February 29, 2008

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Profile America for the 29th day of Black History Month. J. Bruce Llewellyn was born in Harlem to immigrant parents from Jamaica. He immediately showed aptitude for business. After building up several firms, he earned four college degrees, including one in law. Later, Llewellyn bought the Philadelphia branch of one of the nation’s top soft-drink bottlers, tripling its revenues in just two years. Though an avid businessman, he remembered his roots and has strongly supported several community and educational programs. Across the U.S., there are 516 firms making soft drinks, worth $32 billion a year. Of these, 72 are owned by African-Americans. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 28, 2008

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Profile America for the 28th day of Black History Month. Bessie Coleman picked cotton to help support her family and finished high school by studying on her own. Her dream was to fly, but every flying school turned her down because of her gender and race. So, she learned to speak French and went to France, where she earned her international flying license. At the time, she was the only licensed female black pilot in the world. For the rest of her short life, she encouraged others to turn their dreams into reality. Sadly, she died in a crash while practicing for an air show in 1926. There are 121,000 pilots and flight engineers working in the U.S. today, 2.5 percent are African-American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 27, 2008

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Profile America for the 27th day of Black History Month. The progress of any segment of the U.S. population can be measured in many ways. One of them is financial health. Recent figures show that the annual median income for African-American households is just under $32,000. This is up from $26,500 in 1986. In the same period, the proportion of blacks living below the poverty line dropped from 31 percent to just over 24 percent. On the other hand, the percentage of African-Americans who lack health insurance is 20.5 percent, up from 19 percent in one year. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 26, 2008

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Profile America for the 26th day of Black History Month. Eddie Robinson became the head football coach of a small segregated college in 1941. He mowed the field himself, taped players’ ankles, and even wrote up the games for the local newspaper. On October 7, 1995, Eddie Robinson accomplished what had been thought to be impossible — winning the 400th game as coach of the same school, now called Grambling State University. When he retired in 1997, Robinson’s team had won 17 conference titles and eight national black college championships. More than 200 of his players went on to play professional football. College football games in the U.S. are attended each year by 48 million fans. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 25, 2008

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Profile America for the 25th day of Black History Month. One African-American’s solution to a problem helped to determine what kinds of food all Americans eat today. After service in World War I, Frederick McKinley Jones went to work as a garage mechanic. A self-taught master of everything electrical, he received more than 60 patents. The inspiration for his most notable invention was a conversation with a truck driver who had lost a shipment of chickens on a hot day. Jones then developed the first refrigeration system for long-haul trucks, so perishable foods could be safely shipped for long distances. Now, moving specialized freight such as perishable foods by long distance trucks is a $19 billion a year business in the U.S. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 24, 2008

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Profile America for the 24th day of Black History Month. Mary Ann Shadd Cary dedicated her life to improving the quality of life for others. Born in Delaware in 1823, her family moved to Pennsylvania so she and her 12 siblings could attend a Quaker school. She and a brother then moved to Canada, where she established a racially integrated school and started a newspaper
promoting civil rights and black self help. After the Civil War, Cary returned to the U.S. where she entered Howard University Law School — graduating in 1883 and becoming only the second African-American woman lawyer in the nation. Now, there are 965,000 lawyers across the U.S., almost a third of them women and 5 percent African-American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 23, 2008

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Profile America for the 23rd day of Black History Month. Across the nation, African-Americans are increasingly serving in elected positions. Success at the polls for blacks at the national and state level draw the most attention — such as Edward Brooke of Massachusetts as the first black senator, Douglas Wilder of Virginia as the first African-American governor and congresswoman Shirley Chisholm of New York as the first black presidential candidate. However, the greatest increase has been at the city and county level. In 1970, there were 715 African-Americans serving in local governments. Following the elections of 2002, that number had reached almost 5,800. Similar advances have occurred in the fields of law enforcement and education. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 22, 2008

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Profile America for the 22nd day of Black History Month. Norma Sklarek was a pioneer in the field of architecture. She was the first African-American woman to become a licensed architect and to join the American Institute of Architects. A graduate of both Barnard College and Columbia University, she has designed high-rise office buildings, hotels, hospitals, apartment buildings and shopping malls. Among the designs in her portfolio are the city hall in San Bernardino, the Fox Plaza in San Francisco, Terminal One at the Los Angeles International Airport, and the U.S. embassy in Tokyo. Today, African-Americans make up just over 3 percent of the nation’s 221,000 architects. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 21, 2008

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Profile America for the 21st day of Black History Month. The first African-American newspaper in the U.S. was published in New York City on March 16, 1827. Called Freedom’s Journal, it was the work of John Russwurm — the first black college graduate — and his partner, Samuel Cornish. The event is commemorated each year as Black Press Day. Today, African-Americans are getting the word out in a big way. They own more than 3,000 publishing firms, and 2,300 Internet businesses. In total, this population group owns more than 14,000 communications firms across the nation, generating revenue of $2.5 billion a year. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 20, 2008

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Profile America for the 20th day of Black History Month. By any measure, Patricia Roberts Harris had a remarkable career. She was dean of the Howard University Law School and on the board of directors of IBM. In 1964, she became the first African-American woman ambassador, when President Lyndon Johnson appointed her to head the diplomatic mission to Luxembourg. Then, in 1977, she became the first black woman cabinet member, when President Jimmy Carter appointed her as secretary of Housing and Urban Development. During her tenure, she paid special attention to the needs of the disadvantaged and distinguished herself as an advocate of fairness and equity for all Americans. Today in the U.S., 46 percent of African-Americans own their own homes. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 19, 2008

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Profile America for the 19th day of Black History Month. The name of one African-American inventor ended up as part of the language — even though he himself is little remembered today. Elijah McCoy was born in Canada and studied engineering overseas. Settling in Detroit, he worked on the problem of lubricating the machinery of the industrial revolution. He developed a system that allowed machines to be oiled as they ran — before, they had to be shut down and hand lubricated. Legend has it that as inferior imitations of his product began to enter the market, factory owners insisted on getting "the real McCoy," a phrase that came to mean quality of workmanship. Each year in the U.S., just over 196,000 patents are granted, nearly 17,000 to individuals. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 18, 2008

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Profile America for the 18th day of Black History Month. Maya Angelou is one of the most celebrated African-American authors and poets in recent U.S. history. Her most famous book, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," vividly recounts the early years of her hectic and varied life — during which she has been a cocktail waitress, a streetcar conductor, a dancer and a chef. Later, she became a successful singer, actress and playwright. She has taught and lectured at many schools and has been a professor at Wake Forest University for over 20 years. In 1993, Maya Angelou read her poem "On The Pulse of Morning" at President Clinton’s inauguration. There are 174,000 people across the U.S. who make their living as authors and writers — nearly 6 percent of them African-American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 17, 2008

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Profile America for the 17th day of Black History Month. When William Grant Still mounted the podium and began conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1936 — it marked the first time that an African-American had led a major symphonic orchestra in the U.S. Raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Still began studying medicine but gave it up to pursue his first love — a career in music — a career which saw him not only conducting but composing. His symphonies, operas and ballets have been performed in many parts of the world. His most popular work is the ballet "Lenox Avenue," depicting life in Harlem. Nearly 28 million people in the U.S. attend symphony orchestra concerts during an annual season. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 16, 2008

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Profile America for the 16th day of Black History Month. Jane Bolin was the first African-American woman to be appointed as a judge in the U.S. She was sworn into a 10-year term on New York City’s Domestic Relations Court in 1939. During her tenure, she made several major changes. Probation officers were assigned to cases without regard to race or religion. And child care agencies receiving public funds had to accept children without regard to their ethnic background. After she retired, she volunteered as a tutor in math and reading for children in the New York City School System. There are 70,000 judges in the U.S., 40 percent of them women, and 7 percent African-American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 15, 2008

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Profile America for the 15th day of Black History Month. Hazel Johnson-Brown capped her distinguished military career in 1979 when she pinned on the star of a brigadier general in the U.S. Army, the first African-American woman to achieve the rank. In doing so, she became the first black chief of the Army Nurse Corps. The promotion came after assignments which took her to many parts of the world, including posts as a staff nurse in Japan and chief nurse in Korea. General Johnson-Brown also served as assistant dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing and director of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Nursing. Today in the U.S., there are just over 300,000 African-American women among the nation’s veterans. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 14, 2008

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Profile America for the 14th day of Black History Month. African-Americans have contributed much to the rich heritage of sports in America. From Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson, to Michael Jordan, and the sensational Formula One race car driver Louis Hamilton, they have added excitement through the years. But almost forgotten is that an African-American jockey won the very first Kentucky Derby. The date was May 17, 1875, and the jockey was Oliver Lewis, riding Aristides. Today, the derby is the world’s best known horse racing event. Each year in the U.S., nearly 5.5 million people attend thoroughbred and trotting races across the country. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 13, 2008

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Profile America for the 13th day of Black History Month. The fact that there weren’t too many opportunities open for him didn’t bother Archie Alexander. He worked part-time jobs and saved up enough money to go to the University of Iowa, where he graduated with an engineering degree — the first African-American to do so. Alexander went on to gain national recognition for his engineering designs, which included bridges, highways and tunnels, as well as apartment buildings and power plants. He also served briefly as governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the U.S., 5 percent of civil engineers and nearly 4.5 percent of mechanical engineers are African- American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 12, 2008

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Profile America for the 12th day of Black History Month. One of the earliest African-American singing stars made her first recording this week in 1923 — Bessie Smith’s "Down Hearted Blues" sold 800,000 copies and started her on the road to fame as the "empress of the blues." From 78s to LPs, then to CDs and now electronic downloads, black vocalists have given pleasure to generations of Americans. Today, stars such as Vanessa Williams, 50 Cent and rising country singer Rissi Palmer continue the tradition. Singers and musicians are among the 203,000 across the country who make their living in the music business — 9 percent of them African-American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 11, 2008

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Profile America for the 11th day of Black History Month. Mae Jemison has several distinctions. She is the first African-American woman to travel in outer space — and the only astronaut to have appeared on the television classic, "Star Trek." She was on an eight-day mission aboard the shuttle Endeavor and appeared in an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" called "Second Chances." Before being selected by NASA for the astronaut training program, she had earned two undergraduate degrees, a medical degree and served two years as a peace corps medical officer in West Africa — all before her 30th birthday. One-point-three million African-American adults have advanced degrees — about twice the number in 1996. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 10, 2008

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Profile America for the 10th day of Black History Month. Clipping newspaper and magazine articles about African-Americans gave John Johnson an idea — one that not only made him wealthy and honored but changed the self-perception of the black community. The idea was to publish a magazine about African-Americans. Borrowing $500 from his mother, Johnson brought out Ebony magazine in 1945, profiling rising African-American figures in business, politics and the arts. Later, he added the weekly magazine Jet. Both proved to be widely read and influential. Now, there are 1.2 million black-owned businesses in the U.S., generating nearly $89 billion in annual revenue. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 9, 2008

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Profile America for the ninth day of Black History Month. It wasn’t always easy for all Americans to cast their vote in elections. It took the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution, ratified after the Civil War, to establish that the right to vote shall not be denied because of race. In 1964, discrimination in the registration of voters was prohibited by the Civil Rights Act. That same year, poll taxes were eliminated in federal elections by the 24th amendment, and federal court ruling did the same thing at the state level four years later. In the last presidential election, more than 64 percent of eligible African-Americans reported that they registered to vote, and just over 56 percent said they actually went to the polls. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 8, 2008

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Profile America for the eighth day of Black History Month. Gwen Ifill is the senior correspondent for the daily PBS television program "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," and the host of "Washington Week." Before joining PBS, she was chief congressional and political correspondent for NBC, and was a reporter for several major newspapers. She moderated the vice presidential candidates debate in 2004. Ifll has received more than a dozen honorary doctorates and several awards for excellence in broadcasting, including the National Press Foundation and the Radio Television News Directors Association. There are 78,000 news analysts, reporters and correspondents in the U.S., 4 percent of them are African-American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 7, 2008

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Profile America for the seventh day of Black History Month. George Washington Carver was one of America’s preeminent scientists, known around the world for his agricultural research. Born into slavery in Missouri in 1864, his birthplace is now a national monument. Carver taught farmers how to grow and preserve nutritious foods and how to increase their yield by rotating crops. He invented more than 300 uses for peanuts from cooking oil to printers ink, and hundreds more for soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. But Carver refused to patent any of his discoveries, saying they should be used as widely as possible for the benefit of all. Today in the U.S., there are 1.4 million people in the life, physical and social sciences, nearly 6 percent of them African-American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 6, 2008

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Profile America for the sixth day of Black History Month. The first African-American child born in the American colonies, William Tucker, was baptized on January 3, 1624, in Jamestown, Virginia. Two hundred years later, the census counted 1.8 million African-Americans in the U.S. Today, that number is more than 40 million, about 13.5 percent of the nation’s residents. The largest number of this population group — 3.5 million — live in New York state. There are 17 other states with black populations of at least a million, including California, Florida and Texas. Mississippi, at 37 percent, has the highest proportion of its population that is African-American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 5, 2008

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Profile America for the fifth day of Black History Month. Dr. Patricia Bath has dedicated her life to the treatment and prevention of visual impairments. Her personal belief is that everyone has the "right to sight." To that end, she co-founded the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness. Her outstanding abilities were already evident in cancer research she did at age 16. Her best known achievement was the invention of a laser device to vaporize cataracts, more effective and less invasive than previous mechanical techniques. Dr. Bath is credited as the first female African-American doctor to receive a patent. Across the U.S., there are nearly 19,000 ophthalmologists helping Americans maintain good vision. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 4, 2008

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Profile America for the fourth day of Black History Month. It has been called "the only true American art form." Over a century old, it’s appreciated around the world — what else, but the music called jazz? A blend of religious and work songs, Spanish and French influences, ragtime and marching bands, all laid over African rhythms, the history of jazz is uniquely tied to the African-American experience. From Jelly Roll Morton to Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis on to Wynton Marsalis, African-Americans have kept jazz evolving through the decades. Nearly 11 percent of adults in the U.S. attend a live jazz performance at least once a year. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 3, 2008

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Profile America for the third day of Black History Month. One of the key figures in women’s basketball has been Cheryl Miller. She was an outstanding player throughout high school and at the University of Southern California, where she was a four-time All-American. Miller also sparked the U.S. team that won Olympic gold in 1984. A knee injury ended her short professional career. She then coached women’s basketball for the University of Southern California and for a team in the WNBA. Cheryl Miller is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, and for some years has announced basketball games on national television. Today, 9.5 percent of the athletes, coaches, umpires and others in the professional sports world are African-American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 2, 2008

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Profile America for the second day of Black History Month. Sam Gilliam is recognized internationally as the foremost contemporary African-American artist, whose paintings reflect the school of art known as color field painting. Inspired by laundry hanging outside his Washington, D.C., studio, he was the first artist to champion displaying paintings as draped objects, rather than attached to a frame. His recent works are textured paintings that incorporate objects for a three-dimensional effect. One of Gilliam’s works hangs in the Census Bureau building in Suitland, Maryland, one of the most dramatic new federal office buildings in the country. There are 223,000 artists in the U.S., just over 5 percent of them African-American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

February 1, 2008

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Profile America for the first day of Black History Month. Carter G. Woodson is the father of this special month. He is considered the first to evaluate African-American history in a scholarly fashion. In 1915, he founded what is now known as the Association for the Study of African- American Life and History, and in 1926, introduced Black History Week. Originally observed around the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, it was later expanded to its current full month. Woodson had little formal schooling, yet saw to his own education, eventually earning a doctorate from Harvard. Today, 81 percent of African-Americans over the age of 25 have at least a high school diploma. Eighteen percent have at least a bachelor’s degree. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.