Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Linda Garcia Cubero, first Hispanic woman graduate of US Air Force Academy

Linda Garcia Cubero, born in 1958 in Shreveport, Louisiana, is the first Hispanic woman to graduate from any military service academy when she graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1980. 

She served the next seven years as a commander briefer, and received the Joint Service Commendation Medal for her work with the Pentagon's intelligence task force.  She served as a mentor to Hispanic Air Force cadets and awarded the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Pioneer Award in 1991.

She left the Air Force as Captain in 1987. 

Celebrating Black History Month: Absalom Boston, first African-American whaling ship captain

Absalom Boston, born in Nantucket, Massachusetts 1785, was the first African-American to captain a whaling ship with an all-black crew.  His uncle, Prince Boston, had been a whaler in the 1770's as a slave but refused to turn over his earnings to his white captain.  He went to court and became the first black slave to be freed by a U.S. jury.

Absalom owned and operated an inn in Nantucket but in 1822, he became captain of The Industry with an all-black crew.  Their voyage lasted 6 months, returning with 70 barrels of whale oil and the entire crew intact.