Did You Know... Who Founded St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in Richmond, Va.?

On the blog last week, we talked about some of the Black heroes who paved the way for those whose stories are more well-known.

We’ll continue that theme today with some did you knows…?

Did you know…

… that the first Black woman to found a bank in the United States was Maggie Lena Walker? She founded the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in Richmond, Va., in 1903.

… that the first celebration of Black History Month started as Black History Week in 1926 and by 1970 had grown into Black History Month?

… that Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first Black woman to become a Doctor of Medicine in the United States in 1864?

… that Martin Luther King Jr. improvised the most iconic part of his “I Have a Dream” speech?

… Black surgeon Charles Drew developed the method to process and store blood plasma in “blood banks,” which were adopted by the Red Cross – a process that is credited with saving countless lives?

… more than 178,000 Black soldiers served across 175 regiments in the American Civil War, making up 10% of the Union Army’s soldiers and playing a major role in the Union’s victory?

… Althea Gibson was the first Black tennis player to win a Grand Slam title when she won what is now known as the French Open in 1956?

… Ella Fitzgerald, who was known for having a remarkable three-octave range, got her start at the Apollo Theater in Harlem?

Finally, you’ve heard of Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea, but did you know that a Black slave named York accompanied them on their expedition and contributed toward the success of their journey to cross the newly acquired portion of the western United States after the Louisiana Purchase?

Check back later this month for additional blog posts celebrating Black History Month.