The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1939-06-24
EDITORIAL PAGE
| ! ST E n
TO THIS
By Hobart 7. Mitchell

First clock In America construct
ed TO strike the hours built by
Benjamin Banneker. Negro, In 1880
=. first patent TO Negro granted
to Henry Blair for corn harvester
in 1894 steam-boiler furnace,
electrical airbrakes. and incubator
invented by Grandville Woods
| lubricating cup. used on locomo-
tiyes and marine engines. invented
by Elijah J. Mccoy J. f. Mat
zeliger, lasting machine for shoes
patented March 90. 1888. patent
No. 274.207 W. n. Purvis. OF
Philadelphia. machinery for max
ing paper bags. sold patents to the
Union Paper Bag Co. OF New York
In 1897. Andrew j. Beard. OF
Alabama, sold an automatic car
coupling devise 10 New York car
company for more than $4,000.
ASTRONOMY
Famous mathematician and ev-
cry day almanac maker was Benja-
min Banneker who helped Len
FAINT. Frenchman. TO lay out the city
OF Washington, DC. The first al
manac which Banneker prepared
NJ for publication was for the year
1892 Before the first copy was re-
ceived from The printers, he pre-
pared complete autograph copy
and sent II accompanied by letter
10 Thomas Jefferson. then In Phila-
delpha. Part OF the letter OF JEFF
ferson's reply follows:
Philadelphia. August 81. 1891
Sid. ] thank you sincerely for
your letter OF the 18th instant aud
for the almanac II contained. No
body wishes more than l do TO see
such proofs as an exhibit that ma
ture has given to our black breth-
ern talents equal 10 those OF the
other colors OF men ~.
have taken he liberty OF send
Ing your almanac TO Monsieur de
Condorcet. Secretary OF the Acad-
envy OF Science at Paris. and mem
hers OF the Philanthropic Society.
cbeause | considered II a document
10 which your color had a right.
for the justification against the
doubts which have been entertain
ed OF them
I am. with cal esteem. sir.
Your most obedient servant,
Thomas Jefferson.
MEDICINE
James Derham. New Orleans. be-
came the first recognized Negro
physician OF whom there is any
record. He was born in Philadel-
phia in 1862. About 1850 James
McCune. OF New York. graduate OF
the University OF Glasgow. wrote
several scientific papers.
John. V. De Grasse. OF New York.
was admitted in 1854 az a member
OF the Massachusetts, Medical So
ciety.
A. T. Augusta, OF the University
OF Toronto. was the first Negro to-
become surgeon in the United
States Army.
First successful operation on the
human heart performed by Daniel
III Williams. graduated from high
school in GAINESVILLE. Wisconsin :.
In 1883 received the degree Of Doc
tor OF Medicine at North stern
university four years H. mber
OF the Illinois State Board Of
Health Instrumental in the
founding OF the Provident Hos pital
in Chicago Surgeon-in-C Chief at
Freedmen's Hospital In Washing
Ton professor OF clinical sur
gerry at Meharry Attending
surgeon at the Cook County Hos
pital Chicago) from 1903 TO 1909
stan member OF The ST. Luke
Hospital (Chicago) and a charter
member of the American College OF
Surgeons
LAW
First Negro formally admitted to|
the practice OF law in the United
States was Macon B. Allen. who
passed the examination in Massa-
chusetts In 1S45.
HEALTH
Out OF 100000 Negro male babies
born alive. 81 ,26S, as compared with
93.76S white male babies will COM
plete the first year OF life and en-
ter on the second: S9,755 will be-
gin the third year as compared
with 92S37 white babies S2,903
Negro. and SS621 white will reach
the age OF 81; and 14.4l9 Negro
males and 29,47l white males will
attain the age OF ~.
BASEBALL
Some Of the best professional
baseball teams are composed OF
Negroes. II Is generally conceded
that there are many Negro players
who are equal TO the best OF the
Big League.
When the first National Associa-
tional OF Baseball Players was or
ganized in Philadelphia. Dec. IL,
1867. II was recommended that col
ored clubs he excluded from repre-
sentation In the association. The
precedent then established has
since been followed and was con-