Black History Month Not Long Enough Blacks' Contributions to the Modern World Greater Than Most People Think by Milton Hart In order to positively acknowledge the presence of a people, their accomplishments and contributions should be made known through academia, the media and mainstream advertisements. This should not be done only in February. If Black history is as important as we deem it to be, then it should be taught in schools where children (not just the ones of African descent) can be educated on the positive contributions made by people of African ancestry. Black history is for the most part absent from recognized history texts in academia. If most of us knew that Blacks have been in Canada since as early as the 17th century, we would not wonder if Blacks truly belong in this country. There would be no "otherness" about people of African ancestry. The origins of Black History Month can be traced to 1926, when Harvard-educated Black historian Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week to celebrate the history, contributions and culture of African-Americans. Woodson chose the second week in February for the new festival to link the celebration to the birth dates of Black activist Frederick Douglass (February 7, 1817) and President Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809). Fifty years later, as part of the American bicentennial celebrations in 1976, the week was expanded to become National Black History Month. ____________________________ If most of us knew that Blacks have been in Canada since as early as the 17th century, we would not wonder if Blacks truly belong in this country. ____________________________ The Canadian Negro Women's Association brought Black History Month, according to the annals of history, to the shores of Canada in the 1960s. It is now officially recognized throughout Canada following a unanimously adopted motion by Jean Augustine (the first Black woman elected to Canadian Parliament) in the House of Commons. Canadians should be taught that Elijah McCoy was born in Colchester, Ontario, Canada on May 2, 1844. The son of former slaves who had fled from Kentucky before the US Civil War, he was educated in Scotland as a mechanical engineer. Elijah McCoy returned to the United States and settled in Detroit, Michigan. He began experimenting with a cup that would regulate the flow of oil into moving parts of industrial machines. His first invention was a lubricator for steam engines. The invention allowed machines to remain in motion to be oiled. His new oiling device revolutionized the industrial machine industry. ____________________________ Inventions by Blacks could number over one hundred thousand. ____________________________ Elijah McCoy established his own firm and was responsible for a total of 57 patents. The term "the real McCoy" refers to the oiling device used for industrial machinery. His contribution to the lubricating device became so popular that people inspecting new equipment would ask if the device contained the "real McCoy." This helped popularize the American expression, which means the "real thing". His other inventions included an ironing board and lawn sprinkler. According to Black researcher Keith Holmes, inventions by Blacks could number over one hundred thousand. The area of inventions by Black people is a global one and has had a major impact on civilized living worldwide. However, it's the depth of these inventions that covers all areas of modern living (agriculture to zoology). What we are talking about here is an accumulation of inventions dating from 1620 to the present, something that few ethnic groups can match, and given the challenges that Black people face in the modern world today, this is something to not only highlight but to celebrate. This article first appeared in Pride Magazine. Milton Hart is a columnist with Pride Magazine, a weekly based in Toronto, Canada. He can be reached at mhart@yorku.ca. This website: Copyright © 2004 Dream World Media, LLC. / Urban Mozaik Magazine. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed in Urban Mozaik Magazine are not necessarily those of Urban Mozaik Magazine and the publisher cannot be held responsible for them. This website/publication, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.