Forget a Month. History Is the Future!

I love history, but am dismayed that when people discuss history as a solely academic subject with no bearing on our daily life. The conversation can become polarized as if it is impossible to discuss one aspect of history without excluding the other. For example, when some people request that historical accounts reflect the accomplishments of a diverse population of the community, other people think that may mean dumbing down the curriculum and our culture. "Does that mean our children will not know about Jefferson? Or read William Shakespeare?"

In other words, diversity is equated with basket weaving or tongue clicking. (Standard disclaimer: Not that I am saying that basket weaving or tongue clicking is not valuable to society.) The shortest month in the year has passed, and now it is March. To many, the passing of February means the end of Black History month.

Black history is not only a part of everyone's history, but is part of our present. Here are the top twenty inventions that any modern person cannot live without:

1. Fountain pen, William Purvis;
2. Telephone component, Granville Woods;
3. Refrigerator- John Standard;
4. Refrigerated Long Haul Trucks- Frederick Jones;
5. Air Conditioner- Frederick Jones;
6. Central heating, Alice Parker;
7. Smoke detector, Sidney Jacoby;
8. Fire extinguisher, Thomas J. Martin;
9. Fire ladders, Joseph Winters
10. Elevator- Alexander Miles;
11. Street Sweeper Truck, Charles Brooks
12. Lawn Mower, John Albert Burr;
13. Automated gear shift and brake, Richard Spikes
14. Traffic signal, Garrett Morgan;
15. Automated Shoemaking, Jan Matzeliger;
16. Disposable syringe, Phil Brooks;
17. Blood Bank, Dr. Charles Drew;
18. Method of fabricating an imaging X-ray spectrometer, George Edward Alcorn, Jr;
19. Cataract Laserphaco Probe, Patricia Bath;
20. Illusion transmitter, Valerie Thomas.

My Personal Favorite: Meat Preservation Techniques, Lloyd Augustus Hall !