God told Moses to record and remember how He set Israel free from slavery. They were to pass it on to each generation. The Jews have been very diligent in passing on their history from generation to generation. Blacks and Jews have a lot in common; unfortunately, Blacks haven’t been as diligent as Jews in remembering and passing on their history to their children. Each year we try to correct past neglect by celebrating Black History Month, which initiated originally as Black History week by the late Carter G Woodson, on February 12, 1926
When we think of black history, we often recall, and rightly so, people such as Frederick Douglas, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey & W.E.B. Dubois. There have been, however, many other Blacks who have contributed greatly to our well being by inventing items of necessity. Black inventors who have significantly impacted our world are, Alexander Miles who invented the mechanism for the elevator shaft, Garrett A. Morgan invented the traffic signal and gas mask; Joseph Smith invented the Lawn Sprinkler; John Burr, the Lawn Mower; Frederick Jones, the Air Conditioner; Alice Parker, the Heating Furnace; Lewis Later invented the Electric Lamp; Thomas W. Steward invented the Mop; Lloyd P. Ray the Dust Pan; Walter Sammons invented the Comb; Sarah Boone invented the ironing Board; George T. Samon invented the Clothes Dryer; John Standard invented the refrigerator; John Love invented the pencil sharpener; William Purvis invented the fountain pen and the Hand Stamp; Lee Barrage invented the Type Writing Machine, and W. A. Love invented the Advanced Printing Press.
Did you know that Simon of Cyrene (North Africa) who carried the cross for Christ, and converts belonging to Cyrene contributed to the formation of the first Gentile church at Antioch (Acts 11:20)? Did you know that among “the prophets and teachers” who “ministered to the Lord at Antioch” was Lucius of Cyrene (Acts 13:1)? Well, now you do lest we forget.
