People, Locations, Episodes

Eatonville, Florida is Founded

The founding of Eatonville, Florida, in 1886 is celebrated on this date. Eatonville is located a few miles north of Orlando, Florida.

Eatonville, the first incorporated black town in America possesses a rich traditional culture and is integrally related to the African American traditional culture that has endured there through generations. It is one of the more than 100 black towns founded between 1865 and 1900. The town’s population in 2000 was 2,432.

Black Inventor Patents a Telephone System

On this date in 1887, Granville T. Woods of Cincinnati, a black inventor, patented the telephone.

For a while he manufactured and sold his inventions through the Woods Electric Company, but he later sold his patent rights to the General Electric Company.

A Railway Signal is Patented by a Black Man

On this date in 1888, A.B. Blackburn patented the railway signal. patent number # 376,362.

The True Reformers Savings Bank Opens

*The Savings Bank of the Grand Fountain United Order of the True Reformers (GFUOTR) was chartered by the Virginia legislature on this date in 1888. They began business on April 3,1889. This was the first Black-owned financial institution in America.

The Denver Star Newspaper is Published

*The Denver Star newspaper is celebrated on this date in 1888. This Black newspaper was The Statesman, also known as Franklin’s Paper. It was a weekly newspaper published in Denver, Colorado, and distributed in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, and New Mexico. The newspaper was founded as “The Statesman” by Joseph D. D. Rivers. From 1901 until 1913, it […]

The Velocipede (Tricycle) is Patented by a Black Man

*On this date in 1888, Matthew Cherry, a Black inventor, patented a device that was called a velocipede.  This device consisted of a metal frame upon which were attached two or three wheels.   Cherry’s patent was a forerunner of what we know as the tricycle the patent number is #382351.  

Archie Alexander, Engineer, Businessman, and Politician born

On this date in 1888, Archie Alexander was born. He was an African American design and construction engineer.

He was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, to Price and Mary Alexander; hsi father was a janitor; his mother’s name was Mary. Archie was born into an African American family that lived in an area of Ottumwa that was set aside for poor people, and of course this meant that he would not be expected to have an education. When Archie was 11 years old, his family moved to a small farm on the outskirts of Des Moines. In 1905, he graduated from Oak Park High School in Des Moines.

A Lubricator Cup Improvement is Patented by a Black Man

*On  this date in 1888, Black inventor Elijah McCoy issued an improvement on his Lubricator Cup. The devise dripped small amounts of oil onto moving engine parts, saving businesses time and money. The patent #383,745. The inventor’s automatic oil conduits and water chambers were improved and the expression the Real McCoy remained part of American culture.

The Indianapolis Freeman Newspaper is Published

*The Indianapolis Freeman, first published on this date in 1888.  It was the first illustrated Black newspaper in the United States.    Founded by Edward Elder Cooper in Indianapolis, Indiana, the paper was sold to George L. Knox in 1892; Knox shifted the paper’s political allegiance from Democratic to Republican. The paper frequently featured the […]

The Gong and Signal Chair is Patented by a Black Woman

On this date in 1888, Miriam E. Benjamin received a patent for an invention she called a Gong and Signal Chair for Hotels.

Benjamin, a schoolteacher living in Washington, D.C., was the second black woman to receive a patent. By pressing a small button on the back of a chair a relay signal would be sent to an attendant while a light on the chair would go on allowing the attendant to see which guest pressed the button. The chair was installed in the United States House of Representatives and was the forerunner of those used today on airplanes for flight attendants.

Jack Cooper, Radio Announcer born

*Jack Cooper was born on this date in1888. He was an African American ventriloquist, vaudeville performer, and radio announcer.

Capital Savings Bank Opens

On this date in 1888, one of the first banks for African Americans was organized, Capital Savings Bank of Washington D.C.

The beginnings of black capitalism in America have a strong history. In spite of brutal racial segregation during the first 30 years of the 20th century, black capitalism began to thrive. Because economic empowerment was another vehicle for equality, a great entrepreneurial spirit showed in the escalation of the founding of black banks, insurance companies, newspapers, and other enterprises that served the black community.

Carl Murphy, News Publisher born

*Carl Murphy was born on this date in 1889. He was an African American Journalist, publisher, civil rights leader, and educator.

A. Phillip Randolph, Labor Activist born

*On this date in 1889, A. Philip Randolph was born. He led the Black Civil Rights, American Labor Movement, and Socialist Political Party. Asa Phillip Randolph was born in Crescent City, Florida, the second son of the Rev. James William Randolph, a tailor and minister in an African Methodist Episcopal Church, and Elizabeth Robinson Randolph, […]

The First Lock Improvement is Patented

On this date in 1889, W. A. Martin, African American inventor, patented the lock. This device was an improvement over the 4000-year-old bolt invented by the Chinese.

Martin’s lock consisted of a cylinder and spiral spring, coiled around a metal pin. It was the forerunner of modern door locks.