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Black History Month 2024

Since 1976, the U.S. government has recognized February as Black History Month, a time to focus on achievements made by African Americans.  In observance of Black History Month, Pepperdine invites everyone to engage in events and activities offered by our various schools and departments. The University focuses on faith, community, fairness, and expression of multiple perspectives in order to inspire critical thinking and provide fertile spaces for our entire community to listen, learn, and leave a legacy of knowledge.


 

Past Events and Activities

old lady and man talking
Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom | Documentary Film Screening and Discussion

Watch Recording

Sponsored by The Office for Community Belonging, The Center for Faith and Learning, Student Affairs, and Intercultural Affairs

Kenny Lattimore and Mathew Knowles
Intimate Conversation | The Emancipation of Music |  Mathew Knowles Featuring Kenny Lattimore   

Recording not available

Sponsored by The Office for Community Belonging

collage of people from various ethnicities
The F.R.E.E. Program to Promote Economic Opportunity | Book Discussion

Recording not available

Sponsored by the School of Public Policy

sketching with the words leading edge conversations
Leading Edge Conversations | A Discussion with Black Business Leaders

Watch Recording

Sponsored by the Graziadio Business School

multi-color paper faces
Center for Partnerships & Learning | Series of Events 

Recordings not availalbe

Sponsored by the Graduate School of Education & Psychology

books on shelf at library
Civil Rights Movement Collection Display

Learn More

Sponsored by Payson Library

 


 

African American Inventions and Inventors That Shaped America

Black History is all around us, particularly with life-changing inventions (now modern conveniences) that make our day-to-day living easier. From bright minds to bright ideas, these innovations were birthed from necessity—the mother of invention. Learn more about these problem-solving inventions, creative innovators, and stories of how their innovations came to be. This is just a sampling of the plethora of African American inventions that have impacted how we live, work, and play.

traffic light on street

Traffic Light

About the traffic light
golf tee and club on grass

Golf Tee

About the golf tee
lawn mower cutting grass

Lawn Mower

About the lawn mower
refrigerator opened with food inside

Refrigerator

About the refrigerator
soldier with gas mask on

Gas Mask

About the gas mask
bike between palm trees

Velocipede (Bike)

About the velocipede (bike)
horse with bridle bit in its mouth

Bridle Bit

About the bridle bit
man playing the guitar

Euphonica (Guitar)

About the euphonica (guitar) 
serving cart on casters

Furniture Casters

About furniture casters
street sweeper cleaning the street dirt

Street Sweeper

About the street sweeper
baby carriage/stroller outside by trees at park

Baby Carriage

About the baby carriage (stroller)
weighing scale with food on it

Portable Scale

About the portable scale

 


 

20th-Century Technological Innovations

The ingenuity keeps on going with a plethora of inventions and inventors that pioneered 21st-century digital technology like this sampling below:

  • Electret (built-in) microphone used in today's smart devices and systems | James E. West | 1964 
  • Home security system with a camera as the first Ring-style alarm | Mary Van Brittan Brown | 1964
  • Gamma electric cell that powers cell phone connectivity | Henry Sampson | 1971
  • Color PC monitor and the PC gigahertz chip revolutionized the computer industry | Mark Dean | 1980 and 1999
  • Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) makes Zoom/virtual meetings possible | Marian Croak | 1995

 


 

For a calendar of all University-wide happenings, visit the Pepperdine University Events website.