Pioneers are people who, through courage and determination, blaze trails en route to becoming the very first to accomplish a feat. This could be joining an organization or establishing a new way of thinking. Due to ignorance and fear, African-Americans were held back for decades, but not even the efforts of the small-minded could prevent them from earning places in history. This is a look at African-Americans who were first in their fields and whose accomplishments need to be recognized year-round, not just during the shortest month of the year. African-American history is American history, and the efforts of black innovators deserve to be recalled regularly, not just archived. African-Americans are responsible for a number of landmark developments. These are the first African-Americans in fields ranging from the sports to the sciences.

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