November in African American History

November 23 ~ Patent No. 549,059 was awarded on this day in 1897 to Andre J. Beard, an African American inventor. Despite having no formal education in engineering or metalwork, Beard had invented an automatic railroad car coupling device called the Jenny Coupler. Before Beard's invention, men had to try to brace themselves between two railroad card and drop a metal pin into place at the exact moment the two cars came together. Thousands of railroad workers lost their hands, arms, and even their lives. His automatic coupler safely hooked railroad cars to each other.

By Tiffani Addison

November in African American History

November 19 ~ "Stepin Fetchit dead at 83; Comic Actor in Over 40 Films" read the obituary in "Variety" on this day in 1985. "The son of a Jamaican cigar maker," said the article, "he was born Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry and was considered the father of black film stars and claimed to be the first black entertainer to become a millionaire."

By Tiffani Addison

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