Innovation
51 facts
Mae Jemison Goes to Space
Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to travel in space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
George Washington Carver Born
George Washington Carver, agricultural scientist who developed hundreds of products from peanuts, was born into slavery in Diamond, Missouri.
Katherine Johnson Born
Katherine Johnson, NASA mathematician whose calculations were critical to early space missions, was born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
Daniel Hale Williams Born
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, pioneer of open-heart surgery, was born in Pennsylvania.
Bessie Coleman Gets Pilot License
Bessie Coleman became the first African American woman and first Native American woman to hold a pilot's license.
Daniel Hale Williams Performs Open-Heart Surgery
Daniel Hale Williams performed one of the first successful open-heart surgeries in the United States.
Charles Drew Born
Charles Drew, pioneer of blood banking who saved countless lives, was born in Washington, D.C.
First African American in Space
Guion Bluford became the first African American in space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger.
Madam C.J. Walker Born
Madam C.J. Walker, the first female self-made millionaire in America, was born as Sarah Breedlove in Delta, Louisiana.
Berry Gordy Founds Motown Records
Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records in Detroit, Michigan, creating the most successful Black-owned record label in history.
Michael Jordan Born
Michael Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, was born in Brooklyn, New York.
John H. Johnson Founded Johnson Publishing
John H. Johnson founded Johnson Publishing Company, publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines.
Berry Gordy Born
Berry Gordy Jr., founder of Motown Records, was born in Detroit, Michigan.
Russwurm and Cornish Publish Freedom's Journal
Freedom's Journal, the first African American-owned newspaper, published its inaugural issue in New York City.
Garrett Morgan Born
Garrett Morgan, inventor of the traffic signal and gas mask, was born in Paris, Kentucky.
Granville T. Woods Patents Multiplex Telegraph
Inventor Granville T. Woods patented the multiplex telegraph, allowing communication between moving trains and stations.
Elijah McCoy Patents Automatic Lubricator
Elijah McCoy patented a device for automatically lubricating steam engine parts, so effective that people demanded "the real McCoy."
Jan Ernst Matzeliger Patents Shoe Lasting Machine
Jan Ernst Matzeliger invented a shoe lasting machine that revolutionized the footwear industry.
Lewis Howard Latimer Patents Carbon Filament
Lewis Howard Latimer patented an improved process for manufacturing carbon filaments for light bulbs.
Guion Bluford Born
Guion Bluford, the first African American in space, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Matthew Henson Reaches the North Pole
Matthew Henson, an African American explorer, was one of the first people to reach the North Pole.
Jean Baptiste Point du Sable Founds Chicago
Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a man of African descent from Haiti, established the first permanent settlement at what is now Chicago.
Madam C.J. Walker Builds Factory
Madam C.J. Walker opened a factory in Indianapolis for her hair care products, becoming one of the nation's most successful Black entrepreneurs.
Robert Abbott Founds the Chicago Defender
Robert Abbott founded the Chicago Defender, which became the most influential Black newspaper in the nation.
Mary Jackson Becomes NASA's First Black Female Engineer
Mary Jackson became NASA's first Black female engineer after a legal petition to attend segregated classes.
Dorothy Vaughan Becomes NASA's First Black Supervisor
Dorothy Vaughan became the first African American supervisor at what would become NASA.
Shirley Ann Jackson Born
Shirley Ann Jackson, the first African American woman to earn a doctorate from MIT, was born in Washington, D.C.
Black Star Line Launched
Marcus Garvey's Black Star Line made its maiden voyage, representing economic independence for the African diaspora.
Percy Julian Born
Percy Julian, chemist who pioneered the synthesis of medical compounds from plants, was born in Montgomery, Alabama.
Mae Carol Jemison Born
Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to travel in space, was born in Decatur, Alabama.
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams Born
Daniel Hale Williams, pioneer of open-heart surgery, was born in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania.
Bass Reeves Born
Bass Reeves, the first Black deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi, was born into slavery in Crawford County, Arkansas.
Madam C.J. Walker Dies
Madam C.J. Walker, America's first female self-made millionaire, died at her estate in Irvington, New York.
Ebony Magazine First Published
Ebony magazine, one of the most influential African American publications, published its first issue.
Madam C.J. Walker Addresses National Negro Business League
Madam C.J. Walker spoke at the National Negro Business League convention, declaring herself a self-made woman.
Shirley Temple and Bill Robinson
Granville T. Woods received his most important patent, for the synchronous multiplex railway telegraph.
Patricia Bath Patents Laserphaco Probe
Patricia Bath patented the Laserphaco Probe, becoming the first African American woman doctor to receive a medical patent.
Matthew Henson Born
Matthew Henson, African American explorer who co-reached the North Pole, was born in Charles County, Maryland.
Granville T. Woods Born
Granville T. Woods, prolific inventor known as the "Black Edison," was born in Columbus, Ohio.
Garrett Morgan Invents Traffic Signal
Garrett Morgan patented the three-position traffic signal, improving road safety worldwide.
Oscar Micheaux Born
Oscar Micheaux, the first major African American feature filmmaker, was born near Metropolis, Illinois.
The Real McCoy Inventor
Elijah McCoy, whose inventions were so superior they inspired "the real McCoy," patented his first automatic lubricator.
Tyler Perry Opens Largest Film Studio in U.S.
Tyler Perry opened Tyler Perry Studios on a former Confederate army base in Atlanta, the largest film studio in the United States.
Virgil Abloh Named Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton
Virgil Abloh became the first African American artistic director of a major French fashion house when he joined Louis Vuitton.
Lonnie Johnson Patents the Super Soaker
Nuclear engineer Lonnie Johnson received his patent for the Super Soaker water gun, which became one of the top-selling toys of all time.
Stagecoach Mary Fields Born
Mary Fields, the first African American woman to carry U.S. mail and one of the most colorful figures of the Old West, was born into slavery in Tennessee.
John Henry's Contest
According to legend, steel-driver John Henry competed against a steam-powered drill at the Big Bend Tunnel in West Virginia.
Tippi Hedren Launches Nail Industry for Vietnamese Refugees
The first African American-owned bank, the Freedman's Savings Bank, was chartered by Congress.
Wilma Mankiller Inaugurated as Cherokee Chief
The first Black-owned insurance company, North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance, was incorporated.
Reba McEntire and First Black Rodeo Cowboys
Bill Pickett, the first African American inducted into the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Hall of Fame, invented bulldogging.
Andrew Brimmer Appointed to Federal Reserve
Andrew Brimmer became the first African American member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.