Today in History – February 2, 1897 – Ice cream scoop patented by Alfred L. Cralle, the first African-American in Pittsburgh to receive a patent. His patent became the model for ice cream scoops in households soon after and the basis for many scoops today. Cralle was born in Lunenberg County, Virginia on September 4, 1866, was educated in the common schools of the county, and later worked with his father in the carpenter. This work sparked his interest in mechanics and he took advanced courses at Wayland Seminary in Washington, D.C. Although educated, his career path was to move to Pittsburgh where he served as a porter in Markell Brothers’ drug store and the St. Charles Hotel. He advanced to assistant manager when the Afro-American Financial, Accumulating, Merchandise and Business Association was organized.

For more information, see the Engineering Pathway’s resources on African American scientists, engineers & inventors or our engineering diversity website. For curricular resources, browse our resources on product and industrial design or visit the Mechanical Engineering Education community site.

Also on this date in history in 1923, ethyl gasoline is first marketed. Tomas Midgley, inventor and chemical engineer, credited with playing a major role in its development. Alas, he did not foresee all of the environmental issues associated with it and the product was later outlawed after many years of public action and scientific analysis. For more information, see the Engineering Pathwa’s resources on gasoline, petroleum additives and tetra-ethyl lead or Chemical Engineering Education.

Today in History – December 23, 1867 – Birth of first self-made millionairess (Sarah Breedlove for hair straightener invention, products and services). Born in poverty in 1867 (left graphic is of her birth house) on the shores of the Mississippi River in northeast Louisiana, her parents died of ‘yellow fever‘ while she was a young child of seven. Her parents, Owen and Minera Breedlove, were former slaves to “Robert W. Burney’s Madison Parish farm which was a battle-staging area during the Civil War for General Ulysses S. Grant and his Union troops”. Walker was an entrepreneur and made her fortune through her self-made hair products. She developed a product to straighten African American women’s hair. She claimed that the invention of her hair product came to her in a dream. Although it was thought she did this to help African American women conform their hair to that of whites, she argued that she created the treatment in order to encourage good treatment and growth in African American women’s hair. She began selling her product door-door. In due time she sophisticated her marketing approach and by 1906 she and her husband Charles Joseph Walker toured the country promoting her hair products. She moved to a mail order operation and established a beauty training school. “In 1910 they moved the central operations to Indianapolis, then the country’s largest manufacturing base, to utilize that city’s access to eight major railway systems.”

Although illiterate when she started her business, Walker took lessons in public speaking, penmanship and developed a striking personality, wearing fine clothing and employing a chauffeur-driven electric carriage. She was to establish a tradition of giving back to the community by contributing to African American orphanages, old-age homes, schools, colleges, and a new civil rights organization, the NAACP. The first self-made millionaires, Walker succeeded despite being an orphan. Madame CJ Walker’s contributions in hair care established her as a prominent role model to woman, still, today, as “one of the most successful business executives in the early half of the twentieth century”.

For more information, see the Engineering Pathway‘s resources on women inventors, African American scientists and engineers or our engineering diversity website. For curricular resources, visit the Chemical Engineering Education community site.

Also on this date in history in 1975, Congress passes Metric Conversion Act. Also in 1986, Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager complete the first non-stop circumnavigation of the world, nonstop, without refueling their plane, the Voyager. For more information, see the Engineering Pathway‘s resources on metric conversion, airplane design and aeronautics, or Aeronautical Engineering Education.

Today in History – December 16, 1915 – Albert Einstein publishes the General Theory of Relativity.

General Theory of relativity is a theory of gravity. Ninety-one years ago on this day he published his mathematical formula for the theory of relativity. The theory introduced the famous concept of gravitation and inertia equivalence, which in turns asserts ‘gravitation as a determiner of the curvature in a space-time continuum.’ It is obvious from the quote the complexity of this theorem and even to this day people have trouble grasping the concepts. His contribution of this theory has helped us better understand the fourth dimension known as time. The theory of relativity introduced concepts that changed the way we think of time and gravity, making it monumental in our history.

For related curricular resources, visit the Engineering Pathway’s educational resources on Einstein and relativity or the Nuclear Engineering Education community.

Today in History – December 10, 1964 – Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The title of his Nobel lecture was “The Quest for Peace and Justice”. Martin Luther King, Jr. attended segregated public schools in Georgia, graduating from high school at the age of fifteen; he received the B. A. degree in 1948 from Morehouse College, a distinguished Historically Black College in Atlanta from which both his father and grandfather had graduated. After three years of theological study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania where he was elected president of a predominantly white senior class, he was awarded the B.D. in 1951. He completed his doctorate in theology at Boston University in 1955. King was a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In 1957, he and other black ministers founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom — 28 August 1963 — saw more than 250,000 protesters; here King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act.

At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement. For more information, see the Engineering Pathway’s resources on Martin Luther King and community service learning. Or visit our Engineering Diversity or Broadening Participation in Computing Portal community sites.

Also on this date, Albert Einstein is awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 and Robert S. Mulliken the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1966.

Albert Einstein entered the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich to be trained as a teacher in physics and mathematics in 1896. In 1901, the year he gained his diploma, he acquired Swiss citizenship and, as he was unable to find a teaching post, he accepted a position as technical assistant in the Swiss Patent Office. In 1905 he obtained his doctorate. Einstein’s well chronicled research includes Special Theory of Relativity (1905), Relativity (English translations, 1920 and 1950), General Theory of Relativity (1916), Investigations on Theory of Brownian Movement (1926), and The Evolution of Physics (1938). Among his non-scientific works, About Zionism (1930), Why War? (1933), My Philosophy (1934), and Out of My Later Years (1950) are perhaps the most important. In the 1920′s, Einstein embarked on the construction of unified field theories, although he continued to work on the probabilistic interpretation of quantum theory.

In the 1920′s, Einstein embarked on the construction of unified field theories, although he continued to work on the probabilistic interpretation of quantum theory. Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics “for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.

Robert Mulliken earned a B.Sc. Degree in 1917 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., and a Ph.D. degree at the University of Chicago, Ill., in 1921. He was an American physicist and chemist, primarily responsible for the early development of molecular orbital theory, i.e. the elaboration of the molecular orbital method of computing the structure of molecules. Robert Mulliken received the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1966.

For related curricular resources, visit the Nuclear Engineering Education and the Chemical Engineering Education disciplinary communities.

This date also marks the one-millionth Model T Ford assembled in 1915. The Ford Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie and the Flivver) was an automobile produced by Henry Ford’s Ford Motor Company from 1908 through 1927. The model T set 1908 as the historic year that the automobile came into popular usage. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, the car that “put America on wheels”; some of this was because of Ford’s innovations, including assembly line production instead of individual hand crafting.

For related curricular resources on Henry Ford and automotive engineering. Or visit the Manufacturing Engineering Education, the Industrial Engineering Education and the Mechanical Engineering Education disciplinary communities.

Today in History – November 20, 1866 - Howard University founded in Washington, D.C. On November 20, 1866. Members of The First Congregational Society of Washington decided to establish a school that catered to the teaching of African American clergymen (preachers). In the span of a few weeks this idea was on the road to being a reality and included the provisions to create a university. Within two years the university included Liberal arts and medicine. The members then decided to name the university after Major General Oliver O. Howard who was known as a civil war hero and also a Commissioner of the Freedman’s Bureau, which was established to too aid freed blacks.

Today alumni at Howard include a Rhodes scholar, a Truman scholar, six Fulbright scholars and nine Pickering Fellows. The university has since expanded and now it consists of 12 schools and college with over 10,500 students. It has more than 120 areas of study, including the School of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Science, allowing students to receive undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees it has been ranked in the Top 100 for best colleges in America by U.S news. Howard campus produces more on campus African-American PhD’s than any other university in the world and continues to contribute to American history.

For more information, see the Engineering Pathway‘s resources on Howard University and other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Also see our resources on African American scientists and engineers or our computing diversity and engineering diversity websites.

Also on this date in history in 1931, the first commercial teletype service is launched by AT&T.

Today in History, September 12, 1992, Dr. Mae C. Jemison became the first woman of color to successfully travel into space. Dr. Jemison’s accomplishment came over three decades after the first American traveled to space and a decade after the first African American male did so. Through her historic accomplishment, Dr. Jemison made the dream of becoming an astronaut for woman of color a reality.

Born on October 17, 1956, Dr. Jemison was the youngest of three children. Although she was born in Decatur, Alabama she was raised in Chicago, Illinois. At the age of sixteen Jemison completed high school and at that same age she entered Stanford University on a scholarship. While an undergraduate she completed two majors, Chemical Engineering and African American Studies receiving her degrees in 1977. Interestingly enough the African American Studies Department at Stanford had began only 8 years prior. After graduating from Stanford she went on to Cornell University Medical School where four years (1981) later at the age of twenty-four she obtained a doctorate in medicine.

During medical school she showed a great interest in third world countries. In her efforts to contribute to these countries she traveled to Cuba, Kenya, and would later spend a medical clerkship in Thailand at a Cambodian Refugee Camp. Before joining NASA in 1987, Dr. Jemison also served as a general practitioner in Los Angeles and later became an Area Peace Corps Medical Officer for Sierra Leone and Liberia in West Africa.

Dr. Jemison joined NASA in 1987 and five short years after she was on her first flight to space. Jemison resigned from NASA in 1993 and created The Jemison Group, Inc., located in Houston, TX, to research, develop and implement advanced technologies suited to the social, political, cultural and economic context of the individual, especially for the developing world. This woman’s accomplishments are truly amazing and she serves as role model to current and future generations and that is why she is being recognized today in history.

For more information, see the Engineering Pathway’s related resources on Dr. Mae C. Jemison or NASA. Or visit the Aerospace Engineering Education community site.

Today in history – July 7, 1872 -  Elijah McCoy created an invention that has made him arguably the most notable African American inventor ever. His birth date is still unknown although the date is speculated by many sources ranging from March 27, 1843 to May 2, 1844. His story would not have been possible if not for his parents. They were former slaves who fled from Kentucky to Canada by way of the Underground Railroad. Elijah one of 12 children would then be born in Colchester, Canada (interesting fact most the slaves that escaped via the Underground Railroad escaped to Canada). His father, George McCoy, enrolled in the British forces to help stop the Canadian leader Louis Riel’s launched rebellion in 1837. In appreciation of his military services, George McCoy was given 160 acres of land by the British. As a result of his father’s ties to Britain, at the age of 16 Elijah McCoy he was offered and accepted an apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering in Edinburgh, Scotland. At the time he was awarded the apprenticeship, slavery in America had not yet been abolished. Thus, this opportunity wouldn’t have been possible if his family hadn’t escaped slavery in America. One can’t help but wonder how many other McCoy’s were unable to mature intellectually because of slavery?

In the story of Elijah McCoy it is important to remember the opportunities given to him were basically unheard of as far as African American’s had been concerned; he took full advantage of them. He earned credentials in Scotland being recognized as a master mechanic and engineer. Despite the accolades he received in Scotland, when he returned to the U.S post Civil War (slavery abolished) he was not able to receive a job in his field. Instead he became a locomotive fireman and oiler for the Michigan Central Railroad”. Although this was not in his field, this was seen as a responsible job and one of the highest an African American could receive at the time. The position required that he be responsible for “fueling the steam engine and [as] the oiler [he] lubricated the engine’s moving parts as well as the train’s axles and bearings.” . What his employers did not plan on was the fact that his credentials would help him see and solve problems that neither his co-workers nor superiors could. At that time trains needed to be periodically stopped in order to be lubricated. McCoy developed a lubricator for steam engines that allowed the train to be lubricated without stopping. This lubricator was duplicated by many but never matched the proficiency of McCoy’s invention. This is why he is referred to as the originator for his invention deemed the “The Real McCoy” a phrase that is still used today. He patented the invention on July 12, 1872 the “Locomotive Lubricator”. When we think about the importance of his invention we have to remember that there was no successful plane flight until 20 years later. So, the train was the only means for extensive travel within the Unites States and his lubricating system increased the distance trains could run without requiring stops.

McCoy didn’t stop at the “Locomotive Lubricator”; he obtained 58 patents in his life time, the most of any African American at that time. His hard work made substantial advancements in mechanical engineering and that is why he is being acknowledged today in history.

Interested readers are encouraged to visit the Engineering Pathway’s resources on African American scientists, engineers & inventors and our engineering diversity or our computing diversity websites.

Readers interested in inventions by African Americans may want to view the following blogs: Ice cream scoop invented (February 2), Birth of first self-made millionairess (December 23), John Hopkins hospital performs first open heart surgery (November 29), and Howard University founded in 1866 (November 20).

Today in History-March 3, 1831–Thomas Jennings became the first African-American to receive a patent for his invention of ‘dry-scouring’, a process better known today as dry-cleaning.

As a free man, he established a local business in New York in which he sold clothing. However, customers became disgruntled that there was no means to effectively clean the materials used in the clothing Jennings sold. He took it upon himself to find a solution to this problem. He began testing cleaning liquids in hopes of finding a better way to clean the clothing, the one that worked best was the ‘dry-scouring’ idea which he sought and received patent for in 1831. “Under the United States patent laws of 1793 (and later, as revised in 1836), a person must sign an oath or declaration stating that they were a citizen of the United States” in order to receive a patent. Before the laws revision in 1836, slaves were allowed to make patents also. Since Jennings was free, he was able to patent his idea. It is documented that the money he received from the patent was used to free his family and endorse the abolishment of slavery. However, when the law which allowed him to make his patent was revised in 1836 (5 years after receiving his patent), slaves could not make patents because they were not considered citizens. This law was revised, after slave-owner Oscar Stuart took credit for his slave (Ned’s) invention of the ‘double cotton scraper’. He claimed, “the master is the owner of the fruits of the labor of the slave both manual and intellectual”. This case is essential in understanding the importance of Jennings status as a free man. His freedom validated his citizenship at the time of his patent making him the first African American to receive a patent. Jennings went on to serve as “the assistant secretary for the First Annual Convention of the People of Color in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania”. His accomplishments are extraordinary, making him a monumental figure ‘Today in History’.

For more information, browse the Engineering Pathway‘s resources on African American scientists, engineers & inventors and our engineering diversity website.

Readers interested in inventions by African Americans may want to view the following blogs: Ice cream scoop invented (February 2),  First patent by African American Inventor Latimer (February 10), First African American woman to receive an American medical degree (March 1),  First African American to recieve a patent (March 3),  First African-American in Space, (August 30), Howard University founded in 1866 (November 20), John Hopkins hospital performs first open heart surgery (November 29), and Birth of first self-made millionairess (December 23).

Dr. Crumpler was born in Delaware to Absolum Davis and Matilda Webber in 1831. Interestingly enough, the date she received her degree was one year after the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863 – in other words, she received her degree only a year after slavery became illegal (slavery wasn’t even considered fully abolished until 13th amendment which occurred December 12, 1865). Obviously, the discrimination faced at these times for African Americans was unimaginable. Dr.Crumpler didn’t stop with the medical degree; she began her practice in Boston shortly thereafter before moving to Richmond, Virginia at the end of the Civil war in 1865. Richmond, Virginia was part of what was known as the Southern Black Belt. She arrived in Richmond during the Reconstruction era. During this period, blacks experienced very intense discrimination as they struggled to fully break free from the chains of slavery. Dr.Crumpler moved to Richmond because she felt it would be “a proper field for real missionary work, and one that would present ample opportunities to become acquainted with the diseases of women and children. During my stay there nearly every hour was improved in that sphere of labor. The last quarter of the year 1866, I was enabled . . . to have access each day to a very large number of the indigent, and others of different classes, in a population of over 30,000 colored.” In 1883, she published her book “Book of Medical Discourse” in which she gave a summary of her career path. There are no known images of Dr.Crumpler, but the magnitude of her accomplishments are extraordinary making her a prominent figure today in history.

For more information, browse the Engineering Pathway’s resources on African American scientists, engineers & inventors, gender equity, and our engineering diversity website.

Today in History – February 10, 1874 – Water-closed railway cars patented by Lewis Latimer, U.S. patent (No. 147,363). Latimer is better known for his patents for improvement in incandescent electric lamps while working for Edison. In 1890 he published Incandescent Electric Lighting, a technical engineering book which became a guide for lighting engineers.

February is Black History month. This would be a great time to browse the Engineering Pathway’s resources on African American scientists, engineers & inventors and our engineering diversity website.

Readers interested in inventions by African Americans may want to view the following blogs: Martin Luther King Day (January 20),  Ice cream scoop invented (February 2),  First patent by African American Inventor Latimer (February 10), First African American woman to receive an American medical degree (March 1),  First African American to recieve a patent (March 3),  The Real McCoy (July 12),  First African-American in Space, (August 30), Howard University founded in 1866 (November 20), John Hopkins hospital performs first open heart surgery (November 29), Rosa Parks Day (December 1), and Birth of first self-made millionairess (December 23).