ACDA acknowledges Black inventors in observance of Black History Month

Feb 08, 2015 News

The African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) is this year seeking for Black History Month to make known the various inventions of African people who contributed to the social development of the world. Historians, scholars and advocates of Black history and culture have noted that particularly in the West, many descendents are unaware of the many inventions made by African people, ancient and present.
It is for this reason that Black History month 2015 was launched last Thursday under the theme- ‘African inventions: reclaiming and benefitting from our stolen legacies.’ Under the leadership of Sister Penda Guyan, the Black History month events are aimed at providing educational and enlightening information that would better able persons to appreciate the still evident, inventions of Black people.
At the Thomas Lands base, ACDA is providing introductory lectures on African culture on a daily basis and has an exhibition that will take place until March 5.
The exhibition will be highlighting inventions both local and international. Guyan opined that, “over the years young people are wondering, they don’t understand who they are what they have contributed and this year with the international decade for people of African descent we would like them to be aware of their contribution.”
This year has been designated by the United Nations (UN) as International Decade of People of African Descent where over the next ten years; people everywhere are encouraged to take part in the global conversation on the realities faced by people of African descent. The decade seeks to bring “recognition, justice and development.”
Guyan said that in this case, “this (exhibition) is the thrust of recognizing what we have contributed to the world and the things that we have not understood and things our children don’t know.”
Guyan highlighted for example, that while persons drive to get to their various locations and pass the numerous stop light, or traffic lights, nothing comes to mind. “But if persons really understand, they would appreciate that the traffic light was because of a Black inventor named Garrett Morgan who created the traffic signal after witnessing an accident in New York, Downtown Brooklyn.” Guyan said Morgan had created sketches and worked out the logic of vehicular movement on the streets which enabled the implementation of traffic signals.
Young people are also unaware that it was Morgan who also created the hair straightening chemical that is commonly known as ‘relaxer’. The US native who was born in 1877 also created a type of protective respiratory hood; the head piece that protects humans working under hazardous conditions.

Students of North Georgetown Secondary gets a tour and short lecture on the exhibits

Students of North Georgetown Secondary get a tour and short lecture on the exhibits

Guyan went on to explain how the iron that is still used to press clothing was created by and a Black man. Even the machine that sews shoes was created by a Black man. She said that in earlier days many persons were unable to buy shoes because they were very expensive; it was a Black inventor who invented the machine that was used to move the creation of shoes from 30 pairs in a 10 hour day, to 300 to 500 pairs within that same time. This enabled the poorer class of people to purchase footwear.
Hamilton Naki was a black laboratory assistant to a white cardiac surgeon Christiaan Barnard in South Africa under the apartheid system. He was recognised for his surgical skills and for being able to teach medical students and physicians such skills despite not having received a formal medical education. He also took a leading role in organ transplant research on animals.
Despite this fact, controversy arose after his death where his contributions were being questioned and his credits limited.
The stethoscope, Guyan continued, is used to check the heart, but it is a product way back in the ancient time of Imhotep. Imhotep served under the Third Dynasty King Djoser as Chancellor to the pharaoh in Egypt and high priest of the sun God Ra. He is considered by some to be the earliest known architect, engineer and physician in early history.
“They are all our inventions and we would like our children to understand that in the morning when they are eating their peanut butter it is from a Black inventor. There are so many things that we invented but was not credited for.” Guyan explained that, “In the old days, -especially in America- we (Blacks) were not considered to be citizens, it was very difficult for us to get credit for anything. What we invented went to the plantation owner… he got the credit.”
At the time Blacks were not allowed to own patents, Guyan emphasized. “Most of our work and inventions went to other people.” She said it is therefore vital that young people know their contribution in the world so that they can continue to make them.
It was pointed out also that in Guyana currently, there are no active copyright, patent laws or avenues to protect people’s creations. “What incentive are we giving to our young people who may want to write or might want to create something when the government or anyone else can easily take it, and they have no form of protection?” she asked.
Guyan said that the Black History month events have seen various schools coming to the centre daily where they are given lectures and a tour of the various exhibits on show. It was explained that a lot of the items on display as well as customs followed today can be traced back to the days of slavery because when Africans arrived in the West, they had to make do with the little they had. Many of the customs are basically the same, but are described or named differently.

(Zena Henry)