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On this day in 1894, A.C. Richardson, a Black inventor, received a patent on the Casket Lowering Device.

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Whoopi Goldberg, also known as Caryn Johnson, was born on this day in 1955 in New York City. An accomplished comedian and actor, she has been on stage since age eight.

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Janet Collins was a path breaking ballet dancer born in New Orleans in 1917. After dancing and excelling all over the world, she finally got the opportunity on this day in 1951 to become the first Black dancer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera Company. She spent four years at the Met.