As we shift into February, it’s pertinent that we recognize a few Black History facts that helped pave the way for our brothers and sisters today. Below, is a list of five facts that help to commemorate important moments in Black History.
1.) Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman was the first African-American woman pilot
Born January 26th, 1892, Bessie Coleman is known as the first African-American woman to fly a plane. At an early age, Coleman expressed a strong interest in aviation. Although women did not have the chance of being a pilot in the US at the time, she did pursue her dream by saving up money for flight school in France. Despite her setbacks, Bessie did, in fact, conquer the odds and make way for us today in the aviation field.
2.) Alpha Phi Alpa is the first African-American fraternity
Created by Charles Cardoza Poindexter on December 4th, 1906, “Alpha Phi Alpha,” was the first black fraternity. Originally, the group was created as a social studies club, but soon transitioned into a fraternity that was made up of seven African-American men, known as the, “Seven Jewels.” The purpose of it was to create a brotherhood of black men, which was successful because more than 185,000 men have become a member since it’s creation in 1906.
3.) Guion Bluford: The first African-American in space
Guion Bluford was born on November 22, 1942. He is a former NASA astronaut and widely known as the first African-American to go into space. Bluford took his first flight in the “Challenger,” in 1983. Since his first flight, Bluford took flight three additional times up until his retirement in 1993.
4.) The founding of the NAACP
The “NAACP,” is an organization that was founded in 1909 by a group of several people that included recognizable names such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Ida B. Wells. The NAACP was created in response to the discrimination against African-Americans. To this day, the NAACP still fights for African-American’s equal rights.
5.) Black History Month was first known as, “Negro History Week”
Before it was Black History Month, the celebration of black excellence was initially known as, “Negro History Week.” On February 7, 1926, Carter G. Woodson founded it as the first day of, “Negro History Week.” In 1976, the celebration was officially known as, “Black History Month.”
These are only a few of the many contributions made by African-Americans in Black History. Although February is dedicated to black history, the hard work should be recognized all year-round, because they opened doors for us that wouldn’t have been possible.
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