February: Black History MonthThere are so many individuals that made a difference for African Americans. Therefore, it is impossible to name them all and give credit to them. However, it is not impossible to acknowledge how African Americans, as a whole, has made a difference and are continuing to make a difference.

1954: Brown vs. Board of Education

Brown vs. Board of Education was made up of five separate but similar court cases:

•Briggs v. Elliott in South Carolina•Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward

County in Virginia•Gebhart v. Belton in Delaware; •Bolling v. Sharpe in the District of Columbia •Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in Kansas.

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the separate but equal doctrine in American public schools.”

Source: Teaching Tolerance Magazine, Article written by Brian Willoughby.

http://www.tolerance.org/

“The half-century since Brown vs. Board of Education has been a series of gains and losses, from segregation to integration and on to a new kind of segregation. Other movements — feminism, the fights for other minority rights, gay rights, advocacy by and on behalf of people with disabilities — were aided, bolstered and fueled by Brown vs. Board of Education.”

African American Inventors

1821: Dry Cleaning Process

by Thomas L. Jennings

1884: Hand-operated Machine for

Kneading and Rolling Dough

by Judy W. Reed1885: Cabinet Bed by Sarah E. Goode 1834 & 1836: Seed Planter

and Cotton Planter by Henry Blair 1874: Water Closet

for Railroad Cars

by Lewis Latimer1888: Overhead Electric

Conducting Lines for Railroads

by Granville T. Woods

1969: Electrogasdynamic

Systems and Methods

by Dr. Meredith Gourdine

Source: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors

Heroes of the Past, Present & Future

What do you consider a hero to be? Is it someone who has made a difference for the world or could it be someone who has made a difference for

one person? Heroes are everywhere and heroes can be anyone.

To only name a few…Martin Luther

King Jr.

Rosa Parks

Sammy Davis, Jr.

Nichelle Nichols

Jesse Owens

Ella Fitzgerald

Maya Angelou

W. E. B. DuBois

Zora Neale Hurston

Fannie Lou Hamer

Tavis Smiley

Colin Powell

Fredrick Douglass

Malcolm X

Louis Armstrong

Les Brown

Dr. Frank Hale

Jesse Robinson

Oprah Winfrey

Rev. Al Sharpton

Condoleezza Rice

Picture Show of African Americans

Those who made a difference & those who

continue to make a difference.

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” Martin Luther King Jr.

“Sometimes I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can anyone deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It's beyond me.” Zora Neale Hurston

"The important thing to me, man, was to get a black face on the screen and let him be a hero.” Bill Cosby