Diversity Affairs Feature

African American Achievements

Though no brief article can pay tribute to all of the great African American men and women in our nation’s history, it is at least fitting to offer a short tribute to three legendary African American figures.

Michael Jordan

http://www.nba.com/jordan/mjgalleries.html#

When asked who the greatest athlete of all time is, the most common response is Michael Jordan.  Jordan grew up in North Carolina as a well-known basketball player and eventually rose to superstar status when he was selected in the third round by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA draft. Six times Jordan played in the NBA finals, and six times the Bulls achieved victory.  Jordan was also awarded the MVP at each of the six NBA finals he attended.

George Washington Carver

http://www.kshs.org/portraits/carver_george.htm

Few men overcame the adversity of their childhood better than George Washington Carver. Born to slaves and separated from his mother at thirteen, Carver’s focus on education and innovation allowed him to revolutionize agriculture after the Civil War. He laid the foundation for modern farming practices. Throughout his lifetime, Carver received three patents for various inventions and worked at the prestigious Tuskegee Institute as the director of the Department of Agricultural Research. His ideas still affect daily life as he acknowledged more than three hundred different products derived from the peanut, many more from sweet potatoes and pecans, and a variety of discoveries regarding crop rotation.

Bessie Coleman

http://www.bessiecoleman.com/

Bessie Coleman was the embodiment of the pioneering spirit. Although she was born into severe poverty in Atlanta, Texas, Coleman’s intelligence and desire to make something of herself inspired her to attend a prestigious French aviation school. At the age of twenty nine, Coleman became the first African American woman to attain a commercial pilot license. After advanced training, Coleman traveled America performing for audiences in a variety of air shows. Coleman became a celebrity phenomenon, and she was able to utilize her popularity to demand that her performances be entirely desegregated (which was no small feat in the 1920s). Although a tragic accident took Coleman’s life at a young age, she left an inspirational legacy that helped battle segregation and created opportunities for other African American and women pilots.

This section on African American Achievements was written by Jackie Hollan (Loveland, CO, senior), Meredith Musil (Osborne, KS, junior), Topher Rome (Ellinwood, KS, senior), and Heather Teater (Shawnee, KS, senior).