Description: Born in 1829 to free black parents along the border between Maryland and the District of Columbia, Solomon Galleon Brown would become, at age 23, the first black employee of the Smithsonian. Starting out as a laborer in the Exchange Office, he ultimately became the personal assistant of Spencer Baird, the second secretary of the Smithsonian. By the time of his 1904 retirement,
Description: In January 1926, Science Service took a chance on smart, plucky Hallie Jenkins, hiring the 27-year-old as their sales representative. During the following months, Jenkins traveled on her own throughout the Midwest, selling science to newspapers large and small. By the end of the year, she become the organization’s sales and advertising manager.