Happy Monday, fellow Obots!
To conclude Black History Month, this week’s open thread will focus on little known black history.
Norma Merrick Sklarek (April 15, 1928 – February 6, 2012) was an African American architect who accomplished many firsts for black women in architecture. She was the first black woman to be licensed as an architect in the United States, with certification in the state of New York in 1954 and in the state of California in 1962. After receiving her degree, Sklarek was unable to find work at an architecture firm, so she took a job at the New York Department of Public Works. Later she spent four years at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. She became the first African-American director of architecture at Gruen and Associates in Los Angeles, CA, in 1966, and she also worked with the Jon Jerde Partnership. Sklarek became the first black woman to be elected Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1980. In 1985, she became the first African-American female architect to form her own architectural firm: Siegel, Sklarek, Diamond, which was the largest woman-owned and mostly woman-staffed architectural firm in the United States.
Among Sklarek’s designs are the San Bernardino City Hall in San Bernardino, California, the Fox Plaza in San Francisco, Terminal One at the Los Angeles International Airport and theEmbassy of the United States in Tokyo, Japan.
Scientist and mathematician Benjamin Banneker is credited with helping to design the blueprints for Washington, D.C.
Chuck Berry‘s famous “duck walk” dance originated in 1956, when Berry attempted to hide wrinkles in his rayon suit by shaking them out with his now-signature body movements.
Paul Cuffee an African-American, philanthropist, ship captain, and devout Quaker transported 38 free African-Americans to Sierra Leone, Africa in 1815 in the hopes of establishing Western Africa. He also founded the first integrated school in Massachusetts in 1797.
Before Wally Amos became famous for his “Famous Amos” chocolate chip cookies, he was a talent agent at the William Morris Agency, where he worked with the likes of The Supremes and Simon & Garfunkel.
***All information courtesy of Wikipedia and About.com***