BLACK INVENTORS
He improved Thomas Edison's light bulb by developing a longer-lasting carbon filament
Who is Lewis Latimer
A leader of the Civil Rights Movement known for his "I Have a Dream" speech
Who is Martin Luther King Jr.
The first African American to play Major League Baseball, breaking the color barrier in 1947
Who is Jackie Robinson
The first Black woman to travel to space (1992)
Who is Mae Jemison
A multi-Grammy-winning singer, actress, and cultural icon
Who is Beyoncé
He invented an automatic lubricator for steam engines, inspiring the phrase "the real McCoy."
Who is Elijah McCoy
She refused to give up her bus seat, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Who is Rosa Parks
The first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal in track and field (1948)
Who is Alice Coachman
The first Black actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actor (1964)
Who is Sidney Poitier
An EGOT-winning actress, comedian, and co-host of The View
Who is Whoopi Goldberg
She invented the first home security system with a camera and two-way microphone.
Who is Marie Van Brittan Brown
A group of Black students who integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957
Who are the Little Rock Nine
An NBA legend and the league’s all-time leading scorer for decades
Who is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The first African American billionaire and founder of BET (Black Entertainment Television).
Who is Robert L. Johnson
He was the first African American to have a nationwide show which aired on NBC in 1956, he also has a daughter with the female version of his name
Who is Nat King Cole
He invented the three-position traffic signal and the gas mask
Who is Garrett Morgan
The first African American Supreme Court Justice, who won the Brown v. Board of Education case
Who is Thurgood Marshall
The first African American gymnast to win the Olympic all-around title (2012)
Who is Gabby Douglas
This Chicago literary legend was the first African American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for her writing
Who is Gwendolyn Brooks
Not only was she noted as the first black opera singer, but she was also the first African American member of the Metropolitan Opera
Who is Marian Anderson
He developed refrigeration technology for trucks, revolutionizing food transportation
Who is Frederick McKinley Jones
A civil rights leader and minister who advocated for Black empowerment and self-defense
Who is Malcolm X
He won the 1968 US Open and was the only African American male to ever do so
Who is Arthur Ashe
She became the first African American to win an Academy Award for her supporting role in Gone with the Wind
Who is Hattie McDaniel
He was an American football running back and the first African American athlete to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961.
Who is Earnie Davis