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My heart has been broken by the dismantling of the progress our country has made following our country’s second original sin of capturing and enslaving Africans (the first being genocide of the indigenous original inhabitants of this land).  President Trump “officially recognized” Black History Month just a couple weeks after signing executive orders in his first week ending federal programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion and reversing executive enforcement of civil rights laws. This came about the same time as the Department of Defense announced it would no longer recognize months related to cultural identities.

Such has been the fear of government employees about the DEI executive order, that employees at a national museum in DC rushed to cover up displays featuring women and people of color, later rectifying it and recognizing it as a mistake in an effort to comply.

So I am honoring Black History month by stating my concerns in this piece, by highlighting accomplishments of our African American/Black citizens, and by sharing lists of films, books and events to enlighten and educate (see immediate previous blog). My words and message may be imperfect, but comes from my heart.

Sample of Black History Career Accomplishments

As a career counselor, I love learning about and being inspired by people and their work. In honor of Black History month, I want to share an eclectic sampling.  Some individuals I highlight are a shout out and some are more obscure.  I wanted to go beyond contemporaries like President Obama, Michael Jordan, and Maya Angelou and famous names like Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman. I’m not including the many artists, activists and athletes in this list, but they are in the exploration links at the end.

George Washington Carver (1860-1943)

Renowned for his innovative agricultural research and advocacy for sustainable farming.

Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993)

First Black appointee to the U.S. Supreme Court

Katherine Johnson (1918-2020)

Black mathematician whose NASA work was crucial in the success of the first American-manned spaceflight 

Mae Jemison (b. 1956)

First black woman to travel into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992

Benjamin Banneker (1731–1806)

Almanac author, surveyor, and self-taught polymath who gained recognition for his work in astronomy and surveying the boundaries of the newly designed capital US Capitol.

Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919)

First female self-made millionaire in America building her fortune on a line of beauty and hair products for Black women.

Thomas L. Jennings (1791–1859)

The first African American U.S. patent recipient in 1821, inventing a process for dry-cleaning delicate clothing known as “dry-scouring.”

Alice H. Parker (1895-death unknown)

1919 patent for central heating furnace design that made use of natural gas for the first time to keep homes warm

George Washington Carver (1860-1943)

Renowned for his innovative agricultural research and advocacy for sustainable farming.

Patricia Bath (1942-2019)

First black female doctor to receive a medical patent when she invented a laser cataract treatment device in 1986.

For more inspiration and awareness, see links below:

35 Famous Black Americans Everyone Should Know

101 African American Firsts

Famous Black Inventors