Mansa Musa, born around 1280 into the Keita dynasty, ruled the Mali Empire from 1312 to about 1337 and transformed it into one of the richest and most powerful states of the medieval world. Under his leadership, Mali’s gold and salt trade flourished, funding grand architectural projects and solidifying Timbuktu and Gao as epicenters of Islamic learning. His legendary pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, complete with a procession of thousands and camels laden with gold, not only displayed his extraordinary wealth but also strengthened diplomatic and cultural ties across North Africa and the Middle East. A generous patron of scholars and builders, Mansa Musa is remembered for elevating West African civilization through prosperity, education, and monumental construction.

Elijah McCoy -Elijah McCoy (1844–1929) was a Canadian-American inventor and mechanical engineer whose innovations revolutionized industrial lubrication. Born in Ontario to formerly enslaved parents and later apprenticed in Scotland, McCoy returned to the U.S. to work on railroad machinery. Frustrated by costly engine downtime for manual oiling, he developed an automatic lubricator that allowed trains and factories to run continuously without stopping for maintenance. He secured over 50 patents for his “lubricating cup” and related devices, earning him a reputation for quality so distinguished that engineers insisted on “the real McCoy” rather than inferior imitations. His inventions boosted efficiency across railroads and manufacturing plants, leaving a legacy of smooth operation wherever moving parts meet.

Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche (1886–1912) was a Haitian-born engineer who in 1904 became the only Black student in his class at the École Centrale Paris. After graduating, racial barriers kept him from securing an engineering post in France, so he returned to Haiti and worked briefly before marrying and starting a family. In 1912, Laroche and his pregnant wife and two young daughters booked passage on the RMS Titanic bound for a new life in America. Tragically, he perished when the ship sank on April 15, 1912—his wife and children were lost as well. Though his life was cut short, Laroche’s ambition and achievements still resonate as a testament to perseverance against prejudice.