Black History project
Derek Walcott
Both of his grandmothers were the descendents of slaves. Walcott moved to Trinidad in 1953 to work as a theatre and art critic. When he was 18, he made his debut with 25 poems. His breakthrough came with the collection of poems, "In a Green Night" in 1962. In Trinidad, Walcott is a writer and in Boston University, he teaches literature and creative writing.
Descendent: A person or animal that is descended from a specific ancestor; an offspring.
Critic: A person who judges, evaluates, or analyzes literary or artistic works, dramatic or musical performances, or the like, especially for a newspaper or magazine.
Literature: Writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays.
Lewis Latimer
Latimer worked closely with Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. His brother and sister escaped slavery in Virginia 6 years before Latimer was born. His father, George Latimer, was captured in Boston and brought to trial as a fugitive. Latimer was the person who actually invented the lightbulb, not Thomas Edison. Latimer also invented the telephone.
Fugitive: A person who is fleeing, from prosecution, intolerable circumstances, etc.; a runaway