George Washington Carver (1864 - 1943) who made agricultural advancements and inventions pertaining to the use of peanuts and Percy Julian, who helped create drugs to combat glaucoma, were the first African-Americans admitted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1990.
Maya Angelou's (1928 - ) autobiographical, "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" is the first non-fiction work by an African-American woman to make the best-seller list.
Matthew Henson (1867-1955) was a part of the first successful U.S. expedition to the North Pole in 1909.
Althea Gibson (1927 - 2003) was the first African-American tennis player to compete in the U.S. Championships in 1950 and at Wimbledon in 1951. In 1957 she won the women's singles and doubles at Wimbledon in 1957, which was celebrated by a ticker tape parade when she returned home to New York City.
Alexa Canady became the first female African-American neurosurgeon in the United States. She graduated from medical school in 1975.
Ben Carson (1951 - ) a skilled neurosurgeon, led the first successful operation to separate a pair of Siamese twin infants who were joined at the back of the head in 1987.
Lee Elder (1934 - ) was the first African-American golfer to play in the Masters Tournament in 1975. He has won 4 PGA tournaments and 8 Senior PGA tournaments in his career.
Madame C.J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove) (1876 - 1919) invented specialized hair products for African-American hair and became the first American woman to become a millionaire.
Robert L. Johnson (1946 - ), founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) is the first African-American billionaire.
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