A poster series highlighting the achievements of African American engineers and inventors is now available for purchase through ASME. Created by Ellis Cooper, a former student member at Fairfield University's BEI School of Engineering in Fairfield, Connecticut, the poster series contains ten posters, measuring 14-by-18 inches, each displaying a picture of an African American engineer or inventor and information about their work.
Among those highlighted are: Elijah McCoy, inventor of the lubrication cup; mathematician Benjamin Banneker, who produced the first American-made wooden clock and helped design the city of Washington, D.C.; and Madame C.J. Walker, inventor of a metal heating comb and conditioner which straightened the hair of African-American women.
Also a product designer at the time at Nash Engineering Company, Mr. Cooper created the posters as a result of receiving funding through: the ASME Board on Diversity and Outreach 1995/96); ASME Fairfield County Section; ASME Region I (New England); Fairfield University's BEI School of Engineering Alumni Association; Greater Bridgeport Area Foundation; and the Nash Engineering Company.
During the 1996 celebration of National Engineers Week, Mr. Cooper and the ASME student section at Fairfield hosted a reception and unveiled the poster series. Nearly 100 poster sets were distributed to schools, libraries and museums in the Bridgeport area.
Poster sets can currently be purchased for $20 a set for members and $24 for non-members. Contact the ASME Information Central at 1-800-THE-ASME (843-2763) and request product #AAI497.
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