May has always been an exciting month. As a kid, I looked forward to the school year ending and the warm weather welcoming me just in time for my birthday at the end of the month. Summer also means swimming and dancing in the water from the fire hydrant and water guns!
Introducing Lonnie Johnson, the inventor of the super soaker!
Lonnie Johnson was born in Mobile, Alabama, on October 6, 1949. Signs of Lonnie’s brilliance could be seen when he was a child reverse-engineering his sister’s baby doll to understand how the eyes closed. He also built his own go-cart from a lawnmower engine he attached to scraps he found in the junkyard.
Before enlisting in the Air Force, he worked as a research engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He also worked at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the acting chief of the Space Nuclear Power Safety Section.
Johnson holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, an M.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering, and an honorary Ph.D. in Science from Tuskegee University.
In 1989, Johnson formed his own engineering firm and licensed his most famous invention, the super soaker. It generated over $200 million in retail sales and became thenumber-one-selling toy in America.
Today, Johnson is president and founder of Johnson Research and Development Co., Inc., a technology development company, and its spin-off companies, Excellatron Solid State, LLC; Johnson Electro-Mechanical Systems, LLC; and Johnson Real Estate Investments, LLC.
As of 2023, Lonnie Johnson’s net worth was an estimated $160 million. This substantial fortune is primarily the result of the royalties he received for the Super Soaker, which generated billions of dollars.
So the next time your child plays with a super soaker, be sure they know about its amazing inventor!
Nobody talks about society’s addiction to black trauma. How much more profitable it is to talk about pain than poems, depression than joy.
Like we don’t have feelings just bad experiences turned into songs of sorrows and spirituals of reaching heaven cause there can’t be no freedom here on Earth for Black people.
Maybe this world still doesn’t consider us human enough to be happy someone hand society a roadmap for getting to know black people.
Tell them they can find us laughing even when life is lifeing cracking jokes and turning sadness into praise. Tell them we are not just guns and gangs.
Our hope does not hang on by string on some cracked-out corner or trap house Tell them how we dream. Big Mama musta had mustard seeds underneath the mattress cause she moved mountains. Food and faith ain’t never been hard to find. We gone eat.
Talk about our love our sense of community our building our builders our beauty.
We’ve had a wild ride here in this country But it was not all bad.
Together, we forged a world of our own found solace in the cracks made meals from scraps and carved out our own sense of enjoyment and purpose.
Tell them about how the cells of a black woman saved the world and the genius of a Black man lit it up. Talk about how we bless everything we touch.
Tell the whole truth that we are not made up only of pain.
Joy lives here, too.
You can listen to this poem on TikTok and YouTube! I’m @yecheilyah on both.
Black History Facts is back! If you’ve been waiting for a signed copy, this is your chance to get your hands on it. We are back in stock. Go now to: https://www.blkhistorybook.com/.
The reviews are coming in! Here’s what Jeremy had to say!
“This book is full of the kind of history that should be taught in school but instead, is relatively unknown. The author did an outstanding job putting this material together, which took ten years and tons of research. It’s a must-read for anyone who’s into history.
The author focuses on people and groups who have been pivotal in black history. She gives a voice to the marginalized and makes us aware of the contributions of the family of historical figures like Frederick Douglas and Martin Luther King Jr. Each chapter gets the dirt on whitewashed or forgotten pieces of history.
Read this book to learn about the aftermath of the Civil War and how slavery was reconstructed in the form of criminal justice. The book is compelling and hard to put down as you discover a series of horrific truths about history.
This book contributed significantly to my view of American history, as it has put a lot of things in perspective. I see how slavery was reworked into other forms of slavery and evolved in complexity into the Bernaysian economic system based on Freud’s fear of human nature.
Reading this, a lot of light bulbs went off for me. It dawned on me that nothing that ever happened is ever really over, like slavery and public relations. I can’t recommend this book enough!”
Jeremy Lamkin, Amazon Customer Review
Thanks so much Jeremy!
If you read this book, please be sure to leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads! The book is also on Barnes and Noble; reviews are welcome there as well!
Scroll down until you see Review this Product. Click on Write a Customer Review.
Give it the number of stars you think it deserves, and write your review.
Facts to Know:
You don’t have to like a book to review it. All reviews help the author!
If you don’t have the book, it is currently 99 cents for Women’s History Month (all March) and free with Kindle Unlimited. After march, the ebook goes back to its original price of $9.99.
Blog reviews count! Simply link to my blog or let me know you’ve reviewed it and I’ll repost it.
I met up with some amazing poets in Atlanta (there were more of us, but it was late and several poets had already left) for Modex’s first Poetic Mode feature on Wednesday night. There were three open-mic poets, four features, and the host also did a poem.
I was honored to be one of the features. The difference is the featured poets are paid to perform. *Does happy dance.*
The only downside (which is not a downside in the grand scheme of things) is that I felt out of place, considering I have not done much spoken word lately, let alone in Atlanta, so they were talking about stuff I didn’t know anything about, lol. But I listened humbly and vowed I’d get more involved.
At the end of the sessions, there was a panel where we were asked questions so the audience could learn more about us. I liked this part the most because the questions had us thinking deeply and going inward, and I love a good thought-provoking convo.
I wished it had been longer so that more audience members could have asked their questions, but it was at the end and we were tired and hungry from such a long day. We had been there since six, not counting travel time to the venue, which for me meant leaving the house at 4-ish (because I’m an hour away from the city and Atlanta’s traffic is trash), and it was now approaching 10 pm.
Either way, it was nice to meet poets and talk about poetry stuff outside of the internet. I love ya’ll, but talking to people face-to-face was refreshing.
Now, for today’s exciting book news:
As the reviews start to come in, I want to give more of you a chance to get your hands on this book.
In honor of Women’s History Month, the ebook version of Black History Facts is 99 cents for March.
After March, the price will return to $9.99, so don’t wait!
Take this chance to get your copy, and don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon when you are done!
About.
“Black History Facts You Didn’t Learn in School” is a historical guide on Black Americans’ accomplishments, contributions, and struggles. It includes the experiences of Black individuals who have often been marginalized, overlooked, or omitted from mainstream historical accounts.
From the resilience of women like Anna Douglass, first wife of Frederick Douglass, to the many Black communities that prospered, recognizing and celebrating Black history helps to ensure that these stories are acknowledged and that the achievements and resilience of Black people are valued and appreciated.
Here’s what readers have to say:
“The author has taken the time to identify the importance of black individuals that sacrificed and or gone to the extra mile to contribute. Why these people are often forgotten is unfortunately seen on a regular basis. Over time all those forgotten will be highlighted as this book does. An excellent read.”
Louis Glass
“I remember her sharing these facts that were on her blog weekly and I looked forward to them. The fact that she compiled them and expounded on what was there to give you all this black history atlas is a blessing. Not many people are giving you the history that isn’t washed over and dressed up in a new outfit. It’s commendable and appreciative for someone to provide this level of nuggets that are given.”
Natashia Crawford
“This book provides readers with a thorough examination of lesser-known but incredibly significant facets of the black experience, serving as a monument to the richness and diversity of black history. From African ancient civilizations to the American civil rights movement, each chapter reveals a historical jewel that offers priceless insights into the tenacity, inventiveness, and accomplishments of black people across time.”
SLT
“Black History Facts You Didn’t Learn in School!!! Well-researched and thought-provoking book that sheds light on the powerful but often overlooked contributions of Black Americans. Super informative and educational. Highly recommend it!!”
“The enlightening compilation “Black History Facts You Didn’t Learn in School” questions the traditional historical narratives and highlights a multitude of noteworthy occasions, personalities, and movements that are frequently disregarded or sidelined in traditional schooling.
This book provides readers with a thorough examination of lesser-known but incredibly significant facets of the black experience, serving as a monument to the richness and diversity of black history. From African ancient civilizations to the American civil rights movement, each chapter reveals a historical jewel that offers priceless insights into the tenacity, inventiveness, and accomplishments of black people across time.
By emphasizing Black history’s crucial significance in influencing communities and cultures all around the world, it undermines the limited perception of Black history as merely a footnote in the greater story.”
In High School, my history teacher made us watch American History X.
For those who’ve seen it, you know how graphic the movie is. And yet, we sat there, fifteen and sixteen years old, consuming this content with no explanation or breakdown of what we were looking at.
As an adult, I can watch it with new eyes and understand the powerful messages embedded within. But, as a teen, I found the movie disturbing, particularly the part where Derek made that Black man put his mouth on the concrete. It took years for me to get that image out of my head. Even now, if I watch it, I fast-forward past that part. It still disturbs me.
I had never seen anything like that before and was surprised that my white male teacher had allowed us to watch it. Nothing was censored. We saw everything, from the racist violence to the rape in the jail scene. And I had questions no one could answer.
It’s a powerful film with tons of messages about race, racism, and life choices, and it changed me.
I just wish my teacher had given a lesson to accompany it rather than allow us to be babysat by the TV.
This is one of many examples of why I am so adamant about how we present history and teach it. My biggest prayer, and hope, is for the young people coming after me to have a deeper understanding of history in ways I didn’t.
There are a few things I am tired of hearing every February, but let’s call this part one.
I am tired of hearing “Black history is everyday,” or some variation of this every time Black History Month comes around.
Bruh. We KNOW.
While I agree with the sentiment, it is frequently expressed by folks who, for 11 months of the year, never discuss Black history or any campaign they are advocating to educate the masses.
Black History Month wouldn’t have to exist if, instead of regarding it as a footnote, the true history of African Americans was widely taught and not as an elective.
And, perhaps, Black History Month wouldn’t have to exist if we could name other leaders and activists outside of MLK.
Maybe, if we knew about Irene Morgan and the Journey of Reconciliation, we’d better understand Rosa Parks, the Bus Boycott, and the Freedom Riders.
Perhaps, if we understood Nat Turner’s rebellion, we would know why it became unlawful for Blacks to read and write during slavery and use it as a catalyst to promote reading in the African American community.
It is wise for scholars, researchers, and historians dedicated to teaching year-round to use this moment to impress this knowledge on young people who are only thinking about their heritage in February.
As unfortunate as it is (with all of its 28/29 days), most people’s hearts are more open to learning during February than any other month, so let’s use it to our advantage. Perhaps we can spark inspiration where there was none, and people will begin to study Black history outside of this month.
Until then, consider it a doorway by which we can shine some light with almost certainty that people will pay attention, even for a moment.
Imagine you were enslaved on a plantation, and someone approached you with an opportunity to be free. Wouldn’t you take it?
Imagine you were the person to free someone else, but you only have a short window to do it. Wouldn’t you take it?
The PBS Blog 