February is Black History Month. Use these facts as a fun jumping-off point to engage in a dialogue with your children that can last the entire month and more.
1892 The year George T. Sampson invented the clothes dryer. Imagine life without it, especially during cold Chicago winters!
52,400 Number of African American chief executives of American companies. A very impressive figure, considering the barriers blacks faced in the workplace even less than a century ago.
13.4 Percent of our nation’s population that is African American, a number smaller than most people think. Another reason why it’s important to not let this month of educational opportunities pass you by.
$225 million was earned by Oprah Winfrey in 2006, making her the richest woman—of any race or ethnicity—in the world.
22 States that report African Americans as their largest minority group—Illinois included.
8 percent of America’s black population is 65 and over, a pressing reason why we need more people to educate our youth about the contributions of African Americans to our country over the past few centuries.
3.5 million African Americans live in New York, making it the state with the highest black population in the country.
2.4 million African American men and women are veterans of the U.S. military, more than any other minority group.
1.3 million African Americans 25 and older have advanced degrees, such as medicine and law—double that of 1996. The number of black college students has also more than doubled in the past 15 years.
1926 The year Black History Week was introduced. 50 years later, it became Black History Month. But why stop there? Visit www.biography.com/blackhistory to learn even more to share with your family year-round.