the sciences. In the 1970's, he was a member of the Association of Black Laboratories Employees (ABLE) at Bell Labs that influenced management to fund the Summer Research Program (SRP) and Cooperate Research Fellowship Program (CRFP) – programs that helped more than 500 non-white students graduate with degrees in science, engineering and mathematics.

James Edward West now works with Johns Hopkins University as a research professor.

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Dr. Patricia Bath
Fight for the Right to Sight




Imagine living in a world ranging from hazy, clouded vision to that of total darkness for 30 years. Before 1985, that was the plight of those with cataracts who did not want to risk surgery with a mechanical grinder. Now imagine sitting in a doctor's office without being able to see her as she explains that it may be possible to restore your vision. You can't tell by studying body language whether to trust this person or if they're pulling your leg. All you have to go by is the sound of the voice assuring you that this procedure is safe, more accurate and more comfortable than traditional cataract surgery.

As a noted Opthamologist and famous black inventor, Dr. Patricia Bath has dedicated her life to the treatment and prevention of visual impairments. Her personal belief that everyone has the "Right to Sight" led to her invention in 1985 of a specialized tool and procedure for the removal of cataracts. With the Laserphaco Probe and procedure, Dr. Bath increased the accuracy and results of cataract surgery, which had previously been performed manually with a mechanical grinder.

The difference between the old method and her new invention was the difference between the use of highly accurate laser technology and the somewhat subjective accuracy of a mechanical device. The Laserphaco Probe combined an optical laser, irrigation system and suction tubes. In use, the laser is inserted into a tiny incision on the eye; the laser then vaporizes the cataract and lens material, which is removed via the suction tubes. A replacement lens is then inserted on the eye.

With the Laserphaco Probe invention and the development of the procedure for its use, Dr. Bath helped restore the sight of several people who had been blinded by cataracts for up to 30 years. Imagine the joy they felt when they opened their eyes to see Dr. Patricia Bath's smiling face for the first time.


Valerie Thomas
Inventor of the Illusion Transmitter



Did you ever think of what it might be like if your television could project the on-screen image directly into your living room as a 3-Dimensional image? Maybe not, but if it happens, you'll have African-American inventor Valerie Thomas to thank for it.

From 1964 to 1995, Thomas worked in a variety of capacities for NASA where she developed real-time computer data systems, conducted large-scale experiments and managed various operations, projects and facilities. While managing a project for NASA's image processing systems, Thomas' team spearheaded the development of "Landsat," the first satellite to send images from space.

In 1976, Thomas learned how concave mirrors can be set up to create the illusion of a 3-dimensional object. She believed this would be revolutionary if technology could be harnessed to transmit this illusion. With an eye to the future, Valerie Thomas began experimenting on an illusion transmitter in 1977. In 1980, she patented it. In operation, concave mirrors are set up on both ends of the transmission. The net effect of this is an optical illusion of a 3-dimensional image that looks real on the receiving end. This brilliant innovation placed Thomas among the most prominent black inventors of the 20th century.

NASA continues to use her technology and is exploring ways to use it in surgical tools and possibly television and video.

^^^wow!!!i feel fulfilled i never knew of these guys til now.thanks bro for the enligthenment.

After some numb nuts will come over here to degrade the black America! Black Americans are the ones holding the touch for the black world today!!

NRI PRIEST: After some numb nuts will come over here to degrade the black America! Black Americans are the ones holding the touch for the black world today!!

The term is African American. I do not know when Black American came into the lexicon, but most blacks in the United States prefer the term African American. And I am very proud to be half African American, since I was born to a Nigerian father and an African American mother. My people have accomplished a lot in the United States even though they were faced with a lot of adversity.

^^It seems the opposite in a lot of places. Quite a few African Americans are quick to drop "African" from their identity and roll along with being just American Blacks.

Not that I blame them sometimes. It is natural to associate oneself with success and distance oneself from the opposite. African Americans in a bid for survival and self-determination will think: why settle for "lowly" Africa when we already are a part of America (most powerful empire of the 20-21st century)- even if we have had a raw deal in American history? Much as I admire their historical strength of will don't you think that there is an inkling of truth in AA being the most european-like Blacks in the Americas?

Sad but true . Although you can find African Americans who take pride in their African heritage. Like yourself -seeing as you have a an AA mother and Nigerian dad you're more likely to find such AA's in your circle.

Nebeuwa:

The term is African American. I do not know when Black American came into the lexicon, but most blacks in the United States prefer the term African American. And I am very proud to be half African American, since I was born to a Nigerian father and an African American mother. My people have accomplished a lot in the United States even though they were faced with a lot of adversity.

Please speak for yourself alone! The majority of educated Black American frown at the "African American" term. . .They dont feel connected to their African root which is reasonable and widely common amognst them. And one thing I have noticed amongst them is that they bash Africans whenever its convenient and claim Africas greatness when it suits them! But its cool.

Nnenna1: ^^It seems the opposite in a lot of places. Quite a few African Americans are quick to drop "African" from their identity and roll along with being just American Blacks.

Not that I blame them sometimes. It is natural to associate oneself with success and distance oneself from the opposite. African Americans in a bid for survival and self-determination will think: why settle for "lowly" Africa when we already are a part of America (most powerful empire of the 20-21st century)- even if we have had a raw deal in American history? Much as I admire their historical strength of will don't you think that there is an inkling of truth in AA being the most european-like Blacks in the Americas?

Sad but true . Although you can find African Americans who take pride in their African heritage. Like yourself -seeing as you have a an AA mother and Nigerian dad you're more likely to find such AA's in your circle.

You are a SAGE !

Nnenna1: ^^It seems the opposite in a lot of places. Quite a few African Americans are quick to drop "African" from their identity and roll along with being just American Blacks.

Not that I blame them sometimes. It is natural to associate oneself with success and distance oneself from the opposite. African Americans in a bid for survival and self-determination will think: why settle for "lowly" Africa when we already are a part of America (most powerful empire of the 20-21st century)- even if we have had a raw deal in American history? Much as I admire their historical strength of will don't you think that there is an inkling of truth in AA being the most european-like Blacks in the Americas?

Sad but true . Although you can find African Americans who take pride in their African heritage. Like yourself -seeing as you have a an AA mother and Nigerian dad you're more likely to find such AA's in your circle.

I haven't been around many African Americans, who have dropped the "African" from their identity. Maybe those who choose to do that are simply ignorant of their heritage and lack an education. However, most of my friends and family members choose to be called African American and recognize that their ancestors came from Africa.

And how are African Americans the "most european-life Blacks in the Americas?" African Americans have created a sub-culture in the United States that is authentically black and many people choose to emulate them. That includes people of other "races," and other black "groups" such as Africans who have embraced African American culture. That can be seen in music throughout Africa, the vernacular and the way many Africans dress. I would go as far as say that "Hip-Hop culture" which is often synonymous with African American culture is having a huge impact on many African youth. Therefore, can you expatiate on this "european-like Blacks," because I was raised in an African American household, but went to predominately white schools all my life. And there were many differences between African Americans and White Americas that had nothing to do with skin color.

Many African Americans take pride in their African heritage, but sometimes face hostility from their African brothers and sisters. However, I am starting to realize that it seems to be the "African way" to divide amongst themselves, in which all I have to do is look at the Politics section in this forum and see the constant ethnic battles.

NRI PRIEST:

Please speak for yourself alone! The majority of educated Black American frown at the "African American" term. . .They dont feel connected to their African root which is reasonable and widely common amognst them. And one thing I have noticed amongst them is that they bash Africans whenever its convenient and claim Africas greatness when it suits them! But its cool.

Why should I speak for myself alone, when African Americans are my people? I consider myself an educated African American and I refuse to use "Black American," and many of my colleagues who do not have a direct connection to Africa, are still proud of their heritage. You are speaking as an outsider, so it will be kind of hard for you to tell me how my people relate to our heritage. Now I will say that many uneducated Africans feel disconnected with Africa, and believe the stereotypes about Africa, but that is simply due to lack of education.

I feel these misconceptions between African Americans and Africans would be best solved with dialogue amongst both groups. What do you think?

Alexander Miles
Invention: Electric Elevator



Alexander Miles of Duluth, Minnesota patented an electric elevator (U.S. pat#371,207) on October 11, 1887 (see patent below). Alexander Miles did not invent the first elevator, however, his design was very important. Alexander Miles improved the method of the opening and closing of elevator doors; and he improved the closing of the opening to the elevator shaft when an elevator was not on that floor. Alexander Miles created an automatic mechanism that closed access to the shaft. At that time elevator patrons or operators were often required to manually shut a door to cutoff access to the elevator shaft. People would forget to close the shaft door and as a result there were accidents with people falling down the elevator shafts.

Benjamin Banneker
Invention: Wooden Pocket Watch



On November 9 1731, Benjamin Banneker was born in Ellicott's Mills, Maryland. He was the descendent of slaves, however, Banneker was born a freeman. At that time the law dictated that if your mother was a slave then you were a slave, and if she was a freewomen then you were a free person. Banneker's grandmother, Molly Walsh was a bi-racial English immigrant and indentured servant who married an African slave named Banna Ka, who had been brought to the Colonies by a slave trader. Molly had served seven years as an indentured servant before she acquired and worked on her own small farm. Molly Walsh purchased her future husband Banna Ka and another African to work on her farm. The name Banna Ka was later changed to Bannaky and then changed to Banneker. Benjamin's mother Mary Banneker was born free. Benjamin's father Rodger was a former slave who had bought his own freedom before marrying Mary.

He built one of the first watches made in America, a wooden pocket watch.

Bessie Blount

Invention: portable receptacle support
The electrical device allowed a tube to deliver one mouthful of food at a time to a patient in a wheelchair or in a bed whenever he or she bit down on the tube.



Bessie Blount, was a physical therapist who worked with soldiers injured in W.W.II. Bessie Blount's war service inspired her to patent a device, in 1951, that allowed amputees to feed themselves. The electrical device allowed a tube to deliver one mouthful of food at a time to a patient in a wheelchair or in a bed whenever he or she bit down on the tube. She later invented a portable receptacle support that was a simpler and smaller version of the same, designed to be worn around a patient's neck. Bessie Griffin - Bessie Blount Bessie

Blount was born in Hickory, Virginia in 1914. She moved from Virginia to New Jersey where she studied to be a physical therapist at the Panzar College of Physical Education and at Union Junior College and then furthered her training as a physical therapist in Chicago. In 1951, Bessie Blount started teaching Physical Therapy at the Bronx Hospital in New York. She was unable to successfully market her valuable inventions and found no support from United States Veteran's Administration, so she gave the patent rights to the French government in 1952. The French government put the device to good use helping to make life better for many war vets.

"A black woman can invent something for the benefit of humankind" - Bessie Blount

David Crosthwait
Invention: Improved Boiler
a new thermostat control and a new differential vacuum pump, all more effective for the heating systems in larger buildings.



David Crosthwait was born in Nashville, Tennessee and grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He received a Bachelor of Science degree (1913) and a Master of Engineering degree (1920) from Purdue University and honorary doctoral degree in 1975. Crosthwait moved to Marshall Town, Iowa in 1913 to work for the Durham Company designing heating installations. From 1925 to 1930, Crosthwait was the director of the research department, investigating heating and ventilation methods. Crosthwait holds 39 U.S. patents for heating systems, vacuum pumps, refrigeration methods and processes and temperature regulating devices, and 80 international patents for the same. He is well known for creating the heating system for New York's famous Radio City Music Hall and Rockerfeller Center.

Crosthwait was an expert on heat transfer, air ventilation and central air conditioning. He was the author of a manual on heating and cooling with water and guides, standards, and codes that dealt with heating, ventilation, refrigeration, and air conditioning systems. During the 1920s and 30s, he invented an improved boiler, a new thermostat control and a new differential vacuum pump, all more effective for the heating systems in larger buildings.

He was the Technical Advisor of Dunham-Bush, Inc. from 1930 to 1971. After retiring, Crosthwait taught a course on steam heating theory and control systems at Purdue University.

Dr. Daniel H. Williams
Invention: Performed First Open Heart Surgery
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams was an African American physician who made history by performing the first successful open heart surgery operation



Daniel Hale Williams was born in 1856 in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, the fifth of eight children. His father was a barber who died when Daniel was only nine. His mother was unable to provide for all the children on her own, so she moved the family to Baltimore, Maryland to stay with relatives. An apprenticeship with a shoemaker was found for Daniel; he remained there as a shoemaker's apprentice for three years while he was still a young child. As a teenager, he learned to cut hair and became a barber, living and working with a family who owned a barber shop in Janesville, Wisconsin.

In Janesville Daniel began to attend high school. He graduated from Hare's Classical Academy in 1877. While working as a barber, he met Dr. Henry Palmer, a leading surgeon, who became the Surgeon General of Wisconsin. Dr. Palmer took Daniel on as a medical apprentice; he had two other apprentices at the time. Dr. Palmer helped the three apprentices apply for admission to a top medical school, the Chicago Medical School, which was affiliated with Northwestern University. All three were accepted and began their studies in 1880. Dr. Daniel Hale Williams graduated with his medical degree in 1883.

i AM A FULL BLOWN BLACK AMERICAN. i HAVE NO NIGERIAN MOTHER OR FATHER. bOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE BLACK AMERICAN, WHICH IS THE CORRECT USAGE. We are not african americans, it is impossible to be an "african' american

Nebeuwa:

I haven't been around many African Americans, who have dropped the "African" from their identity. Maybe those who choose to do that are simply ignorant of their heritage and lack an education. However, most of my friends and family members choose to be called African American and recognize that their ancestors came from Africa.

I did say that you're more likely to find more Afrocentric AAs in your circle due to your background. However I don't think it's as common as you may think.

Exhibit A:

k.o.n.y:

i AM A FULL BLOWN BLACK AMERICAN. i HAVE NO NIGERIAN MOTHER OR FATHER. bOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE BLACK AMERICAN, WHICH IS THE CORRECT USAGE. We are not african americans, it is impossible to be an "african' american

Nebeuwa:
And how are African Americans the "most european-life Blacks in the Americas?" African Americans have created a sub-culture in the United States that is authentically black and many people choose to emulate them. That includes people of other "races," and other black "groups" such as Africans who have embraced African American culture. That can be seen in music throughout Africa, the vernacular and the way many Africans dress. I would go as far as say that "Hip-Hop culture" which is often synonymous with African American culture is having a huge impact on many African youth. Therefore, can you expatiate on this "european-like Blacks," because I was raised in an African American household, but went to predominately white schools all my life. And there were many differences between African Americans and White Americas that had nothing to do with skin color.

There are many AAs (MANY) who would disagree with you and say that their culture is strictly Black American and completely homegrown.

Nebeuwa:
Many African Americans take pride in their African heritage, but sometimes face hostility from their African brothers and sisters. However, I am starting to realize that it seems to be the "African way" to divide amongst themselves, in which all I have to do is look at the Politics section in this forum and see the constant ethnic battles.

Yet to be convinced. Although the divisiveness in Black culture is indeed a shame (oh and the heat b/w AAs and their African cousins goes both ways).

I don't want to derail this educative thread though. In any case it would be beneficial for all Blacks to be united - I agree. It's a shame that it isn't and probably wouldn't be for a long time to come.

k.o.n.y:
i AM A FULL BLOWN BLACK AMERICAN. i HAVE NO NIGERIAN MOTHER OR FATHER. bOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE BLACK AMERICAN, WHICH IS THE CORRECT USAGE. We are not african americans, it is impossible to be an "african' american

Let us go through the racial identifiers that have been used for blacks in America. Negro/Colored, Afro-American during the 60s and 70s, then followed by African American which was popularized by Jesse Jackson during the 1980s. The term African American was used as an acknowledgment of citizenship and common history as well as a racial experience and identity that's separate and unique from the regular American culture. But even the word "African" was not new, in which it was used in colonial times, when the First African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded. Now some people are using Black American?

I am starting to feel that is no "Correct Usage" and it depends on the individual Black person in the United States. Either they are connected with the African continent or not. And who is "We?" You do not speak for me, since I was born to an African American mother and was raised in the United States. Or do you think you are the spokesman for black people living in the United States just like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson think they are?

Dr. Vivien T. Thomas
Invention: Surgical Tools
Pioneering Research in Surgical Shock and Cardiovascular Surgery



Scientist and Inventor. Vivien T. Thomas was born in New Iberia, Louisiana. His family later moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he was educated in the public schools Graduating with Honors from Pearl High School. In 1929, after working as an orderly in a private infirmary to raise money for college, he enrolled as a premedical student at Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial College. The bank crash that year wiped out his life's savings, forcing him to drop out of school.

In 1930, he took a position at Vanderbilt University as a laboratory assistant with Dr. Alfred Blalock. Thomas' abilities as a surgical assistant and research associate were of the highest quality, and when Dr. Blalock moved to Johns Hopkins in 1941 he asked Thomas to accompany him. Thomas joined Dr. Blalock's surgical team which included the often honored cardiologist Dr. Helen Taussig and in 1944 pioneered the field of heart surgery with a procedure to alleviate a congenital heart defect, the Tetralogy of Fallot, also known as blue baby syndrome. Sufferers faced brutally short life expectancies. Working as a team they developed an operation that would deliver more oxygen to the blood and relieve the constriction caused by the heart defect. Surgical Technician Vivien Thomas helped train many of the surgeons at Johns Hopkins in the delicate techniques necessary for heart and lung operations. Thomas was presented with the degree of Honorary Doctor of Laws by the Johns Hopkins University in 1976.He was a member of the medical school faculty in 1976 until he retired in 1979. The publication of Thomas's book "Pioneering Research in Surgical Shock and Cardiovascular Surgery: Vivien Thomas and His Work with Alfred Blalock" gives details of their surgical procedures and techniques developed together during their professional relationship.

Elijah McCoy
Invention: Oil-Dripping Cup
Automatic lubricator for oiling the steam engines of locomotives and boats.



Elijah McCoyAfro-Canadian inventor and engineer. After studying engineering in Edinburgh, Scotland, and returning home to Canada, he found work as a fireman and oiler at the Michigan Central Railroad. In a home-based machine shop in Ypsilanti, McCoy invented an automatic lubricator for oiling the steam engines of locomotives and boats. For this he obtained his first patent, "Improvement in Lubricators for Steam-Engines" (U.S. Patent 129,843 ) on July 23rd, 1872. Similar automatic oilers had been patented previously; one is the displacement lubricator which had already attained widespread use and whose technological descendants continued to be widely used into the 20th century.

Lubricators were a boon for railroads, allowing trains to run faster and more profitably with less need to stop for lubrication and maintenance.

Other inventors tried to copy McCoy's oil-dripping cup. But none of the other cups worked as well as his, so customers started asking for "the real McCoy." That's where the expression comes from.



Fredrick Jones
Invention: Automatic Refrigeration System
Automatic refrigeration system for long-haul trucks in 1935 (a roof-mounted cooling device). Jones was the first person to invent a practical, mechanical refrigeration system for trucks and railroad cars, which eliminated the risk of food spoilage during long-distance shipping trips.



Frederick Jones was born in in Covington, Kentucky near Cincinnati, Ohio on on May 17, 1893. He was a trained mechanic, a skill he learned doing military service in France during World War. His mastery of electronic devices was largely self-taught, through work experience and the inventing process.

Frederick McKinley Jones was granted more than 40 patents in the field of refrigeration. Frederick Jones' inspiration for the refrigeration unit was a conversation with a truck driver who had lost a shipment of chickens because the trip took too long and the truck's storage compartment overheated. Frederick Jones also developed an air-conditioning unit for military field hospitals and a refrigerator for military field kitchens. Frederick Jones received over 60 patents during his lifetime.

Jan E. Matzeliger
Invention: Shoe Making Machine
He invented the first ever shoe making machine. It could make up to 700 hundred pairs of shoes in a ten hour work day. Humans could only make 50



He invented the first ever shoe making machine. It could make up to 700 hundred pairs of shoes in a ten hour work day. Humans could only make 50. He first used cigar boxes and metal scraps to create his machine, but everyone always laughed at his idea. When it did work everyone wanted to buy the machine from him, but he said no. Finally in 1883 he got a patent to build his machine. He needed money to build the machine so he didn't live healthily in order to save up money and because of that he died in 1889 at the age of 36 due to his poor health.

[size=32pt]THERE IS NOTHING LIKE BLACK RACE. I AM DARK BROWN SAHELIAN CHADIC PERSON OF HAUSA TRIBE[/size]

Nebeuwa:

Let us go through the racial identifiers that have been used for blacks in America. Negro/Colored, Afro-American during the 60s and 70s, then followed by African American which was popularized by Jesse Jackson during the 1980s. The term African American was used as an acknowledgment of citizenship and common history as well as a racial experience and identity that's separate and unique from the regular American culture. But even the word "African" was not new, in which it was used in colonial times, when the First African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded. Now some people are using Black American?

I am starting to feel that is no "Correct Usage" and it depends on the individual Black person in the United States. Either they are connected with the African continent or not. And who is "We?" You do not speak for me, since I was born to an African American mother and was raised in the United States. Or do you think you are the spokesman for black people living in the United States just like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson think they are?

You are half African half Black American, you are not a full bred black american. Blacks embraced the word "black" more than any other identifier stemming back to the sixties. A person cannot be an african american as africa is a continent and not a country. You can be a nigerian-american,an ethiopian-american,a somali-american but a person cannot a african-american. Jesse jackson was a dumb@ss for that african-american bullsht