diversity works! magazine black history month 2007

An official publication of the

Winter Edition 2007

DiversityWorks!M a g a z i n e

Urban League=Volume 2 Issue 1

“Did You Hear What I Think I Said”: The Impact of Nonverbal Communication onCorporate Diversity

Building a Solid Family Foundation andSuccessful Business

Remembering Our Legends

African American Quilting: A Legacy

= Urban LeagueSan Diego County

Empowering Communities.Changing Lives.

An Affiliate of the National Urban League

contents16. African American History -- Black Inventors

Colors of Inovation - Thomas L. Jennings,born in 1791, is believed to have been...

20. History of the African American Quilt - The his-tory of the quilt as it pertains to ...

28. Building A Solid Family Foundation andSuccessful Business - As a husband, father andbusiness owner...

29. Freeing Our Families From GenerationalPoverty - If your childhood was anything likemine, you grew up...

32. Black Families: A Need to Look at Our Past,Present and Future - While traveling throughEurope, Africa and ...

35. Black Business Association of San Diego Makes its Professional Debut - The Urban League ofSan Diego County welcomes the newly...

36. Strategies For Cross-Generational RelationshipBuilding - Here we highlight what we thinkare the best ways to push past generational...

38. Diversity Works! Employer Partners - As one ofover 57000 employers in the region...

4. Message from the Publisher4. Message from the President/CEO

6. Editor-in-Chief -- Speak Your Legacy

8. Remembering Our Legends - The final months of2006, called on Americans to take...

10. NUL -- History of the National Urban League - TheNational Urban League, which has played so...

12. Black Inventions and Inventors - Biscuit Cutter, A.P.Ashbourne; Super Soaker, Lonnie Johnson...

13. FYI -- how much do you know about your history - How much do you know about your BlackHistory?...

14. Book Review - Los Angeles, CA) - Africans andAfrican Americans have been overlooked...

15. Black History Facts - How much do you knowabout African-Americans past and present?...

CREDITSPublisher - Maurice D. WilsonEditor-in-Chief - Pamela S. PerkinsManaging Editor - Sheri L. WilliamsAssistant Editor - Paulette Bartley-RoysterResearch & Development Manager - NJ MitchellLayout & Design - Graphics by DesignPhotographer - Larry MorganCover Design - Graphics by DesignCover Design Concept - NJ MitchellContributing Writers - P.S. Perkins, NJ Mitchell, Wil Cason

Walter Davis, S. L. Woods

Nonverbal Communicationwithin the corporate culture isoften overlooked and/or under-valued in its impact upon thehealth of the organization.Communication Practitionersoften cite that NonverbalCommunication accounts for asmuch as 93 percent of an indi-vidual's believability.

DiversityWorks!

Cover Story

22. The Impact of Nonverbal Communication

4 Black History Month

Black History is American History!!!

We dedicate this issue of Diversity Works! Magazine to the history and contributions of of a people integral to estab-lishing the United States as the superpower she is today. Black History IS U.S. American History.

There are a plethora of Black History Month activities in the schools, churches, organizations and associations of San Diego, but from a bird’s eye view, you might not know it. While this may because for concern, I am not in a panic. Black History Month as an observance originated by Carter G. Woodson wasnot an attempt to award “special recognition” to some and not to others, but a noble effort to remind all of us of the significant contributions of a specific culture to the incredible fabric of American pluralism. We can not separate BlackHistory from American History or World History. It is the very circumstance of imperialistic domination and theresulting enslavement of African people that placed America in the economic superpower status it enjoys today--theresult of 400 hundred years of free and cheap labor. Yes, the legacy continues.

We must teach our youth that although none of us are proud of the past, we are ready to moveforward with mutual respect and forgiveness - forgiveness of those who sold and bought us, aswell as the lingering effects of “self-enslavement.”

Our discussions of the past should not be relegated to one day, one week, or one month.Our history helps us to live boldly in our present and move hopefully into our future. Thedialogue and healing between the many cultures that comprise the American experience islong overdue.

Making Diversity Work is first understanding how events from the past shape ourfuture. Let us go forward in the spirit of conciliation and celebration in our common her-itage of building this great nation and the contributions of Black Americans to that lega-cy - past, present and future!

Maurice Wilson, Publisher

As I travel around I am often asked, “How is the League doing?” My response is, "Like allother non-profits we have our challenges, primarily fiscally in the area of fund raising." In

the face of ever-changing societal needs and concerns, new funding mandates and fluctuatingsponsor support, the Urban League finds itself where most service agencies are - in a state offlux, a state of transition. We are transitioning from a 53-year-old social service organization try-ing to do business, to a business that does social service work. This is wholly different from howwe operated and pursued funds in the past although our mission and purpose has notchanged. To put it succinctly, we are re-engineering the Urban League of San Diego Countyfrom Good to Great!

We often suffer from a lack of historical understanding of who and what the Urban League is. Many challengeour existence but are unaware of the many lives we have touched and helped. Please do not pass over the article in thisissue declaring the wonderful legacy of our national agency. Many believe that institutions such as ours have outlastedtheir usefulness. I say, they do not understand the collective importance of our heritage and continual efforts to evolve.

This brings me to my message on Black History Month: If our actions are based upon assumptions of others, then before we draw conclusions we should get to know the truth

first. And because many are not aware of factual American history, they operate on assumptions, biases, and unrealisticperceptions. This causes a breakdown in our willingness to understand, show compassion and reason towards one anoth-er. It also leads to indifference, fear and discrimination.

As with the existence of the Urban League, many are challenging the need for Black History Month. I say we need it nowmore than ever because many are not only forgetting our past, but there are energies around us causing us to repeat ourpast. Black Nationalist Marcus Garvey once stated, “A Man without a history is like a tree without roots.” Knowing aboutthe past accomplishments of African Americans overrides the belief that they and other Black and Brown Ethnic-Americansmade no contributions to the development of our nation.

On the contrary, if you take a little time to do some research, you will find that African Americans played a significantrole in making America the superpower she is today through the harshest of times. This month, take every opportunityto learn more about them. I leave you with a quote from Hispanic philosopher George Santayana, “Those who cannotremember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Let's not forget our REAL American history. Learn the truth that “sets us ALLfree” and don't dwell negatively on the past.

Cecil Steppe, PresidentHow Are WE Doing?


Editor-in-Chief

Welcome to the winter edition of Diversity Works!Magazine. It is an exciting time to witness the vast

contributions of African Americans and other EthnicAmericans to the economic, political, religious andsocial affairs of U.S. American history. In this issue wecelebrate the contributions of Blacks to technology,innovation and invention. We celebrate a legacy ofresilience. There is a lot to be grateful for as well as mat-ters to be concerned about. Not since Post-Reconstruction have African Americans been able tomake the type of socio-political and economic gains ofthe past three decades. With the recent win ofDemocrats to the House and the Senate, we now sit insome of the most important seats of decision-making inthe history of Black political achievement. We are expe-riencing unprecedented contributions to the fields ofBiotechnology, Neuroscience, Aeronautics, Medicine,Sports, City Planning, Waste Management,Entertainment, Education and the list continues.

I encourage Black families to sit down with their chil-dren and surf the net for the astounding contributionswe are making in every arena of American life; if we donot, our children will continue to be fed what appears tobe an inexhaustible supply of negative images andstereotypes of Black culture. I am purposefully notincluding a list of our heroes and sheroes, because our"people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"! Do yourhomework and find out why we are the most resilientpeople on the planet. If you do not know who you areor whose you are, there are thousands of people linedup to tell you who you are not! Which brings me to themain point of my letter today…

Who are you? Who or what are you named after?Does your name have a meaning? Are you aware that itis a tradition of many Jewish families to name theirchild after the 8th day of their lives so that they mayknow the spirit of the child before they name them andthus mark them for life with a word that will followthem forever? Naming and Identity are incredibly com-plex issues for people of African descent here in theAmericas due to the scourge of slavery and its identitydestroying legacy. How many young fathers and mothersbrand their children with exotic, ethnic sounding names

not possessing a clue as to what that name means IF ithas a meaning. What about nicknames like “Killer” or“Monster?” Where are the names of our AfricanAncestors or the African American forefathers and fore-mothers? How are we keeping their legacies alive?What about personal identity and the urban identifica-tion with pimps, thugs, ho's and "bit@#*#? Have we soquickly forgotten the very recent fallout of the "N" wordblast across the airwaves of media around the GLOBEby a citizen of our own country - the one we built brickby brick? But of course, he used the same word or aderivative of the same word invoked by some Blackfolks in every corner of the nation. What's the problem?

The problem is the POWER of naming and identifica-tion. What you name, you claim! We hear this preachedfrom many a pulpit on any given day of the week, butwe pour forth into the streets spewing toxic garbagefrom our mouths continuing the defeatist legacy thatmany of our children are adopting. "He who owns thewords, owns everything!" Do you own any words?What words do you use to define yourself and thosewithin your community? Could there be a connectionbetween our naming and the destructive conditions thatexist within our communities? Until we recognize ourGod-given source of power- the WORD - and its impacton our community health, we will continue to bury alegacy of hope, endurance, brilliance, sacrifice, love andcourage under a pile of self-hate so high we could notdig out of it if we wanted to. Do youwant to claim your rightful her-itage? Do you want our communi-ty to be "transformed by renewingits mind"? Celebrate BlackHistory Month by reclaimingyour incredible legacy! Speakthe word of healing today andclaim it for yourself and yourpeople. Otherwise, there'salways the "N" word -NOBODY, NOTHING,NADA!

Speak YourWW

Pamela S. Perkins

Legacy!

Diversity Works 7


I'm Black and I'm ProudSay It Loud….

The final months of 2006, called on Americans to take a moment and reflect on the legacy of two great public figures. As I ponder the lega-cy they leave behind, I remember their immortal words that have left an indelible mark on my psyche. 38th President Gerald Ford calledfor "A Time of Healing" during the Watergate scandal, a time when the nation felt deeply shocked and betrayed. The other soul that

danced into our lives sliding across our hearts was the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. I will never ever forget, his call to "Say it Loud; I'mBlack and I'm Proud!" It changed my world. As I began to think about their legacy and recall the numbers that have transitioned over the pasttwo years within the African American community, during this celebration of Black History Month I thought it time to remember and pay hom-age to a legacy that speaks volumes about a people of faith, resilience and PRIDE! The origins of Black History Month can be traced to 1926,when Harvard-educated Black historian Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week to celebrate the history, contributions and cultureof African-Americans. Woodson chose the second week in February for the new festival to link the celebrations to the birth dates of Blackactivist Frederick Douglass (February 7, 1817) and President Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809). Fifty years later, as part of the American bi-centennial celebrations in 1976, the week was expanded to become National Black History month. Happy Black History Month!

Remembering Our Legends

• James Brown (1933-2006), “TheGodfather of Soul,” before his transitioncelebrated 50 years in Showbiz. SAY ITLOUD, I'M BLACK AND I'M PROUD!

• Coretta Scott King (1927-2005), the wifeof Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “FirstLady of the Civil Rights Movement”

• Richard Pryor (1940-2005), King ofComedy/Actor Legend. In the 70's hewrote comedy for Mel Brooks and LilyTomlin. His 1982 album "Live on theSunset Strip" is considered by many tobe his masterpiece. In 1988 he was thefirst recipient of the Mark Twain MarkHumor Award

• Rosa Parks (1913-2005), Mother of theCivil Right Movement, she was 42 yearsyoung on December 1, 1955. She wasnot any more tired that day than anyother day, but in her own words "theonly tired I was, was tired of giving in",on that day, she refused to give up herseat to a white man

• John H. Johnson (1918-2005), Founder& Chairman of Johnson PublishingCompany, Inc, "Failure is a word that Idon't accept", read his best selling auto-biography Succeeding Against the Odds

• Luther Vandross (1951-2005) Lutha,R&B Superstar, many famous songsincluding: "Here and Now"

• Johnnie L.Cochran Jr.(1937-2005),Famed Attorney and Law Legend, wasone of the most sought after lawyers inthe United States

• Wilson Pickett (1941-2006) R&B/Rock& Roll and Soul Singer. Inducted intothe Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991

• Octavia Butler (1947-2006), ScienceFiction Writer. She won both the Hugoand Nebula Awards

• Gordon Parks (1912-2006), FamousAfrican American Photographer of the20th Century

• Ed Bradley (1941-2006), Journalist CBSNews and 60 Minutes

• Ruth Brown (1928-2006), R&B Singer,brought a popular music style to rhythmand blues. She also won a Tony Awardfor her Broadway performance in themusical Black and Blue. The originalsoundtrack won a Grammy Award

• George Stevens (1932-2006), San DiegoCity Councilman, Deputy Mayor andBaptist Preacher. Fourth DistrictCouncilman from 1991-2002. CivilRights activist

• Gerald Levert, (1966 - 2006) AmericanR&B Singer and son of Eddie Levert Srof the Ojays Gerald blessed us withmany songs including his duet with hisfather that scored as another number

one single "Baby Hold on to Me" • Lou Rawls (1933-2006), Singer, Actor

and Voice-Overs He was blessed with afour-octave vocal range. The incredibleLou Rawls, 60-plus albums, threeGrammy wins, 13 Grammy nomina-tions, one platinum album, five goldalbums and a gold single and a Star onthe Hollywood Hall of Fame

Remembering history is ours to do some-thing with, to use as we make choices todesign our lives and move forward. Let usremember! As we celebrate the legacy ofBlack History Month we are reminded thatit is not just a celebration of a history of

Black peo-ple, butthe histo-ry ofAmerica.

Remembering Our LegendsNJ Mitchell, Research & Development Manager, Diversity Works! Magazine

TT

NJ Mitchell,Research &

DevelopmentManager,

DW! Magazine


=The National Urban League, whichhas played so pivotal a role in the20th-Century Freedom Movement,

grew out of that spontaneous grassrootsmovement for freedom and opportunitythat came to be called the BlackMigrations. When the U.S. Supreme Courtdeclared its approval of segregation in the1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision, the bru-tal system of economic, social and politicaloppression the White South quickly adopt-ed rapidly transformed what had been atrickle of African Americans northwardinto a flood.

Those newcomers to the North soon dis-covered they had not escaped racial dis-crimination. Excluded from all but menialjobs in the larger society, victimized bypoor housing and education, and inexperi-enced in the ways of urban living, manylived in terrible social and economic con-ditions.

Still, in the degree of difference betweenSouth and North lay opportunity, and thatAfrican Americans clearly understood.

But to capitalize on that opportunity, tosuccessfully adapt to urban life and toreduce the pervasive discrimination theyfaced, they would need help. That was thereason the Committee on UrbanConditions Among Negroes was estab-lished on September 29, 1910 in New YorkCity. Central to the organization's foundingwere two remarkable people: Mrs. RuthStandish Baldwin and Dr. George EdmundHaynes, who would become theCommittee's first executive secretary.

Mrs. Baldwin, the widow of a railroadmagnate and a member of one of America'soldest families, had a remarkable socialconscience and was a stalwart champion ofthe poor and disadvantaged. Dr. Haynes, agraduate of Fisk University, Yale

University, and Columbia University (hewas the first African American to receive adoctorate from that institution), felt a com-pelling need to use his training as a socialworker to serve his people.

A year later, the Committee mergedwith the Committee for the Improvementof Industrial Conditions Among Negroesin New York (founded in New York in1906), and the National League for theProtection of Colored Women (founded in1905) to form the National League onUrban Conditions Among Negroes. In1920, the name was later shortened to theNational Urban League.

The interracial character of the League'sboard was set from its first days. ProfessorEdwin R. A. Seligman of ColumbiaUniversity, one of the leaders in progres-sive social service activities in New YorkCity, served as chairman from 1911 to1913. Mrs. Baldwin took the post until1915.

The fledgling organization counseledblack migrants from the South, helpedtrain black social workers, and worked invarious other ways to bring educationaland employment opportunities to blacks.Its research into the problems blacks facedin employment opportunities, recreation,housing, health and sanitation, and educa-tion spurred the League's quick growth. Bythe end of World War I the organizationhad 81 staff members working in 30 cities.

In 1918, Dr. Haynes was succeeded byEugene Kinckle Jones who would directthe agency until his retirement in 1941.Under his direction, the League signifi-cantly expanded its multifaceted campaignto crack the barriers to black employment,spurred first by the boom years of the1920s, and then, by the desperate years ofthe Great Depression. Efforts at reasoned

persuasion were buttressed by boycottsagainst firms that refused to employblacks, pressures on schools to expandvocational opportunities for young people,constant prodding of Washington officialsto include blacks in New Deal recoveryprograms and a drive to get blacks intopreviously segregated labor unions.

As World War II loomed, LesterGranger, a seasoned League veteran andcrusading newspaper columnist, wasappointed Granger's successor.

Outspoken in his commitment toadvancing opportunity for AfricanAmericans, Granger pushed tirelessly tointegrate the racist trade unions, and ledthe League's effort to support A. PhilipRandolph's March on WashingtonMovement to fight discrimination indefense work and in the armed services.Under Granger, the League, through itsown Industrial Relations Laboratory, hadnotable success in cracking the color bar innumerous defense plants. The nation'sdemand for civilian labor during the waralso helped the organization press aheadwith greater urgency its programs to trainblack youths for meaningful blue-collaremployment. After the war those effortsexpanded to persuading Fortune 500 com-panies to hold career conferences on thecampuses of Negro Colleges and placeblacks in upper-echelon jobs.

Of equal importance to the League'sown future sources of support, Grangeravidly supported the organization of itsvolunteer auxiliary, the National UrbanLeague Guild, which, under the leadershipof Mollie Moon, became an importantnational force in its own right.

The explosion of the civil rights move-ment provoked a change for the League,one personified by its new leader, Whitney

History of the National Urban League

= Urban LeagueSan Diego County

Empowering Communities.Changing Lives.

Diversity Works 11

M. Young, Jr., who became executivedirector in 1961. A social worker like hispredecessors, he substantially expandedthe League's fund-raising ability-and, mostcritically, made the League a full partner inthe civil rights movement. Indeed,although the League's tax-exempt statusbarred it from protest activities, it hosted atits New York headquarters the planningmeetings of A. Philip Randolph, MartinLuther King, Jr., and other civil rights lead-ers for the 1963 March on Washington.Young was also a forceful advocate forgreater government and private-sectorefforts to eradicate poverty. His call for adomestic Marshall Plan, a ten-point pro-gram designed to close the gap betweenthe huge social and economic gap betweenblack and white Americans, significantlyinfluenced the discussion of the JohnsonAdministration's War on Poverty legisla-tion.

Young's tragic death in 1971 in a drown-ing incident off the coast of Lagos, Nigeriabrought another change in leadership.Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., formerly ExecutiveDirector of the United Negro CollegeFund, took over as the League's fifthExecutive Director in 1972 (the title of theoffice was changed to President in 1977).

For the next decade, until his resigna-tion in December 1981, Jordan skillfullyguided the League to new heights ofachievement. He oversaw a major expan-sion of its social-service efforts, as theLeague became a significant conduit forthe federal government to establish pro-grams and deliver services to aid urbancommunities, and brokered fresh initia-tives in such League programs as housing,health, education and minority businessdevelopment. Jordan also instituted a citi-zenship education program that helpedincrease the black vote and brought newprograms to such areas as energy, the envi-ronment, and non-traditional jobs forwomen of color-and he developed TheState of Black America report.

In 1982, John E. Jacob, a former chiefexecutive officer of the Washington, D.C.and San Diego affiliates who had served asExecutive Vice President, took the reins ofleadership, solidifying the League's inter-nal structure and expanding its outreacheven further.

Jacob established the PermanentDevelopment Fund in order to increase theorganization's financial stamina. In honorof Whitney Young, he established severalprograms to aid the development of thosewho work for and with the League: TheWhitney M. Young, Jr. Training Center, toprovide training and leadership develop-ment opportunities for both staff and vol-unteers; the Whitney M. Young, Jr. RaceRelations Program, which recognizes affil-iates doing exemplary work in race rela-tions; and the Whitney M. Young, Jr.Commemoration Ceremony, which honorsand pays tribute to long term staff and vol-unteers who have made extraordinary con-tributions to the Urban League Movement.

Jacob established the League'sNULITES youth-development programand spurred the League to put new empha-sis on programs to reduce teenage preg-nancy, help single female heads of house-holds, combat crime in black communities,and increase voter registration.

Hugh B. Price, appointed to theLeague's top office in July 1994, took overthe reins at a critical moment for theLeague, for Black America, and for thenation as a whole. In the early 90's, thefierce market-driven dynamic of "global-ization," was sweeping the world, funda-mentally altering the economic relationsamong and within countries and reshapingthe link between the nation's citizenry andits economy, fostering enormous uncer-tainty among individuals and tensionsamong ethnic and cultural groups.

This economic change and the efforts ofsome to rollback the gains AfricanAmericans fashioned since the 1960s,made the League's efforts all the more nec-essary. Price, a lawyer with extensiveexperience in community development andpublic policy issues, intensified the organi-zation's work in three broad areas: in edu-cation and youth development, individualand community-wide economic empower-ment, affirmative action and the promotionof inclusion as a critical foundation forsecuring America's future as a multi-ethnicdemocracy.

Among Prices most notable achieve-ments was establishing the League'sInstitute of Opportunity and Equality inWashington, DC, which conducted a

research and public policy analysis ofurban issues and the Campaign for AfricanAmerican Achievement, a communitymobilization and advocacy initiative creat-ed to raise awareness and promote theimportance of achievement throughthrough the formation of the NationalAchievers Society, Doing the Right Thingrecognition in local communities and theNation Urban League's ScholarshipProgram.

On May 15th, 2003 the board ofTrustees of the National Urban LeagueVoted overwhelmingly to appoint formerNew Orleans Mayor Marc H. Morial as theleague's eighth President and ChiefExecutive Officer. As New Orleans ChiefExecutive, he was one of the most popularand effective Mayors in the city's history,leaving office with 70 percent approvalrating. After being elected as one of theyoungest Mayors in the city's history,crime plummeted by 60 percent a corruptPolice Department was reformed, new pro-grams for youth were started, and stagnanteconomy was reignited.

Since his appointment to the NationalUrban League, Morial has worked to reen-ergize the movement's diverse constituen-cies by building on the strengths of theNUL's 95 year old legacy and increasingthe organization's profile both locally andnationally.

In his first year, Morial worked tostreamline the organizations' headquarters,secured over $10 million dollars in newfunding to support affiliate programs, cre-ated the first Legislative PolicyConference "NUL on the Hill', revampedthe State of Black America report, createdprofitability for the annual conference, andsecured a $127.5 million equity fund forthe minority businesses through the newmarkets tax credit program. He introducedand developed a stronger strategic direc-tion of the organization with a "five pointempowerment agenda' that focuses onclosing the equality gaps which exist forAfrican Americans and other emergingethnic communities in education, econom-ic empowerment, health and quality of life,civic engagement, and civil rights andracial justice.


• Biscuit CutterA.P. Ashbourne

• Super SoakerLonnie Johnson

• Folding BedL.C. Bailey

• Bicycle FrameIssac R. Johnson

• Coin ChangerJames A. Bauer

• Space Shuttle RetrievalArmWm. Harwell

• Rotary EngineAndrew J. Beard

• Printing PressW.A. Lavallette

• Car CoupleAndrew J. Beard

• Envelope SealF.W. Leslie

• Letter BoxG.E. Becket

• Laser FuelsLester Lee

• Stainless Steel PadsAlfred Benjamin

• Pressure CookerMaurice W. Lee

• Torpedo DischargerH. Bradberry

• Window CleanerA.L. Lewis

• Disposable SyringePhil Brooks

• Pencil SharpenerJohn L. Love

• Home Security SystemMarie Brown

• Fire ExtinguisherTom J. Marshal

• Corn PlanterHenry Blair

• LockW.A. Martin

• Cotton PlanterHenry Blair

• Shoe Lasting MachineJan Matzeliger

• Ironing BoardSarah Boone

• LubricatorsElijah McCoy

• Horse Bridle BitL.F.Brown

• Rocket CatapultHugh MacDonald

• Horse shoeOscar E. Brown

• ElevatorAlexander Miles

• PacemakerOtis Boykin

• Gas MaskGarrett Morgan

• Guide MissileOtis Boykin

• Traffic SignalGarrett Morgan

• Lawn MowerJohn A. Burr

• Hair BrushLyda Newman

• TypewriterBurridge & Marshman

• Heating FurnaceAlice H. Paker

• Train AlarmR.A. Butler

• AirshipJ.F.Pickering

• Radiation DetectorGeo. Carruthers

• Folding ChairPurdgy/Sadgwar

• Peanut ButterGeorge W. Carver

• Hand StampW.B. Purvis

• Paints & SatinsGeorge W. Carver

• Fountain PenW.B. Purvis

• Lotion & SoapsGeorge W. Carver

• Dust PanL.P.Ray

• Automatic Fishing ReelGeorge Cook

• Insect Destroyer GunA.C. Richardson

• Ice cream MoldA.L. Cralle

• Baby BuggyW.H. Richardson

• Blood PlasmaDr. Charles Drew

• Sugar RefinementN. Rillieux

• Horse Riding SaddleWm. D. Davis

• Clothes DryerG.T. Sampson

• ShoeW.A. Detiz

• Celluar PhoneHenry Sampson

• Player Piano JosephDickinson

• Pressing CombWalter Sammons

• Arm for RecordingPlayerJoseph Dickinson

• Curtain RodS.R. Scottron

• DoorstopO. Dorsey

• Lawn SprinklerJ.W. Smith

• DoorknobO. Dorsey

• Automatic GearshiftR.B. Spikes

• Photo Print WashClatonia J. Dorticus

• Urinalysis MachineDewey Sanderson

• Photo EmbossingMachineClatonia J. Dorticus

• Hydraulic ShockAbsorberRalph Sanderson

• Postal Letter BoxP.B. Dowing

• RefrigeratorJ. Standard

• ToiletT. Elkins

• MopT.W. Stewart

• Furniture CasterDavid A. Fisher

• StairclimbingWheelchairRufus J. Weaver

• GuitarRobert Flemming ,Jr

• HelicopterPaul E. Williams

• Golf TeeGeorge F. Grant

• Fire Escape LadderJ.B. Winters

• MotorJ. Gregory

• Telephone TransmitterGranville T. Woods

• LanternMicheal Harney

• Electric Cutoff SwitchGranville T. Woods

• Thermo Hair CurlersSoloman Harper

• Relay InstrumentGranville T. Woods

• Gas BurnerB.F. Jackson

• Telephone SystemGranville T. Woods

• Kitchen TableH.A. Jackson

• Galvanic BatteryGranville T. Woods

• Video CommanderJoseph N. Jackson

• Electric Raillway SystemGranville T. Woods

• Remote Controllers Joseph N. Jackson

• Roller CoasterGranville T. Woods

• Sani-PhoneJerry Johnson

• Auto Air BrakeGranville T. Woods

Resource: Little Africa.comhttp://www.littleafrica.com/resources/inventors.htm

Black Inventions &

Inventors

Submitted by Walter Davis

Diversity Works 13

FYI

1. Which African American inventor pub-lished a Farmers' Almanac?

A. Otis BoykinB. Madame WalkerC. Benjamin BannekerD. George Washington Carver

2. Who was the first African Americanwoman to receive a patent?

A. Bessie BlountB. Madame WalkerC. Sarah GoodeD. Marjorie Stewart Joyner

3. Who was the first African Americanheavyweight champion as well as aninventor?

A. Jack JohnsonB. Lewis Howard LatimerC. Lonnie JohnsonD. George Grant

4. Which inventor's last name became the“real _____”?

A. John Lee LoveB. John StandardC. John ChristianD. Elijah McCoy

5. What was Black History Month origi-nally called?

A. The African American FestivalB. Black History CelebrationC. Black History DayD. Negro History Week

6. Which millionaire black entrepreneur andinventor started out by washing laundry?

A. Madame C. J. WalkerB. Granville T. WoodsC. Sarah BooneD. Rufus Stokes

7. Which one of the following black inventorsdid not invent something related to food?

A. Bessie BlountB. Lewis Howard LatimerC. George Washington CarverD. Lloyd Augustus Hall

8. Which inventor invented a railroad carcoupler nicknamed the jenny coupler?

A. George GrantB. Frederick JonesC. Andrew Jackson BeardD. Ernest Everett Just

9. Which of the following black inventorsis alive today?

A. Philip EmeagwaliB. Otis BoykinC. Henry BlairD. Emmett W. Chappelle

10. Which of the following black inventorsdeveloped the blood bank?

A. Mark DeanB. David CrosthwaitC. John Lee LoveD. Charles Richard Drew

For Your Information

Join Our Membership Campaign!Yes, I want to join and support the Urban League. My Annual Pledge Contribution is checked below.

Name:

Address:

Email:

Phone:

Credit Card#: exp. date:

Signature:

Method of Payment Bill Me Annually (Starting October 2005)

Personal Membership

Benefactor $500

Guild $100

Young Professionals $75

Regular $50

Youth (under 18) $15

Presidents Circle

$5,000

$2,500

$1,000

other

Visa

MasterCard

American Express

Total:

Mail to: San Diego Urban League Membership Campaign, 720 Gateway Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92102.

How much do you know about your Black History?

1. C2. C3. A4. D5. D6. A7. B8. C9. A10. D

Black HistoryQuiz


BBOOOOKK RREEVVIIEEWWRReeccooggnnii ttii oonnDDeennii eedd

RECOGNITION DENIED PAYS TRIBUTE TO BLACK

CONTRIBUTIONS IN AMERICA’S CIVILWAR AND BEYOND

(LosAngeles, CA) - Africans and African Americans have been overlooked for theircontributions to mankind in most arenas. From developing the original writ-

ing form to the science of trigonometry that was credited to Pythagoras the Greek, theachievements of Blacks have been virtually ignored throughout history. Seeking to set therecord straight in at least one arena, author and artist, Kenneth E. Brown recently pro-duced his latest book, Recognition Denied: A History of the Black Soldier in America's Civil War.

Thoroughly researching and supporting his contention that “…without the use ofBlack soldiers in the war, the Union would not have won,” Brown documents the impor-tant roles Blacks played in not only the American Civil War, but in the history of theworld as well. Brown supports his research with detailed summaries of battles, photo-graphs, battle schematics, graphs, and geographic maps, accompanied by a CD with allof the books contents, audio narration, hyper links to major Black Civil War websites anda genealogical link to 200,000 Black soldiers who served in the Civil War.

“Not only has Western history significantly minimized Black achievements, some impor-tant Black achievements have been completely ignored as to their Black origins, and someothers have been credited to other races,” Brown explained. “I am of the opinion that ifBlacks, as well as all people, knew the positive history of the Black race, a number of Blackchildren would take more pride in their heritage and therefore would have more optionsthat could affect their lives in a positive way. This could even result in fewer Black young-sters in prison.”

Author of an historical novel, A View With Rage: Love and War in the Black South, 1850-1900, Brown also created “The Black Heritage Collection,” a series of miniature sculp-tures consisting of great Blacks up and through the American Civil War including HarrietTubman, Sojourner Truth, Phyllis Wheatley and Frederick Douglass, along with a CivilWar soldier, cavalryman and a gun tower commemorating Africans during the MiddlePassage. The collection is comprised of individual sculptures, business card holders anda chess set.

Also co-creator of the limited edition, "African Legacy" chess set - named so becausechess was created in Africa - Brown modeled its pieces after the most famous WestAfrican masks, which he cast in sterling silver, bronze and pewter.

A Braddock, PA native, Brown graduated with honors from California State Universityat Los Angeles. A computer technician and graphics specialist by profession, Brown isowner of Alphacad Design Solution.A labor of love, Recognition Denied pays tribute to all of the brave Black soldiers who con-tributed to winning America's Civil War. Recognition Denied is available in Los Angelesat Eso Won Bookstore, 4331 Degnan Blvd. and at Amazon.com for African AmericanHistory Month. For additional information contact Brown at (310) 418-7599 or visit thewebsite at blackheritagesculptures.com.

Article by, Rae Jones, RAEDIANT Communications(323) 294-5280 or [email protected].

H ow much do you knowabout African-Americanspast and present?

• February 1 - Today in 1926, what is now known asBlack History Month was first celebratedon this date as Negro History Week. Itbecame a month-long celebration in 1976.

• February 2 - Today in 1914, artist William Ellisworth isborn in Washington, North Carolina.Educated at Syracuse University, he was astudent of Florida artist Augusta Savage.His works were exhibited at AtlantaUniversity, the Whitney Museum, the TwoCenturies of Black American Art exhibit,Fisk University, Hampton University, theNorth Carolina Museum of Art and privatecollectors.

• February 3 - Today in 1956, Autherine J. Lucy becomesthe first black student to attend theUniversity of Alabama. She was expelledthree days later “for her own safety” inresponse to threats from a mob. In 1992Autherine Lucy Foster graduated from theUniversity with a master's degree in educa-tion. The same day, her daughter, GraziaFoster, graduated with a bachelor's degreein corporate finance.

• February 4 - Today in 1986, a stamp of Sojourner Truthis issued by the U.S. Postal Service.

• February 5 - Today in 1990, Columbia University gradu-ate and Harvard University law studentBarack Obabma became the first AfricanAmerican named president of the HarvardLaw Review.

• February 6 - Today in 1898, Melvin B. Tolson, author,educator, poet, was born. Today in 1961,Jail-in movement started in Rock Hill, S.C.,when students refused to pay fines andrequested jail sentences. StudentsNonviolent Coordinating Committee urgedsouth-wide “Jail, No Bail” campaign.

• February 7 - Today in 1872, Alcorn A&M Collegeopened.

• February 8 - Today in 1968, Thirty South Carolina Statestudents were shot, and three were killed bypolice, in what was called the OrangeburgMassacre. Students were protesting segre-

gation at an Orangeburg bowling alley.Today in 1925, students staged strike atFisk University to protest policies of whiteadministration.

• February 9 - Today in 1960, 100 Johnson C. SmithUniversity students staged sit-ins at down-town Charlotte lunch counters.

• February 10 - Today in 1854, founder and first presidentof Livingstone College, Joseph CharlesPrice was born

• February 11 - Today in 1996, Penn's Baccalaureate Speakerwas the Right Reverend Barbara ClementineHarris, a Philadelphian who was the firstwoman ever to become a bishop in theAnglican Communion.

• February 12 - Today in 1900, for a Lincoln birthday cele-bration, James Weldon Johnson writes thelyrics for “Lift Every Voice and Sing”. Withmusic by his brother, J. Rosamond, thesong is first sung by 500 children inJacksonville, Fla. It will become known asthe “Negro National Anthem.”

• February 13 - Today in 1635, America's first publicschool, the Boston Latin School, opened inBoston. Black students were excluded fromattending.

• February 14 - Today in 1867, Morehouse College organ-ized in Augusta, Georgia. The institutionwas later moved to Atlanta.

• February 15 - Today in 1848, Sarah Roberts barred fromwhite school in Boston. Her father,Benjamin Roberts, filed the first school inte-gration suit on her behalf.

• February 16 - Today in 1857, Frederick Douglass electedPresident of Freedman Bank and Trust.

• February 17 -Today in 1870, Congress passed resolutionreadmitting Mississippi on condition that itwould never change its constitution to dis-enfranchise Blacks.

• February 18Today in 1913, the Delta Sigma ThetaSorority was incorporated at HowardUniversity.

• February 19Today in 1942, the Army Air Corps' allAfrican American 100th Pursuit Squadron,later designated a fighter squadron, wasactivated at Tuskegee Institute. The

squadron served honorably in England andin other regions of the European continentduring World War II.

• February 20Today in 1927, Sidney Poitier was born inMiami, Florida.Today in 1968, state troopers used tear gasto stop demonstrations at Alcorn A&MCollege.

• February 21Today in 1987, African Americans inTampa, Florida rebelled after an AfricanAmerican man was killed by a white policeofficer while in custody.

• February 22Today in 1911, activist and social reformerFrancis Ellen Watkins Harper died. Harperfounded the National Convention ofColored Women in 1864 and was involvedin other projects for women's rights.

• February 23Today in 1868, Dr. William EdwardBurghardt DuBois, educator and civil rightsadvocate, was born.

• February 24Today in 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumplerbecomes the first black woman to receivean M.D. degree. She graduated from theNew England Female Medical College.

• February 25Today in 1978, Pensacola native Daniel“Chappie” James, first African Americanfour-star general, dies in Colorado Springs,Colorado.

• February 26Today in 1920, Dr. Carter G. Woodsonfounded Associated Publishers.

• February 27Today in 1872, Charlotte Ray graduates fromHoward Law School. She is the first AfricanAmerican lawyer in the U.S.

• February 28Today in 1704, Elias Neau, a Frenchman,opened school for Blacks in New York City.

Diversity Works 15


Thomas L. Jennings, born in 1791, isbelieved to have been the first Blackperson to receive a patent for an

invention. He was 30 years old when he wasgranted a patent for a dry cleaning process.Jennings was a free tradesman and operated adry cleaning business in New York City. Hisincome went mostly to his abolitionist activ-ities. In 1831, he became assistant secretaryfor the First Annual Convention of thePeople of Color in Philadelphia, PA. Slaveswere prohibited from receiving patents ontheir inventions. Although free Black inven-tors were legally able to receive patents, mostdid not. Some feared that recognition-andmost likely the prejudice that would comewith it-would destroy their livelihoods.

Rep. George Washington Murray was ateacher, farmer, and U.S. Congressman fromSouth Carolina from 1893 to 1897. From hisseat in the House of representatives, Murraywas in a unique position to bring into focusthe achievements of a people recently eman-cipated. Speaking on behalf of proposed leg-islation for a Cotton States Exhibition to pub-licize the South's technological process sincethe Civil War, Murray urged that a separate

space be reserved to display some of theachievements of southern Blacks. Heexplained the reasons why Blacks shouldparticipate in regional and national exposi-tions saying:

"Mr. Speaker, the colored people of thiscountry want an opportunity to show that theprogress, that the civilization which is nowadmired the world over, that the civilizationwhich is now leading the world, that the civ-ilization which all nations of the world lookup to and imitate--the colored people, I say,want an opportunity to show that they, too,are part and parcel of that great civilization."

And he proceeded to read the names andinventions of 92 Black inventors into theCongressional Record.

Judy W. Reed may not have been able towrite her name, but she patented a hand-operated machine for kneading and rollingdough. She is probably the first African-American woman to obtain a patent.

Sarah E. Goode is believed to have beenthe second African-American woman toreceive a patent.

Henry Blair was the only person to beidentified in the Patent Office records as "a

colored man." What we

know aboutearly AfricanAmerican innovators comes mostly from thework of Henry Baker. He was an assistantpatent examiner at the U.S. Patent Officewho was dedicated to uncovering and publi-cizing the contributions of Black inventors.Around 1900, the Patent Office conducted asurvey to gather information about Blackinventors and their inventions. Letters weresent to patent attorneys, company presidents,newspaper editors, and prominent African-Americans. Baker recorded the replies andfollowed-up on leads. Baker's research alsoprovided the information used to select Blackinventions exhibited at the Cotton Centennialin New Orleans, the World's Fair in Chicago,and the Southern Exposition in Atlanta. Bythe time of his death, Baker had compiledfour massive volumes.

Lewis Howard Latimer was born inChelsea, Massachusetts in 1848. He enlistedin the Union Navy at the age of 15 and uponcompletion of his military service, returnedto Massachusetts and was employed by a

AfricanAmericanHistoryBlackInventors

Diversity Works 17

patent solicitor where he began the study ofdrafting. His talent for drafting and his cre-ative genius led him to invent a method ofmaking carbon filaments for the Maxim elec-tric incandescent lamp. In 1881, he supervisedinstallation of electric light in New York,Philadelphia, Montreal, and London. Latimerwas the original draftsman for Thomas Edisonand as such was the star witness in Edison'sinfringement suits. Latimer had many inter-ests. He was a draftsman, engineer, author,poet, musician, and, at the same time, a devot-ed family man and philanthropist.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1856,Granville T. Woods dedicated his life todeveloping a variety of inventions relating tothe railroad industry. To some he was knownas the "Black Edison". Woods invented morethan a dozen devices to improve electric rail-

way cars and many more for controlling theflow of electricity. His most noted inventionwas a system for letting the engineer of atrain know how close his train was to others.This device helped cut down accidents andcollisions between trains.

Alexander Graham Bell's company pur-chased the rights to Woods' "telegraphony,"enabling him to become a full-time inventor.Among his other top inventions were a steamboiler furnace and an automatic air brakeused to slow or stop trains. Wood's electriccar was powered by overhead wires. It wasthe third rail system to keep cars running onthe right track. Success led to law suits filed by ThomasEdison. Woods eventually won, but Edisondidn't give up easily when he wanted some-thing. Trying to win Woods over, and hisinventions, Edison offered Woods a promi-nent position in the engineering departmentof Edison Electric Light Company in NewYork. Woods, preferring his independence,declined.

Dr. Meridith Groudine was born in NewJersey in 1929 and grew up in the streets ofHarlem and Brooklyn. He attended CornellUniversity in Ithaca, New York, and receiveda Ph.D. in Engineering Science from theCalifornia Institute of Technology, Pasadena.Gourdine built a multi-million dollar corpo-ration that is based on his ideas in the field ofelectrogasdynamics (EGD). Using the princi-ples of EGD, Gourdine successfully convert-

ed natural gas to electricity for everyday use.Applications of EGD include refrigeration,desalination of sea water, and reducing thepollutants in smoke. He holds more than 40patents for various inventions. In 1964,served on the President's Panel on Energy.

Mark Dean and his co-inventor DennisMoeller created a microcomputer systemwith bus control means for peripheral pro-cessing devices. Their invention paved theway for the growth in the information tech-nology industry. We can plug into our com-puters peripherals like disk drives, videogear, speakers, and scanners. Dean was born in Jefferson City, Tennessee,on March 2, 1957. He received his under-graduate degree in electrical engineeringfrom the University of Tennessee, his MSEEfrom Florida Atlantic University, and his

Ph.D. in electrical engineering from StanfordUniversity. Early in his career at IBM, Deanwas chief engineer working with IBM per-sonal computers. The IBM PS/2 Models 70and 80 and the Color Graphic Adapter areamong his early work. He holds three ofIBM's original nine PC patents.

Currently, Dean is vice president of per-formance for the RS/6000 Division. He wasnamed an IBM fellow in 1996 and in 1997,received the Black Engineer of the YearPresident's Award. Dean holds more than 20patents. He was inducted into the NationalInventors Hall of Fame in 1997. When you can do the common things in lifein an uncommon way, you will command theattention of the world. - George WashingtonCarver.

"He could have added fortune to fame,but, caring for neither, he found happinessand honor in being helpful to the world."George Washington Carver's epitaph sums upa life-time of innovative discovery. Born intoslavery, freed as a child, curious throughoutlife, Carver profoundly affected the lives ofpeople throughout the nation. He successful-ly shifted Southern farming away from riskycotton, which depletes soil of its nutrients, tonitrate-producing crops such as peanuts,peas, sweet potatoes, pecans, and soybeans.Farmers began rotating crops of cotton oneyear with peanuts the next.

Carver spent his early childhood with aGerman couple who encouraged his educa-

tion and early interest in plants. He receivedhis early education in Missouri and Kansas.He was accepted into Simpson College inIndianola, Iowa, in 1877 and in 1891, trans-ferred to Iowa Agricultural College (nowIowa State University) where he earned a B.S.in 1894 and an M.S. in 1897. Later that yearBooker T. Washington, founder of theTuskegee Institute, convinced Carver to serveas the school's director of agriculture. Fromhis laboratory at Tuskegee, Carver developed325 different uses for peanuts--until then con-sidered lowly food fit for hogs--and 118 prod-ucts from the sweet potato. Other Carverinnovations include synthetic marble fromsawdust, plastics from woodshavings, andwriting paper from wisteria vines.

Carver only patented three of his manydiscoveries. "God gave them to me," he said,

"How can I sell them to someone else?"Upon his death, Carver contributed his lifesavings to establish a research institute atTuskegee. His birthplace was declared anational monument in 1953, and he wasinducted into the National Inventors Hall ofFame in 1990.

Charles Drew, a Washington, D.C. native,excelled in academics and sports during hisgraduate studies at Amherst College inMassachusetts. He was also a honor studentat McGill University Medical School inMontreal, where he specialized in physiolog-ical anatomy.

It was during his work at ColumbiaUniversity in New York City where he madehis discoveries relating to the preservation ofblood. By separating the liquid red bloodcells from the near solid plasma and freezingthe two separately, he found that blood couldbe preserved and reconstituted at a later date.

The British military used his processextensively during World War II, establishingmobile blood banks to aid in the treatment ofwounded soldiers at the front lines. After thewar, Drew was appointed the first director ofthe American Red Cross Blood Bank. Hereceived the Spingarn Medal in 1944 for hiscontributions. He died at the early age of 46from injuries suffered in a car accident inNorth Carolina.

Percy Lavon Julian synthesizedphysostigmine for treatment of glaucoma andcortisone for the treatment of rheumatoid

“Currently, Dean is vice president of performance for the RS/6000 Division. He wasnamed an IBM fellow in 1996 and in 1997, received the Black Engineer of the Year

President's Award. Dean holds more than 20 patents. He was inducted into theNational Inventors Hall of Fame in 1997.”


arthritis. He is also noted for a fire-extin-guishing foam for gasoline and oil fires. Bornin Montgomery, Alabama, Julian had littleschooling because Montgomery providedlimited public education for Blacks.However, he entered DePauw University as a"sub-freshman" and graduated in 1920 asclass valedictorian. He then taught chemistryat Fisk University, and in 1923, earned amaster's degree from Harvard University. In1931, Julian received his Ph.D. from theUniversity of Vienna.

He returned to DePauw University, wherehis reputation was established in 1935 bysynthesizing physostigmine from the calabarbean. Julian went on to become director of

research at the Glidden Company, a paint andvarnish manufacturer. He developed aprocess for isolating and preparing soy beanprotein, which could be used to coat and sizepaper, to create cold water paints, and to sizetextiles. During World War II, Julian used asoy protein to produce AeroFoam, which suf-focates gasoline and oil fires.

Julian was noted most for his synthesis ofcortisone from soy beans, used in treatingrheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatoryconditions. His synthesis reduced the price ofcortisone. Julian was inducted into theNational Inventors Hall of Fame in 1990.

So, you want the "real McCoy?" Thatmeans you want the "real thing," what youknow to be of the highest quality, not an inferi-or imitation. The saying may refer to a famousAfrican-American inventor named ElijahMcCoy. He earned more than 50 patents, butthe most famous one was for a metal or glasscup that fed oil to bearings through a smallboretube. Machinists and engineers who wantedgenuine McCoy lubricators may have originat-ed the term, "the real McCoy."

McCoy was born in Ontario, Canada, in1843, the son of slaves who had fledKentucky. Educated in Scotland, he returnedto the United States to pursue a position inhis field of mechanical engineering. The onlyjob available to him was that of a locomotivefireman/oilman for the Michigan CentralRailroad. Because of his training, he wasable to identify and solve the problems ofengine lubrication and overheating. Railroadand shipping lines began using McCoy's newlubricators, and Michigan Central promotedhim to an instructor in the use of his newinventions. Later, McCoy moved to Detroit where hebecame a consultant to the railroad industryon patent matters.Unfortunately, success

slipped away from McCoy, and he died in aninfirmary after suffering financial, mental,and physical breakdown.

Jan Ernst Matzeliger was born inParamaribo, Dutch Guiana in 1852. Heimmigrated to the United States at age 18 andwent to work in a shoe factory inPhiladelphia. Shoes then were hand made, aslow tedious process. Matzeliger helped rev-olutionize the shoe industry by developing ashoe lasting machine that would attach thesole to the shoe in one minute. The shoe lasting machine adjusts the shoeleather upper snugly over the mold, arrangesthe leather under the sole and pins it in placewith nails while the sole is stitched to the

leather upper. Matzeliger died poor, but his stock in the

machine was quite valuable. He left it to hisfriends and to the First Church of Christ inLynn, Masschusetts.

Garrett Morgan was born in Paris,Kentucky in 1877. As a self-educated man,he went on to make an explosive entry intothe field of technology. He invented a gasinhalator when he, his brother, and some vol-unteers were rescuing a group of men caughtby an explosion in a smoke-filled tunnelunder Lake Erie. Although this rescue earnedMorgan a gold medal from the City ofCleveland and the Second InternationalExposition of Safety and Sanitation in NewYork, he was unable to market his gas inhala-tor because of racial prejudice. However, theU.S. Army used his device as gas masks forcombat troops during World War I. Today,fire fighters save lives because, by wearing asimilar breathing device, they are able toenter burning buildings without harm fromsmoke or fumes.

Morgan used his gas inhalator fame to sellhis patented traffic signal with a flag-typesignal to the General Electric Company foruse at street intersections to control the flowof traffic.

Dr. Patricia E. Bath's passionate dedica-tion to the treatment and prevention of blind-ness led her to develop the CataractLaserphaco Probe. The probe, patented in1988, is designed to use the power of a laserto quickly and painlessly vaporize cataractsfrom patients' eyes, replacing the more com-mon method of using a grinding, drill-likedevice to remove the afflictions. With anoth-er invention, Bath was able to restore sight topeople who had been blind for over 30 years.Bath also holds patents for her invention inJapan, Canada, and Europe.

Bath graduated from the HowardUniversity School of Medicine in 1968 andcompleted specialty training in ophthalmolo-gy and corneal transplant at both New YorkUniversity and Columbia University. In1975, Bath became the first African-American woman surgeon at the UCLAMedical Center and the first woman to be onthe faculty of the UCLA Jules Stein EyeInstitute. She is the founder and first presi-dent of the American Institute for thePrevention of Blindness. Bath was elected toHunter College Hall of Fame in 1988 andelected as Howard University Pioneer inAcademic Medicine in 1993.

The aroma of sausage and scrapple cook-

ing in kitchens along the east coast ofAmerican has made it a little easier for kidsto get up in the morning. With quickenedsteps to the breakfast table, families enjoy thefruits of the diligence and hard work ofHenry Green Parks, Jr. He started the ParksSausage Company in 1951 using distinctive,tasty southern recipes he developed forsausage and other products.

Parks registered several trademarks, butthe radio and television commercial featuringa child's voice demanding "More ParksSausages, mom," is probably the mostfamous. After consumer complaints about theyoungster's perceived disrespect, Parksadded the word "please" to his slogan.

The company, with meager beginnings inan abandoned dairy plant in Baltimore,Maryland, and two employees, grew into amulti-million dollar operation with morethan 240 employees and annual sales exceed-ing $14 million. Black Enterprise continuallycited H. G. Parks, Inc., as one of the top 100black firms in the country.

Parks sold his interest in the company for$1.58 million in 1977, but remained on theboard of directors until 1980. Parks alsoserved on the corporate boards of Magnovox,First Penn Corp., Warner Lambert Co., andW.R. Grace Co., and was a trustee ofGoucher College of Baltimore. He died onApril 14, 1989, at the age of 72.

Matzeliger died poor, but his stock in the machine was quite valuable. He left it to his friends and to the First Church of Christ in Lynn, Masschusetts.

Diversity Works 19


Depicted in the quilt are pictures of:

A quilt made by Phyllis, a slave imported fromthe Congo in 1818 when she was 12 or 13 yearsold. She became the plantation cook and quilter.

Arare picture of an African American woman and herquilt after emancipation, around 1890. The quiltappears to be a treasured possession; however, fewslave quilts survived the heavy use and harsh laun-dering.

Larger plantations in the antebellum South hadspecially equipped buildings known as "sewinghouses" or "loom rooms" in which all the sewing,quilting, and weaving took place.

Occasionally, slave women and plantation mis-tresses developed special relationships and coop-eratively quilted. Jane Arthur Bond and her mis-tress Rebecca Bond Routt became friends and

together sewed several quilts which still exist.

African American women first learned to sew andquilt as slaves and they sewed for their ownersand themselves. Although men worked with tex-tiles in western African countries, slave ownersinsisted women slaves do the sewing, weaving,and quilting.

Women slaves dominated plantation textile pro-duction during the 18th and 19th centuries; how-ever, they did not own the quilts they made. Slaveswho became skilled quilters often enjoyed higherstatus, better food, clothing, housing, and morefreedom of movement.

Despite the hardships for slave women, theychose to quilt for themselves after working longdays in their owner's fields or house and takingcare of their own families. Quilting offered arefuge from slavery, a creative outlet, and achance to make something for themselves.

African American

Diversity Works 21

The history of the quilt as it pertains toAfrican-Americans during slavery isweaved through stories passed down

from generation to generation. Children sit-ting in laps and at feet listening while “BigMama” lovingly and majestically dramatiz-es events of the past as it was told to her.

The story begins with the UndergroundRailroad. As rumor has it, run away slavestraveled under the blanket of darkness todestinations of opportunity and freedom.While traveling they were in need of placesto go for restoration and refuge. They need-ed safe houses. As it is told, slave womenwould sew pieces of material, ranging fromold garments to empty flour sacks togethercreating quilts. In the center of the quilt wasan image of a log cabin with a black circle forthe chimney hole. This image symbolizingsafety was hung in the windows of the safehouses. Run away slaves would spot thequilts and know that this was a place ofrefuge and safety.

In the minds of the listeners are visions ofblack women sewing pieces of old garmentstogether to form these quilts, taking extrameasures to design the log cabin with a chim-ney hole in the center of the quilt represent-ing safety for those on their way to freedom.We embrace the camaraderie experienced inthis endeavor as homes were opened to helpfellow men and women regardless of theunforeseen consequence if they were foundout. We imagine humanity at its best.

To date no evidence supporting any of thesestories has been found. Other stories toldthat slaves would take pieces of materialfrom a family member's clothing before theywere sold or traded. They would take thetorn garment and sew it along with otherrags into quilts and use the quilts forwarmth. They took pride in taking some-thing that was old and worn and creatingsomething of beauty and uniqueness.

Although no evidence has been found sup-porting the theory of the quilts, one has towonder where the stories originated and ifthere is some truth to the different varia-tions of this particular story. Be it fact or fic-tion, the teller has weaved a believablestory filled with love, compassion andhope.

Quilting: A Legacy

by S.L. Woods


“Did You HearWhat I think I Said?”

The Impact of Nonverbal Communication on Corporate Diversity

P.S. Perkins, Founder & CEOHuman Communication Institute, LLC

N onverbal Communicationwithin the corporate cultureis often overlooked and/or

undervalued in its impact upon theh e a l t h o f t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n .Communication Practitioners oftencite that Nonverbal Communicationaccounts for as much as 93 percent ofan individual’s believability. This 93percent can be broken down into 55percent visual and 38 percent vocal(not to be confused with verbal). Inother words, the old saying “actionsspeak louder than words” is just astrue today as when it was coined cen-turies ago. Let’s take a closer look atthe impact this area of communicationhas on the organizational culture.

What is Nonverbal Communication?As a Communication Practitioner, Idefine nonverbal communication as“the unspoken messages transmittedand received that we are aware of andthose we are not aware of.” Yes, thereare times we intentionally transmitmessages such as when we dress for acertain occasion and there are timeswhen we are not aware of messageswe send as when we exhibit a nerv-ous body tic like fidgeting. Oftentimes when we think of NonverbalCommunication (NVC), we immedi-

ately focus on body language orfacial expressions. And whereasNVC does include these elements,they are only small part of a vastarea of behavioral study. One of thefirst things we must be aware of isthat NVC is culturally bound. Thismeans that as language symbols dif-fer from culture to culture, so do non-verbal symbols differ from culture toculture.

Our NVC language is often thebiggest cultural barrier. As a result,even though the corporate environ-ment may include workers thatattempt to speak the same verbal lan-guage, many are definitely not speak-ing the same nonverbal language. Asmany diverse cultures attempt toassimilate to the Eurocentric lan-guage patterns of the organization,they still DO NOT assimilate to thenonverbal language patterns of theorganization UNLESS advised orforced to do so. Often this coerciontakes place as a result of someinfringement that can no longer betolerated by the dominant culture co-workers. I bring up the dominant cul-ture here because it is the entity thatdetermines what the acceptable pat-terns of NVC within the organization

arejust asit does theverbal patterns of the organization.

Now let’s take a look at some ofthe areas of NVC that affect the orga-nizational communication environ-ment. The following NVC issuesoften create a substantial amount ofmiscommunication and misunder-standing between cultures. NVCincludes arenas such as: silence,appearance, space, time, touching,gestures, facial expressions, smell,paralanguage and rituals. These are-nas of NVC communication greatlyimpact issues of negotiation, conflict,boss/worker expectation, deadlines,promotion and EVERY area of orga-nizational progress. So in otherwords, the culturally bound nonver-bal communication of each employee

Continued on p. 26

Diversity Works 23


=The Urban League of San Diego County

presents A Diversity Summit

Diversity & Inclusion: Ensuring Success in the Global Market

Golden Hall Conference Center, PromenadeThursday/Friday, October 11-12th, 2007

Invited Speaker's include:

• Elaine Chao - US Secretary of Labor• Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole - President of Bennett College• Lolita Chandler - Avon Products• Carolyn Green - AXA• Juan Williams - Journalist and NPR Senior Correspondent

and more…

Join the Urban League of San Diego County and the San Diego businesscommunity for a day of discussion, training and sharing of best practicesfrom some of the brightest and highly regarded professionals in the fieldof Diversity & Inclusion!

Contact: Maurice D. Wilson - 619-266-6244 e-mail: [email protected]

Please also visit our website at: www.sdul.org

Summit Chair, Sheron A. Maxwell

Diversity Works 25

5

4

1925 Palomar Oaks Way, Suite 300 Carlsbad, California 92008

Tel: 760 438-7755 Fax: 760 438-7411www.cdm.com

A

®

®

CDM is proud to support the Urban League of San Diego County

Aviation and Transportation • Design-Build-Operate • Drinking Water • Environmental ManagementFacilities and Geotechnical Engineering • Information Management • Wastewater • Water Resources


is added to the mix of all organizationalinteraction. An individual may thinkthey are saying or transmitting one mes-sage and the message is being receivedby the listener in a totally different way.Or they may not be trying to transmitany specific message but their nonver-bal manner is being interpreted in a cer-tain way that impacts the co-workerrelationship and context. Just thinkabout how much miscommunicationexists between people of the same cul-ture, then add to the mix differing worldviews and NVC patterns of communi-cating. Yes, it is a lot to absorb!Let’s examine a few NV arenas in an

effort to understand just how great itsimpact is on the organizational setting.First, we will examine paralanguage.Paralanguage can be defined as “howyou say what you say; the noise sur-rounding your words.” It includes vari-ables such as tone, pacing, accent,dialect, emphasis, stress and so on.These tend to be regional and ethnicmarkers identifying where a person israised. However, many cultures havetranscended these basic areas of identityto include measurements such as: class,education, intelligence and viability.Yes, we often “label” people by howthey sound. An example of this might behow the Southern accent often labels aperson as “slow or dim witted.” We seethis in the television spoofs such as theDukes of Hazard, Hee Haw, and othercaricatures of Southern identity. Wenever tend to hear southern accents onNational News Broadcasts. We general-ly must tune into the BBC to hear anyaccent other than the General Americanaccent. Understand how different thismust be for individuals that live inmuch more globally aware countries.

Some individuals immediately distin-guish between Black and White culture

vocal patterns when determining an indi-vidual’s worth to the situation. I have anacquaintance who is an African Americanfemale professional that recently experi-enced a very traumatic dismissal from apost she held for well over eight years inspite of glowing appraisals and awardsshe received during her tenure. Sheshared with me and others who weresurprised by her situation, that severalof her European American colleaguesstated that “she scared them” with whatthey deemed abrasive communicationpatterns. They particularly cited her vocalaggression and excessive use of gesturesduring communication altercations.There were of course other variables usedto substantiate her dismissal but theaforementioned factors were included inthe determination.

It is a substantiated fact that AfricanAmericans tend to be more nonverballyexpressive in their paralanguage andkinesics (body language). It is interestinghow this issue surfaces in many areas ofcollective behavior such as sports andpolitics. Just think of how many rules andregulations are mandated by the NBAand NFL in their attempt to curtail whatis often considered “inappropriate behav-ior or apparel” based mainly on the cul-tural contributions of African Americans.Notice the attention given to politicalactivist Al Sharpton’s manner of speakingand cultural hairstyle. Remember whenHoward Dean lost the Democratic presi-dential nomination when he was caughtacting un-presidential while on the cam-paign trail? This is only one variable ofNVC import impacting the workplace; justthink of the infusion of multiple variables.

We experience this same phenomenonwhen distinguishing male and femalevoices and the fact that male voices andtheir speaking patterns are most oftenequated with power and dominance. So

who is more likely to be promoted andgiven positions of authority?

Time or chronemics is another NVCarena that impacts the organizationalculture. Think about the vast amount ofattention paid to meetings, deadlines,schedules, and other mandates of work-er time and bottom-line results.Remember that NVC is culturallybound. U.S. American culture isextremely time conscious. We are futur-istic in our focus on time and consistent-ly looking to the future as a measurement of security and attain-ment. This drives our economy and ourglobal relationships. We expect theworld to adhere to and follow our rushtowards technological and scientificachievement. Everything and I meanEVERYTHING is done according to aschedule, the clock. We punish individu-als who do not adhere to the perceivedprescription of time. When we travel anddo business, we often find it hard to dealwith the slow pace at which negotiationstake place or the lack of punctualityexhibited by others not on our schedule.We can look at structured time in twoways: activity driven (monochronic)and relationship driven (polychronic).

“We are futuristic in our focus on time and consistently looking tothe future as a measurement of security and attainment. This drives

our economy and our global relationships.”

The Impact of Nonverbal Communication on Corporate Diversity

12

6

9 3

This is a very basic way to explain acomplex social behavior. The UnitedStates and most of the technologically“developed” countries operate onmonochronic time. Everything is basedon the importance of the activity. Themeeting starts promptly at ___. Thedeadline is hard and fast. We live ourlives by the clock. As a result, we expe-rience a highly stressed culture. Manyof our dis-eases are the result of stressbought on by mandates on our time.Cultures that are polychronic tend tobase their lives on harmony of relation-ships and to nature as witnessed inNative American cultures. We travelsouth of the border or to Spain andexperience a siesta in the middle of the“working” day. We visit the Caribbeanand are encouraged to slow down - noproblem man.

I remember growing up and beingaware of the cultural marker of CP Time- Colored People’s Time. As I becameknowledgeable about time as a NVCcode, this cultural proclivity began tomake sense. After slavery, peo-ple of African descent in theU.S. became the victims ofnegative caricatures andstereotypes. One of these cari-catures was “Step & Fetchit.”These distortions were built onthe stereotype that Black peo-ple were “slow and lazy.”They required consistent over-sight in order to get thingsdone in a timely and proficientmanner. Hmm… Could com-ing from polychronic culturesand being forced into mono-chronic patterns have any-thing to do with the clashingbetween the two ideologiesconcerning relationship to self,others and nature? As citedearlier, there are many cul-tures that have a more poly-chronic perception of time. Iwill never forget listening to asportcaster’s commentary ona talented young Dominicanathlete that had been recruitedto play minor league baseballhere in the U.S. He sang hispraises concerning his skillsand accolades while in theDominican Republic.Unfortunately, the youngplayer could not seem to “cutthe mustard” here in the U.S.

His behavior was “unprofessional” andhe lacked “discipline.” Why? Wellaccording to the commentator, he justcould not seem to get to practice ONTIME! It appeared his family obliga-tions kept getting in the way. Hmm…

What about the impact appearancehas on the organizational dynamic? Wehave young workers in urban apparel.Devout Islamic women wearing head tofloor coverings for modesty. We experi-ence young women intermingling socialand business wear. Many businessesestablish dress codes to deal with the cul-tural variations, but this is not alwayseasy to adjust as in the case of cultur-al/religious mandates. Lastly, ponderthe impact on space when adjusting toaccommodate the physically chal-lenged worker. How about trying tocreate ergonomically correct officespace?

It should be obvious the MAJOR roleNonverbal Communication plays inworkplace dynamics. The organization-al culture thrives positively or negative-

ly based on the Communication envi-ronment and its ability to move the com-pany forward in its mission. And yes,the mission should be the connectingfactor of the organizational culture. Butit is important to remember that we allbring ourselves to the table. Hopefully,this brief insight into the realm ofNonverbal Communication will assistyou in determining the type of trainingtools you want to incorporate into yourOrientation, Professional Developmentand Educational Training Programs. Wecan all learn how to get along, but firstwe must acknowledge that our differ-ences exist and instead of mandatingthat everyone become “yellow pencils”or assimilate, let’s move towardsOrganizational Acculturation (referencefall 2006 article) and understand thebehaviors that make us unique and sim-ilar. I hope you understood what I thinkI said! Otherwise, there’s always thefuture of robotics, but you did see WillSmith in I, Robot didn’t you? Scary!

Diversity Works 27


As a husband, father and busi-ness owner, I know the value ofinvesting quality time with my

family. It was Wednesday morning andmy day to take my son, Galen, to pre-school. As we walked inside his class-room, I noticed seven other parentsstanding around the classroomengaged in a conversation. Three ofGalen’s classmates ran to greet himwith a hug and said, “Galen, are yougoing on the fieldtrip?”

Galen grabbed my hand and said“Daddy, will you go on the fieldtripwith me?” I thought to myself, I forgotabout the fieldtrip and I have a fewwork related tasks to complete. “Yes, Isaid, let’s go and have some fun.” Hisface beamed with excitement. That day,we had an enjoyable time together.

Solid Family Foundation While the growth of families

becoming business owners increase,more families are discovering the benefits of work-life-balance. As abusiness owner, people often ask me,“How do you do it with four childrenfive and under? Where do you havethe time to grow your personal development company?” My answer,“I enjoy doing what I do, I love beingwith my family and building a suc-cessful business - it is a balancing act.”

Your balancing act can work for you,your family and your job if you:

1. Commit to focusing on yourfamily before the business.Your first obligation is family.Keep an awareness of the needs ofyour family. Have each membercommunicate their hopes,dreams, and goals and post it up.

2. Create a family vision statement.Plan family time to develop aFamily Vision Statement. Clearlyidentify the image and futureaccomplishments of your family.

3. Work toward balancing yourtime.

When it is work time, dedicatefocusing on work related tasks.For example, two hour blocks ofuninterrupted time. Schedulethirty minutes for play time withthe kids. Create a balance by hav-ing leisure and fun time. Simplyask family members what theyenjoy doing and make it a point toincorporate their fun time intoyour day.

4. Reduce levels of stress daily.Discover what you enjoy doing torelax. To reduce stress, I takewalks, listen to music, and readbooks.

5. Develop supportive relation-ships with other families.Connect with other families whoare committed to creating a solidfoundation and successful busi-ness. Communicate and share suc-cess stories and areas of challenge.

It may seem difficult at times, how-ever; there is a tremendous joy whenyou create a solid family and a suc-cessful business simultaneously. Thefrequent challenge is how to effective-ly dedicate quality family time. Mywife Kimberly and I know that we aremodeling leadership skills that willaffect our children for a life time. Ourchildren are excited to join us as wecreate a legacy of future entrepre-neurs.

Successful Business ApproachJust as your family needs you to

thrive, your business does too. Takingthe necessary steps to expand yourbusiness will keep you happy as well.

1. Commit to the vision.A vision statement paints the pic-ture of what direction the busi-ness is going.

2. Surround yourself with peoplethat have an enormous vision oflife and business.Create a network with other pro-fessional business owners and

leverage their strengths withyours.

3. Involve your family in the busi-ness.Family members are innovativethinkers; incorporate some of theirideas into your business. Your kidsenjoy just being in your presenceand they gain an appreciation foryour business. Our kids help dis-tribute seminar flyers in theevenings and weekends.

4. Awareness of business trends.Keep alert of the conductions ofthe market in your industry. Stayahead of the market trends bybeing innovative and different. Bethe first to introduce a new prod-uct or service to the market.Expand your knowledge and beopen to learning new things.

The major element to building asolid family foundation and successfulbusiness is appreciating the values andgifts each member contributes.Furthermore, setting the pace of yourday with your family and work inmind creates life-work-balance.Nevertheless consider, at the end ofyour day, tilting the balancing scalesmore to the family side. The greatestgift families can give each other is theencouragement to go for their dreams.

Wil Cason is a speaker, author, and train-er and resides in Northern California.Email [email protected]

Building a Solid Family Foundationand Successful Business

By, Wil Cason

Diversity Works

If your childhood was anything likemine, you grew up hearing thesame clichés about money day in

and day out. This is especially true ifyou grew up in a family or communitywhere money was a consistent issue ofconcern. Actually, I consider myself oneof the more fortunate individuals; atleast my mother and father tried to discuss their financial hardships awayfrom the impressionable ears of uskids, but we still were not spared theburden they felt trying to “make endsmeet” or “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

Take a moment to listen to thosearound you. Listen to yourself and thediscussions you have concerningmoney. Is your communication concerning finances poverty driven?Are you speaking yourself into finan-cial wealth or financial death? True, weare living in hard times, but when havetimes not been hard for marginalizedgroups or the working class poor ofAmerica, the majority of the world forthat matter? However, even the richhave bills and financial concerns. So theissue becomes how do we break thecycle of generational poverty plaguingour community. This article seeks toexamine just one area, but an importantone concerning the question of the per-petuation of poverty within our families.

According to the Current PopulationSurvey (CPS), 2006 Annual Social andEconomic Supplement (ASEC), thesource of official poverty estimatescited by the U.S. Census Bureau, pover-ty rates remained statisticallyunchanged for Blacks (24.9 percent) andHispanics (21.8 percent) between 2004and 2005. The poverty rate decreasedfor non-Hispanic Whites (8.3 percent in2005, down from 8.7 percent in 2004). Insingle female-headed households, thepoverty rate was at 39.2 in 2005.Obviously, race and class are contribut-ing factors to these numbers. How dowe break the cycle?

We all understand that education is akey factor in uplifting any individualout of unemployment and underem-ployment. We also understand that it isvital to save and create nest eggs for ourretirement and children’s future. We’veheard the value of creating 401K’s, IRA’s,Stock Portfolio’s and other financial plan-ning safeguards. But how many of us arereally getting the urgency of financialplanning? And do we talk about theseissues at home with our children?According to an article written by TomAbate entitled, “Americans Saving Lessthan Nothing…”, “Kevin Lansing, aneconomist with the Federal Reserve Bankin San Francisco, tracks the personal sav-ings rate -- the Commerce Department’smeasure of how much consumers haveleft after spending is subtracted fromincome. In November (2005) the savingsrate was a negative 0.2 percent.” (SanFrancisco Chronicle, 1/8/2006) These statistics reflect our nation as a whole. Sowhat’s the solution?

For those of us who were born into amentality of poverty, I want to suggestthat we start to SPEAK WEALTH! Weneed to change our language concern-ing money in our homes, in our church-es, in our communities. We need aNEW financial attitude! We need tocompletely refrain, STOP talking aboutwhat we do not have, what we arenever going to have, how broke we are!We expend too much negative energyon thinking and talking about money.Many of us are acquainted with thebible scripture which states, “As a manthinketh, so is he.” Now, I am not try-ing to preach “prosperity ministry.”What I am speaking about is the under-standing that you can not achieve whatyou can not believe! It is a fact. Toomany of us speak poverty and expectriches. Have you ever stopped to thinkthat your thoughts are energy?Everything, I mean everything evercreated was first a thought that became

a word which then became a thing!Why do you think so many of the wisesages and teachers of our past andpresent placed so much emphasis onteaching us to guard our mouths? “Inthe beginning was the WORD.” This isthe creative power we ALL possess.The universe DOES answer every deepthought and desire. The “Law ofAttraction” is a real principle thatworks like any other universal princi-ple. I assert that the major factor per-petuating poverty within our house-holds is the absence of positive energytowards thinking, communicating andworking towards wealth. Think about it. How do you communi-cate about money with your children?What is your general attitude concern-ing finances? I am sure if you take aclose look and start to monitor the wayyou think and speak about money, youmay find that it is the mentality of lackthat is keeping you and your familyimpoverished. Yes, it all begins in themind, even the effort it takes toredesign your life. Finding work, goingback to school, finding a new job, build-ing a dream - IT ALL TAKES POSTIVETHOUGHT - FAITH! We need to breakthe cycle of poverty in our homes whichwill then ripple out into our communi-ties and into the society-at-large. “Freeyour mind and the rest will follow.” Itonly takes a word - YOUR WORD!

Freeing Our Familiesfrom Generational Poverty“The old ball and chain. Money doesn't grow on trees. I'm not made ofmoney. A paycheck away from poverty. From hand to mouth. We can't

afford that. When I win the lotto. I'm just waiting for my ship to come in.Do I look like Rockefeller to you? Do I look like Santa Claus?”

By, P.S. Perkins

1. List nominee name, address, phone number, fax number, e-mail address and number of employees.

2. What has your fi rm or organization done to develop a multicultural understanding and appreciation in your community?

3. What has your fi rm or organization done to develop a multicultural understanding and appreciation in the San Diego region?

4. How has your fi rm's commitment to diversity made a difference within your profession or industry?

To nominate a deserving fi rm (yours included), briefl y answer the following questions on your company letterhead:

N O M I N A T I O N C R I T E R I A

March 29, 200711:30 a.m. -2:00 p.m.

Marriott Hotel & Marina333 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego, Ca. 92101

Submission Deadline: Feb. 23, 2007

5. What programs or other strategies are implemented within your own workplace to recognize or promote diversity?

6. List nominator name, address, phone number and e-mail address.

7. List two reference fi rms with contact information (such as law fi rm and accounting fi rm).

8. Mail or e-mail high resolution color logo and one or two company or staff photos to one of the addresses below.

2007 Keynote Speaker

77

To celebrate the multicultural spirit of our region, the San Diego Business Journal’s Multicultural Heritage Awards will honor San Diego’s most prestigious fi rms, large and small, for their commitment to diversity in their company and community.

Companies can be nominated by following the simple instructions below.

Award recipients will receive special recognition at the event and in the Business Journal. Nominees will also be recognized in the newspaper.

Presents the Multicultural Heritage

Awards ’07

For more information contact Sara Wiese at 858-277-6359, Ext. 3143.Fax nomination information to 858-277-2149, e-mail to [email protected] or mail to

San Diego Business Journal Events Department • 4909 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 200 • San Diego, CA 92123.

Co-Sponsored by:

Ruben Barrales President & CEO San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce


Diversity Works 31

At Raytheon, an inclusive culture is one of the things we believe gives us a competitive advantage. By recognizingthe uniqueness of individuals, empowering employees, and truly valuing their input, our company consistently performsbeyond all expectations. It’s a philosophy we’ll always embrace. It’s right for people, and it’s right for business.

A diversity of great technology and solutionsstarts with a diversity of great people

© 2006 Raytheon Company. All rights reserved. Raytheon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and welcomes a wide diversity of applicants. U.S. citizenship and security clearance may be required. “Customer Success Is Our Mission”is a registered trademark of Raytheon Company.

We’re proud to feature Raytheon employees inour ads. To join them in a rewarding career, visit

www.rayjobs.com


While traveling throughEurope, Africa and TheMiddle East in the 1980's, I

was simply amazed at how the Greeksbuilt a temple over a Roman one,which in turn had a Greek one on topof it, which in turn had a Roman oneon top of it and so on up to 12 levels.

Photos of statues from the MiddleEast and Africa had been mutilated asthe picture to the right to disguiseAfrican features.

As I traveled the world and studied different historical accountsof people, I realized the powers incharge of telling the history of multi-ple cultures practiced covering upand distorting history to benefit andadvance their personal world view.

Talk to people about the origin of theword Europe. Have you ever heard ofPrincess Europa? Neither had I until Ibegan to search more deeply into the his-tory of Blacks throughout the world¹.

In wonderment, I have witnessed ourBlack History Month celebrations whit-tled down to a few hundred years ofBlack contributions from American slav-ery to the present. This is not enough tohonor the legacy of a people incrediblysignificant to world history. So, why focus on the past? Why is itimportant?

Black people must understand whothey are in order to move forward.

“Hate kills the hater. Those who hateus, never win, until we hate them, thatis when we destroy ourselves,” saidRichard Nixon during his impeach-ment.

Some Black people are consumedwith hatred. It results in us killing our-selves. It results in our families beingdestroyed. It results in the proliferationof shame. Shame is the driving emotionbehind an out of control chemicaladdiction rate. A large portion of the

Black populationis incarcerated bya judicial systemthat treats the ill-ness of addictionas a penal issueinstead of a med-ical one.

The civilrights movementwas stopped bythe introductionof drugs into ourneighborhoods.Now, drug usehas spread widelyto rural areas with

gang violence, the destruction of fami-lies and prisons bursting at the seamswith people who should be in treat-ment.

Many Black people do not know whothey are. Many do not realize that Blacksand Whites have taken turns enslavingeach other. The latest period of Blacksenslaving Whites was between the seventh century and 1488 and it was notthe first time. This eclipses the 400 yearsof Black slavery in America.² Manybelieve that Whites have the patent onslavery and they cannot bring theirhearts to forgive. This causes a synergyof self-destructive behavior.

Black history goes back tens of thou-sands of years, yet, the focus appearslimited. If many people were aware ofthe pattern of slavery and cover up, thepain, hatred and dysfunctional behav-ior could be assuaged in the Black com-munity.

In order for families to be successfultogether, they must be able to talk, trustand understand their rich legacy.

Hence, it is very important that Blackpeople take a good look at the past toavoid future mistakes. A healthy assess-ment of this past can reveal a rich her-itage of pride and great contributions to

mankind.Communication is intrinsic to thiseffort. Blacks must learn to communi-cate better with each other; this is notunique to Blacks either. Humanityneeds to come to the unifying table ofCommunication.

I watched in awe as people gatheredrecently for the All People's Breakfastin San Diego to honor Dr. King. NativeAmericans, Asians, Blacks, Hispanics,and Whites all came together to cele-brate diversity.American culture has come a long way.We still have a long way to go to beinclusive and tolerant.

Blacks, like many others, have thechallenge of forgiving, even in the faceof others transgressing upon them.Without effective communicationsskills - the POWER OF WORD - this isa daunting task.

Communication workshops, chemi-cal addiction workshops, technologyfairs, political activism, education andreaching out to other cultures are imper-ative to Black families realizing their fullpotential.

Embracing the richness of the pastand grasping the opportunities of thepresent, shall give way to a bright futurefor Black people. There are many goodpeople within our ranks striving tomake a difference. Jason Russell says it best “because thepeople who are crazy enough to thinkthey can change the world, are the oneswho do.”

¹Windsor, Rudolph R. From Babylon to Timbuktu.Atlanta: Windsor Golden Series, 1988.² Lane-Poole, Stanley. The Story of the Moors inSpain. 1886 ISBN: 0-933121-19-9

Walter Davis is Progressive Diversity andThe African American Front Editor forSan Diego County Times. 760-917-1251,[email protected].

Phoenician Woman, Dr. KarenCarr, Associate Professor of

History, Portland State University

Black Families:A Need to Look at Our Past,

Present and Future

by Walter Davis

Diversity Works 33


Join the Urban League

of San Diego County

The Urban League of San Diego County wel-comes the newly formed Black BusinessAssociation (BBA) of San Diego County. The

BBA held its Gala kick-off at the beautiful SolamarHotel in the San Diego Gas Lamp. It was a "Who'sWho" of San Diego "minority" owned business lead-ers, civic leaders and patrons! The ceremony wasspearheaded by the Association's President, Gail M.Spivey who moved from Miami, FL in December of2005 and caught a vision - a vision to bring BlackBusinesses together to "share in the economy of SanDiego through advocacy, networking, training andother resources." Spivey states, "When I first startedmy company, Gail M Spivey & Associates, publicrelations & consulting firm, it was very difficult. Iwas new in town and nobody knew me. Fortunately,a couple of individuals provided valuable informa-tion and I was on my way. I acquired my first clientand as I began assisting them other small businesseswanted me to represent them in the same capacity. Itdid not take me very long to realize that many of thesmall businesses were suffering with similar con-cerns. I envision many small start-up businessesgrowing and having the capacity to provide goodsand services of every kind to the mainstream busi-ness community."

The Gala event included keynote speaker Eugene"Mitch" Mitchell, Vice President of External Affairsfor Sempra Energy. Mitchell encouraged Black busi-ness owners to take advantage of the vast opportuni-ties available for "minority" contractors and addedthat the only barriers were the ones we place on our-selves by not being proactive. Another highlight ofthe evening was a presentation by the HonoraryConsul General of Japan in San Diego, Dr. Michael

Shigeru Inoue, who presented a congratulatory let-ter to President Spivey. His remarks included thecommon struggles of Japanese and AfricanAmericans in their quest for equality and their vastcontributions to the fabric of American history.Another unexpected delight for attendees was theappearance of the San Diego Wildcats, a new semi-pro basketball team. Team majority Owner AnthonyLacey and several players were on hand for auto-graphs and team mementoes.

When asked what the future looks like for the BBA,President Spivey remarks, "The short term goal ofthe BBA is to have 100 businesses join by the end of2007 and increase existing businesses per capita by15 percent. Our long term goal is to have 500 strongassociation members assisting Black and otherminority businesses in acquiring billions of dollarsin procurement contracts." San Diego Black andother Ethnic-American businesses are on the move,and the BBA stands poised to help them get there!Diversity Works! Magazine plans to update you fre-quently on the achievements of the BBA. Please visittheir website at www.bbasandiego.com for a Calendarof Events.

Diversity Works 35

Photo by Larry Morgan

Black Business Association ofSan Diego County

Makes its Professional Debut!

by P.S. Perkins

(l-r) Maurice Wilson, P.S. Perkins, Mitch Mitchell, Gail Spivey

Here we highlight what we think are the best ways topush past generational barriers and build strongintergenerational relationships. We've divided the

strategies into mindset tips (how to approach cross-genera-tional differences) and practical tips (the small things you cando during a conversation to improve your communication). Mindset Strategies:

Approach with Interest. Approach generational differenceswith interest, not fear or negativity. Take interest in the inter-ests of others. You can learn fascinating things about otherpeople if you choose to do so.

Take a Learning Orientation. The value of difference is thatyou can learn from each other. If someone from another gen-eration has specific skills that you don't (say, an appreciationfor looking at history and tradition, or the ability to use emaileffectively), consider setting up a skill exchange. These typeof self-development opportunities translate into more oppor-tunities for career advancement as well as more fulfilling andsuccessful workplace environments.

Be Mindful of how your assumptions are influencing yourinteractions.

Narrow your categories. In your mind, how long do peoplestay categorized by their generation: “one of the old guys” or“part of that young group?” At what point do they becomeindividuals: Antoine, the man who likes motorcycles, foughtin World War II, and thinks Elvis is still the King; Janelle, thewoman who runs marathons, loves the city, and is allergic topeanuts? Categorizing people is a natural process that allowsus to make sense of the world around us. You'd have a hardtime describing an apple without using categories like a typeof fruit, sweet or tangy, green or red, Granny Smith orBraeburn. Life is richer and your observations and reflectionsof people more accurate if you can move away from simpleclassification and allow for individual variations.

Put yourself in their shoes. Do you know what their day-to-day is like? Do you know what motivates them, excites them,gets them down--or how they want to be treated? Empathizewith their situation, needs, and values. You can do this some-times directly by asking questions and taking an interest intheir interests and indirectly by getting involved in some of thetraditions and pastimes of another generation. Watch a TV

show geared for another generation. Look at a website thatfocuses on the issues of other generations. Get familiar withmusic that spans generations like jazz, blues, rock and roll, clas-sic, hip hop, and world music from cultures you are not famil-iar with. Understanding each others music can help build per-spective.

Behavioral Strategies

• Be flexible as to the means of your communication (face-to-face, email, etc.)

• Avoid generational jargon. Speak in plain terms andavoid idioms that are not widely understood.

• Be attentive. Look for signs that you may be misunder-standing each other, whether it is a confused look, anunclear response, or an unintended reaction.

• Practice active listening. Turn up your listening dialacross generational differences. Listen for clear expres-sions of different values or outlooks than you have. Seekto understand the individual better by listening careful-ly to what they say (or don't say).

• Show Respect. Most generations have felt they don't getthe respect they deserve. Using the strategies above, youcan show coworkers that you do respect them, theirbackground, and their outlook on life--and build power-ful relationships as a result.

Simma Lieberman Associates generational programs help differentgenerations initiate dialogues and develop strategies for effectivecollaboration. Simma is currently offering free half-hour consulta-tions to people and organizations who are interested in exploringthe impact of generational differences in their workplace. CallSimma directly at (510)-527-0700 to set up an appointment.

Generational

Relationship Building

Strategies for Cross-by Simma Lieberman & Kate Berardo

• AIG Insurance - http://www.aig.com/gateway/• American Airlines - http://www.aacareers.com• Bank of America - http://www.bankofamerica.com/careers/• Cardinal Health - http:// www.cardilan.com• Citibank - http://www.citigroup.com• CIC Research - http://www.cicresearch.com/newhome2/• Cost Plus World Markets - http://www.worldmarkets.com• Cox Communications - http://www.cox.com/CoxCareer/• Cubic Corporation - http://www.cubic.com• Curtis Moring Insurance Agency, Inc. - http://www.thinkcmi.com/• Enterprise Rent-A-Car - http://www.erac.com/recruit/• Federal Bureau of Investigations - http://www.fbijobs.com• Genentech Inc. - http://www.gene.com/careers/• Hawthorne Machinery - http://www.hawthorn.cat.com• IBM - http://www-03.ibm.com/employment/• Integrits - http://www.integrits.com• Keith Goosby Inspirations & Motivations - http://kgim.blackportal.com• Kaiser Permanente - http://www.kaiserpermanentejobs.org/• Kyocera - www.kyocera.com/kai• Lockheed-Martin, Maritime Systems & Sensors - www.lockheed-

martin.com• Loews Coronado Bay Resort & SPA - http://www.loewshotels.com/• Manpower of San Diego -

http://www.manpowerprofessional.com/sandiego/• National University - http://www.nu.edu/• Neighborhood National Bank - http:

www.neighborhoodnationalbank.com• NorLab Business Solutions• North Island Financial Credit Union - http://www.myisland.com/island/• San Diego Padres - http://www.padres.com• Qualcomm - at: https://jobs.qualcomm.com/• Science Application International Corp. (SAIC) -

http://www.saic.com/career/find.html• Scripps Research Institute - http://www.scripps.edu• SDSU Research Foundation - http://www.foundation.sdsu.edu• San Diego Business Journal - http://www.sdbj.com• San Diego Gas & Electric - http://www.sdge.com/careers or• San Diego Monitor News -http://www.sandiegomonitor.com• San Diego National Bank - http://www.sdnb.com• San Diego County Sheriff's Department - http://www.sdsheriff.net/jobs/• SeaWorld San Diego - http://www.seaworld.org/career-resources/• Sempra Utilities - http://www.sempra.com/careers.htm• Solar Turbines - http://esolar.cat.com/solar/• Sony Corporation - http://www.sonyjobs.com• Southern California Edison - http://www.edison.com/careers/• Starbucks Coffee Company - http://www.diversityconnections.com/• Sycuan Casino - http://www.sycuan.com/sycuan_casino/human_resources.html• The Hartford - http://www.thehartford.com/• The San Diego Union Tribune - http://www.signonsandiego.com• The Pacific Institute - http://www.pac-inst.com/• Timmis J Moore• UCSD - http://www.ucsdhcjobs.org/• Union Bank of California - http://cce.uboc.com/• United Way of San Diego - http://www.uwsd.org/about/jobs.asp• UPS - https://ups.managehr.com/• US Bank - http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/careers/careers.cfm• Viejas Casino - http://www.viejas.com/html/aboutus/employment.cfm• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. - http://www.walmartstores.com/careers/• Wells Fargo Bank - https://www.wellsfargo.com/employment/• Washington Mutual Bank - http://www.wamu.com/about/jobs/default.asp

DiversityWorks! Partners

As one of over 57000 employers in the region we arecounting on your support to help make Diversity Work!

here in San Diego. For over 50 years, the Urban League of SanDiego County has assisted many of its citizens in preparing forand finding meaningful employment. For most of that time,you, our area employer, has been assisting us along the way.And now more than ever, your help is needed to help us meetour mission. That is why we are asking you to become aDiversity Works! Partner.

According to research by the Hudson Institute, a nationallyrecognized social trends think tank, within the next 10 to 15years, demographic trends, technological advances, and eco-nomic globalization will shape the workplace. The U.S. work-force will continue to expand, although at a much slower rate.However, its composition will shift to a more balanced distri-bution by age, sex, and race/ethnicity.

Keeping pace with these changing workplace dynamics,while implementing the mandate of our mission to assistAfrican Americans and other underserved people achieve socialand economic equality, the Urban League of San Diego Countyhas strategically positioned itself to better serve San Diegothrough our Diversity Works! initiative.

Through Diversity Works! we help you find, and if neces-sary, develop scarce diverse human resources. For example,our Diversity Job Bank has attracted over 1000 jobseekers.And the students who attend our workshops undergo behaviormodification training in conjunction with our award-winningworkreadiness and diversity training, producing outstandingresults. This combination produces employees who are trulywork-ready. Consequently, as our employer investor-partner,you will benefit not only from finding highly qualified jobcandidates in our job bank, but perspective employees whoattend our workshops are also prepared attitudinally to enterthe workplace.

We are asking you to invest $1,200 year. This is not a dona-tion, but an investment and a smart business move. It will pro-vide you with unlimited posting/reviews to our Diversity JobBank (www.ulsdcjobs.net), mention in our Diversity Works!Magazine, featured employer on our website and discounts onour next Career Fair scheduled for (27 April, 2006).

To facilitate answering your questions, we will conductmonthly luncheon seminars to explain the benefits of this ini-tiative here at the League’s corporate office; 720 GatewayCenter Drive, San Diego CA 92102. Please RSVP withBarbara Webb, Deputy Director, at 619-266-6232 as space islimited and for lunch ordering purposes.

Here’s to the continued success of our social venture part-nership.

Become a DW! Partner

www.ulsdcjobs.net

Post your resume

on-line today!

=

Urban League

Diversity Works!

Job Bank

Diversity Works!Online Diversity Network for

Diversity Recruitment

diversity works! magazine black history month 2007

Documents

lewis howard latimerc

corporate di versi

matzeliger died poor

thenational inventors hall

thenational urban league

nonverbal communi cati

black america report

black history month