African American Contributions to U.S. History

African American men and women came to the U.S as slaves starting in 1619. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2008, 12.8 percent of Americans are black. In over 300 years, African Americans have shaped and molded all facets of American society.

Science and Invention

African American inventors patented devices and instruments integral to our daily life such as the ironing board, the air conditioner, the cellular phone and peanut butter. Black scientists and doctors have also contributed to fields such as agricultural science, medicine, mathematics and physics.

Law and Politics

African Americans shaped the law even before the end of slavery. Dred Scott and Frederick Douglass pushed for racial equality with limited success before Emancipation. Without the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and leaders such as Thurgood Marshall and Martin Luther King Jr., the United States would still be segregated on the basis of race and Barack Obama could not have been elected President in 2008.

Sports

African American athletes have challenged racism by excelling in a wide variety of sports. Ernie Davis (Heisman Trophy winner), Arthur Ashe (singles title winner at Wimbeldon), Jack Johnson (heavyweight boxing champion) and Jackie Robinson (professional baseball player) pioneered black participation in traditionally White-dominated sports.

Music

African American Jazz and Blues musicians shaped and developed American music in fundamental ways. The styling of Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Wynton Marsalis, Nat King Cole and Ray Charles paved the way for further musical development in country and rock music. Modern American hip-hop and R&B are driven by African American artists such as Beyonce, Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg.

Arts

The literature and painting of the Harlem Renaissance in the late 1800s and early 1900s brought African American art to mainstream culture. These artists challenged the eroticized notions of Black people and helped to politically mobilize the growing Black middle class. Modern artists such as James Earl Jones, Sidney Poitier, Eddie Murphy, Halle Berry, Oprah Winfrey and Spike Lee continue this tradition.

References

• Biography Channel; Black History Month
• Museum of Black Inventions and Innovations
• Biography Channel; Interactive Timeline of Black History