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Today in Black History:  January 30th

 

1910 – Granville Woods Passes Away

Granville T. Woods, known as the “Black Edison,” was a prolific inventor awarded 27 U.S. patents between 1884 and 1903. Born on April 23, 1856, in Columbus, Ohio, Woods left school at 10 to work in a mechanic’s shop, sparking his interest in railroad equipment. Self-taught and determined, he later attended technical college, training in electrical and mechanical engineering. After working as an engineer on a British steamer, he settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, and founded the Woods Electric Company.

Woods’s most notable invention was the Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph, enabling communication between moving trains and stations. Despite competition from Thomas Edison, he successfully defended his patent, later declining Edison’s job offer. He died on January 30, 1910 at 54, leaving a legacy of groundbreaking contributions to electrical engineering.

1956 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Home Is Bombed

On January 30, 1956, a suspected white supremacist bombed Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Montgomery home amid the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Though his wife, Coretta Scott King, and their infant daughter were unharmed, the attack deeply shocked the community. Speaking to an angry crowd outside his damaged home, King urged nonviolence, embodying his philosophy of love and peaceful resistance.

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The bombing marked the beginning of relentless threats and violence against King and civil rights leaders. Despite assassination attempts and intimidation, King’s unwavering commitment to justice inspired the civil rights movement, leaving a legacy of hope and resilience amid ongoing racial violence.

2006 – Coretta Scott King Passes Away 

Coretta Scott King, widow of Martin Luther King Jr., emerged as a prominent civil rights leader and advocate for social justice. Born on April 27, 1927, in Heiberger, Alabama, she faced early hardships, including picking cotton during the Depression. After graduating as valedictorian, she attended Antioch College and later the New England Conservatory of Music, where she met Martin Luther King Jr., marrying him in 1953.

Following her husband’s assassination in 1968, Coretta continued his work, founding the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Non-Violent Social Change and leading campaigns like establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day. She passed away on January 30, 2006.