1750?-?  Salem Poor was a distinguished military hero who fought valiantly in the American Revolution.  This courageous African American made a significant contribution to the struggle to create an independent United States of America.  But in a sad commentary on the plight of Blacks of that time, he was unable to enjoy any fitting recognition
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1950-1986  Ronald McNair was a physicist specializing in advanced laser technology, and an astronaut who flew on the fourth Space Shuttle mission in 1984. During his second flight two years later, he was one of seven astronauts tragically killed when the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated. A Passion for Science McNair was born on October 21,
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1919-1943  During a short-lived but distinguished Navy career, Doris “Dorie” Miller, with limited training and on his own volition, fought at Pearl Harbor against attacking Japanese planes with anti-aircraft guns to defend his ship and his country. Farm to Sea Miller was born in 1919 in Waco, Texas, the third of four sons of sharecroppers
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1892 – 1926  Bessie Coleman overcame an early life of hardship to become the first African American to earn an international pilot’s license, and the first Black woman to fly an airplane.  The symbolic power of her achievement made her an iconic figure for African Americans in the early 20th century and an inspiration for
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1866-1955  Matthew Henson and his more famous partner, the explorer Robert Peary, adventured together on eight challenging Arctic expeditions over a period of 18 years, braving lethal conditions. This partnership culminated in their successful assault on the North Pole, the first to reach this milestone in exploration. Henson’s knowledge of navigation, carpentry, sled dogs, and
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