Since there are only five days of Black History Month left, I felt it would be remiss of me to not mention some of the people who inspired me. This is by no means a complete list.

THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN –

· over 15,000 combat sorties (including 6000+ for the 99th prior to July '44)

· 111 German airplanes destroyed in the air, another 150 on the ground

· 950 railcars, trucks, and other motor vehicles destroyed

 · 1 destroyer sunk by P-47 machine gun fire (Lt. Pierson's flight)

· sixty-six pilots killed in action or accidents

· thirty-two pilots downed and captured, POWs

· NO bombers lost while being escorted by the 332nd, a unique achievement

· 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses earned

· 744 Air Medals

· 8 Purple Hearts

· 14 Bronze Stars

 ALEXANDRE DUMAS

 Zut Alors! He was black? Yes, Alexander Dumas, one of the most prolific writers of our time was of African descent. His grandfather was a French marquis who settled in San Domingo. His grandmother was an African slave. Before anyone decides to question his “blackness”, just remember if Monsieur Dumas was born in the United States he’d indeed be a slave. Their son Thomas – Alexandre Dumas served as a general in Napoleon’s army. When his father died in 1806, young Alexandre began writing stories. His most famous novels are The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Man in the Iron Mask.

 HARRIET TUBMAN

After managing to escape to freedom herself, this small brave woman went back at least 19 more times to help other slaves escape! The bounty on her head was $5000, dead or alive.

DR. CHARLES DREW

Before World War II, blood was never banked because it didn’t stay fresh long. Dr. Charles Drew’s research found that blood plasma stayed fresh for a much longer period of time, thus allowing blood to be stored for later use. During World War II, he organized the first blood bank in London.

DR. MAE JEMISON

Chemical engineer, scientist, physician, teacher and astronaut, she was the first black woman to go into space! She made this accomplishment on September 12, 1992 aboard the space shuttle Endeavor. She has a wide range of experience in technology, engineering, and medical research and has worked on bone cell research. In addition to all of this, she is trained in dance and choreography. She is who I want to be when I grow up!

GARRETT AUGUSTUS MORGAN –

Invented the gas mask and the traffic signal. Also an expert tailor, he invented the zig – zag stitching attachment for manual sewing machines.

BARBARA JORDAN

Born in Houston, Texas (H-TOWN!) Barbara Jordan was the first black woman from the South to serve in the U.S. Congress. She won her Congressional Seat in 1972. She gained national prominence for her role in the 1974 Watergate hearings as a member of the House Judiciary Committee when she delivered what many considered to be the best speech of the hearings. In that speech she asserted, "My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total. I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution."

JESSE OWENS

During the 1936 Olympics held in Nazi Germany, Jesse Owens helped shatter Hitler’s ideology of Aryan supremacy by effortlessly winning 4 gold medals for the U.S. in the 100 and 200meter dashes, the long jump and 4 x 100 relay race. Ironically, when Jesse returned home to the United States, he faced more racism. "When I came back to my native country, after all the stories about Hitler, I couldn't ride in the front of the bus," Owens said. "I had to go to the back door. I couldn't live where I wanted. I wasn't invited to shake hands with Hitler, but I wasn't invited to the White House to shake hands with the President, either."