Carter G. Woodson Gwendolyn Brooks Frederick Douglass Rosa Parks

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Carter G. Woodson Gwendolyn Brooks Frederick Douglass Rosa Parks"

Oswin Stevens
5 years ago
Views:

Carter G. Woodson (December 19, 1875- April 3, 1950) was one of the first African-Americans to receive a doctorate from Harvard University.

After extensive nationwide lobbying, Woodson became the founder of a national Negro History Week which later became Black History Month.

She served as Poet Laureate of Illinois in 1968 and later became Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1985.

He was the first African American citizen to hold a high U.S. government position.

1 Carter G. Woodson (December 19, April 3, 1950) was one of the first African-Americans to receive a doctorate from Harvard University. Woodson later dedicated his life to the study African-American history. After extensive nationwide lobbying, Woodson became the founder of a national Negro History Week which later became Black History Month. Gwendolyn Brooks (June 7, 1917 December 3, 2000) was the first woman of color to receive the Pulitzer Prize in 1950, for her book Annie Allen. She served as Poet Laureate of Illinois in 1968 and later became Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in Frederick Douglass- One of the most famous intellectuals of his time, advising presidents and lecturing to thousands on a range of causes, including women s rights and Irish home rule. He was the first African American citizen to hold a high U.S. government position. Rosa Parks (February 4, 1913 October 24, 2005) became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement when she refused to give up her seat in the colored section of the bus for a white person. Parks organized and collaborated with Edgar Nixon and Martin Luther King, Jr. and she served as the secretary of the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP. Parks received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal, and a statue in the United States Capitol s National Statuary Hall. Upon her death, Parks became the first woman and the second non-u.s. government official to lie in honor in the United States Capitol Rotunda.

Barack Obama (August 4, 1961) is the 44 th (current) President of the United States, and the first African American to hold the office.

Walker (December 23, 1867 May 25, 1919) is known as the first female self-made millionaire in America.

(January 15, 1929 April 4, 1968) was one of the most instrumental figures in the advancement of civil rights in the 1950 s and 1960 s. He is best known for his use and advocacy of non-violent protest.

After his assassination in 1968, King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Martin Luther King Jr.

2 Barack Obama (August 4, 1961) is the 44 th (current) President of the United States, and the first African American to hold the office. Prior to his presidency, Barack Obama was a civil-rights lawyer, teacher, and served as Illinois State Senator from Madam C. J. Walker (December 23, 1867 May 25, 1919) is known as the first female self-made millionaire in America. Although she grew up poor, she became successful developing and marketing a successful line of hair products for African-American women. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 April 4, 1968) was one of the most instrumental figures in the advancement of civil rights in the 1950 s and 1960 s. He is best known for his use and advocacy of non-violent protest. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for combating racial inequality through non-violent tactics. After his assassination in 1968, King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established as a national holiday in 1986 and is commonly known as a day of service in honor of King s legacy best encapsulated in his famous quote; Life s most persistent and urgent questions is, what are you doing for others? Jane Bolin (April 11, 1908 January 8, 2007) was the first African-American woman to earn a law degree from Yale University, the first African-American woman to pass the New York State bar exam, and the first African-American woman to become a judge in the United States in Jane Bollin sat on the bench for 40 years advocating for children and families throughout her career.

Christopher Gardner (February 9, 1954) is a stockbroker, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose life was portrayed by Will Smith in the movie Pursuit of Happiness.

He later sold his share of the firm in a multi-million dollar deal.

Gardner is most recently working on an investment in South Africa that will create hundreds of jobs and bring millions of dollars of revenue into the nation.

She later served as the 18 th Surgeon General of the United States.

3 Christopher Gardner (February 9, 1954) is a stockbroker, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose life was portrayed by Will Smith in the movie Pursuit of Happiness. In the early 1980 s, Gardner, then a single father, struggled with homelessness while working to become a successful stockbroker. Gardner started his own firm with $10,000 and a small desk. He later sold his share of the firm in a multi-million dollar deal. In Gardner s philanthropic work, he s helped fund a $50 million project in San Francisco to create low-income housing and employment in the area which he once experienced homelessness. Gardner is most recently working on an investment in South Africa that will create hundreds of jobs and bring millions of dollars of revenue into the nation. Regina Benjamin (October 26, 1956) was the first African-American woman and the first physician under the age 40 to be elected to the American Medical Association s board of trustees (1995). She later served as the 18 th Surgeon General of the United States. Macon Bolling Allen (August 4, 1816 June 11, 1894) was the first African American to pass the bar and practice law in the United States in Macon Bolling Allen went on to become the first African-American Justice of the Peace in Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928-May 28, 2014) is best known as a writer and civil rights activist, but before her career as a writer Angelou was the first African-American female streetcar conductor in San Francisco, CA. Angelou s autobiography I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (1969) is the first nonfiction best-seller by an African-American woman. A few years later Angelou became the first African-American woman to have her screenplay produced into a film. Angelou became the first poet to recite poetry at a Presidential inauguration since Robert Frost at John F. Kennedy s inauguration (1961) when she recited her poetry at President Bill Clinton s inauguration in 1993.

Ralph Bunche (August 7, 1930 December 9, 1971) worked as part of the National Defense Program during World War II and later joined the U.S.

Ralph Bunche became the first African-American Nobel Peace Prize winner for his negotiations between Palestine and Israel that resulted in the Armistice Agreement in 1949.

Elijah McCoy (May 2, 1844 October 10, 1929) invented an oil-dripping cup for trains. Other inventors tried to copy McCoy's oil-dripping cup.

Jan Ernst Matzeliger (September 15, 1852 August 24, 1889) invented a shoemaking machine that increased shoemaking speed by 900%!

4 Ralph Bunche (August 7, 1930 December 9, 1971) worked as part of the National Defense Program during World War II and later joined the U.S. State Department becoming an instrumental figure in the formation of the United Nations. Ralph Bunche became the first African-American Nobel Peace Prize winner for his negotiations between Palestine and Israel that resulted in the Armistice Agreement in Throughout Bunche s life he received more than 36 honorary doctorates and the U.S. Medal of Freedom from John F. Kennedy. Elijah McCoy (May 2, 1844 October 10, 1929) invented an oil-dripping cup for trains. Other inventors tried to copy McCoy's oil-dripping cup. But none of the other cups worked as well as his, so customers started asking for "the real McCoy." That's where the expression comes from. Jan Ernst Matzeliger (September 15, 1852 August 24, 1889) invented a shoemaking machine that increased shoemaking speed by 900%! In addition to his shoemaking machine, Jan acquired 5 other patents over the course of 2 years. Clara Mother Hale (April, December 18, 1992), a Pennsylvania native, started work with mothers and ailing babies out of her home in 1969 at the age of 64. Hale, known as Mother Hale, became the founder of Hale House, the first African-American child-care volunteer agency in Hale House took in drug addicted mothers and infants and later expanded to children born with HIV or whose parents had died of AIDS. Hale was honored with over 370 awards and 15 honorary degrees in her lifetime.

Mary McLeod Bethune (July 10, 1875 May 18, 1955) was an American educator and civil rights leader.

Bethune played a key role in establishing the Federal Committee of Fair Employment Practice and also founded FDR s Black cabinet.

George Washington Carver (1864 January 5, 1943) Carver was born a slave shortly before the abolition of slavery in 1864.

The additional plant products include cosmetics, dyes, paints, plastics, and gasoline. He didn't go to college until he was 30.

5 Mary McLeod Bethune (July 10, 1875 May 18, 1955) was an American educator and civil rights leader. Bethune started a university for African-American students and served as an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Bethune played a key role in establishing the Federal Committee of Fair Employment Practice and also founded FDR s Black cabinet. Bethune served as a delegate and advisor on interracial relations at the San Francisco Conference, which led to the organization of the United Nations. George Washington Carver (1864 January 5, 1943) Carver was born a slave shortly before the abolition of slavery in Motivated by the desire to help poor farmers produce their own food and products for the improvement of their lives, Carver developed peanut butter and 400 additional plant products. The additional plant products include cosmetics, dyes, paints, plastics, and gasoline. He didn't go to college until he was 30. Garrett Morgan (March 4, 1877 July 27, 1963) invented the gas mask and first traffic signal. He was renowned as a hero after he used his gas mask to rescue workers digging a water tunnel under Lake Erie; the initial rescue squads were killed by a natural gas explosion. Otis Boykin (August 29, 1920 March 13, 1982) was an inventor and engineer. He invented the electronic control devices for guided missiles, televisions, radios, IBM computers, and the pacemaker. Throughout his lifetime Boykin invented 28 different electronic devices.

Barbara Hillary (June 12, 1931) was the first known African-American woman to reach the North Pole at the age of 75 in 2007.

Johnson (October 6, 1949) invented the world-famous water gun, the Supersoaker. Johnson holds over 80 patents with many more pending.

Dubois (February 23, 1868 - August 27, 1963) was an American civil rights activist, leader, Pan-Africanist, sociologist, educator, historian, writer, editor, poet,

Dubois spent his life working towards equal treatment for people of color in a world dominated by white culture and toward gathering and demonstrating evidence to

6 Barbara Hillary (June 12, 1931) was the first known African-American woman to reach the North Pole at the age of 75 in Hillary traveled to the South Pole in 2011 at the age of 79, becoming the first African- American woman to reach both poles. Lonnie G. Johnson (October 6, 1949) invented the world-famous water gun, the Supersoaker. Johnson holds over 80 patents with many more pending. Johnson is also working on developing new, more efficient, and more sustainable energy technology. W.E.B. Dubois (February 23, August 27, 1963) was an American civil rights activist, leader, Pan-Africanist, sociologist, educator, historian, writer, editor, poet, and scholar. Throughout his lifetime he wrote 21 books, edited 15 more, and published over 100 essays & articles. W.E.B. Dubois spent his life working towards equal treatment for people of color in a world dominated by white culture and toward gathering and demonstrating evidence to debunk the myths of racial inferiority. Shirley Chisolm (November 30, 1924 January 1, 2005) was a politician and educator who became the first African-American congresswoman in A short 4 years later in 1972, Chisolm became the first major-party African-American candidate for President of the United States and the first female to run for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Robert Hayden (August 4, 1913 - February 25, 1980) was the first African American Poet Laureate.

weather made banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him. I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.

as well. What did I know, what did I know of love's austere and lonely offices? Granville T. Woods (1856 1910) left school at age 10 to work and support his family.

His inventions helped to reduce the amount of accidents and collisions between trains.

7 Robert Hayden (August 4, February 25, 1980) was the first African American Poet Laureate. He is most well known for his poem Those Winter Sundays: Sundays too my father got up early and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold, then with cracked hands that ached -from labor in the weekday weather made banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him. I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking. When the rooms were warm, he'd call, and slowly I would rise and dress, fearing the chronic angers of that house, Speaking indifferently to him, who had driven out the cold and polished my good shoes as well. What did I know, what did I know of love's austere and lonely offices? Granville T. Woods ( ) left school at age 10 to work and support his family. He later went on to invent more than a dozen devices to improve a train-to -station communication system and to control the flow of electricity. His inventions helped to reduce the amount of accidents and collisions between trains. Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897 April 8, 1993), a Pennsylvania native, was one of the most famous concert singers of the 1900 s. Anderson became an icon in African-American s struggle to overcome racial prejudice when the organization Daughters of the American Revolution refused to have her sing to an integrated audience. With the help of President Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Anderson performed to 75,000 people from the steps of Lincoln Memorial on Easter in Later in 1955, Anderson became the first Black person to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Anderson worked as a delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Committee and participated in the Civil Rights Movement. She sang at the historical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in Anderson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Arts, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Bayard Rustin (March 17, 1912 August 24, 1987), a Pennsylvania native, was a leader in the civil rights movement. Rustin helped to initiate the 1947 Freedom Ride to challenge segregation and promoted pacifism or nonviolent resistance which he learned in India while working with Gandhi s movement. Rustin served as key adviser to Martin Luther King, Jr. guiding him on the use of pacifism and organizing gatherings to build MLK s leadership. Rustin was attacked on the basis of his sexual identity as a gay man and later became an activist for gay rights. President Obama posthumously awarded Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.

Famous First Ladies A Reading A Z Level Q Leveled Book Word Count: 837

Famous First Ladies A Reading A Z Level Q Leveled Book Word Count: 837 LEVELED BOOK Q Famous First Ladies Written by Linda Johns Visit www.readinga-z.com for thousands of books and materials. www.readinga-z.com