It began one quiet winter evening in November of 1996. At home, while viewing a PBS documentary on the Transportation Rail Industry in America, I noticed that there was no mention of the African-American contributions. Deep feelings of anger mixed with frustrations stirred within me. I began to remember as a child my troubling history lessons, which left me feeling invisible.

In a world, which is so diverse, one would expect that history be painted with a much broader brush. Too many of our African American pioneers have been passed over or mentioned briefly, devoid of personality, with no human sense of their unyielding dreams in the face of enormous adversity. Can someone, in God`s name, tell me why our significant American deeds are still continuously suppressed today?

I feel the time has come when we, the living dream of our enslaved, deprived ancestors, must take on the responsibility by telling their incredible saga. If only simply for the sake of our children so that they may believe, through their young precious eyes, in their own true potential. Disturbed and upset by their omission, I slowly began to research and assemble facts on the African American presence in transportation. Lo and behold what I discovered would surely make my children and all parents proud.

In my search I came across a courageous pioneer who pressed on with his dreams during a very difficult historical period of race relations. As I began to look deeper into the life of this man, I became truly amazed by his achievements. I grew to admire this forgotten genius that had been totally excluded from the New York transit annals.

Black history should not be regulated outside of the American experience but rather at the core of its existence. Granville T. Woods voice yells out, echoing in my mind to reveal his untold saga. So began my journey……..