- George Washington Carver invented peanut butter and more than 300 uses for peanuts. Garrett Augustus Morgan invented the traffic light in 1923. Thanks to his invention, streets are safer for motorists and pedestrians. Otis Boykin developed the electrical resistor and the variable resistor used in electronics, such as computers and pacemakers. Educators can make a list of all the things invented by black people and ask students to describe how these inventions help everyone.
- Elementary teachers can help students learn about the contributions of black people to the Civil Rights Movement in America. Teachers and students can explore the successes, set-backs and achievements of the individuals and groups involved in civil rights. Long before the bus boycotts and civil rights marches, black Americans such as W.E.B. Du Bois were working for equal rights. The NAACP grew from the Niagra Movement founded by Du Bois.
- Black Americans have made immeasurable contributions to music history and culture. The Apollo Theater in Harlem has been instrumental in launching the careers of black singers and entertainers, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, Billie Holiday, James Brown and Stevie Wonder. The first amateur night at the Apollo Theater was held in 1934 and still provides an opportunity for ambitious singers and entertainers to launch their careers. Teachers and students can explore the history of the Apollo and the contribution black singers have made to American music culture.
- Black people have made important contributions to the arts. Frederick August Kittel, whose pen name was August Wilson, won two Pulitzer prizes for his plays "Fences" and "The Piano Lesson." Jean-Michel Basquiat was a self-taught artist who started out as a street artist selling T-shirts. He collaborated with Andy Warhol and became an international star in the art world. James Van Der Zee's photographs have been displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Students can look at pictures and read excerpts to develop an appreciation for black art and writing.
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