"A World Without Our "A World Without Our People"People"

An African-American History An African-American History LessonLesson

-- Anonymous-- Anonymous

This is a story of a little boy name This is a story of a little boy name Theo, who woke up one morning and Theo, who woke up one morning and

asked his mother, "Mom, what if asked his mother, "Mom, what if there was no Black people in the there was no Black people in the

world?"world?"

Well his mother thought about that Well his mother thought about that for a moment, and then said, "for a moment, and then said, "Son, Son, follow me around today and let's just follow me around today and let's just see what it would be like if there see what it would be like if there were no Black people in the worldwere no Black people in the world" " Mom said, " Mom said, " Now go get dressed and Now go get dressed and we will get startedwe will get started. .

Theo ran to his room to put on his Theo ran to his room to put on his clothes and shoes. His mother took clothes and shoes. His mother took one look at him and said, "one look at him and said, "Theo, Theo, where are your shoes? And those where are your shoes? And those clothes are all wrinkled son, I must clothes are all wrinkled son, I must iron themiron them". However, when she ". However, when she reached for the ironing board it was reached for the ironing board it was no longer there. You see no longer there. You see Sarah Sarah BooneBoone, a black woman, invented the , a black woman, invented the ironing board and ironing board and Jan E. MatzelingerJan E. Matzelinger, , a black man, invented the shoe a black man, invented the shoe lasting machine. lasting machine.

Oh well, she said," Oh well, she said," please go and do please go and do something to your hairsomething to your hair". Theo ran in ". Theo ran in his room to comb his hair, but the his room to comb his hair, but the comb was not there. You see, comb was not there. You see, Walter Walter SammonsSammons, a black man, invented the , a black man, invented the comb. Theo decided to just brush his comb. Theo decided to just brush his hair, but the brush was gone. hair, but the brush was gone.

You see You see Lydia O. NewmanLydia O. Newman, a black , a black female, invented the brush.   Well this female, invented the brush.   Well this was a sight, no shoes, wrinkled clothes, was a sight, no shoes, wrinkled clothes, hair a mess, even Mom's hair, without the hair a mess, even Mom's hair, without the hair care inventions of hair care inventions of Madam C. WalkerMadam C. Walker, , well you get the picture. well you get the picture.

Mom told Theo, "Mom told Theo, "let's do our chores around let's do our chores around the house and then take a trip to the grocery the house and then take a trip to the grocery storestore.” .”

Theo's job was to sweep the floor.  He swept Theo's job was to sweep the floor.  He swept and swept and swept. When he reached for and swept and swept. When he reached for the dustpan, it was not there. the dustpan, it was not there.

You see, You see, Lloyd P. RayLloyd P. Ray, a black man, invented , a black man, invented the dustpan. So he swept his pile of dirt over the dustpan. So he swept his pile of dirt over in the corner and left it there. He then decided in the corner and left it there. He then decided to mop the floor, but the mop was gone. to mop the floor, but the mop was gone.

You see, You see, Thomas W. StewartThomas W. Stewart, a black , a black man, invented the mop. Theo yelled man, invented the mop. Theo yelled to his Mom, "to his Mom, "Mom, I not having any Mom, I not having any luck."luck."

“ “Well sonWell son”, she said, “”, she said, “let me finish let me finish washing these clothes and we will washing these clothes and we will prepare a list for the grocery store.”prepare a list for the grocery store.” When the wash finished, she went to When the wash finished, she went to place the clothes in the dryer but it place the clothes in the dryer but it was not there. You see, was not there. You see, George T. George T. SamonSamon, a black man, invented the , a black man, invented the clothes dryer. clothes dryer.

Mom reached for a pen, but it was not there Mom reached for a pen, but it was not there because because William PurvisWilliam Purvis, a black man, invented the , a black man, invented the

fountain pen. As a matter of fact, fountain pen. As a matter of fact, Lee BurridgeLee Burridge invented the type writing machine and invented the type writing machine and W. A. W. A.

LovetteLovette the advanced printing press. the advanced printing press.

Mom asked Theo to go get a Mom asked Theo to go get a pencil and some paper to pencil and some paper to

prepare their list for the market. prepare their list for the market. So Theo ran for the paper and So Theo ran for the paper and

pencil but noticed the pencil lead pencil but noticed the pencil lead was broken. Well he was out of was broken. Well he was out of luck because luck because John LoveJohn Love, a black , a black

man, invented the pencil man, invented the pencil sharpener. sharpener.

Theo and his mother decided to head Theo and his mother decided to head out to the market…out to the market…

Well when Theo opened the door he Well when Theo opened the door he noticed the grass was as high as he noticed the grass was as high as he was tall. You see, was tall. You see, John BurrJohn Burr, a black , a black man, invented the lawn mower. man, invented the lawn mower.

They made their way over to the car, They made their way over to the car, and found that it just wouldn't go. and found that it just wouldn't go. You see, You see, Richard SpikesRichard Spikes, a black , a black man, invented the automatic man, invented the automatic gearshift and gearshift and Joseph GammelJoseph Gammel invented the supercharge system for invented the supercharge system for internal combustion engines internal combustion engines

They noticed that the few cars that They noticed that the few cars that were moving were running into each were moving were running into each other and having wrecks because other and having wrecks because there were no traffic signals. You see, there were no traffic signals. You see, Garrett A. MorganGarrett A. Morgan, a black man , a black man invented the traffic light. Well, it was invented the traffic light. Well, it was getting late, so they walked to the getting late, so they walked to the market, got their groceries and market, got their groceries and returned home. returned home.

Just when they were about to put Just when they were about to put away the milk, eggs and butter, they away the milk, eggs and butter, they noticed the refrigerator was gone. noticed the refrigerator was gone. You see, You see, John StandardJohn Standard, a black man, , a black man, invented the refrigerator. So they invented the refrigerator. So they just left the food on the counter. By just left the food on the counter. By this time, Theo noticed he was this time, Theo noticed he was getting mighty cold.  getting mighty cold. 

Mom went to turn up the heat, and Mom went to turn up the heat, and what do you know. what do you know. Alice ParkerAlice Parker, a , a black female, invented the heating black female, invented the heating furnace. Even in the summer time furnace. Even in the summer time they would have been out of luck they would have been out of luck because because Frederick JonesFrederick Jones, a black , a black man, invented the air conditioner. man, invented the air conditioner.

It was almost time for Theo's father It was almost time for Theo's father to arrive home. He usually takes the to arrive home. He usually takes the bus. But there was no bus, because it bus. But there was no bus, because it precursor was the electric trolley, precursor was the electric trolley, invented by another black man, invented by another black man, Elbert R. RobinsonElbert R. Robinson. .

He usually takes the elevator from He usually takes the elevator from his office on the 20th floor, but there his office on the 20th floor, but there was no elevator because was no elevator because Alexander Alexander MilesMiles, a black man, invented the , a black man, invented the elevator. He also usually dropped off elevator. He also usually dropped off the office mail at a near by mailbox, the office mail at a near by mailbox, but it was no longer there because but it was no longer there because Philip DowningPhilip Downing, a black man, , a black man, invented the letter drop mailbox and invented the letter drop mailbox and William BarryWilliam Barry invented the invented the postmarking and canceling machine.postmarking and canceling machine.

Theo and his mother sat at the Theo and his mother sat at the kitchen table with their head in their kitchen table with their head in their hands. When the father arrived he hands. When the father arrived he asked, Why are you sitting in the asked, Why are you sitting in the dark? Why? Because dark? Why? Because Lewis Howard Lewis Howard LatimerLatimer, a black man, invented he , a black man, invented he filament within the light bulb. filament within the light bulb.

Theo quickly learned what it would be Theo quickly learned what it would be like if there were no black people in like if there were no black people in the world especially if he were ever the world especially if he were ever sick and needed blood. sick and needed blood. Dr. Charles Dr. Charles DrewDrew, a black scientist, found a way , a black scientist, found a way to preserve and store blood, which to preserve and store blood, which led to his starting the world's first led to his starting the world's first blood bank. blood bank.

And what if a family member had to And what if a family member had to have heart surgery. This would not have heart surgery. This would not have been possible without have been possible without Dr. Dr. Daniel Hale WilliamsDaniel Hale Williams, a black doctor, , a black doctor, who performed the first open-heart who performed the first open-heart surgery. surgery.