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Did You Know?<br>
<br>
There are 9.1 million black families in the United States. Of these,
nearly one-half (47 percent) are married-couple families.<br>
<br>
The projected single-race black population in the United States as of
July 1, 2050 is 61.4 million. On that date, according to the
projection, blacks would constitute 15 percent of the nation's total
population.<br>
<br>
There are 2.4 million black military veterans in the United States in
2004. (Source: American FactFinder)<br>
<br>
There are 44,000 black physicians and surgeons; 79,400 postsecondary
teacher; 45,200 lawyers; 49,300 chief executives. (Source: Upcoming
Statiscal Abstact of the United States: 2007)<br>
<br>
46% of black housholders own their own home, nationally. The rate is
higher in certain states, such as Mississippi, whre it reached 56
percent.<br>
<br>
80% of blacks age 25 and oldr had at least a high school diploma in
2005. Colorado has 90%. <br>
<br>
17% of blacks 25 and older had an advanced degree in 2005 (e.g.
master's, Ph.D, M.D., or J.D.).<br>
<br>
In 2005, 2.3 million black college students were enrolled. This was an
increase of roughly 1 million from 15 years earlier.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>FACT<br>
<br>
Thomas J. Martin</b> patented the fire extinguisher in 1872.<br>
<br>
<b>Jan Ernst Matzeliger (1852-1889)</b> invented the Shoe Lasting
machine, which connected the upper part of the shoe to the sole. This
invention revolutionized the shoe making industry.<br>
<br>
<b>Lewis Howard Latimer (1848-1928)</b> drafted patent drawings for
Alexander Graham Bell's telephone while working at a patent law firm.
He patented and<b> </b>invented the carbon filament for light bulbs in
1881.<br>
<br>
<b>Joseph Winters </b>invented a fire escape ladder in 1878.<br>
<br>
<b>Alexander Miles</b> of Duluth, Minnesota patented an electric
elevator in 1887 with automatic doors that would close off the shaft
way, thus making elevators safer.<br>
<br>
<b>Andrew J. Beard (1849-1921)</b> invented the "Jenny Coupler" which
allowed train cars to hook themselves together when they bumped into
one antoehr. The device is still used today.<br>
<br>
<b>John Love </b>invented the pencil sharpener in 1897.<br>
<br>
<b>Sarah E. Goode (1850-?)</b> invented a bed that folded up into a
cabinet in 1885. Contrary to popular beleif, she was not the first
African-American woman to receie a patent, but the second.<br>
<br>
<b>C.B. Brooks </b>invented the street sweeper n 1896. It was a truck
attached with brooms.<br>
<br>
<b>L. P. Ray </b>invented the dustpan in 1897.<br>
<br>
<b>Henry Brown </b>created what is now known as a "strong box," a
metal containr to store money and important papers that could be locked
with a key in 1886.<br>
<br>
<b>Joseph Lee (1849-1905) </b>invented an automatic bread making
machine that mixed the ingredients and kneaded the dough, in 1895.<br>
<br>
<b>Henry Blair, </b>the second African-American to receive a patent,
invented a corn seed planter in 1834 and a cotton planter in 1836.
Blair could not read or write and signed his patent with an X.<br>
<br>
<b>David Crosthwait Jr. (1898-1979) </b>an expert on heating,
ventilation and air-conditioning, holds 39 U.S. patents, and 80
interantional patents pertaining to heating, refrigeration and
temperature regulating systems. Crosthwait created the heating system
for New York City's Radio City Music Hall.<br>
<br>
<b>Jesse Ernest Wilkins, Jr. (1923- ), </b>a physicits, mathematician
and an engineer, earned a Ph.D. in mathematics at age 19 from the
University of Chicago in 1942.<br>
<br>
<b>The banjo</b> originated in Africa and up until the 1800s was
considered an instrument only played by blacks.<br>
<br>
<b>Jack Johnson, </b>the first African-American heavyweight champion,
patented a wrench in 1922.<br>
<br>
<b>Lewis and Clark </b>were accompanied by <b>York, </b>a black
slave, when they made their 1804 expedition from Missouri to Oregon.
York's presence aided in the interactions with Native Americans.<br>
<br>
<b>Isaac Murphy (1861-1896) </b>a great thoroughbred jockey, was the
first to win three Derbys and the only jockey to win the Kentucky
Derby, the Kentucky Oaks, and the Clark Handicap within the same year.<br>
<br>
<b>Buffalo Soldiers </b>is a name respectfully given to the
African-American cavalries during the 1800s by the Kiowa tribe. These
soldiers received 2nd class treatment and were often given the worst
military assignments, but had the lowest desertion rate. More than 20
Buffalo Soldiers have received the highest military award, the Medal of
Honor - the most any military unit has ever received.<br>
<br>
<b>Mark Matthews (Buffalo Soldier). </b> The oldest living Buffalo
Soldier, Mark Matthews, died at the age of 111 in 2005.<br>
<br>
<b>Cathay Williams (1842- ) (Buffalo Soldier)</b> Cathay Williams was
the first and only known female Buffalo Soldier. She was born nto
slavery and worked for the Union army during the Civil War. She posed
as a man and enlisted as Williams Cathay in the 38th infantry in 1866.
She was given a medical discharge in 1868.<br>
<br>
<b>Bill Pickett (1871-1932) </b>a renowned cowboy and rodeo performer
was named to the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1971 and honored by
the U.S. Postal service in a series of stamps as one of the twenty
"Legends of the West."<br>
<br>
<b>Josiah Henson (1789-1883)</b> fled slavery in 1830 and founded a
settlement in Ontario, Canada for fugitive slaves. His autobiography
is beleived to have been Harriet Beecher Stowe's inspiration for the
main character in "Uncle Tom's Cabin". Henson's cabin still stands adn
is a national landmark. Henson's grandosn was part of the first
successful U.S. expedition to the North Pole.<br>
<br>
The more you know......<br>
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