Black History Month Spotlight

(Gainesville, Ga.)- Black History Month is finally here and as most people know it is that special time of the year where African-American’s are celebrated for their extraordinary contributions to society. There are many African-Americans that have done great things but are not recognized or a known for their contributions. Here are a few that have made big impacts in society.

Frederick Douglas Patterson took over his father’s business, C.R. Patterson and Sons Carriage Company in Greenfield, Ohio in 1910. In 1915, the Patterson company became the first African-American car manufacturer when they debuted the Patterson-Greenfield two-door coupe in the fall. Without Patterson’s innovative cars the car industry would not have been the same.

Another prominent man in African-American history was John H. Johnson who contributed in numerous ways. In 1942 he started the Negro Digest which was the African- American version of Reader’s Digest. He also launched Ebony and Jet magazines which are both even more successful and still prominent magazines for African-American’s today. He got into the makeup industry when he started Fashion Fair Cosmetics after realizing dark-skinned women were limited when it came to makeup. In 1982, he became the first African-American on the Forbes list of wealthiest people in America.

An influential woman in African-American history is Amelia Boynton. She played a big role in the Civil Rights Movement. Most people do not know that she was the person that actually inspired Martin Luther King Jr. to join the Selma to Montgomery march. She became one of the first African-Americans to register to vote in Alabama and helped other blacks register to vote. She was true pioneer when it came to Civil Rights. These are just a few African-Americans that have done some wonderful things for the African-American Community. They are true pioneers and will always be remembered for their work.