Black History: Special Delivery!!
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1944 Port Chicago Disaster & Mutiny
Easter Monday: An African American Tradition For Washington DC Residents
Black History: Special Delivery!!
On July 17, 1944, an ammunition ship exploded while being loaded in Port Chicago, California during World War II. The blast killed 332 people and injured another 390. Approximately 2/3 of those killed were African American Sailors. Lack of adequate procedures and lack of training were seen as the primary causes of the explosion. At the time, Navy units assigned to the loading of munitions were typically segregated African American units. The men had not been trained in handling of munitions. Safety standards were also not properly adhered to due to the rush to keep pace with the loading schedules. On the evening of July 17, two merchant ships were in the process of being loaded with 4,600 tons of explosives, depth charges, and ammunition. There was also another 400 tons of explosives that were on rail cars that were nearby. A series of several explosions occurred at 10:18pm. The explosions were reportedly felt as far away as Nevada. Every single building in Port Chicago was damaged from the explosion. Continue reading “1944 Port Chicago Disaster & Mutiny”
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Black History: Special Delivery!!
For residents of Washington DC, the annual White House Easter Egg Roll is a long standing tradition that dates back to 1878. The Easter Egg Roll celebrates the Easter holiday with an Easter Egg hunt on the White House lawn. However, at its inception, African Americans were not permitted to participate. In 1891, the National Zoo, instituted Easter Monday. On Easter Monday, Washington DC’s African American residents dressed up in their Easter finery and visited the National Zoo.
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Black History: Special Delivery!!
In 1995, Leslie Guy made history when she became the first African American woman to earn a masters of science degree in art conservation. She received her degree from the University of Delaware. Guy was concerned about the lack of representation of African American artwork in collections as well as the lack of preservation of African American works of art. She wanted to do something about it.
Continue reading “Leslie Guy: Making Conservation & Preservation Of Black Art A Priority!”
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Dr. Ayanna Howard (1972 – ) has some impressive credentials. She is a noted expert in the area of Artificial Intelligence. She is often referred to as an “old school Blerd” (Black Nerd). Her motivation to pursue a career in the sciences was fueled by watching TV shows such as, The Bionic Woman, Star Trek, and Wonder Woman” as a child. Since 2005, Dr. Howard has worked as a roboticist and Motorola Foundation Professor at Georgia Tech’s Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines. She received a bachelors degree in Engineering from Brown University and a masters degree from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California. Her research has centered on artificial intelligence (also known as humanized intelligence).
In 2003, Howard was named to the MIT Technology Review TR100 as one of the top 100 innovators under age 35 in the world. In 2008, she garnered world wide press for her “SnoMote” robots which were designed to study the impact of global warming in the Antarctic. The robots were remote control snowmobiles that aided scientists in collecting climate data. These robots made data collection possible without forcing scientist out into the harsh elements. The robots were programmed to work together and to monitor targeted areas. They were mounted with sensors and cameras to collect data including temperature and barometric readings.
Continue reading “Dr. Ayanna Howard: African American Roboticist & Artificial Intelligence Scientist”
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Four amazing women are the true definition of “Keeping It 100!!” These friends are looking forward to celebrating their 100th birthdays together this summer. What an inspiring story of life long friendship! Think of all of the collective experiences and wisdom, these ladies possess!!
Continue reading “4 Phenomenal Women Are Poised To Celebrate Their 100th Birthdays & Decades of Friendship!”
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Moneta Sleet, Jr. (1926 – 1996) captured the images and experiences of the civil rights movement and the struggle for equality in the U.S. and Africa. Sleet is perhaps best known for his award winning photo taken at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. of Coretta Scott King her daughter Bernice who was 5 years old at the time. He received the Pulitzer Prize in journalism for the photo. He was the first African American to receive the Pulitzer Prize for journalism. Sleet first began photographing the civil rights movement when he traveled to Montgomery, AL in 1955 to cover the Montgomery Bus Boycott lead by Martin Luther King, Jr. As fate would have it, Sleet would cover both the “birth” of the civil rights movement, as well as the funeral of its leader, and everything in-between. Sleet was also known for his coverage of various independence ceremonies and celebrations in Africa.
Continue reading “Moneta Sleet, Jr.: 1st African American To Win Pulitzer Prize For Journalism”
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