It's no question that the many of the benefits we enjoy in our daily lives would be non-existent without the intellectual, artistic, creative, courageous, and innovative contributions of countless African-Americans. Sadly, many of us are unaware of these contributions, for whatever reason that may be. So, in honor of Black History Month, we thought it would be fun, educational, and apropos to share and highlight some of the gifts that our African-American brothers and sisters have bestowed upon us.
 |
Madame CJ Walker - widowed at 20, Louisiana-born Sarah Breedlove Walker supported herself and her daughter as a washerwoman. In the early 1900s she developed a hair care system and other beauty products, that women will be forever grateful for.
|
|
|
|
 |
George Crum - A chef who invented the potato chips. Without him, we'd never know the joy of indulging in these tasty snacks nor would we have a multi billion dollar potato chip industry.
|
 |
Dr. Charles Richard Drew - a medical doctor and surgeon who created the idea of a blood bank and a system for the long-term preservation of blood plasma. This man will continue to save lives.
|
 |
| Frederick McKinley Jones - without this man, many of us would not be able to enjoy fresh produce and many other perishable foods. He invented the automatic refrigeration system for long-haul trucks in 1935 (a roof-mounted cooling device). |
 |
George Washington Carver - best known for developing crop rotation methods, that led to the discovery of 100 uses for sweet potatoes and about 75 for pecans, including synthetic rubber and material for paving highways. He also discovered 300 different uses for peanuts, including peanut butter, an American favorite. Where would Skippy and Jif be without this man and more importantly, what would we eat with our bread & jelly?
|
